Get a gorgeous Lenovo all-in-one desktop for $722
Built for the Netflix-streaming age, the IdeaCentre A300 lacks an optical drive, but does have an HDMI input for connecting a Blu-ray player or game console.
I'm a sucker for all-in-one desktops, and the Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 is one the slickest, sexiest models I've ever seen.
It features a 21.5-inch LCD mounted on a glossy white base, with an equally glossy white mouse and keyboard. To me the design says "kitchen PC," but it'll look good anywhere you put it.
The IdeaCentre A300-40181OU (the top-end model) has a list price of $1,099, but it's currently on sale for $849. Coupon code USPLENOVO805 drops it to $721.65 shipped. (Click the link up top, then click Customize & Buy for the model on the far right. Use the coupon code after adding it to your cart.)
The A300 comes with a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo T6600 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium. That should satisfy most mainstream users' needs.
Now for the good stuff: the A300's monitor delivers full 1,920x1,080-pixel (aka 1080p) resolution, meaning it effectively doubles as an HDTV. In fact, the system comes with both a TV tuner and an HDMI input, the latter suitable for connections from, say, a Blu-ray player or Xbox.
Now for the bad stuff: the A300 lacks an optical drive. That's a pretty major omission, though I have to say, I use my desktop's DVD drive almost never. You'll have to decide if this is something you can live without--and keep in mind you can always plug in a USB drive if you need one.
I've actually got an A300 in for review, and I'm just blown away by its elegant design. If you've been shopping for an ultra-stylish PC with a big screen, small footprint, and video-friendly features, take a look.
Bonus deal No. 1: Need AC power in a car or on a boat? Today only, Yugster has a Xantrax XPower Pocket Inverter for $9.97 (plus $5 for shipping). The XPower plugs into a cigarette lighter and provides 100 watts of AC juice. It includes an AC outlet and a USB port for powering, say, a laptop and iPod simultaneously. Crazy-good deal.
Bonus deal No. 2: If you happened to purchase the Brother HL-2140 or HL-2170W laser printer I've mentioned here in the past, Meritline has a phenomenal deal on toner cartridges: $17.95 shipped (with coupon code MLC139056080422NL1). It's a "TN360-compatible" cartridge, but I've used them before and they're fine.