LENOVO ThinkCentre M75t Gen 2 (11RC0017TA)

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M75t Gen 2 is a robust and reliable tower desktop PC primarily aimed at business users and professionals. It was introduced around 2021-2022, leveraging AMD Ryzen PRO processors to deliver strong performance, manageability, and enterprise-grade security features. Its “t” designation signifies its traditional tower form factor, offering significant expandability.

Here’s a comprehensive overview of its features:

1. Design and Form Factor:

• Tower Chassis: It features a mid-tower design with a volume of approximately 13.6 liters. This size offers a good balance between space efficiency and internal expandability for components.
  • Dimensions: Approximately $145\times 281\times 340\text{ mm}$ ($5.7\times 11.06\times 13.39\text{ inches}$).
  • Weight: Around $7\text{ kg}$ ($15.45\text{ lbs}$), depending on configuration
• Professional Aesthetic: Typically available in a “Raven Black” color, it sports a clean, functional design suited for office environments. The chassis is often designed for toolless access to internal components for easy upgrades and maintenance.
• Integrated Stand: Designed to sit vertically on a desk or floor.
• Bundled Peripherals: Usually comes with a wired Lenovo Calliope keyboard and mouse, which are standard for business desktops.

2. Processors and Graphics:

• AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 and 5000 Series Processors: This is a key differentiator, as the M75t Gen 2 utilizes AMD’s Ryzen PRO CPUs. These processors offer:
  • Strong Performance: With multiple cores and threads (e.g., Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G, Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G, Ryzen 7 PRO 5750G), they excel in multitasking, office productivity, data crunching, and content creation tasks.
  • AMD PRO Technologies: These include features for enhanced security (e.g., AMD Memory Guard), manageability (e.g., DASH support for remote management), and reliability, which are crucial for enterprise deployments.
• Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics (Vega series): The M75t Gen 2 primarily relies on the integrated Radeon Graphics within the Ryzen PRO APUs (Accelerated Processing Units). These integrated GPUs (e.g., Radeon Graphics with Vega 7 or Vega 8 cores) offer excellent performance for integrated solutions, capable of handling:
  • Everyday business applications.
  • High-resolution multi-monitor setups (up to 3 independent displays via HDMI and DisplayPort).
  • Basic photo editing and light video editing.
  • Casual gaming.
• Optional Discrete Graphics: For users needing more graphics power, some configurations may offer entry-level discrete GPUs, such as:
  • AMD Radeon 520 (2GB GDDR5) (A very entry-level option for additional display outputs or slight boost).
  • AMD Radeon RX 550X (4GB) or similar.This provides a modest boost for more graphically intensive tasks or some lighter gaming.

3. Memory and Storage:

• RAM: Utilizes DDR4 UDIMM RAM, supporting speeds up to 3200MHz.
  • It features four DDR4 DIMM slots, making it dual-channel capable and allowing for significant memory expansion.
  • Supports a maximum of 128GB DDR4 RAM, providing ample capacity for even the most demanding professional workloads. Common factory configurations are 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB
• Storage: Offers flexible and ample storage options:
  • M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD: The primary drive for blazing-fast boot times and application loading. Typically available in 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or up to 2TB capacities. It usually has one M.2 2280 slot.
  • 3.5-inch HDD: For mass storage of documents, media, and backups. Can support up to 2TB (or even more, depending on specific configurations). It typically has one 3.5-inch internal bay.
  • 2.5-inch HDD/SSD: Some models may offer an additional 2.5-inch bay for further storage expansion.
  • The system can generally support up to three drives (e.g., 1x M.2 SSD + 1x 3.5″ HDD + 1x 2.5″ HDD/SSD).

4. Expansion Slots:

• 1x PCIe 3.0 x16, full-height: For a discrete graphics card or other high-bandwidth expansion.
• 1x PCIe 3.0 x1, full-height: For smaller expansion cards like Wi-Fi cards (if not already integrated) or other peripherals.
• 2x M.2 slots: One for WLAN (Wi-Fi card) and one for the primary NVMe SSD.

5. Connectivity:

• Front Ports (Convenient Access):
  • 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (often with 15W charging)
  • 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
  • 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
  • 1x Headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)
  • 1x Microphone (3.5mm)
  • (Optional) 3-in-1 card reader
• Rear Ports:
  • 4x USB 2.0 Type-A
  • 1x HDMI
  • 2x DisplayPort
  • 1x Ethernet (RJ-45) for Gigabit LAN
  • 1x Line-out (3.5mm) audio
  • (Optional) 1x Serial port (RS-232)
  • (Optional) 1x Parallel port
  • (Optional) PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse (for legacy peripherals)
• Wireless Connectivity:
  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax 2×2) or Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac 2×2): Provides fast and reliable wireless networking.
  • Bluetooth 5.0 or 5.2: For connecting wireless peripherals.
• Optical Drive (Optional): Many configurations include a slim DVD±RW drive.

6. Operating System and Security:

• Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro: Comes pre-installed, offering advanced features for business and security. Windows 11 Pro is more common in later configurations.
• ThinkShield Security: A comprehensive suite of hardware and software security features typical of ThinkCentre desktops, including:
  • Discrete Trusted Platform Module (dTPM) 2.0: Encrypts sensitive data and passwords.
  • BIOS-based Smart USB Protection: Allows IT administrators to control which USB devices can access the system, preventing data theft via USB drives.
  • AMD Memory Guard: Provides real-time encryption of system memory to protect against sophisticated cold boot attacks.
  • Kensington Lock slot, Padlock loop, and optional Chassis E-lock for physical security.
• MIL-STD-810H Military Standard Tested: Designed and tested to meet military-grade durability standards, ensuring reliability in various demanding environments (e.g., extreme temperatures, vibrations, shocks).

7. Power Supply Unit (PSU):

• Various PSU options are available depending on the configuration (especially with discrete graphics), typically ranging from 180W, 260W, 310W, or even 380W (often with high 85% or 92% efficiency ratings).

Target Audience:

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M75t Gen 2 is an excellent choice for:

• Corporate Environments: Offering powerful, secure, and easily manageable workstations for employees.
• Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs): Providing reliable and efficient desktops for daily operations.
• Government and Education Sectors: Meeting demands for robust security, longevity, and performance.
• Professionals and Power Users: Who require strong multitasking capabilities, secure data handling, and the ability to connect multiple displays for enhanced productivity.
• Users Needing Legacy Port Support: The inclusion of VGA, serial, and optional parallel/PS/2 ports makes it compatible with a wide range of existing business equipment.