All-in-one Desktop PC

An all-in-one desktop is the perfect system for those with compact spaces or prefer a minimalist setup. We give you tips on finding one that fits your needs, and give you the lowdown on some of the hottest all-in-one desktops out there.

 

The all-in-one desktop PC is an interesting beast. They were born out of the desire for computer manufacturers to both simplify (setup and shipping) and emulate the "dumb terminal" look that computer experts would be comfortable with. There have been all-in-one PCs for almost as long as there have been desktop PCs: The Commodore PET, various flavors of TRS-80, the Compaq Portable, the Kaypro II, and the original Apple Macintosh. Take a monitor, put the PC internals in the same chassis or in the base, ship it with a keyboard, viola! Instant all-in-one PC.

All-in-one PCs fell out of favor for a while, since expandability was priority in the 1990s. Apple reenergized the all-in-one genre with its successful iMac line. Since then Apple has reemerged as one of the most powerful tech companies. Everyone and their silicon fabricator want to taste some of that success.

Back when the iMac first appeared in 1998, it was powered by a PowerPC chip; these days, Intel has become Apple's desktop and laptop chip supplier. You'll find CPUs from AMD and Intel in most U.S.-sold all-in-one PCs, from the power-saving AMD Athlon II Neo and Intel Atom all the way up to high-end multi-core CPUS like the AMD Phenom II and Intel's Core i7. Occasionally, PC makers will use notebook-class CPUs and motherboard chipsets in order to save power consumption and help keep their systems running cool (a hot PC is an unhappy PC).

How Much Should You Be Paying?

A decent dual-core CPU with integrated graphics in the all-in-one PC category comes at a lower price point, from $400 to under $800. Jump up to $800-$1,300 for dual-core processors, light 3D graphics, and higher resolution monitors. Above $1,300, you should expect multimedia features (Blu-ray, higher-end 3D, HDTV, quad core CPUs) and creature comforts (wireless keyboards, 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4GHz/5GHz, and ambient lighting). Touchscreens are a hot property in the mid-range and high-end all-in-one systems, but they won't be a "must-have" feature for at least another year or two (if at all). As an aside, touch functionality is wonderful for the occasional interface with the computer (it's real neat swiping pictures out of a stack or zooming into a map). However, holding your arm out straight for Web surfing will get tiring fast; a wireless mouse is still a better interface when the screen is 2 to 4 feet in front of you. You really need a tablet or phone form factor for touch to work as a primary interface.

The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core i7) is, of course, one of the standard bearers for all-in-one PCs. However, systems like the Lenovo IdeaCentre A300 also espouse a design-forward chassis and are lust objects in their own right. Business users can confidently buy all-in-one PCs like the Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Core 2 Duo) or the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z. Big box stores will stock systems like the HP Pavilion All-in-one 200-5020, Gateway One ZX6900, and Acer Aspire AZ5610.