We believe it is ripe time for computer users to start thinking about investing in one of the best all-in-one PCs.
Among several benefits of choosing to buy an all-in-one PC, the most attractive of them is that users can cut themselves loose from the usual Tower-Monitor setup.
Having the all-in-one PC will help declutter the entire work desk by providing a single unit with everything in it. The computer packs all components of a computer ranging from speakers and CPU to the display itself in a single unit. Another advantage of having this PC is that it diminishes the number of cables on your table.Apart from the benefits mentioned above, another great advantage of having the all-in-one PC is that it provides the best value for money as well. When buying a Desktop PC, users need to buy the tower as well as a separate display, with the all-in-one PC there is no need to invest in a different display screen.
Keeping in view the advantages of the all-in-one PC, we have compiled a list that includes these PCs with an additional feature of Thunderbolt 3 support. The addition of a TB3 port in an all-in-one PC is a very welcome inclusion as it allows data transfer speeds up to a blazing 40 Gbps.
Moreover, the port has other advantages as well, like powering/charging devices or for connecting to an external display. Also, the port is hassle-free and reversible. You won’t have to worry about plugging it in the wrong way.
At a Glance – Our Top Picks
Image | Product | Details | Check Price |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | HP Envy AIO 34-inch Curved Desktop | Specs: Curved Display, Intel Core i7-8700T 2.40 GHz, Thunderbolt 3 Benefits: Stunning Design, Excellent Sound, Fantastic Performance, Huge Screen | Check on Amazon |
HP Envy AIO 27 Touch Desktop | Specs: Nvidia GTX 1050m 4GB, Anti Glare Touch Screen, Intel Core i7-8700T 4.0 GHz, Thunderbolt 3 Benefits: Excellent Audio Quality, Touch Screen, Decent Graphics | Check on Amazon | |
![]() | Apple iMac 21.5-inch 4K | Specs: 4K Retina Display, 2 X Thunderbolt Ports, 5mm Thin Design Benefits: Spectacular Performance, Exceptional Display, Sleek Look | Check on Amazon |
Table of Contents
1. HP Envy 34-inch Curved All-in-One Computer
The most impressive feature of this all-in-one computer is the 34-inch curved ultra-wide QHD LED screen. It provides a truly immersive experience for the viewers. Apart from that, the specs of the PC indicate that it is excellent for most tasks except gaming at Ultra-high settings.
Design
Like most of the AIO PCs out there, HP has packed all components of the computer system into the base of the device, while on it, they suspended a gorgeously crafted curved screen with the help of a stand. The build of the PC is not metallic. It is mostly plastic-made. Despite that, the build still feels premium.
As the display of the screen is curved, sitting very close to it is not recommended. Keeping your chair at a distance from it provides the best viewing experience. Users can tilt the screen upwards as well as downwards. Being not so different from the rest of the AIO PC’s out there, the screen ergonomics are somewhat limited. It can not swivel, nor the height of the display is adjustable.
The webcam module can pop out when a user requires to use it. When not in use, the cam remains hidden at the top-center of the display. Keeping in view the privacy concerns of the populace, the manufacturers took this measure.
Features
The 34-inch display screen is one of the most mesmerizing features of the HP Envy AIO PC. The resolution offered by the display is 3440 x 1440. It means that anything you might view on it would be crisp and clear. Unlike most computer displays, this one makes use of 21:9. So if you are planning to watch a movie on the screen, get ready for a theatre quality experience. The bezels are skinny, and the screen-curvature makes viewers feel more involved than with an ordinary flat display. The Ultra-Wide QHD display will be best for 1080P gaming and beyond.
This PC has An HDMI out as well as an HDMI in port at the back of the base. A Thunderbolt 3 port is also present on one side. The processor supported is an 8th gen core i-7, while the graphics card is the GTX 1050.
Performance
The model comes with a 2 TB hard drive, that is enough to store most of your games, documents, videos, and photos. Besides, the 16 GB RAM is sufficient for playing almost any game at present. If it seems not enough, you can upgrade your RAM anytime. The Intel Intel® Core™ i7+ 8700T processor, coupled with Nvidia GTX 1050, can play most of the games present in the market at decent display settings. These specs are well sufficient for switching seamlessly between gaming and some intensive work that you are doing on the computer.
Specs/Ports
Display | 34-inch, 3440 x 1440 |
CPU | Intel Core i7-8700T 6-Core, 2.40GHz |
Storage | 256GB SSD + 2TB HDD |
RAM | 16GB |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050M 4 GB |
Ports | 4xUSB 3.1, 1xUSB 3.1 Gen1, DVI; HDMI-In, HDMI-Out, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 |
Performance-wise there are plenty of different AIO computers present in the market to consider other than this HP AIO PC. A 34-inch curved screen with this performance is sporadic to find in the market as of yet. Hence, although the setup is a little too pricey, it does provide a decent value for money invested. Design and the feature-set of the PC are also exceptional, though the ergonomics could have been a tad better.
- Stunning Design
- Excellent Sound
- Fantastic Performance
- Huge Screen
- Limited Ergonomics
- Pricey
2. HP Envy AIO 27 Touch Desktop
Design
The entire system consists of a display screen with a flat base at the bottom, which contains the whole set of computing components. With a matte black color of the cabinet, Its screen is an impressive 27 inch UHD with touch functionality. A reticular stand supports the screen, with the help of a mounting arm. The arm helps rotate the display by 30 degrees in either direction. A shortcoming of the AIO PC’s design is that it does not allow any height adjustments to the screen. Moreover, the display is lacking pivot and swivel adjustments as well.
The HP Envy supports several ports. These ports are present at the back of the PC’s base alongside built-in speakers. Additionally, several buttons are also present on one side of the station. Settings menus are accessible using these buttons. One can also power on and off the PC using one of these buttons.
Features
The antiglare touchscreen is capable of providing viewers with a 4K UHD IPS display. Touch functionality is excellent for drawing apps and some games. The screen offers a WLED-backlit resolution of 3840 x 2160 to its users. Bezels around the edges of the screen are non-existent. It allows the PC to transform into a perfect display for watching videos and movies.
It also supports AMD’s FreeSync technology, which comes in handy for playing games. The Nvidia Geforce 1050M is enough to support games like GTA V and Battlefield 1. Bang and Olufsen Quad speakers provide crisp and a premium sound quality. An addition of a subwoofer would have made the quality of the sound fantastic. Currently, the bass does seem a little off.
The Thunderbolt 3 port at the base of the gives the PC an edge over its other competitors. Using a single cable, one can not only charge their devices with 60W of power but can also transmit video over the same wire. Additionally, there’s also a wireless keyboard and a mouse that comes with the PC.
Performance
In performance, the PC gives satisfactory results for gaming between medium and high settings. The GTX 1050M delivers the AIO PC the necessary gaming power. In almost every benchmark score, this PC performs better than the 27-inch iMac, which is its direct competitor. Overall the PC is all right for games and watching movies.
Specs/Ports
Display | 27-inch, 3840 x 2160 |
CPU | Intel Core i7-8700T 4.00 GHz |
Storage | 256GB SSD + 2TB |
RAM | 32GB |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050M 4 GB |
Ports | 4xUSB 3.1, 1xUSB 3.1 Gen1, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 |
All in all, the HP Envy all-in-one PC is excellent for serving multimedia purposes. Its sound quality is decent while the display is also 4K capable. It can also handle several recent games quite well thanks to the graphics card the adequate SSD. Buying this PC will provide excellent value to its users. That said, there are a few flaws as well. The positioning of the USB ports is not proper as one has to reach behind the screen. The keyboard is also not up to the mark, as the keys are huddled together.
- Excellent Audio Quality
- Touch Screen
- Decent Graphics
- Design
- Quick Heating
- Loud Fans
3. Apple iMac 21.5in
Apple’s iMacs are outstanding all-in-ones. Users who are comfortable with letting go of their Windows machines should Know that iMacs are worth a try. iMacs are available in different sizes, but the 21.5-inch Mac that we’ve mentioned here is cozier than its other siblings owing to its smaller size. If you are planning to switch to iMacs, you should be willing to spend a few extra bucks. Although the iMacs may seem a little costlier than their competition in the market, they quickly make up for those few extra bucks with their exceptional quality and performance.
Design
The foremost thing to know about the design of these iMacs is that they are quite slim. The 21.5in iMac that we are reviewing is only a few (5mm) millimeters thick. The screen has a webcam at its top center. The stunning thinness gives it a premium feel right away. The silvery iMac has an aluminum finish that starts from the base and covers the entire back panel. This model supports several ports, and all of them are present at the backside of the display screen.
An elegant L-Shaped base supports the iMac’s display. Users can tilt the screen upwards by almost 36 degrees and downwards by 5 degrees. At the back of the stand, there is a hole right in its neck. One can use this hole to pass cables through it.
Apart from the first impression, there are some shortcomings in the design of the machine.
Features
Having a resolution of 4096 x 2304 pixels, one of the iMac’s most impressive features is the gorgeous Retina 4K screen is of this iMac. It is not a UHD but a real 4K display. The screen is capable of a spectacular 500 nits of brightness and can display a billion colors. The device’s display covers one hundred twenty-five percent of the sRGB spectrum. These specs mean that your photo and video editing work experience is going to be on a whole different level from now onwards. You will find the display exceptionally sharp, luminous, and lively.
Ports of the iMac are arranged neatly in a row at its backside. It has enough ports to connect to almost anything. You can find a headphone jack, a slot for an SD card, and four USB ports. Additionally, you’ll find not one but two Thunderbolt ports to serve your needs. Users can pair up two 4K displays with their iMac utilizing these ports.
The iMac features a 3.0 GHz Hexa Core 8th gen i-5 processor. RAM offered is 8GB, while the hard drive supported by the machine is 1 TB.
Performance
The iMac fared pretty well performance-wise. Its 8th gen i-5 processor can tear through a plethora of browser tabs and doesn’t seem to falter while switching among several windows. The Geekbech score of the machine is almost a whopping 21,000. The 1TB hard drive features write speeds of more than 800 MB per second, while read speeds touch 1348 MB. A 4GB AMD Radeon Vega handles the graphics of the iMac.
Specs/Ports
Display | 21-inch, 4K Retina, 4096 x 2304 |
CPU | Intel Core i5-8th Gen 3.00 GHz |
Storage | 1TB |
RAM | 8GB |
Graphics | AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 GPU 4 GB |
Ports | 4xUSB 3, 1xSD Card Slot, 2 X Thunderbolt 3 |
Although at first glance, the iMac seems a striking machine due to its look, the design has not changed much since 2012. Its bezels remain a problem. The makers can also improve the ergonomics of their computer and give it a deciding edge over most of their competitors. Apart from these slight drawbacks, the iMac has much to offer its users ranging from exceptional performance to a stunning display. We would recommend users to buy the product if they are willing to spend a little extra money.
- Spectacular Performance
- Exceptional Display
- Sleek Look
- Mediocre Speaker Quality
- Bezels (Thick)
- Pricey