All-in-One Computers

Sleek and sophisticated desktops

All-in-one desktops combine the computer and monitor into one design that is sleeker and more compact than a traditional desktop. The trade-off for the compact design is that all-in-ones cost considerably more than their traditional counterparts with the same computing prowess. It's also more difficult to upgrade an all-in-one desktop if you want to increase storage space or add more memory. On the other hand, all-in-one computers are more stylish and take up less room.

The Apple iMac dominates the all-in-one category, earning top honors from most of the major reviewers, including PCMag.com, ComputerShopper.com and CNET. It also bests all other all-in-one desktops in a recent independent test. However, it is also relatively expensive (the cheapest iMac costs $1,200).

If you don't want or can't afford an iMac (which is covered in our report on Apple laptops and desktops), there are a few good PC options under $800 that will save you some money. These desktops provide decent power at a reasonable price. They're not the best choice for serious gamers or video editors, but they have more than enough juice for everyday tasks like browsing the web, watching videos or word processing.

Among all-in-one desktops costing less than $800, we found the best reviews for the Gateway One ZX4931-31e all-in-one computer (*Est. $600). The ZX4931-31e impresses reviewers with admirable performance for a budget-friendly price. It runs on a dual-core 3.2 GHz Intel Pentium E5800 processor and features a 21.5-inch touch-screen display. The 500 GB hard drive is certainly spacious enough for many users, but reviewers say you can find larger drives in similarly priced all-in-ones. Other features include 3 GB of memory, VGA and eSATA ports, a multi-card reader, seven USB ports and Windows 7 Home Premium. A wireless keyboard and mouse, DVD burner and built-in Wi-Fi are also included.

The Gateway ZX4931-31e is sold exclusively at Best Buy. Gateway also offers a more powerful sibling of this all-in-one computer for sale through other vendors, however. The Gateway ZX4351-UR20P (*Est. $600) costs a bit more, but it packs in 4 GB of RAM and doubles the hard drive space to a full 1 TB of storage. It runs on a 2.8 GHz Athlon II X2 processor, and while it receives little attention from professional critics, performance should be on a par with the Gateway One ZX4931-31e.

Regardless of which configuration you choose, performance is good, according to users and thorough benchmark testing from TomsHardware.com, but the GMA X4500HD graphics integrated into the system stumble when it comes to intensive tasks like 3D gaming or video editing. In fact, the ZX4931-31e wouldn't even run many of TomsHardware.com's gaming benchmarks, although reviewer Andrew Ku says it can handle "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm" well enough.

The all-in-one ZX4931-31e handled most of the site's other performance testing well, posting the best overall score in the PCMarks suite benchmark. Several BestBuy.com users rate the PC as "easy to set up and lightning fast," and over 80 percent say they'd recommend the all-in-one to a friend. One stumbling block is Wi-Fi performance; although the ZX4931-31e has built in Wi-Fi, its data transfer rates were far and away the slowest in TomsHardware.com's roundup. Other PCs posted times in the seven minute range, whereas the ZX4931-31e took 10:20 to move the same amount of information. "This may be an important issue if you plan to stream videos over your network," Ku writes.

The display supports some multitouch gestures, but few software applications allow them, and users say the wireless keyboard and mouse need to be fairly close to the ZX4931-31e in order to work seamlessly. Ku says you'll have to tweak some monitor settings to achieve the best color results as well. Other downsides include the fact that the unit stands upright with the use of a high-tension kickstand, rather than a more solid base. TomsHardware.com says the PC never fell over, but the kickstand will close a bit if jostled. "If you need a computer for a high-traffic location, this wouldn't be our first choice." It also doesn't stand well on slick surfaces, such as marble, and users note that speakers can't achieve high volumes.

We also saw good reviews for one of the ZX4931-31e's more expensive alternatives, the ZX4931-33e (*Est. $730), which is also a Best Buy exclusive. The ZX4931-33e bumps the processor up to a 3.2 GHz Intel Core i3, adds another GB of RAM, and adds another 500 GB of storage space to bring it to 1 TB total. Sound options are also expanded; the ZX4931-33e includes built-in 5W stereo speakers and support for 5.1 audio channels. Most users of the ZX4931-33e say the same good things about it as they do for the lesser-priced model. Poor experiences with Gateway's technical support account for the handful of 1-star reviews, while some otherwise positive reviews mention that the PC's kickstand – which is similarly designed to the ZX4931-31e's – isn't very stable.

One non-Gateway computer that sees some positive acclaim is the Acer Aspire AZ5761-UR20P (*Est. $800), which is the only budget PC to crack Mark Kyrnin's list of the top all-in-one computers at About.com. Like the Gateway ZX4931-33e, the Acer all-in-one includes a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a spacious 1 TB hard drive, as well as a DVD burner and 5W stereo speakers. Connectivity-wise, the Aspire AZ5761-UR20P sports eight USB 2.0 slots, built in Wi-Fi and gigabit Ethernet, a webcam with microphone, and a 12-in-1 card reader.

Most budget all-in-ones have smaller 21.5-inch screens, but Kyrnin notes approvingly that the Aspire AZ5761-UR20P uses a "very responsive multitouch 23-inch display … capable of displaying a 1920x1080 resolution compatible with 1080p HD video." He says light video editing is possible thanks to the inclusion of the HD Graphics 2000 integrated in the Intel processor. The Acer model still isn't a graphical powerhouse, however; Kyrnin says gamers should get their virtual kicks elsewhere. A lack of USB 3.0 and eSATA ports and the limited amount of software that makes use of the multitouch technology are the major complaints Kyrnin levels at the Aspire AZ5761-UR20P. He also says the all-in-one's plastic exterior feels cheaply made. "Of course, with its price being several hundred less than most other 23-inch systems, it is pretty much to be expected that the materials might not be of the highest quality," he concedes.