Lenovo ThinkCentre Lenovo Desktop PC ThinkCentre M90s Gen 5 Review
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90s Gen 5 packs a serious 20-core Intel CPU into a small business desktop. But with weak integrated graphics and a price near $1,900, it's only for specific corporate buyers.
The 30-Second Version
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90s Gen 5 is a business CPU in a tiny box, but it's hobbled by weak graphics and a high price. Its 20-core Intel CPU scores in the 76th percentile, making it fast for office work. For nearly $1,900, it's not worth it unless your company is buying in bulk.
Overview
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90s Gen 5 is a business desktop that's all about the CPU. It packs Intel's 20-core i7-14700 and a generous 32GB of RAM into a small form factor case, making it a serious contender for data-heavy office work. But don't let the 'enhanced graphics' marketing fool you. This is a machine built for spreadsheets and databases, not for games or creative apps that need a real GPU.
Performance
The CPU is the star here. With a score in the 76th percentile, that 20-core Intel chip will tear through productivity apps, data analysis, and multi-tasking. The 32GB of RAM is also solid, landing in the 71st percentile. The lowlights are just as clear. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 sits in the bottom 25th percentile, so any graphical workload is a non-starter. Storage and port selection are also middle-of-the-pack at best.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The 20-core Intel i7-14700 CPU is a powerhouse for CPU-bound tasks. 80th
- 32GB of DDR5 RAM is plenty for heavy multitasking and business applications. 74th
- Small form factor design saves valuable desk space. 68th
- Comes with Windows 11 Pro for business-grade security features.
Cons
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics are useless for gaming or serious creative work. 19th
- Port selection is limited, scoring in the 21st percentile. 32th
- The 1TB SSD is just average for a desktop at this price.
- It's expensive for what you get if you don't need the specific business features.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core i7-14700 |
| Cores | 20 |
| Frequency | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 33 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | UHD Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM Type | Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Storage | 1 TB |
Build
| Form Factor | Desktop |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At nearly $1,900, this is a tough sell for anyone outside its specific niche. You're paying a premium for the business-focused chassis, the vPro security features, and the Windows 11 Pro license. If you're a large company deploying these by the dozen, that might make sense. For a home office or a small business user, that money could buy a much more powerful all-around system.
vs Competition
This isn't competing with the gaming desktops like the HP Omen or Alienware Aurora it's listed against. Those have dedicated GPUs and are built for entirely different tasks. A fairer comparison is against other business SFF PCs from Dell or HP. The M90s holds its own on CPU power. But if you need any graphical muscle, you'd need to look at Lenovo's own Legion towers or a custom-built PC, where $1,900 gets you a complete, powerful system.
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkCentre Lenovo Desktop PC ThinkCentre M90s Gen 5 | HP OMEN HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, Intel Core Ultra 7 | MSI MSI EdgeXpert-11SUS AI Supercomputer | Dell Dell Tower Plus Desktop Computer | Lenovo T Series Towers Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 (30L AMD) 90YJ001LUS | Apple Mac Studio Apple - Mac Studio - M3 Ultra - 1TB SSD - Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i7-14700 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | NVIDIA GB | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | Apple M3 Ultra |
| RAM (GB) | 32 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 96 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 2048 | 4096 | 1024 | 2048 | 1000 |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | Apple M3 Ultra 60-core |
| Form Factor | Desktop | Desktop | Mini | Tower | Tower | - |
| Psu W | - | 850 | 240 | 750 | 850 | - |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | NVIDIA DGX OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | macOS |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
Common Questions
Q: Can this PC handle gaming or video editing?
No, not really. It uses integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770, which scores in the bottom 25th percentile for GPUs. It's fine for displaying your spreadsheets, but that's about it.
Q: What kind of RAM does it use and is it upgradeable?
It comes with 32GB of DDR5 memory. While it's a small form factor PC, our data shows these business models often have some room for RAM upgrades, but you'd need to check the specific manual for slots.
Q: Is this a good deal for a home office?
Probably not. For this price, you could build or buy a system with a similar powerful CPU and add a decent dedicated GPU, giving you a machine that's great for work and can actually handle some entertainment too.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you're a gamer, video editor, 3D artist, or anyone who needs graphical power. The integrated GPU is a deal-breaker. Also skip it if you're a budget-conscious buyer; this price tag is for corporate budgets, not personal ones. If you need more than basic USB connectivity, look elsewhere—its port score is low.
Verdict
Buy this only if you're an IT manager for a corporation that needs a fleet of secure, reliable, and compact desktops for data processing and office applications. Its value is in the business ecosystem, not raw consumer performance. For literally anyone else—gamers, creators, home users, even most developers—there are far better ways to spend your money.