Punching beyond its stature

One of the world’s smallest desktop computers, what Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90n Nano lacks in size is more than made up by its powerful punch, especially when it comes to running business applications.

Perfect for the modern office needing to save space and energy, the M90n Nano comes in a metal chassis build with a diminutive footprint of just 17.9x8.8x2.2 centimetres, making it smaller than a VHS cassette tape or roughly the same size as two smartphones stacked on top of each other.

Lenovo’s survey last year showed that the M90n Nano is indeed the smallest commercial desktop computer currently on the market. It is even 65 per cent smaller than Lenovo’s earlier compact ThinkCentre Tiny desktop series.

And the M90n Nano weighs just 505 grammes, making it a highly portable desktop. With the ultra-compact size and light weight, the M90n Nano can be mounted anywhere – behind the monitor, under a desk, on the wall or stuck away on a shelf. The Nano is designed for modern offices that have limited space or for use in a specialized area where you need a lot of computers in a tight space. And if you are short of AC outlets, you will be happy to find that the M90n Nano can be powered by a USB-C port so it can be chained-powered from nearby units.

The tiny form factor allows the M90n Nano to be easily moved and if you need to move it often, then it is best paired with Lenovo’s ThinkVision M14 Portable Monitor. The mobile display for on-the-go productivity can be connected to the M90n Nano with just one USB-C able that allows it to send display data to the monitor while also powering it. The 14-inch monitor has a foldable stand and it weighs just 598 grammes, making it just as portable as the Nano PC.

Despite its ultra compact size, the M90n Nano is powerful when it comes to handling business applications, depending on the choice of CPU and amount of installed memory. The M90n Nano is powered by Intel’s 8^th generation U-series processor but can also be juiced by up to 8th Generation Intel Core vPro i7 Processors that would make the Nano very powerful for handling business applications in multitasking situations.

The Nano’s memory can scale up to 16 gigabytes and it comes with two ports for installing up to two 512GB SSD drives.

The M90n Nano I tried was powered by Intel Core i-5825U 1.6 GHz and installed with 8GB DDR4 RAM or active working memory and a 256GB SSD drive. It runs on Microsoft Windows 10 Pro operating system while it uses integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 chipset for graphics display.

I connected it to ThinkVision M14 and the connection was a breeze – the display functioned well without the need to install any driver software. During the test, I used a USB full-sized keyboard and a USB mouse, both connected to the Nano’s full-sized USB ports at its back. Windows 10 Pro automatically detected the mouse and keyboard and installed driver software for them.

I found during the test that the M90n Nano started and shut down fast, thanks to the fast SSD drive. It ran business applications, like Microsoft Office, fast too. Web pages browsed using the Microsoft Edge browser were generated at high speed and YouTube clips flew smoothly. The Nano also has a built-in speaker with good enough sound quality for enjoying YouTube clips or other multimedia applications. That said, you should use a pair of headphones and these can be connected using the 3.5mm jack headphone on the front of the computer. The desktop uses the Realtek ALC233VB audio chipset for its sound system.

One of the M90n Nano’s advantages is that it consumes much less power than a typical desktop computer. This is because Intel’s 8^th generation U-series processors are mobile-class chips that are generally used in ultra-thin laptop computers. So, the M90n Nano consumes 15-per-cent less energy than Lenovo’s earlier smallest systems or the ThinkCentre Tiny desktops.

Deploying M90n Nano desktops will bring peace of mind to companies because they come with built-in security. Each M90n Nano is installed with the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chipset for safeguarding critical data such as passwords and encryption keys. Moreover, the M90n Nano has a Kensington lock slot for securing it in more public spaces.

Despite its ultra-compact size, the M90n Nano is a tough and durable computer. It has been tested to meet MIL-STD-801H military specifications and is certified to withstand harsh working conditions. Among other things, it has been tested to withstand dust, humidity, and temperature shock.

Another impressive feature of this ultra compact desktop is that it comes with plenty of ports and connections. It has two full-sized USB 3.1 ports and one micro-sized USB-C port on the front. At the back are a DC-in port, a DisplayPort, two USB 3.1 ports and a USB-C port as well as an Ethernet (RJ45) port. The USB-C port at the back has display function and also supports power-in.

The M90n Nano has a built-in Intel 9560 11ac wireless LAN unit with 2x2 multiple-input and multiple-output connections and it also comes with Bluetooth 5.0 connection. During the test, I had no problem connecting it to my 11ac home router. Several optional accessories are available for mounting the M90n Nano. One is the ThinkCentre Tiny-in-One (TIO) Display Accessory that helps you create a modular All-In-One (AIO) workspace without cables or clutter. The display accessory is available in 22-inch, 24-inch and 27-inch sizes and can work with ThinkCentre Nano TIO Cube. You simply connect your Nano PC to your TIO Cube and then slide into a TIO monitor, turning the PC and display into an AIO PC.

There is also a ThinkCentre Nano Power Cage Kit that allows you to integrate a power adapter with a Nano PC effortlessly. If you want to attach the Nano PC to your monitor but it’s not a TIO model, you can buy ThinkCentre Nano Monitor Clamp to use with it.

Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90n Nano has a starting price of Bt13,900. Prices vary depending on processor, memory and SSD storage configurations.

 

Key specs:

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64

Processor: Intel Core i5-8256U 1.6 GHz (With up to 8th Generation Intel Core vPro i7 Processors)

Memory: 8GB DDR4-2666

Storage: 256 SSD M.2

Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620

Wireless connections: Intel 9560 11ac 2x2, BT5.0

Front ports: 2 USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 2, 1 USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, 1 Headphone/Mic combo jack

Rear ports: 2 USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 2, 1 USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, 1 RJ-45, 1 DisplayPort

Audio: Realtek ALC233VB

Power supply: 65 watts AC/DC adapter

Dimensions: 17.9x8.8x2.2cm

Weight: 505g