# All-in-One Computer - Opinions Please



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Being a laptop only computer user for the last decade, I kinda like the *All-in-One* for home use, because it's kinda like a laptop that's in pieces with possibility of having a real large screen.

Anyone here one own one or did research on them? For I like to get some opinions of what I should look for in picking one out for myself.


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## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

iMac


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## prozone1 (Sep 22, 2007)

iMac


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

iMac's about the only one left.


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

They are inherently very hard to repair as well.....I've been in IT for 20 years, and I have been the IT go to guy for all my friends and relatives for the entire time. If any of them bought an all in one system like ones Gateway used to make, etc....I politely tell them to go buy a new pc....


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

CCarncross said:


> They are inherently very hard to repair as well.....I've been in IT for 20 years, and I have been the IT go to guy for all my friends and relatives for the entire time. If any of them bought an all in one system like ones Gateway used to make, etc....I politely tell them to go buy a new pc....


I'd likely do the same thing, at least back when they used CRT monitors. That was one component I never messed with, didn't like the idea of discharging them.

iFixit's teardown of an iMac is interesting though (from 2009)
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch-Teardown/1236/1


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

I have a Sony All-In-One and love it! Mine is a year old, but is from this line.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...0151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644671995

I love the tv tuner...


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## spaul (Jul 19, 2009)

I am not a computer geek but,replaced a lap top Nov 2009 with a Gateway ZX4800-02.This computer is all in one with a 21" wide screen has touch screen also wireless mouse and key board too.This model was Windows 7 with 4GB of memory and almost 700GB hard drive .Haven,t had any problems with it did read many reviews also checked out at Best Buy site before purchasing for sale price of $650 .Like I said I am not tech savy but, this unit has and does what I need.


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## Rob77 (Sep 24, 2007)

Karen said:


> I have a Sony All-In-One and love it! Mine is a year old, but is from this line.
> 
> http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...0151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644671995
> 
> I love the tv tuner...


Totally agree.....one of my computers is a Sony All-In_One....they are great


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I haven't tried any of the PC all-in-ones...

but my iMac has been going strong for a couple of years now... and my father and sister also like their iMacs.

I have traditionally been a desktop person... but the all-in-one is a much better deal than a notebook unless you truly need that portability... and the iMacs are now fairly competitive for what they offer. Still more expensive than a PC, but by a narrower margin than in the past.

Once you add in the cost of a decent monitor to the average desktop PC... you come close to the low-end iMac pricing anyway.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Dell 2305


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Stewart Vernon said:


> I haven't tried any of the PC all-in-ones...
> 
> but my iMac has been going strong for a couple of years now... and my father and sister also like their iMacs.
> 
> ...


For $1199, I could get a lot of desktop PC. It's not even a contest.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

RasputinAXP said:


> For $1199, I could get a lot of desktop PC. It's not even a contest.


Read what I said... I said that the iMacs are more competitive now than ever... not that they were cheaper.

Yes... you can get a comparable PC desktop for around $400-$500 and add a monitor for another $200... so, yeah you can get a comparable PC still for maybe $400 or so less than the iMac.

But that's a way slimmer margin than it used to be in the olden days of Apple... and when you take into consideration that the iMacs are using some laptop-like components like the smaller hard drives... some of the tech going into an iMac is higher-tech than in your average desktop computer.

I was a PC-only guy for a long time... but honestly, I find I enjoy my iMac more now than I had been enjoying my PCs... the only arena really lacking still for Apple is in the gaming area... but the iPhone/iPad seems to have been helping improve that... and the Mac App store is making it attractive for those same companies to port versions of their games to the Mac desktops.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

I bought an all-in-one ($500) for a friend from TigerDirect. Nice simple Win XP computer with Intel Atom processor, 18 inch LCD screen, camera, WiFi and DVD. It runs cool with no noisy fan.

I set it up and then used it for a few weeks for web browsing, email and Skype video .. worked just fine for those undemanding applications. My only annoyance was the DVD drive vertical configuration.

Get one with a wireless keyboard/mouse and connect to the net via WiFi. Look ma, no wires.

--- CHAS


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

RasputinAXP said:


> For $1199, I could get a lot of desktop PC. It's not even a contest.


True but Mac OSX and most of the available software is more effecient thus doesn't require super fast hardware to run it. Many overlook that. I still find it amazing that I can edit 1080p video on a low end iMac without so much as a hiccup.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> Dell 2305


Has everything I'm looking for, but it's a Dell.

Had a Dell. It was one long horror story. So no mo' Dells for me.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

HIPAR said:


> I bought an all-in-one ($500) for a friend from *TigerDirect*. Nice simple Win XP computer with Intel Atom processor, 18 inch LCD screen, camera, WiFi and DVD. It runs cool with no noisy fan.
> 
> I set it up and then used it for a few weeks for web browsing, email and Skype video .. worked just fine for those undemanding applications. My only annoyance was the DVD drive vertical configuration.
> 
> ...


TigerDirect is famous for selling 'gray' products.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

RasputinAXP said:


> For $1199, I could get a lot of desktop PC. It's not even a contest.


My wife's Mini, ($699) running WIN7 will run circles around any PC for that price. That's not even a contest. I would love to see what an iMac or MBP with the Quad Core i7 processor could do.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Since the OP was asking about all-in-ones... I didn't mention the Mini... but the Mini is what you should compare to PC desktop pricing as they are the closest.

For iMac pricing, you should compare with other PC all-in-ones OR make sure you count at least a 21-24" flat panel monitor along with a desktop when pricing things out.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

Stewart Vernon said:


> OR make sure you count at least a 21-24" flat panel monitor along with a desktop when pricing things out.


And not any cheap flat panel. The iMac's have absolutely stunning 1920x1080 (21.5") or 2560x1440 (27") displays. That $129 21" widescreen at BB won't compare.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Herdfan said:


> And not any cheap flat panel. The iMac's have absolutely stunning 1920x1080 (21.5") or 2560x1440 (27") displays. That $129 21" widescreen at BB won't compare.


True...

my iMac screen is far superior to the el-cheapo $150 LCD flat-panel monitor I have on my PC..


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Drucifer said:


> Has everything I'm looking for, but it's a Dell.
> 
> Had a Dell. It was one long horror story. So no mo' Dells for me.


You should have put that exclusion in your original post. :nono2:


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Herdfan said:


> My wife's Mini, ($699) running WIN7 will run circles around any PC for that price. That's not even a contest. I would love to see what an iMac or MBP with the Quad Core i7 processor could do.


No it won't. I can buy laptops that are cheaper and faster than a $699 C2D with 2GB of RAM. Heck, an identically configured Dell Vostro laptop is $439. C2Q Vostro desktop with 3 GB of RAM is only $519.

I'm only talking retail here, too. I'm not even discussing what can be done by parting it out and building a kit yourself. You can't play the hardware game with Apple; it used to be "but the PowerPC is better than Intel!" and now it's "It runs faster on the same exact hardware because it's got an Apple on it!"

Frankly, it's a moot point. Accept that you're paying for the industrial design and the sticker on it and move on.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Not interested in Mac or Dell. I run Win7Pro 64-Bit. Also must have 23" (or larger) screen and USB v3.

And while I'm at it. A standalone swing mount so I can work everything from my lounge chair. Something like this . . . .








. . . . but with a swing arm. That would allow me to swing the screen out of the way.


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

Here you go!

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666303960

Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM (2.0 / 2.90GHz) 
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Features: 24" Full HD Touch LCD, 8GB RAM, 2TB (5400rpm) HDD, Blu-ray player/burner, NVIDIA® graphics (1GB VRAM), HDMI™ in/out, TV tuner

Windows 7 Pro is available tho.

DisplayBack Light Technology : LED 
Resolution : 1920 x 1080 
Screen Size : 24.0" 
Technology : Touch Screen, FullHD

USB 2.0 : 3 
USB 3.0 : 2


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Nice. A little overkill. Need to find it on sale.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

....and you thought a Dell was trouble! :lol:


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> ....and you thought a Dell was trouble! :lol:


The only recent Sony I own was a 36" monster TV.

I remember years ago there was a problem with their laptops, but I haven't heard anything else bad about them since.

Is the pre-school period in August the best sale time?


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Why would they put a 5400 rpm HDD in that thing?


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> Why would they put a 5400 rpm HDD in that thing?


I'm finding 5400 rpm in most. Maybe it's an heat issue or a noise issue.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Karen said:


> Here you go!
> 
> http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666303960
> 
> ...


My problem with that is "It's a Sony" - I've boycotted Sony since the CD rootkit fiasco ( and yes - I know they are 2 different divisions).


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

I've laid hands on several SONY PC's over the years.
They've all been crap.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

Seriously thinking of getting


> HP - TouchSmart All-In-One Computer / Intel® Core™ i3 Processor / 23" Display / 4GB Memory / 750GB Hard Drive


It's under $ 1K and got a 23" monitor.

Anyone know where the current best online place to get _Win7Pro_ upgrade? And while I'm at it - _MS Office, Home Edition_?


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

Drucifer said:


> And while I'm at it - _MS Office, Home Edition_?


Do you have a student of any kind (elementary, HS, college) in the house? If so, you can get the student edition for like $120.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

Herdfan said:


> Do you have a student of any kind (elementary, HS, college) in the house? If so, you can get the student edition for like $120.


The student is no longer necessary.


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