Hardware

Lenovo has these built out with a 23-inch display at 1920 x 1080, running Windows 8 and powered by an Intel Pentium G2020 processor. The model we tested had the processor clocked at 2.9GHz and with Intel HD Graphics 2500, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. Hardware specs aside, the system itself has a decent overall look, albeit with a bezel that is a bit on the shiny side. Basically, that is just to say that you can expect to see dust, fingerprints and other smudges. Certainly not a deal breaker, but something to be aware of.

The setup itself is straight forward and easy. Aside from the 23-inch display, the C540 has a webcam sitting front and center on the top along with the power button towards the bottom on the left side of the system. In total there are six USB 2.0 ports — four on the back and two on the left hand side of the system. Also on the left side (above the power button) you will find the headphone and microphone jacks as well as a memory card reader. Rounding out the ports on the back and you have the power jack, HDMI and Ethernet. The system also has Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity.

Basically, just what you need and all in easy to access locations. The system itself is on the thin side and looking from the front, would appear to be nothing more than a regular monitor. The good part here is that as the C540 is an all-in-one — there is no tower needed. Another item worth noting is a DVD drive which can be found on the right-hand side. Otherwise, Lenovo ships the C540 with a USB keyboard and mouse and has the system sitting on a stand that swivels allowing you to adjust the viewing angle a bit.

Software

The Lenovo C540 is running a 64-bit edition of Windows 8, which means it will bring an experience that will be familiar to many. The basics are all included which means when you first get up and running you will find tiles for goodies such as your mail and calendar as well as people, photos and more. There is also a live tile for the weather as well as tiles for SkyDrive, Games, Camera, Music and Video.

Aside from the basics that you will find on just about an Windows 8 system, Lenovo has also added a few goodies of their own. We will leave the bloatware argument aside and instead simply note how these include some Lenovo specifics such as PowerDVD 10 and the slightly more important items such as the Lenovo System Recovery. Rounding out the software are some third party apps such as an Amazon app as well as a Kindle, Evernote and cloud storage app. The cloud storage app is SugarSync and it gets you started with 5GB for free.

Performance

Speaking in terms of performance, the system was able to handle our day to day needs with ease. Granted, quite a bit of that involved little more than a web browser, text editor and some basic image work. Of course, the key here is who the Lenovo C540 is aimed at — the average home user. In that respect, we have to say the C540 should be able to live up to your needs.

Taking this a step further and the play time experience was just as solid. That is to say we found no issues with some light gaming along with music and video streaming. Shifting over to the technical side, lets get into what the benchmarks look like for the Lenovo C540. These were done using Geekbench and the results are sitting below.

Wrap-Up

Bottom line here, the Lenovo C540 all-in-one seems to be well suited for the intended audience. That is to say the average home user that wants something powerful enough for day to day use. Of course, the good looks and relatively slim design only go to further that thought. The model as configured is priced from $500 and can be found with a variety of online retailers with prices through the $500 range. Also, as one would expect with desktop computers there is always the option to upgrade. In this case, Lenovo has options for faster processors, more RAM and even additional storage. Needless to say, based on what we have tested — we think this ‘as tested’ model will be just fine for the majority of users.

Hardware

The Tiki case is one that those unfamiliar with the intricacies of custom-made computers will easily overlook. It’s certainly not the flashy rainbow LED light show that some gaming PCs opt for – it’s almost as if the Tiki dares those that look at it to ask what the big deal is. Up close and personal, you’ll find that the Tiki boasts a fabulously simple set of aesthetics, a subtly lit Falcon Northwest logo up front, and a granite base.

The granite base we’ve got here is what the company calls “Absolute Black”. While you’ve got more than one color choice if you’d like to explore several shades, we’d certainly recommend the black if you’re working with the straight-up black case – together they’re quite classy. The whole unit is light enough that you’ll be able to transport it to and from LAN parties with ease (if that’s your sort of thing) and is perfectly well balanced due in a large part to the granite – it does its job well.

Getting inside the Tiki is just about as simple as it gets without working with magnets – here you’ll be undoing two thumbscrews and pushing one side off – you’ll want to be careful doing so only because the 120MM Asetek liquid cooler (550LC) is attached to it, tubes running from the casing to the main hunk of the unit. This setup works awesome for getting down into the guts of the machine as quick as possible – the fewer screws we’ve got to deal with for customization, the better.

Inside this setup you’ll find an ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe mini ITX motherboard shining out in all its bluey glory amid the massive monsters that are the high-end components that this amalgamation is made of. We’re working with a 256GB SSD SATA3 (Crucial M4 with M500 available soon from Falcon Northwest – check on that when you’re picking up your own) as well as a 3TB WD “Caviar Green” SATA3 hard drive for all the data storage you could ask for.

Getting inside to remove / replace / give big kisses to your favorite components is only a few screw turns away. While there are wires here or there glued down for the trip between Falcon Northwest’s test shop and your home, they’re easily popped off and apart when you decide you want to move forward with any new components.

The two big monsters inside this build are the 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 processor (overclocked to 4.5GHz), and the 6GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN graphics card. When you’re picking up the TITAN, you’re not looking for a budget setup. You’ve got a beast right out of the box. Again, this isn’t the last time we’ll be working with NVIDIA’s TITAN GPU for video game reviews and cloud gaming action – stick around our NVIDIA tag portal as well as our NVIDIA Tegra hub for the full fireworks through the future.

Once you’re done rummaging around the insides, you’ll find more inputs and outputs than you’ll ever have a need for. The build we’ve got here works with a Sony Optiarc slot load DVD+-RW on top near a a headphone jack, microphone jack, and set of two USB 3.0 ports. You’ll also see a symmetrical set of vents that, when you peek through, you’ll be able to see the side of the TITAN: “GEFORCE GTX” in bright NVIDIA green lights just below the surface – only visible up close.

The back of this machine has its IO panel labels set in upside-down for easy reading whilst looking down over the top – as you’re prone to do with such a desktop. That massive set of connections includes two eSATA ports, four USB 3.0 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports. You’ll also find GigE, ASUS Wifi connections (you’ll get two external antenna in your package from Falcon Northwest), and standard optical and analog audio jacks. Ethernet and processor-powered display outputs DVI, HDMI, and Display Port are also down there if you want to make use of them.

Nearer the top you’ve got two DL-DVI ports as well as HDMI and DisplayPort outputs bringing the heat via your GeForce TITAN GPU. Your power supply (Silverstone ST-45B 450W) sits nearest the bottom on the back. On either side of the case you’ll more airflow action allowing this Tiki setup to remain impressively cool no matter what we throw at it. With that you’ll still be hearing next no noise – you’ll certainly not be having to dismiss a “hum” while you’re enjoying the greatness of the highest powered games on the market – those being the games you’re essentially obligated to test out and work with when you’re rolling with Tiki.

Software and Performance

Under the hood out of the box we’re working with 64bit Windows 8 Professional, and though it’s still a little odd working with this operating system without a touchscreen interface, it’s certainly starting to feel more natural than it did when Microsoft first pushed the system to consumers. That said, the real power here comes from the software we’re using outside the standard Microsoft experience: games, games, and more games. And with a system this size, big-time possibilities!

Steam Big Picture Mode

The size of this system suggests some rather unique use-cases, even before we consider the fact that NVIDIA has some big plans for GeForce and cloud computing in the home this year. The Tiki case isn’t much larger than the average major-label gaming console today, and even compared to what’s coming out later this year (more than likely), you can be confident you’ll have a size-to-power ratio that blows any gaming console out of the water. And unless the Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4 pull some real magic out of their sleeves with regards to digital game distribution soon, Valve’s Steam will continue to be the premiere destination for the universe’s greatest downloadable games.

NVIDIA GeForce Experience

NVIDIA has made some rather interesting strides recently in making sure the average citizen is able to have a top-notch gaming experience. Just this year the GeForce Experience was released – an NVIDIA-powered app interface where a collection of the world’s most fabulous games can have their settings optimized for your unique gaming hardware setup instantly and automatically. NVIDIA has released a new GeForce driver software update for esentially every major game delivered in the first quarter of 2013, each of them able to be accessed via this GeForce Experience with a single button click, a unique game settings interface appearing for you then if you’ve got said game on your computer.

With the automatic settings optimization feature, your games will become as excellent as they possibly can be – both aesthetically and performance-wise. With the Tiki rolling with a GeForce GTX TITAN under the hood and NVIDIA optimizing settings game-to-game, we’ve had nothing but the best gaming experiences we’ve ever seen on a gaming computer.

Right this minute we’ve done just our standard fare as far as benchmarks go, Geekbench showing this build to be amongst the most powerful gaming PCs we’ve reviewed. Also be sure to check out similar results on much larger machines, too: AVADirect Quiet Gaming PC and NEEDLETAIL SX – and have a peek at a couple relatively small machines so you know what the Tiki is up against physical size-wise: MainGear Potenza and iBuyPower Revolt.

Whilst playing Batman: Arkham City, we’ve experienced a been a bit of a re-birth of interest with the much higher-definition display than we used when originally reviewing the game, not to mention a system that’s on a whole different level than the Alienware notebook (pre 3rd-gen Intel Core processors and so-forth). While it’s not that working with a beast like the MX-17 from a couple years ago is a bad thing (it’s actually still quite amazing), there’s just no comparing to the smoothness and detail we’re getting here.

In Hawken the only thing that stops one from having the miraculous non-stop smoothness we’re seeing in Arkham City is the fact that part of our experience is based online. If we’d be working with the connections our friends in Japan have with wires so thick you could drive a truck through them, we’d be golden – here we’ll have to settle for just “destroys all gaming experiences we’ve had before this year.” Have a peek at our first look at Hawken while you’re at it.

Even Star Wars: The Old Republic looks great. As it’s included in NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience list of games that can be optimized for greatness automatically, we certainly had to give it a go. As it turns out, the difference between what you get in this game on a basic level and what NVIDIA can give you is immense. While the gameplay remains the same – you’re still firing blasters at your opponents and rolling in the Force like mad – you can take part in the deepest visual details the developers intended you to see. Just look at that water ripple!

We’ll be continuing to benchmark the build we’ve got here through the future, so be sure to ask if you’ve got any tests you’d like us to run. We’ll be putting this setup through the punches in any and all ways you desire!

Wrap-Up

The Falcon Northwest Tiki is not a machine made for penny-pinchers. If you’re planning on working with any gaming PC packing an NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN GPU, you’re going to be paying quite a chunk of change – this isn’t the sort of situation where you’re paying just a little bit of cash for a just-good-enough helping of performance. Instead you’re going to want to save up for a couple months – the build we’ve gotten from Falcon Northwest here will cost you more than $3k.

You can make your Tiki cost quite a bit less if you don’t want to pack it full of the top-of-the-line components we’ve got here – and you’ll still have an amazing build – but that’s not what NVIDIA’s TITAN brand is about. With the Falcon Northwest Tiki packing NVIDIA’s TITAN, you’ve got a gaming masterpiece, plain and simple.

Hardware & Design

Design-wise, the ME600 isn’t anything special to look at — it’s rather bland actually, with a few unique design elements that make it stand out from the crowd, however. It’s your typical mini-tower setup with bays on the front and easy-access ports on the top, with everything else you need around the back. The machine has four USB ports on top, two of which are USB 3.0, and there’s also audio jack and an SD card slot. Overall, nothing too special there, with the exception that Acer likes USB 3.0, but isn’t willing to exclusively go the way of the new transfer protocol.

There’s room for two optical drives on the front of the case, one of which is already occupied by a laptop-style DVD-RW drive. We’re not sure why Acer included two spots for optical drives, especially in a world where even a single optical drive can be considered overkill. However, right below those two slots is a “hot-swappable” hard drive bay, that allows you to quickly change out hard drives without opening up the computer and getting your hands dirty. However, the drive bay isn’t technically hot-swappable, since you have to turn the computer off before messing around with it — not exactly ideal, but a dedicated drive bay like this will certainly turn heads.

On the back, there are a bevy of connectivity options. First off, you have PS/2 ports for an older mouse or keyboard, which may be out of date, but can definitely come in handy during boot-up troubleshooting. There’s also a total of six USB ports on the back, two of which are USB 3.0, so you get a total of four USB 3.0 ports, which is fairly impressive. Other than that, you have HDMI, VGA, ethernet, and the typical audio ports. But wait, what’s missing? Ah, yes — a DVI port. The ME600 lacks a DVI connection. The addition of HDMI is great and all, but a lot of monitors still use DVI mainly, with VGA simply just being a last-resort backup option. We’re not quite sure why Acer left out DVI, but that’s certainly a huge oversight, especially for a desktop computer.

The ME600 comes with a keyboard and mouse for your convenience, both of which are USB wired. Of course, as with most OEM offerings, they’re not much to look at and are fairly cheap. However, they’ll get you by pretty easily. The keyboard actually has a unique design where there’s no plastic shell that wraps around and outlines all the keys — it certainly adds a nice touch.

As for the internal components on this bad boy, you’re looking at an Intel Core i5 3330 quad-core processor clocked at 3.0GHz with 8GB of RAM. That alone should be enough to definitely get you through your day’s work without hesitation. However, any graphic-intensive work you need to do will have to be postponed, since the ME600 only comes with Intel HD 2500 graphics. Then again, this machine isn’t labeled as a gaming rig, nor should it. However, the integrated graphics will certainly get you through Netflix marathons without a problem, and even some light video editing and encoding shouldn’t be too much of a problem, although it won’t be as fast as a dedicated graphics chip. Then again, there’s room for one on the inside if you ever decide to upgrade.

As far as storage space goes, you’ll be working with a full terabyte, which should be plenty of room for all your media, such as photos, home videos, music, etc. And if that turns out to not be enough, you always have that swappable hard drive bay at the front to easily add another terabyte or two to your setup.

Overall, specs look pretty decent for such a low-profile product. The quad-core Core i5 and the 8GB of RAM should keep you running all day long and beyond, and we can’t imagine most typical users would ever run out of storage space. Plus, if you’re fully committed to USB 3.0, the ME600 has you covered. The only serious downfall, though, is the lack of a DVI port. HDMI is certainly a nice feature to have, but a lot of LCD monitors still run natively on DVI, and while you could still use VGA, many of us are way past the analog days.

Software

The ME600 is running your typical Windows 8 setup, but as with any OEM, Acer piled on a lot of bloatware. There’s only a few Acer-centric apps on the machine, including Acer Explorer and Acer Cloud, the former being an app that pretty much teaches you about all the apps on the computer, and the latter simply being a desktop app for Acer’s Cloud storage service.

As for other pre-installed software bits, there’s WildTangent Games, newsXpresso (RSS aggregator of sorts), Evernote and its companion app Skitch, Kindle, Skype, Netflix, Amazon, eBay, 7digital music store app, and the Cut the Rope game. Obviously, that’s a lot of apps, most of which are actually useful to some users, but they may just crowd your homescreen otherwise. And of course, you can’t forget the anti-virus software, in which Acer was kind enough to pre-install two options to choose from: Norton and McAfee.

Performance

Of course, performance of the ME600 is one of the most important aspects that you’re probably curious about. Everyday usage proved successful on this new Acer machine, with apps opening fairly quickly, although not as fast as some more high-powered rigs we’ve played around with. Then again, most casual users won’t mind. We were able to fire up Netflix and watch our shows in high definition without a stutter, and even playing a couple of 1080p Blu-ray rips was great — the ME600 chopped them up and casually ate them for breakfast without hesitation.

As for solid benchmarks, we ran the ME600 through our trusty Geekbench app, and the machine ended up landing on 9,800 for its score, which certainly isn’t bad at all for a mid-range desktop like this. Granted, it’s definitely not up to par compared to other rigs we’ve tested in the past, which have broken into the five-digit bracket, but as aforementioned, most casual and everyday users probably won’t complain about the performance too much. And if you really wanted to give the machine a speed boost, a simple installation of a solid state drive will give the ME600 the performance bump that any user will appreciate.

Wrap-Up

In the end, the Acer Aspire ME600 isn’t a top-end workstation for designers, but it also isn’t just a cheap desktop computer that you’ll get sick of in a few months. It’s a machine for casual, everyday users who want just a little more than what an entry-level machine could offer. The quad-core CPU, 8GB of RAM, and the 1TB hard drive should keep users humming along just fine, but the lack of a DVI port is a huge oversight. While it’s not a complete deal breaker, most users may not be completely happy with just a choice between HDMI or VGA. Then again, priced at a little over $500, the ME600 is reasonably priced to the point that most potential buyers won’t see it as a huge purchase necessarily, but yet they’ll definitely get their money’s worth.

Hardware & Design

First off, the Revolt is packed with high-end hardware. This particular build is running an Intel Core i7 3770K quad-core processor clocked at 3.5GHz with 8GB of DDR3 RAM. It also has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 graphics, a 120GB Intel SSD, a 1TB Western Digital HDD, and a slot-load DVD burner to top it all off. I’ll be covering the performance aspect of the rig later on, but in brief, this thing absolutely screams.

The case has a white and black theme to it, and it almost looks like it should be an official Portal computer case due to how closely it resembles the whole Portal vibe, which we really like. The front panel has a smooth, glossy black finish and has the “Revolt” name displayed at the top lit up by LEDs. You can actually differentiate each of the LEDs, which could be considered a slight design flaw for picky gamers who prefer to have a smooth and seamless lighting scheme. Other than that, though, the front of the PC has the power button, LED button (to change the LED colors on the side), memory card slot, two USB 3.0 ports, headphone and microphone jacks, and obviously the slot-load DVD drive. The LEDs on the side of the case come in Blue, Green, or Red, and you can cycle through each of the colors with the button on the front. However, it’s important to note that the LEDs oscillate, meaning that they don’t simply just stay on, but they fade in and out.

UPDATE: iBUYPOWER tells us that “the individual LEDs showing through the panel is something [they] are addressing with the final version of the chassis.”

On the back, there are a bevy of connectivity options: four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, PS/2 (for older keyboard and mice), ethernet, various audio jacks, two DVI ports, and HDMI. We’re not quite why this rig has a PS/2 port, since the interface is pretty much extinct, but we can’t say that it’s a burden to have anyway. Simply put, it’s there if you need it. Now, there’s not as many ports as we’ve seen on past top-tier gaming rigs, but most users will be happy with the eight total USB ports, as well as the eSATA and HDMI options.

As far as upgrading the internal components and servicing the machine, iBUYPOWER says that the Revolt is user-serviceable, although we had a grand ‘ole time trying to get the case opened up. However, once we figured it out, it wasn’t too bad. You simply take off the front panel and then slide the side panels back just a bit and it should come right off. It’s all screwless, so there’s no need for tools at this point. However, when you get to the inside, it’s all pretty closed down. The only components with easy access are the storage drives, optical drive, and the power supply (which looks to be similar to a mini ITX power supply, but iBUYPOWER says it’s custom-built). Everything else is buried on the other side, which is accessible, but once you take off the outer side panel, there’s another steel panel in your way that you have to deal with. In the end, if you plan on upgrading this bad boy at some point in the future, be prepared for a long night, unless of course you want to upgrade the storage drives, in which case it’s as easy as sliding them in and out.

Software

The Revolt runs Windows 8, which didn’t seem to give me much problems gaming-wise. I was able to play all the games that I wanted, and Steam seemed to work great on the new OS. Even Call of Duty 4 — which was released well before Windows 8 — played flawlessly on top of Microsoft’s newest operating system. Compatibility is a huge deal for many PC gamers, so seeing Windows 8 handle everything fairly well was a good sign. Of course, Valve’s Gabe Newell thinks Windows 8 is a “catastrophe,” but personally I didn’t have any problems.

As far as bloatware is concerned, many OEM gaming computer companies usually keep it on the down-low when it comes to pre-installed software, and iBUYPOWER is no exception, although you won’t be greeted with a completely-stock version of Windows 8. There are several Intel utilities that come pre-installed, including Control Center, Rapid Storage, Recovery Agent, and Smart Connect. There’s also the THX TruStudio suite, as well as the 3D Vision preview pack and Photo Viewer. Many gamers might not use these programs, but they hardly get in the way, and you can easily disable them from starting up.

Performance

We ended up conducting benchmarks with our go-to benchmarking tool Geekbench, and the results were nothing short of impressive. The Revolt ended up scoring just over a 15,000, which is quite respectable, and frankly, kind of expected thanks to the quad-core i7 and the GTX 670 graphics that we were working with.

The PC played every game that I threw at, all of which were running on medium to high settings. Granted, I didn’t get to play any of the newer games, but I ended up playing a lot of Call of Duty: Black Ops without a problem, as well as Portal 2. The Revolt was able to handle the game wonderfully with little lag or clipping, and I was able to game on for several hours at a time without a hitch. Even after an extended amount of gaming time, the fans inside the rig never picked up speed, and I never noticed the temps go above abnormal levels — it seems that while all the components are crammed into a tiny case, iBUYPOWER made sure that cooling was a priority.

As far as the noise levels, the Revolt is relatively silent. Using my handy-dandy decibel meter app, there was a jump of about 10 decibels. A normal quiet house is just under 40 decibels, and the meter was reading around 47-49 decibels when placed next to the Revolt. Other than that, I had the rig sitting on the floor next to my desk, and I could barely hear the PC running. Granted, it was on the floor and not on my desk (where I’d be able to hear it more), which is where most gamers might put their rigs, but either way, the noise level shouldn’t be a problem. I couldn’t even hear the thrashing of the hard drive, which is a big plus and something that I personally hate.

Wrap-Up

In the end, the Revolt is a solid gaming rig for those that need the power in a smaller package. Of course, many dedicated PC gamers would gladly build their own machine, but for those that are just getting into PC gaming, or aren’t yet brave enough to tackle the building challenge, buying pre-built is the next best option. Of course, stuffing top-tier gaming components into a SFF case isn’t something that most computer builders would even attempt to do, so leaving it to the highly-trained and professional builders at iBUYPOWER may be the way to go if you’re wanting a SFF gaming rig. Pricing for the Revolt starts at $499, which will land you a Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and integrated Intel HD 2500 graphics. This particular build, however, is in the $1,400 range, so you’ll definitely be paying up if you want top performance.

Hardware

The Dell XPS One 27 is a machine that comes in several different iterations – and you may have seen it in the past without an articulating stand or a touchscreen. This version is the newest and, of course, greatest of the pack with a relatively massive 19.32 x 26.14 inch chassis with depth ranging from 1.25 inches to 2.82 inches. This beast has been called competition for the newest iMac, but as you’ll see in our iMac 27-inch (2012) review, aside from the “all-in-one” name, these computers are altogether different, essentially top to bottom.

This XPS monster weighs in at 35.16 pounds as you’ll see plainly in the hands-on video above. The neck is made to make the computer’s bulk feel light, and indeed it does – we’re able to easily tilt the display back and forth with one hand, no problem. Moving the display up and down will require a couple of hands to manage, but again you’ll have no trouble – it’s picking the whole machine up and moving it from table to table that’ll give you a back-ache, but since you’re only going to have this bulk in one place the whole time you own it, that shouldn’t be a problem.

The front of this machine has about an inch of bezel surrounding the display, a bit more than that at the bottom with an additional bit of casing under the glass that brings you down another inch. The display glass sits out and above the casing rather than being flush with it, this giving you the impression that it goes from left to right to top almost magically – not an easy feat and certainly appreciated in the final aesthetic. The back of the machine is a simple gray on the back, all hard plastic casing with the largest collection of ports sitting below the neck.

This set of ports includes four USB 3.0, HDMI out, HDMI in, SPDIF 1 (7.1 ch), and ethernet. On the right side of the machine you’ve got a disk drive for 12.7mm action, DVD+/-RW and BluRay Combo for your pleasure, HDD LED light, and a power button. On the other side you’ve got an 8 in 1 media card reader with support for SDXC (SD3.0), Secure Digital (SD), Multi Media Card (MMC), Hi Speed SD, Hi Capacity SD, Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO, and xD Picture Cards alike. Also on the left side you’ve got two more USB 3.0 ports that are Sleep Charge Capable – how about that?

Up on the front you’ve also got a set of four relatively hidden buttons that are capacitive and only appear when you tap them. The first two buttons increase and decrease the brightness of your display, the third controls the input of your display (if you’re using your HDMI-in, for example), and the last button will eject a disk from your disk drive, no questions asked. Each of these buttons is marked with an LED light that, again, only appears when you tap it.

The front-facing camera on this machine offers you the ability to speak with Skype (or whatever other video chat apps you like), extremely easy to use and decent at least for video chat in general. While you wont be recording any Hollywood-quality videos with this camera, it’s certainly nice to have as a given. It’s also relatively hidden from view if you don’t plan on using it all – no unrelenting design cues here!

Software and Performance

The machine we’ve got here works with Intel HD Integrated Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GDDR5, so you know good and well you’ll be packing high graphics power from top to bottom. While we’ve been drawn immediately and continuously to playing HD video as this machine cannot be denied as a great motion picture player, gaming is certainly a reality here right out of the box. You may want to pick up a few gaming-centric peripherals if you do want to go that route as wired may feel slightly more perfectly accurate than Bluetooth for mouse and keyboard action, the power under this hood is good to go.

Have a peek first at the system components included in this particular build, then see below the results of our standard benchmark test in Geekbench. Feel free to compare this score with past reviews of similar systems, keeping in mind that each system is indeed unique and benchmarks, no matter how accurate, show numbers, not your overall positive or negative experience.

Windows 8 is running as smoothly and as beautifully as we’ve ever seen it here on the Dell XPS One 27, making its case for what’s easily one of the most high-quality presentations of the operating system to date. Windows 8 is coming in to its own with more official full-screen and touch-optimized apps every day (see: Office 365 for example) and you’re sure to find yourself lost in exploration with this machine if not ready for full-on entertainment action from day one. Video looks great out of the box, graphics and settings can be optimized instantly with NVIDIA’s newest iteration of the GeForce Experience (still in Beta at the moment, but working great), and touchscreen action has never felt more natural.

Wrap-up

This machine will be costing you right around $1300 USD, and for that price you’re getting one beast of a computer. The Dell XPS One 27 with multi-touch display is easily one of the most solidly put together total packages running Windows 8 today, and makes us feel right at home with the touchscreen user interface immediately on startup. Dell has created a computer that makes us confident that touchscreen interfaces are indeed the future of home computing, especially in the entertainment realm – grab it now!

Setup

Setting up the new TouchSmart machine was fairly straightforward, with only a few roadblocks along the way. First of all, the instructions are completely worthless as far as setup goes, so if you’re usually one to rely on such paperwork, there’s no need to do so this time around. The booklet mostly just discusses maintaining the computer and troubleshooting various problems that could arise. Other than, there are only a few photos meant to help you set up the new computer, most of which were confusing and offered no text to describe the images whatsoever.

In any case, I was able to get up and running in about 10 minutes. The wireless keyboard and mouse connected right away during the initial bootup — no need to pair either devices, and I was looking at the Windows 8 home page in no time. Obviously, everyone expects a smooth and easy setup experience with new products, and HP definitely made it easy for me.

Hardware and Design

This specific review unit comes packing with incredible specs. There’s an Intel Core i7 3770S quad-core processor clocked at 3.1GHz, accompanied by 12GB of DDR3 RAM and a 3TB Seagate hard drive. Graphics-wise, we’re looking at an NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M with 2GB of memory, which provides fast, middle-class performance in case you ever get caught playing any kind graphics-intensive title on your new touchscreen PC. Other than that, there’s Beats Audio integration, which provides three internal speakers along the bottom, as well as boosts performance for any speakers plugged into the audio jacks. You also have a slot-load Blu-ray drive on the right side. Of course, you also can’t forget about the 23-inch 10-point touchscreen display with a 1920×1080 full HD resolution.

As far as ports go, you have two USB 3.0 ports on the left side, along with a SD card slot and microphone and headphone jacks. On the back, there are four USB 2.0 ports, ethernet, and a nifty subwoofer-out port that allows for deeper sound out of the relatively puny speakers that are equipped with the ENVY 23 TouchSmart. Then, on the right side, there’s a lone HDMI port for connecting to an Xbox 360, PlaySation 3, or any other HDMI-capable device that can use the computer as a monitor or display.

As far as the placement of all the ports, I have to say that it’s all pretty scattered. It’s nice to have two USB ports, the SD card slot, and the audio jacks on the side for quick and easy access, but having the HDMI port all by itself on the right side doesn’t quite make sense — it seems it would make better sense if it was with all of the other connectivity options on the back. We’re also not sure why HP didn’t include more USB 3.0 ports on the back. Those with a USB 3.0 external hard drive may be disappointed by this, since you’ll be stuck with plugging it in on the side and having a USB cable stick out the whole time.

The ENVY 23 TouchSmart sits on a big base, which takes up most of the width of the computer and leaves a giant footprint on any desk. Unlike the iMac, and even one of Vizio’s latest all-in-one offerings, HP’s newest machine doesn’t have a small base in the middle. However, that’s mostly because the entire panel is supported by two beams on the sides, which then connect to the base, providing a frame-like structure to the computer. I have to say, though, that the base and the two supporting beams are fairly sturdy. While you can easily adjust the angle of the display without much effort, playing around with the touchscreen doesn’t affect the computer’s stance — it stays still extremely well, even through marathon sessions of tapping and scrolling.

The front of the display is completely covered in a single pane of glass, so when the screen is off, it looks like it’s a borderless display. However, the display has a rather thick bezel, which makes the computer look a little bulky and ancient. HP could’ve easily bumped up the screen size without making the machine any bigger, but most likely due to circumstances that are unbeknownst to me, I’m sure there was a reason why HP kept it at 23 inches with a thicker bezel. The display is pretty glossy, though, so if you plan on using the touchscreen portion (as opposed to the mouse and keyboard), expect a lot of fingerprints and smudges.

Sadly, the computer comes with a power brick attached to the power cord. It’s not too big of a deal, since most electrics come with one anyway, but all-in-one machines are supposed to be meant for saving space, so the power brick may be an unexpected surprise if you’re interested in going with this model. The end of the cord (the end that plugs into the computer) sits at a right angle, so in order to plug it in, you have to bend the cable so that it’s perpendicular to the wall, and then have it bend downwards to feed it behind your desk to be plugged into the outlet. It just make more sense if the connector was straight, or at the very least a 45-degree angle, which is actually gaining popularity with various cable manufacturers anyway.

Overall, the design of the ENVY 23 TouchSmart isn’t too bad. There are certainly things that I would change, including a slightly smaller base and a thinner bezel, but I love the sturdiness of the stand with the ability to adjust the angle of the display easily when need be. It would’ve nice to see some USB 3.0 ports on the back, instead of just on the side, but a total of six USB ports isn’t anything to complain about. The speaker quality was fairly good, and while it did sound a little tinny, it’s definitely an upgrade from what you would get with regular laptop speakers. There’s a lot more bass in these speakers, and if you pair them up with an external subwoofer, it’ll make for a pretty decent system for personal listening.

Software

As far as software goes, there’s actually not a lot of bloatware. There’s obviously a few HP-specific apps — some you may find useful, and others just an annoyance. The company pre-installed their “Connected” Photos and Music apps, both of which are HP’s own version of a photo manager and music player, respectively. Connected Photos is powered by Snapfish, and it not only lets you manage and organize your photo collection, but it also integrates with Facebook and you can easily push your smartphone photos to the app as well. The music player is HP’s own version of iTunes of sorts. You can manage and play your music, as well as browse popular music and even buy tracks right from the app. We’re not sure that most users would utilize these two apps, since there are far superior options out there, but the choice is there nonetheless.

HP also included their own backup app, similar to Time Machine on Mac, and they also have what’s called HP MyRoom, which is a video-conferencing app that resembles most other apps like it, such as Skype (which is also pre-installed interestingly enough). HP even has its own app store called HP+, where you can download games, entertainment apps, software, etc. Sadly, though, it’s lacking in content and doesn’t have a lot of options — you’re better off sticking with the Windows Store.

Other than that, HP included some non-HP apps into the bloatware mix, including Kindle, eBay, Netflix, Norton Antivirus, and Skype. Surprisingly enough, the computer arrives clean of most bloatware, and what’s already there shouldn’t bother the user at all, except for maybe Norton, which pesters you every now and then to activate or update the software. Besides that, though, the HP apps don’t get in the way too much, and if they do, you can simply move around the app tiles to hide the apps and make the homescreen how you want.

Performance

The computer comes with top-tier specs all around, so most users won’t have a problem with performance — the 3TB hard drive will hold plenty family photos and videos, as well as all the music you can think of. The processor is fast enough that apps open quickly, and nothing lags behind, which is great for those older folks that can’t stand anything slower than the Millenium Falcon at light speed. Benchmark scores from Geekbench were actually really decent, and it scored better than most of the newer all-in-ones that we’ve reviewed in the recent past, including Acer’s Aspire 7600U, which has a higher price tag, and it even beat out Apple’s newest iMac, although just barely. The ENVY 23 TouchSmart even kept right up with HP’s Z1 Workstation, which carries a hefty price tag of $2,700.

As far as everyday use, the TouchSmart boots up in about 25 seconds from the time the power button is pressed to the time when the desktop is ready to use. That’s certainly respectable, but considering that HP stuffed a 3TB hard drive inside, we can’t help but feel that the company could have also slipped in a solid state drive as well, just to boost the performance even more. As for the display, it’s a 10-point touchscreen, meaning it will register all ten fingers if need be. In brief, it’s basically feels like a 23-inch upright tablet, and it’s extremely responsive and smooth. It takes little effort to scroll through home screens and websites, and multi-point touch capability is pretty fantastic — pinch-to-zoom works well, and playing around in the painting app with multiple fingers was both fun and impressive.

Wrap-Up

In the end, the HP ENVY 23 TouchSmart can do pretty much anything you throw at it, and it can certainly handle the demanding needs of an entire family, from the little kids all the way up to the impatient grandparents. It comes with most of the features that you would want on a high-end all-in-one desktop — it’s got the large 1080p touchscreen display, a huge hard drive, gobs of RAM, and a super-fast processor. While there are definitely things that I could nitpick about, such as the large base, no USB 3.0 on the back, and a less-than-decent keyboard and mouse combo, I can’t really see how this computer wouldn’t cater to the everyday man or woman. And while the $1,700 may not look too great, the company’s 20-inch models start at around $1,000 if you’re looking for a smaller build. It’s certainly not a desktop that’s aimed towards a specific group of users, so if you’re looking for an all-around Windows 8 machine for the entire family, the ENVY all-in-one series meets the mark.

Design

Acer has been putting out some good looking PCs lately, and the Predator AG3620 is no different. The black case has a pair of colored stripes running along the front and the top, with the word “Predator” emblazoned on both sides of the PC. The Predator only sports a mid-size case, which isn’t something we’re used to seeing in a gaming rig. Normally, full-size cases are the standard, given the large amount of equipment you need to pack into it.

At any rate, that mid-size case makes the Predator smaller than other gaming rigs, meaning it can fit into tighter spaces. It’s also surprisingly light for a tower PC – I had no problem lifting and carrying it, though admittedly weight isn’t usually an issue for a computer that will spend most of its life in the same place.

On the front is obviously where the DVD drive is, with two more bays for additional expansions in the future. The front-facing ports have all been moved to the top of the tower, with two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, the headphone jack, and the microphone jack all arranged in a neat little line behind the power button. Speaking of the power button, that’s what will draw your attention when you look at the top of the machine, as it’s big, red, and triangular – almost like one of those caution signs that warn you of rough driving ahead or other upcoming hazards.

Around the back, you’ll find more USB ports. There are six additional USB ports, to be exact, with four more USB 2.0 and two more USB 3.0. There’s also VGA and DVI ports, along with two HDMI ports. You’ve got the standard audio jacks underneath the additional USB ports, jacks for a mouse and keyboard, and an RJ-45 port for 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN.

Essentially, the ports are what you’d expect from any other gaming rig, though the Predator’s case is a bit louder than other PC cases. That isn’t a bad thing, as I have to say I like the overall look of the Predator. It may not be big, but it doesn’t need to be – all of the computer’s hardware fits nicely inside the case, and as I said above, that smaller form factor means it isn’t going to take up a lot of room when you get it home. As far as design goes, the Predator AG3260 is a winner.

Hardware

I need to start this section right off by saying that you’re not getting the best of the best with the AG3260 in terms of hardware. If you want a rig that’s packed with the highest-end equipment, you better start looking elsewhere because the Predator isn’t the machine you want. That being said, the Predator is packed with excellent or otherwise good hardware, as any gaming rig should be.

The third-gen Intel Core i7-3370 CPU is definitely the star of this show. Initially it’s clocked at 3.4GHz, though the computer can turn that clock speed up to 3.9GHz using Intel’s Turbo Boost technology. That may not be necessary when gaming due to the fact that the graphics card will cause a bottleneck, but it’s nice to have the option nonetheless. Of course, we expect an Intel Core i7 in a gaming rig – anything less and it couldn’t really be considered a gaming rig, after all. Still, it’s great to have it along for the ride, and as you’ll see a bit later, the Core i7 has no problem posting excellent scores in benchmark tests.

The Predator AG3620 also comes equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GT630, which definitely isn’t the best graphics card NVIDIA has on offer. It’s still a relatively powerful GPU, but it would have been nice to see a card that’s even slightly more powerful. Don’t get me wrong, the GeForce GT630 will do its part to keep visuals looking good, but I feel like it’s going to cause some issues with bottlenecking, especially if Turbo Boost cranks the i7 up to 3.9GHz.

You should be set with the 12GB of DDR3 RAM the AG3620 ships with for quite some time, and here’s another area that Acer decided to make a few small cuts to save some money. With a lot of pre-built gaming rigs these days, it isn’t uncommon to see 16GB of RAM. Truth is, when it comes to gaming, we don’t need 16GB of RAM just yet, so 12GB should get the job done. You’ll probably need to add a bit more at some point down the road, but for now, there doesn’t seem to be anything lost with having 12GB of RAM instead of 16.

For internal storage, Acer has paired a 128GB SSD with a 2TB 7200RPM SATA HDD. I have to say that I’m a pretty big fan of the SSD/HDD hybrid setup, and with Windows 8 loaded onto the SSD, boot up and shut down times are sometimes surprisingly fast. Of course, you’ll run out of space pretty quickly if you try to pack everything on the SSD, but between that and the HDD, you should have plenty of space for your game library.

Sadly, you’ve only got a 16X DVD+R/RW drive, which means no Blu-Ray. That Blu-Ray functionality is definitely missed, considering the Predator AG3620 would be a computer that has no problem playing back HD video, but again, Acer decided to ditch the Blu-Ray drive to keep the price low. You could always swap the DVD drive out for a Blu-Ray drive, however, and since Blu-Ray aren’t super expensive these days, it might not be a bad idea to order one alongside your computer. As far as wireless connectivity is concerned, you’ll have 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 to look forward to.

While the hardware on the inside generally ranges from good to excellent, the keyboard and mouse don’t fall into that stretch. For PC gamers – this computer’s target audience – the keyboard and mouse are going to disappoint. Packed in with the Predator is a two-button optical mouse with a scroll wheel, so if you play FPS or MMO games, you’ll probably want a mouse with more buttons or adjustable DPI settings.

Just the same, you’ll probably want to swap the keyboard out for one made specifically for gamers. The keyboard again is standard fare, though I will say that the keys do have an interesting look. They also make a nice clicking sound like mechanical keyboards, but the problem here is that the spacing seems just a little bit off. Maybe it’s all in my head, but the keys seem slightly further apart than keys on other keyboards. Whether it’s just a personal hang up or not, I was making all kinds of errors while using the keyboard that comes packed with the computer. Hook up your gaming mouse and keyboard instead, because the equipment included with the Predator isn’t stuff you want to use for competitive gaming.

Software

The Predator comes running Windows 8 64-bit, which is bound to be a sore point with some gamers. While I don’t mind Windows 8, I know there are plenty out there who do. If you don’t have a touch monitor, some of the usefulness of Windows 8 will be lost, but all in all, I don’t see much of a problem with having the OS on the Predator. At the end of the day, it’ll all come down to personal preference.

Of course, with Windows 8 on board, you’ll have plenty of Microsoft’s apps from the start. This line up includes Internet Explorer, which I suggest you skip altogether, along with standard Windows 8 apps like People, Weather, News, Maps, and SkyDrive. All of the pre-installed Windows 8 apps vary in usefulness, but one of the main draws of the OS is that you can use the Store to download new apps for your start screen.

Acer has also included some pre-installed apps of its choosing, with Cut the Rope, Acer Explorer, Evernote, and Kindle present from the start. Both Hulu Plus and Netflix come pre-installed on the Predator, so if you have accounts with either of those streaming services, you can begin using them right away without the need for a download. McAfee is there to annoy you from the very first time you start up your computer, while Amazon and eBay also come pre-installed, giving online shoppers to portals to jump in immediately.

Others, like AcerCloud and Spotify will be appreciated by some users, but most will probably want to do a little bit of clean up once they get their Predator out of the box. Everything on the computer seems to be installed on the SSD, so deleting the apps you don’t want becomes even more important. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have 1.79TB of free storage on the HDD, so you’ve got plenty of extra space to go a little crazy with your downloads.

Gaming and Benchmarks

After describing the hardware that’s in this rig, most PC enthusiasts already know what the benchmark results are going to say. In Geekbench, the Predator netted a score of 16152 – we’ve seen gaming computers score much higher than that, but the Predator’s score shows that its still a reasonably powerful machine. Similarly, in Cinebench the computer took home an OpenGL framerate of 26.72 fps while the CPU test awarded a score 7.44.

These results say the same thing: while the Predator isn’t the most powerful computer on the block, it still has some solid hardware working under the hood. That will ultimately get gamers who care first and foremost about gorgeous visuals without thinking about cost to turn the other way. However, for gamers who can settle for a decently powerful rig in exchange for a lower price point, the Predator probably isn’t going to disappoint.

Gaming seems to be a matter of compromise sometimes. Do you want games to run at 60 frames per second, or do you want to crank all of the graphics features up as high as they go? On most modern games, you won’t be able to do both, but you will be able to find a happy medium. In Skyrim, for instance, turning all of the graphics settings to ultra (which includes 16x antisotropic filtering and 8x antialiasing) and setting the resolution to 1080p produces a frame rate that rarely leaves the teens. At this point, the game is still playable, but stutters and slowdowns quickly wear on the nerves.

On the other hand, by flipping the switch from ultra to high – which brings antisotropic filtering down to 8 samples – we get better results. At these settings, the game runs right around 30 frames per second, sometimes dropping below that point when you’re in outdoor areas with a lot to see, and other times rising above when you’re indoors. That isn’t bad, considering that most console games run at 30 frames per second. The difference here is that on high settings, Skyrim looks much better than its console counterpart. If you can accept console-quality frame rate, you’ll still get a good looking experience.

The same is true for Batman: Arkham City. Bringing the resolution up to 1080p, turning FXAA to high, switching the detail level to very high, and turning on most of the eye candy features like dynamic shadows and reflection, we get right around 30 frames per second in-game. The frame rate will sometimes fluctuate between 25 and 30 fps, less frequently dropping down below 25, but almost never going below 20. Some may not like hearing that, but for me, the frame rate wasn’t really an issue. It should be noted, however, that DirectX 11 features and tessellation had to be turned off to get that frame rate, so that may be a sacrifice some players aren’t willing to make.

Unfortunately, if we move up to more recent games, the Predator begins struggling a bit. By playing Far Cry 3 with DirectX 9 and medium settings across the board, we get a frame rate that likes to linger in the low teens. There are times when it will jump up into the toward the 20s, but a low frame rate like that might turn some gamers off. Ultimately, the GeForce GT630 had some issues with Far Cry 3, but then again, titles like Ubisoft’s latest demand some serious hardware before you can get excellent visuals at an acceptable frame rate.

Wrap-Up

In many ways, I’m torn when it comes time to decide whether or not the Predator AG3620 deserves a recommendation. It’s true that the computer struggled with Far Cry 3, but with Arkham City and Skyrim, the results were pretty good. The fact that you can find the Predator AG3620 for around $1000 helps sweeten the deal quite a bit, but at that point, you might be better off spending a little bit more in return for a better GPU.

As it is, the Predator is a capable gaming rig, it just isn’t exceptional. It may be worth a purchase for gamers who want a solid gaming PC foundation and won’t mind upgrading their graphics card in a year or so. All the same, if you don’t mind giving the most graphics-intensive games a pass (or, alternatively, are willing to put up with playing them at low or medium settings), then the Predator is a decent, relatively inexpensive choice.

If you’re a PC gamer primarily for the amazing graphics that are achievable, it’s probably best to look elsewhere. Naturally, if it’s top-tier graphics quality you want, you’ll probably be building your own rig, and the Predator was never targeted at you in the first place. In the end, if you’re the type who thinks that graphics aren’t everything, or you’re looking for a somewhat cheap way of giving the PC gaming world a spin, the Predator may be worthy of consideration – but only if you’re willing to make some compromises.

Design

If we were judging this simply based on looks, the Apsire 7600U would receive a glowing review. This is one sexy computer, with its 27-inch screen and a glass panel that covers the entire thing. Make no mistake, this is a big and heavy computer, but its been very well designed. Beneath the screen is a piece of glass that spans the entire width of the computer – this looks nice, but it does attract dirt and fingerprints easily. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be an issue with the screen itself, and even if your screen gets dirty after a while, Acer was kind enough to include a microfiber cloth to wipe it down. Ah, the little things.

On the right side of the device is where the Blu-Ray drive and eject button are located, with nothing else to accompany them. On the left side there’s a bit more going on, with two USB 3.0 ports, a multi-card slot, and jacks for a microphone and headset. Around the back of the device there are even more ports, including two HDMI ins, one HDMI out, a set of four of USB ports (with one of them housing the Bluetooth module), Ethernet, and SPDIF. Among other things, the HDMI in ports mean you can connect an Xbox 360 or PS3 (or Wii U, if you’re lucky enough to have one already), and with a screen as nice as this, it might not be a bad idea.

When I initially pulled the computer out of the box, I spent a good five minutes trying to find the power jack so I could, you know, actually turn this thing on. After looking all over the back and sides, I finally found it – it was on the end of the silver kickstand that’s attached to this all-in-one. That annoyed me at first, but after a while, I came to love the idea. By having the power jack there, it keeps the power cord out of the way, which means that there will be one less cord to get tangled up in the mess you’re bound to have back there before long.

The kickstand itself is nice and sturdy, and though I’m not usually a fan of them, I like this one. The silver meshes well with the overall design, and this kickstand in particular manages to look sleek while still being strong enough to hold this beast of a computer up.

All in all, this is one really nice looking computer. From a design standpoint, it doesn’t get much better than this, and the fact that it’s so slim helps with that a lot. As you get closer to the top, the thickness increases to make room for the Blu-Ray drive and the speakers, but even at it’s thickest, this computer is still pretty thin. As I said above, if we were judging this solely on looks, the Aspire 7600U would receive an excellent review. However, design is only one aspect of the equation, and it takes a back seat to things like hardware and overall ease-of-use.

Hardware

The hardware found in the Aspire 7600U is somewhat underwhelming, which is a shame considering how good this computer looks. Before we jump inside, let’s talk about the screen a little more. As you already know, the 7600U offers a 27-inch screen, this one displaying at 1920×1080 resolution. I think the screen looks great – brightness is spot on for my tastes, and the colors are great. With the Blu-Ray drive this computer comes standard with, it makes a great machine for watching movies, and I have a feeling you’ll be pleased with the results if you decide to connect a game console. The screen features 10-point multitouch, which allows you to take full advantage of Windows 8.

The 7600U comes equipped with an Intel Core i5 3210M clocked at 2.5GHz, which is similar to the processors we see in some ultrabooks. That should give you an idea of where this is headed – you won’t have a lot of power to work with, at least as far as the processor is concerned.

Thankfully, the Core i5 isn’t terrible, and the 7600U seems to make up for it in other areas. For instance, there are 8GB of RAM in this bad boy, which should be enough to keep things speedy most of the time. The processor may struggle occasionally, but it’s nice to have 8GB of RAM on board.

Surprisingly, the 7600U also uses discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics, which makes it a capable gaming rig. You’re not going to be able to crank everything up to max settings on more recent games, but the 7600U should be able run a number of games without any issues. The problem, of course, is the processor – while the GPU isn’t half bad, that doesn’t really matter if the processor isn’t all that it could be. It would have been nice to see a Core i7 in the configuration I received to review, but that would have driven costs up so high that I think Acer would have had a difficult time moving units.

The speakers on the 7600U are decent, but they aren’t great. Sounds aren’t always as full as they should, and the bass in particular could definitely use a boost. They can certainly get loud though, but you may not want to go too high if you’re watching an action movie or playing a game with a lot of explosions (which seems to be most games these days). Truth be told, you’re better off using a good pair of headphones – those will give you the good sound quality you need to go along with the excellent screen.

The 7600U also ships with a matching wireless mouse and keyboard. Both look sleek, and while I was quite pleased with the keyboard, the mouse leaves something to be desired. The mouse feels fine in the hand, though clicking the mouse buttons isn’t all that satisfying. It’s also worth pointing out that the mouse only includes left and right buttons and a scroll wheel, so you’re essentially getting the bare minimum as far as mice go.

Let’s jump back to the keyboard, which I think is a pretty nice piece of equipment. The keyboard for the 7600U is very, very slim, which makes it feel a little on the delicate side, but typing on it is a pleasant experience. On this you’ll find chiclet-style keys we see on notebooks and ultrabooks, and these keys give off a satisfying sound when you hit them. The keyboard manages to pack in a full number pad while remaining quite small, which is nice. There was one small problem I ran into, though: the wireless on this keyboard seems to be a bit touchy at times. There were a few times I was trying to type something with nothing showing up on screen, but a quick adjustment was all that was needed to fix this issue.

Software

One of the main draws of the 7600U is Windows 8. Microsoft’s new operating system is aimed directly toward touchscreens, and with 27-inches of real estate to play with, it works well on the 7600U. If you’re new to Windows 8 you’ll probably still feel completely lost for a little while starting out, but the touchscreen definitely lets you get the hang of things quickly.

You’ll have a number of pre-installed apps right from the start, but thankfully, some of them are actually useful. Acer has taken the liberty of installing apps like Evernote, Netflix, Spotify, Hulu Plus, eBay, and Kindle, so if you’re a user of some or all of those services, it’s nice to have the app ready to go right when you pull it out of the box. A trial of Cut the Rope is installed too, which makes for a perfect way of testing out the screen.

Of course, Microsoft’s programs are there in force too, with Skype, a trial of Microsoft Office 2010, and Internet Explorer present and accounted for. There are also the standard Windows 8 apps including People, Weather, Finance, News, and SkyDrive, so you’ve got a healthy serving of apps already installed before you even plug it in. You’ll have 909GB of the 7600U’s 1TB hard drive available to use, and the installed apps bring that total down to 871GB of free space – that amount should tide you over for a while, but some may want to do some cleaning once they get the computer out of the box.

Above the screen, the 7600U has a camera for video chat and gesture controls. Gesture controls don’t seem to work as well as they should, which is a shame because I could see them coming in handy. The problem is that the camera doesn’t always recognize what it is you’re trying to do – I even had issues working my way through Acer’s tutorial. Instead of popping your hand up for a quick command, often times you end up waving your arms around as if you were playing a Kinect game. It may be a better idea to skip gesture controls entirely and just use the touchscreen or the mouse and keyboard instead.

Benchmarks

Running the 7600U through Geekbench, it’s obvious that we don’t have the most powerful computer on our hands. With a score of 8549, the 7600U actually falls in line with the ratings we see for a number of ultrabooks out there. That being said, it isn’t as if the score is a terrible one, and the 7600U does have some decent hardware running under the hood. The problem with that is the computer’s hardware doesn’t really justify the high cost.

Wrap-Up

So with the Aspire 7600U, we have a computer that’s shooting for high-end but doesn’t quite make it. The screen is definitely the star of this show at 27-inches with 1080p HD and ten-point multitouch to boot. The whole unit looks great too; no cheap looking stand, a slim design despite the fact that Acer had to cram so much hardware behind that screen, and an overall look that does scream “high-end.”

The problem, though, is with the hardware. With that $1899 price tag, it’s clear that you’re paying a lot of money for the screen, as the hardware on its own isn’t all that expensive. The Geforce GT 640M is definitely appreciated, but I feel that the Core i5 might hold it back in some instances. We’d really be rocking if the i5 had been swapped out for an i7, but that would have easily pushed the cost up above $2000, a price point Acer is clearly trying to stay under.

Don’t get me wrong, I liked the time I spent with the 7600U. I just think there will be quite a few folks who will pass at the $1899 price point. Acer did a lot of cool things with this computer, but in the end, the Aspire 7600U falls short of greatness almost every time.

Design

Visual sleight-of-hand and some impressive manufacturing innovation have helped Apple come up with a new design for the 2012 iMac, which from certain angles leaves it looking as slender as a MacBook lid. In fact, the heavily tapered aluminum rear narrows to just 5mm at the edge, though it bows out toward the middle to accommodate everything that needs to fit inside an all-in-one computer.

That accommodation and construction uses everything Apple has learned so far from unibody notebooks, scaled up to suit a 21.5-inch or bigger desktop. So, you get carefully stacked logic boards and custom speaker enclosures, along with a single central fan that pulls cool air from a row of holes under the front edge, and pushes it back out of vents behind the tilting stand. You also get minimal upgrade potential: the 21.5-inch iMac is an entirely closed box, with nothing intended to be user-accessible, while the 27-inch iMac has a small panel by the power socket that allows access to the memory but nothing else.

Apple’s production magic is friction-stir welding, more commonly used in the aerospace industry, and repurposed for the new iMac to bond the front and rear panels together. Traditional welding the seams wasn’t possible, thanks to the slimline build, and so a technique where the panels are pressed tightly together, heated, and fused was implemented. There’s a sizable reduction in weight, too, versus the old design – the 21.5-inch iMac is down 8 pounds to 12.5 pounds, while the 27-inch version is down 9.5 pounds to 21 pounds – which is useful if you’re moving the computer around.

Face-on, meanwhile, and you’d be forgiven for not realizing that you were looking at a new iMac. The black screen bezel and slim aluminum chin look just as they did before, and it’s only when you see things from the side that the new design stands out. The obvious loss from the blunt-edged last-gen model is the optical drive, with the 2012 iMac following the trend of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina and focusing on digital distribution for apps and multimedia.

On the back, as before, there are the ports clustered to the left side and the power button on the right. No matter which size iMac you choose, you get the same connectivity: a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SDXC memory card reader, four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt ports, and a gigabit ethernet port; inside, there’s WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. Up front, there’s a FaceTime HD camera above the display, together with a pair of digital microphones that can use beam-forming technology to isolate your voice from ambient noise.

The new iMac’s speakers deserve a little attention on their own, given that they’re nothing like as anaemic as we feared they could be given the 40-percent smaller chassis. In fact, Apple has been able to accommodate two 20W amplifiers, one driving each of the speakers, which themselves fire down from holes alongside the front-edge air intakes. Despite the unusual positioning, sounds feel like they’re coming directly from the display and quality is strong. These speakers are easily capable of being cranked up to uncomfortably loud levels, without encountering any distortion until you’re at the very top end of the scale.

Display

Finessing the iMac’s display is no small part of the redesign process for 2012, though there’s more to it than pure pixels. The LCD panels themselves are the same as in the previous-generation – either a 21.5-inch LED IPS screen running at 1920 x 1080, or a 27-inch LED IPS running at 2560 x 1440 – but the way they’ve been assembled has changed.

Called full lamination, it’s a technique where the cover glass is fused to the LCD panel rather than sandwiching them together with a gap in-between. Apple – and others – have already used it to good effect on phones and tablets, but the 2012 iMac is the first time it’s been implemented on such a large display. The upshot is a thinner panel overall, by around 5mm, and an improvement in picture quality.

Despite the LCDs themselves being the same as before, the combination of full lamination and a new anti-reflection coating process makes a real difference when you’re sat in front of the iMac. Colors are brighter and punchier, the screen is impressively bright with consistent backlighting, and viewing angles are broad, with no inversions or color mangling even when sat almost side-on to the display. Graphics appear as if they’re swimming right at the surface of the glass, rather than being slightly inset from the black bezel.

Apple quotes a 75-percent reduction in reflection, helped by the so-called plasma deposition system which coats the glass layers with more precise coatings of the same materials used to cut glare on camera lenses and fighter pilots’ helmets. It’s a tough thing to measure exactly in a real-world setting, though there’s an obvious cut in reflections (see image above where a flash from camera is minimized) when you set old and new next to each other. We spent far less time tweaking the degree of tilt of the new iMac versus the old to find a position where artificial lighting and the sun didn’t prove frustrating, and even once we’d set up both to our liking, text and graphics simply look better on the 2012 model.

Fusion Drive

Until now, the iMac has been offered with a choice of up to two different storage options: traditional hard-drives, for those who want the most capacity, and SSDs, for those who want the most speed. The 2012 iMac keeps both those options, with a 1TB HDD the default (5,400rpm on the 21.5-inch; 7,200 rpm on the 27-inch) upgradable to 3TB HDD on the 27-inch, along with a 768GB flash storage option on the 27-inch.

For 2012, however, Apple adds a third option: Fusion Drive. A hybrid of HDD and flash storage, Fusion Drive pairs 128GB of speedy solid-state memory with either 1TB or 3TB of HDD capacity, promising the best of both worlds. On the one hand, the flash storage is far faster than the typical spinning-platter drive, but Fusion Drive is also a fifth of the price of the SSD option.

We’ve seen hybrid HDD/SSD drives before, of course, but Apple takes a slightly different approach. Rather than the relatively small amount of flash memory other companies have used for caching a few frequently-accessed files on their models, Apple’s Fusion Drive has a full 128GB of flash which allows a far greater number of files to be kept in the faster part.

Chunks of the OS, the apps you use most frequently, and the media you commonly play are all prioritized automatically, while over time OS X learns which content is infrequently required and shunts that to the more capacious, but slower, HDD. A true SSD will inevitably be faster across the board, but for everyday use Fusion Drive is hard to argue with, as the benchmarks in the next section demonstrate.

Specifications

All new iMac models use Intel’s Core i5 quadcore Ivy Bridge chips by default, with the quadcore Core i7 processors available as options on the more expensive versions of each core configuration. The cheapest 21.5-inch iMac uses the 2.7GHz Core i5, supporting up to 3.2GHz Turbo Boost, while its more expensive configuration gets the 2.9GHz Core i5, with up to 3.6GHz Turbo Boost. The latter can be built-to-order with a 3.1GHz Core i7, with up to 3.9GHz Turbo Boost.

As for the 27-inch iMac, that starts out with the 2.9GHz Core i5, with the more expensive pre-build getting the 3.2GHz Core i5. The build-to-order on the latter is Intel’s 3.4GHz Core i7, with 3.9GHz Turbo Boost. All of the chips come with 6MB of L3 cache.

Memory is 8GB as standard across the range, comprising two 4GB 1600MHz DDR3 chips. The 21.5-inch iMac can be specified with up to 16GB, while the 27-inch iMac can go up to 32GB. However, only the 27-inch iMac has user-accessible memory slots: the four bays are accessed via a panel behind the stand, whereas the smaller iMac isn’t intended to be user-upgraded. In short, if you think you’ll ever want more than 8GB of memory on the 21.5-inch iMac, you should bite the bullet and upgrade at the point of purchase.

Then there’s the graphics. Space constraints mean that Apple opts for mobile GPUs rather than desktop chips, though they’re the same Kepler-based NVIDIA GeForce examples that we’ve seen in the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina. On the 21.5-inch iMac, the entry-level model gets the GT 640M with 512MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory, with the more expensive model stepping up to the same GT 650M as in the Retina MBP, only with 512MB of memory (rather than 1GB).

On the 27-inch iMac, the entry-level GPU is the GeForce GTX 660M with 512MB, while the most expensive pre-configuration gets the GTX 675MX with 1GB of GDDR5. The latter is also the only 2012 iMac that supports a graphics upgrade, with the GeForce GTX 680MX with 2GB of GDDR5 memory a $150 addition.

Performance

Apple provided us with a 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac with 8GB of memory, the top-spec GTX 680M GPU, and the 1TB Fusion Drive; all together, it’s a configuration priced at $2,599. We kicked off with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the iMac scored a whopping 14,064, around 50-percent more than the 2011 model could manage. It’s worth noting that Apple’s portables have narrowed the gap between mobile and desktop, however; the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display scored 12,970 in Geekbench.

In the SunSpider test of browser performance, the new iMac completed in 133.3ms (faster is better); the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro scored 179.5ms in the same test. Cinebench, a test of processor and graphics performance, saw the new iMac score 42.72fps in the OpenGL category, and 7.32 points in the CPU category. Again, in contrast, the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro scored 34.40fps and 5.74 points in those categories respectively, with its 2.6GHz quadcore Core i7 and 8GB of memory.

FusionDrive certainly doesn’t hurt. In the Blackmagic test of disk performance, the iMac managed read speeds of 409.6 MB/s and write speeds of 318.7 MB/s using the flash/HDD hybrid. Given the flash storage is prioritized until capacity becomes an issue, it comes as little surprise to see those rates up around where recent all-flash models from Apple have performed. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, for instance, came in at 431.7 MB/s read and 382.7 MB/s write with its 500GB solid-state drive.

The difference is particularly clear when compared to a 2012 iMac without FusionDrive. We also tested a 21.5-inch entry-level iMac, with Intel’s Core i5 quadcore 2.7GHz, 8GB of RAM, and the standard 1TB 5,400rpm hard-drive. In Geekbench, the iMac scored 9164, but the big change is in drive speeds: without the hybrid technology we saw 90.7 MB/s read rates and 107.2 MB/s write rates.

All those numbers add up to a machine – when equipped with FusionDrive, at least – that simply flies in day-to-day use. Apps generally load in under 2-3 seconds, and while the iMac might use mobile versions of graphics chips, it’s still eminently capable of photo and video editing, and conversion; iMovie and Aperture run with no lag. Gaming is also more than possible, though we wish that – as on some all-on-one computers we’ve seen – there was a video input to use the great display with an external console. However, it’s possible to drive a second external display; up to a 2560 x 1600 panel, in fact, as well as the iMac’s own screen.

Value

The new iMac range kicks off at $1,299 for the base-spec 21.5-inch model, while the 27-inch iMac starts at $1,799. It’s worth noting that of the two 21.5-inch configurations, only the higher-spec can be outfitted with a FusionDrive, which means $1,499 plus $250 for the drive upgrade; there’s also a good argument to be made for maxing out the memory on the smaller iMac, since it can’t be upgraded later, which is another $200.

All versions come with an Apple Wireless Keyboard (a wired keyboard with numeric keypad is a no-cost option) and a choice of Apple’s Magic Mouse, the Magic Trackpad, or the wired Apple Mouse; for $69 you can have both the Magic Mouse and the Magic Trackpad. Those who simply must have an optical drive can pay $79 for the USB SuperDrive, though any external DVD burner should work.

The all-in-one computing market is small, but it’s not non-existent, and the new iMac does have a few rivals. Dell’s XPS One 27 runs at the same 2560 x 1440 resolution as the 27-inch iMac, and starts at $1,400 for the non-touch variant. That, however, uses Intel HD integrated graphics; if you want a discrete GPU, you’re looking at upwards of $2,100 and NVIDIA’s GeForce GT 640M, a weaker graphics chip than Apple’s entry-level 27-inch model. It does support multitouch, should that be a buying decision.

Vizio offers 24- and 27-inch All-in-One PCs, though they both run at 1920 x 1080 resolution, and the GPU – only discrete on the 27-inch – maxes out at the GeForce GT 640M LE. The range of processors is more humble too, with only the top-end 27-inch model getting a quadcore Core i5, though the maximum price of $1,539 makes them competitive for budget buyers.

HP’s Spectre ONE is a 23-inch, $1,300 option, meanwhile, kicking off with the same 2.9GHz quadcore Core i5 processor, but less RAM and a lesser GPU. Several of these all-in-ones offer a secondary flash caching drive, though typically around 32GB in capacity, and as such are less practical than FusionDrive.

Of course, the big difference between the iMac and these other all-in-ones is the OS: if you want Apple’s OS X, then the only way to get it is to buy a Mac. All of the alternatives come with Windows 8, and while that’s a capable platform, it’s not Mountain Lion, and thus a deal-breaker for many users.

Wrap-Up

The new iMac is a beautiful piece of hardware, that’s clear to see. Apple’s clever construction techniques have enabled a stylish, distinctive all-in-one, but more importantly they’ve legitimately improved the user-experience, too. The full lamination process takes the same display pixels as from the previous generation iMac and makes them work harder and look better; you’ll appreciate the many pounds dropped from the overall weight of each system from the moment you lift it out of the box.

With style comes a handful of compromises. As with Apple’s recent notebooks, there’s less room for user-upgrades: adding memory is basically the only thing that you can do, and even then that’s only an option on the 27-inch model. With both, then, it’s a case of digging deep when first ordering, particularly since having experienced the speeds on offer from FusionDrive, we’d seriously recommend that every buyer tick that option box.

DIY enthusiasts may miss the upgrade possibilities, but everyone else will be enjoying an incredibly capable computer. With strong performance the 2012 iMac proves that beauty needn’t be merely skin-deep, and that all-in-one needn’t mean conceding speed. That, and Apple’s creative use of components and design, makes it our pick of the all-in-ones.

Hardware

This beast is not light in between 20 and 30 pounds, but it’s certainly small at just 14.75 inches tall, 7.5 inches wide, and 9.25 inches deep. You’ve got all metal on the outside with the Maingear logo set up front in red lights cut into the surface. Everything you need to plug in to this system sits up top of the machine with a plastic grill set with large access points made perfect for securing cords as they slide through the area provided on the sides and back of the top area.

This machine was designed specifically for you to have cords coming upwards out of it and/or out the back of the top, certainly made for easy access at a floor level. Though the system can indeed be as simple as the black totem you see here, you can also get it aesthetically enhanced with laser-etched designs, automotive paint jobs, and “over 200 color combinations of internal and external colors” direct from MAINGEAR – go big with Burple, Citrus Fire, or even Organic Green if you dare!

The front and the back of the setup here are easy to remove as the top with pressure-clips holding them in place until you make the effort to pop them off. Inside you’ll find your hard drive and graphics card ready to look at, admire, or replace at will. Everything else is locked in tight – but if you REALLY want to un-do the precision construction here, there’s a multi-tool included in the box.

In fact, the package you get this computer in also includes every bell and whistle that would normally come with the components that make up the the final product as well, just incase you might ever need them. This set of components includes a couple of external antenna that make your wi-fi signal usable – you can do wireless web without them, but the metal makes it a bit less excellent than we’d like. You can also just toss these in the corner, too, as this amalgamation is ready for action right out of the box.

One you get past admiring the free MAINGEAR t-shirt you’ve likely gotten in the package, you’ll be having another peek at what’s under the grill up top. Here you’ll find a riser cutting the array in half, with a space for the power cord to find its way up and out the back area and the power and reset buttons to stay high. This riser also has the headphone and mic ports popping out the top along with two USB 3.0 ports. All of this sneaks its way out through the top grille when its closed down tight.

Besides the riser you’ve got a collection of ports of all kinds: a couple more USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, jacks for Wi-fi antennas, Ethernet, and a couple of powered e-SATA/USB ports. These sit near HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort connections all ready for action. All of this is hidden if you wish it to be, but when you’re making with the massive amount of connections at once, you’ll have an octopus of wires attacking your desk. This isn’t any different from the rest of the desktops out there, of course, but the one-ness of the system without cords can be deceivingly clean looking – you might just want to put the system up on its own on your desk just for the light. It looks that good.

The bottom of this unit has some rubbery bumpers so you’re not scraping metal against your desk or your floor, and the hardcore black power of its appearance demands that you get a monitor (or set of monitors) to match it. The way the unit is situated, you’ll still be able to work with your CD/DVD slot (you can even get a Blu-ray drive if you wish) extremely easily (that’s the slit up front of the unit, if you did not know), and you’ll have no trouble with overheating in any respect.

This unit uses vertical head dissipation with its motherboard rotated 90 degrees so that when heat needs to escape and rises to do so, it can come right out the top easily. It’s got an intake fan mounted at the bottom as well as a self-contained liquid cooler, all of which keeps the system less than hot with only a small amount of sound overall.

Inside this beast you’ve got a set of innards that’ve been custom installed and quality assured by MAINGEAR’s finest. You’ve got an Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge, 3rd Gen) processor at 3570k clocked at 3.4GHz/3.8Ghz with Turbo 6MB L3 Cache HD 4000, for starters, and it’s Redline overlocked to boot – that’s a pro job, if you did not know. Keeping it all cool you’ve got a MAINGEAR 120 Supercooler, and right up front you’ve got the beast – an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti – MAINGEAR gives you a vast collection of options in this graphics arena, and we’ve chosen the 660 Ti because of the waves it’s made in recent news blasts. Value with power!

We’ve also got a 30GB Corsair Accelerator SSD Caching Drive, 500GB Seagate 7200rpm hard drive with 16GB Cache SATA, and up front is an 8X Dual Layer DVD RW Drive Slot Loading SATA so you can watch Lord of the Rings – or whatever you do with a DVD drive these days. The motherboard here is made by ASUS, the P8Z77-I Deluxe with Lucid Virtu MVP and those lovely USB 3.0 ports next to SATA 6G, Bluetooth, and wi-fi connections.

Software

Inside this machine you’ll get a rather stripped-down version of Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with so little bloatware you’ll wonder if someone made a mistake and provided you with a dream. You’ve got a couple of shortcuts on your desktop right out of the box that offer you just a bit of added security for your system if you wish, but for the most part you’ve got an operating system that gives you just what you payed for – Windows 7 and the basics. With this you’ll have no cleanup duty to perform before getting down to business with hardcore gaming galore.

Benchmarking

With this system, as it is with all systems we test here on SlashGear, we give it the one-shot test with GeekBench. In addition to this we’ve tested a selection of games from Arkham City to World of Warcraft, each of which performed perfectly well, especially considering the fact that this isn’t the absolute most powerful system we’ve ever had on the testing bench. Performance on this system with maxed-out gear inside have been extremely favorable for the Potenza, and with what we’ve got in this build, we certainly cannot argue the possibilities.

If you’re planning on working with this beast with Windows 7 (which is what it comes with right this minute) or with Windows 8 (coming soon), you’ll be busting up skulls without a hitch. You’ll be the belle of the ball with whatever you’re playing too, as any limitation you’ve got here can be modded out if you do so please. Have a peek at some more specifications from inside this build here, as well.

Wrap-up

The MAINGEAR Potenza has a really good chance of bringing you much more power and performance than you paid for, and the construction of the system – the attention to detail and final product – are nothing to scoff at. The MAINGEAR Potenza is without a doubt one of the finest gaming systems we’ve come across, especially considering the cost. While it wont destroy the gaming universe with perfectly top-tier benchmark smacks with a basic build, it’s certainly one of the best mid-tier gaming desktops you can buy – that’s a category not often attacked – MAINGEAR does it well right here.

The build we’ve got right here will ring in at right around $2,000 – and you’ll start at closer to $1,000 without adding on the beastly bits. You can also ring up quite a bit larger bill with boosts here and there in your own customizations too, so keep that in mind! You get a beast in any case!

Hardware

This device comes in two iterations – there’s a 24-inch display model and a 27-inch display model, both of them with Full HD 1080p resolution under the hood. The display is, as Vizio should very well be expected to present, both extremely bright and readily sharp. The display has a 1.3 megapixel camera with microphone sitting right up top – this camera is ready to bring you basic video chat right out of the box.

The base of the computer has two SRS Premium Sound HD speakers in it, hidden from view entirely in the black bit under the silver metal top. Along with the subwoofer that sits separate from the main unit, you’ve got 2.1 sound that does not disappoint – you’ll not only have the sound you need to play games and watch videos on your own, you’ll be able to use this computer for a home entertainment system if you wish as well – it’ll definitely fill your apartment, that’s for certain.

On the back of the base of the main unit you’ve got three USB 3.0 ports, eSATA port for your external harddrives galore, and an ethernet port for wired internet. You also get two HDMI inputs so you can connect your gaming console and your cable box – or whatever other HDMI-capable devices you’ve got on hand – smartphones, tablets, anything your heart desires! The side of the base also has an SD card port, headset port (headphones and mic compatible), another USB 3.0 port, and a power button. Note the location of the power button, because if you don’t know it’s there, you’ll never be able to find it.

On that note, have a peek here at how minimalistic the design of this unit is. The only buttons you’re able to see are on the wireless keyboard and remote control – everything else is hidden. The Vizio design team took the desire of the modern market to gravitate towards Apple’s minimal silver designs and made a real effort to make it really Vizio-specific.

The keyboard presents a new look at what’s been hashed and re-hashed a thousand times over the past several years. Vizio flattened everything out, made the keys rather gigantic, and let the slight bezels between the keys be the only tactile notification that your fingers are on one key or another. The back of the keyboard – and the back of the rest of the accessories – are a soft-touch plastic so you’ll have a comfortable experience when you’re picking them up or using them on your lap.

The Wireless touchpad has a collection of multi-touch abilities that, while they’re certainly not perfectly tuned at the moment, present a high note for the future with Windows 8. With the next generation of Microsoft operating systems, this Vizio computer will be prepared with this lovely touchpad and the ability to update the software that makes it work whenever changes are needed. For those of you used to using a mouse with a desktop computer, you’ll need some getting used to with this accessory to be sure – its important to note that there’s no basic mouse included in the package – so get prepped!

The remote control or “Wireless Remote” that comes with this device is perfectly simplistic and comforting to hold and use. In combination with the other accessories and the keyboard’s ability to access online support at a single press, you’ll be good to go for whatever activities you’re hoping to do with the unit. That’s the Vizio V-Key up in the left hand corner, a single press bringing you in to Vizio’s ever-changing support webpage and guide.

The display, again, brings on 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and under the hood you’ve got a 3rd generation Intel Core processor – have a peek at the readout below this paragraph for the build information on the unit we’ve got here. You’ve also got NVIDIA GeForce dedicated graphics, NVIDIA Optimus technology included for automatic switchable graphics abilities, and a choice of build if you’re not wanting to pick up just the most basic model. You can upgrade to quad-core, decide between i3, i5, or i7 Intel Core architecture, and update your memory and hard drive as well!

Software

You’ve got Windows 7 onboard right out of the box, and you’ll be ready to go for Windows 8 whenever you’re ready to make that jump. Vizio created this device – and the rest of their first-wave party of PCs and notebooks – to be prepared for the Windows 8 wave. This is a Microsoft Signature machine – that means, and I quote, “a clean system; no bloatware, no junk, no compromises.”

If you want the software that normally comes on a PC, you’ve only to download it – you can find the vast majority of your favorites by hitting the V-key in the upper left-hand corner of your keyboard – simple! Also of course you still need a few extra bits to keep you safe from evil, so Microsoft Security Essentials comes with the system, inside to keep you safe from viruses and spyware. You’ve got 90 days of Microsoft Corp. technical support right out of the box as well.

What’s interesting about the entertainment aspect of this machine is that because Vizio wanted to not only come correct with a high quality display, but a unique experience as well, they made it possible for you to use the display even when the PC isn’t turned on. You do not need to turn the whole machine on just to use the display for your 3rd party machines – game consoles, satellite boxes, and HD devices of many kinds can make use of this ability.

Performance

Have a peek at our standard benchmark results here, coming straight from your best buddy Geekbench. Note that this computer has run exceedingly well for us during the whole review process, no complaints outside the obvious odd amount of time it took to get used to the touchpad in place of a mouse. The keyboard, mouse, and wireless controller all synced up with the computer in an instant and we had no connectivity problems at all. The wireless internet connection was also a bonus, with your ability to connect via ethernet appearing just for you hardcore wire-lovers it seems.

Wrap-up

This machine is surprisingly great. It’s only surprising that it’s great because Vizio is relatively new to the PC business – it’s not as if they’ve not been in the hardware business before, because they definitely have – but what a surprise it is to find them succeeding in their first effort in the Windows-toting universe. This machine is a perfectly legitimate all-in-one for your everyday Windows user, and as always, you’ll want to head to the store to give it a whirl before you purchase.

When you do test this machine out for yourself, pay close attention to how the monitor sits on the base, how you’re able to adjust it, and how well you like the wireless accessories. You’ll have absolutely nothing bad to say about the speaker system or the display, that’s for certain. This machine is available now in a variety of configurations, starting at around $800 – check it out!

Setup

This beast is heavier than you’ll ever want to wish to carry at a back-breaking 21.32 kg (47 lbs). You’ve got a beast of a display up on two different hinges, this allowing you to adjust both the angle and the height at which the display sits. Once you’ve got it where you want it, you’ll probably want to leave it alone, though, as the weight of this conglomeration of metal, plastic, and glass is not the easiest thing to move around.

The monitor sits on its two hinges mightily, both of them making sure that this heaving beast does not move even the slightest bit once its set in place. In addition to being able to set this computer up with its “traditional display” setup (on the stand it comes attached to) you can mount it to the wall with industry standard VESA mounts. This unit utilizes a 100×100 VESA mount pattern, making it easy to set up with 3rd party display gear.

HP has done an amazing job of making sure this computer both looks and feels fabulous with a black and silver metal setup both on front and back. While most workstation-aimed computers are made to sit out of the way or under a desk, this all-in-one unit looks great from all sides. The one odd point that appears off as far as aesthetics go is the power cord port which sits under the display – it feels like HP went so far to keep the front and the back clean that they nudged that rather unsightly cord to the underside.

Connectivity

That said, the rest of the computer is indeed rather clean looking. You’ve got your power button up top on the right, a system activity LED below that right near the eject button for your optical drive. The optical drive is always a Slot Load 8X SuperMulti DVDRW no matter what configuration you pick up, and it sits right above a 4-in-1 Media Card Reader as well. Next on the right is a standard Firewire 1394a port above two USB 3.0 ports and ports for Audio in and out. Each of these buttons and ports are super easy to access.

What’s not so easy to access – and perhaps rightfully so – are the ports below the monitor. This collection of ports includes the power port (as mentioned above), one standard DisplayPort in/out, digital audio via a S/PDIF port, audio in/out and subwoofer out, and a set of four more USB 2.0 ports. There’s also a hidden USB 2.0 port under the hood which HP has used up with a dongle that connects with a couple of packaged accessories: keyboard and a mouse – both of which are relatively high quality.

Software

You can work on this system with Windows 7 or HP provided Linux, the Linux builds including drivers from 32 and 64-bit OS versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 Workstation, RHEL 6 Workstation, and 64-bit SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 11 for your convenience. For Windows 7 you’ll either get 32-bit or 64-bit Genuine Windows 7 Professional installed right out of the box.

With a computer that’s made to be updated in the hardware universe for years into the future, you’ll also want to be sure you’ve got the software to back it up as well. Windows 8 will of course be able to be loaded here, and with HP Performance Advisor included in the out-of-box experience, you’ll have HP’s own software wizard to help out out along the way as you continue to optimize your system towards its constant full potential.

This machine also includes HP Remote Graphics Software, (loaded standard with every new-age HP workstation,) an environment which allows you to access your setup remotely from other machines connected to the web with ease. Just as it was with each of the other HP workstations we’ve tested over the past year or so, this machine plays nicely with a vast array of machines outside its build – Directory Mode allow you to access workstations throughout your office, RGS functionality works with pixels (as opposed to data) to expand your workspace to a wide variety of 3rd party monitors automatically, and the whole RGS suite works on both Windows and Linux.

This device also comes with ISV certification so you know its up to snuff according to the Independent Software Vendor set of tests – standard stuff! Along those same lines is the fact that this machine is Energy Star certified with 90% efficient power supplies, and each HP Z1 comes with a warranty that includes limited 3-year parts, 3-year labor and 3-year onsite service extendable up to 5 years with HP Care Pack Services – business friendly indeed!

Above and below you’ll see some additional components listed as well as our standard Geekbench benchmark results. This machine does extremely well for itself, both in benchmarks and in practice with everyday light and heavyweight tasks like video processing. And again, you can switch essentially every piece out and make it more powerful as you deem necessary.

Versatility

This machine is fabulous in its ability to be modified. Push the display down horizontal and lift the face up like the hood of a car and poof! Like magic, you’ve got a vast array of plug-n-play pieces at your fingertips. You can change out essentially anything under the hood at your leisure, and several expansion slots and bays are available for your DIY modifications. You’ve got one internal 3.5-inch bay OR 2x 2.5-inch bays, one MXM expansion slot for graphics (requiring NVIDIA custom cards, you may want to note) the base model uses Intel integrated graphics, but Quadro 500M, 1000M, 3000M and 4000M graphics cards are optional. You’ve also got 3 miniPCIe full-length expansion slots as well.

Four zones separate this device’s insides, with the 400w power supply, Quadro graphics card, CPU, and memory sitting behind fans and panels. Your power supply, hard drive chassis, and DVD/Blu-ray drive are easily removable, of course, and up to four 8GB full-sized memory DIMMs can be added as well.

Everything under the hood is able to be clipped in and out with ease using the simple to understand green arrows and hard-plastic holds. The hands-on video earlier in this review shows how simple it is to switch components in and out. Business owners pay attention here: upgrading your whole office will be so easy that you won’t need to hire Nick Burns to do it – for real!

Wrap-Up

This computer is a fabulous choice for an office in need of massive displays and Windows 7 (or Windows 8 later this year). You’ve got a perfectly solid build, HP has made the entire structure out of high-end components, and you’ll be able to modify this beast to your liking well into the future. As long as you’re not planning on lifting this monster up and lugging it around on a regular basis, you’ll be glad this was your business-oriented Windows choice for your next-generation standard workstation situation.

Video editors, web designers, graphic designers, and those working with massive files on the whole will find this machine quite satisfying.

Have a peek below at additional HP Z-series hands-on, review, and news posts we’ve published over the past two years, all the way back to the official launch of the series at an event we attended with HP!

Hardware

When you pull the Needletail SX out of the box for the first time, you’re likely to be taken aback by how awesome everything looks. All of your hardware is enclosed in an excellent NZXT Switch 810 full case, which has a window on the right side so you can look inside and view your motherboard. The case itself is sleek, with more than enough room on the inside to add additional hardware should you ever want to. The case also comes equipped with a number of dust filters to make fan maintenance less of a chore. The case is glossy in most places, which means that it will attract fingerprints easily, but a little upkeep is a small price to pay to keep your Switch 810 looking great.

That sexy-looking case is filled with some of the best hardware around. Bringing everything together is an ASUS Rampage IV Extreme motherboard. This particular motherboard features an Intel x79 chipset, and enough PCI express 3.0 slots to support 4-way SLI or Crossfire. Even though the Needletail SX already comes with more than enough graphics power, it’s nice to know that you can continue to upgrade should you need any more power in the future. On the back of the unit, we’ve got 4 USB 3.0 ports, 8 USB 2.0 ports (one of which is reserved for ROG Connect), and two eSATA 3.0 ports. The ASUS Rampage IV Extreme is an excellent motherboard, but then again it would need to be with all of this high-end hardware attached to it.

As far as the CPU goes, you’re working with an Intel Core i7-3930k, which has six cores and 12 threads. This CPU normally comes clocked at 3.2Ghz, but AFS takes care of the overclocking for you and bumps that up to 4.4Ghz before sending it off. The model we received uses Intel’s older Sandy Bridge microarchitecture, but it seems that AFS has since updated its models to use Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs. It goes without saying that you’ve got a lot of processing power under the hood, and even that’s something of an understatement. You’ve got an excess of processing power under the hood, as the i7’s six cores can handle whatever you need to do with this computer with plenty left to spare. One only needs to look at the Geekbench and Cinebench scores posted below to see that much is true.

Next up let’s talk about RAM. Surrounding the CPU in a rather nice looking display are 8 G.Skill Ripjaws Z 4GB DD3 cards at 2133 MHz. That means you have a whopping 32GB of RAM at your disposal – likely more than you’ll ever need, but there to ensure that everything runs extremely smooth. Indeed, that RAM helps make this computer incredibly fast, regardless of what you’re doing. You can play a game with all the settings maxed (more on that later) and never have to worry about stuttering, thanks partially to the amount of RAM you’ve got under the hood.

The dual SLI EVGA NVIDIA GTX680 graphics cards help with that too, naturally. With 2GB of video RAM each, this SLI setup can handle anything you can throw at it, as far as gaming goes. The GTX680 is one of NVIDIA’s enthusiast-level cards, meant only for those who take PC gaming incredibly seriously, and this computer uses two of them. Of course, installing two of the best GPUs around makes for a pretty significant price hike, but with these two working together, you won’t have to worry about updating your graphics hardware anytime soon.

The CPU is cooled by a Corsair Hydro Serious H100 cooler, and what’s interesting about this particular water cooler is that comes with adjustable fan settings. There are three settings in total – low, medium, and high – and the computer comes set to medium out of the box. You’ll be able to use the medium settings for most anything you’ll be doing with the Needletail SX, as it isn’t too loud (though it isn’t exactly silent either), and provides more than enough air to keep the computer cool while playing even the most graphics-intensive game. AFS recommends that you install a CPU thermometer widget to ensure that your CPU never runs above 82 degrees Celsius for too long, but in all of my tests, I never managed to get the CPU to heat up hotter than the mid-50s range. In other words, this cooling system does its job wonderfully, even when you’re intentionally trying to push it to its limits.

With storage, you’ve got a Seagate Barracuda 3TB HDD and a Plextor M3 256GB SSD to take advantage of. Both are connected through SATA 6.0, and the operating system (in this case the Needletail SX is running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit) is stored on the SSD. With the 256GB allowed by the SSD, you might want to consider installing some of your most-played games on it, as load times are obviously dramatically shorter when running from the SSD. This HDD/SSD setup, along with the RAM and CPU, makes this beast ridiculously fast, so time spent waiting for something to boot or load is kept to a minimum.

You’ve heard enough about how great the hardware in this PC is, but the benchmarks prove that it isn’t just talk. With Geekbench 2.0, the Needletail SX managed to post a score dangerously close to 25,000. The processor was the star of the test, pulling in ridiculously high numbers, especially with the processor floating point test. Running Cinebench 11.5, we get impressive results once again. Cinebench is a benchmark tool that tests both the CPU and the graphics power, and both came back with excellent scores. The CPU test showed a score of 12.71, while the OpenGL test ran at a smooth 60.34 fps. It isn’t that often you get a computer that can put out scores like that – be it in Cinebench or Geekbench – which just goes to show that AFS was serious about building an enthusiast-level gaming PC when they put the Needletail SX together.

Gaming

I’ve already mentioned gaming a couple of times in this review, but now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. After reading through the hardware section, it should go without saying that gaming is wonderful on this machine, but just for the purpose of reiteration, I’ll say it anyway: gaming is wonderful on this machine. I tested Battlefield 3, Skyrim, and Batman: Arkham City (all at 1920×1080 resolution) on this rig, and it was able to play all of them as if it was nothing.

With Batman: Arkham City, I used extreme detail settings, NVIDIA 32x CSAA, high DirectX 11 Tessellation, and turned NVSS and HBAO on. The result was a game that ran consistently between 50 and 60 fps, with an upper limit of around 70 to 75. Changing the settings to 8x MSAA and keeping everything else the same, we get about the same results: 50-60 fps consistently with a max that sits right around 70. On 8x MSAA, I enjoyed 60 fps on a more consistent basis, but when you’ve got a frame rate that averages around 55 fps, the difference is hardly noticeable. Overall, the graphics were incredibly smooth and there was very little stuttering; normally, the game stuttered briefly when it was loading a new area, but that was it. Not too bad for a PC port that many people have issues with.

Moving right along to Battlefield 3, turning up the settings as high as they can go – that includes 4x MSAA and 16x Anisotropic filtering – I managed a frame rate that ranged between 70 and 90 fps. That’s when you’re in outdoor environments with a ton of action surrounding you. With indoor environments, the frame rate can jump as high as 120 fps. Like Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3 looked amazing on the Needletail SX, with almost no stuttering whatsoever.

Finally, we come to Skyrim, which is unfortunately locked at 60 fps. There are ways to change this, but using ultra settings, 8x Anti-Aliasing, and 16x Anisotropic filtering, the game ran at a solid 60 fps all the time. That’s with Bethesda’s HD DLC and Laast’s Pure Waters mod (along with a few weapons and armor mods) installed. With Skyrim on the Needletail SX, you get nothing but silky smooth visuals, and trust me when I say that this is the way Skyrim was meant to be played.

Again, the Needletail SX is an excellent gaming rig, and it’s sure to handle whatever kind of gaming challenge you give it. You’re working with a lot of power under the hood, and the good thing is that this hardware isn’t going to become obsolete anytime soon. If you want to game with the visuals maxed while still enjoying an excellent frame rate, you need look no further than the Needletail SX.

Wrap-Up

So I’ve been singing the praises of the Needletail SX for quite a few paragraphs now. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m in love with almost everything about this PC. The word “almost” is key there, because there is one significant downside to the Needletail SX: its price. With all of that hardware you’ve got installed, this PC does not come cheap. It comes in at $4,499, and that doesn’t include the operating system. You’ll have to buy the operating system separately (AFS offers the many versions of Windows 7 as “additional options”), so if you want the exact build I was working with here, you’re going to have to shell out $4,698.

That is going to hold a lot of people back, but it’s clear that AFS didn’t want to make a budget PC with this one. The old adage “you get what you pay for” applies here, and that high price tag means that you’re getting one of the best (if not the best) pre-built gaming PCs around. The Needletail SX is Arkh Flight Systems’ flagship model, and the company has packed this thing with some of the best hardware currently available. The steep price tag means that only the most serious of gamers need apply, but if you’ve got the cash and you don’t want to build a PC yourself, then you should be very happy with the Needletail SX.

Hardware

Any review you see of this device – if you don’t run out and buy it right now, that is – will tell you that it’s quite gorgeous. Without appearing too similar to what the market has dubbed “Apple-esque”, this Lenovo machine carves out a new space for the manufacturer, prepping us for a future that’s very bright for sleek-looking and sleek-feeling computers. The display is, again, massive, you’ll be working with just the touchscreen on it’s own if you wish or with a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard (included), and you only need to pop the power cord in to get started.

Hit the power button on the lower right of the display (behind the display, rather, as the outer rim angles inward) and the machine lights up with loveliness. You’ve got a 10-point touch-screen experience ahead of you with several light-up touch-sensitive buttons under the rim near the bottom of the screen as well. There you can brighten up or dim down your display, change sound levels, and adjust what’s on your screen with a touch in several other ways.

The bottom left of the machine has two HDMI ports, one in, one out. There you can connect with your smartphone – as most smartphones now have such a connection in one way or another, or you can push content out to a much more major-league HD display. In other words, you can make this computer the biggest wired remote control of all time!

You also have one USB 3.0 port on that side and three USB 2.0 ports on the back. Also on the back is your power port and Ethernet port as well. Then there’s your ability to adjust the display. The whole computer is massively heavy – ringing in at 11.6kg or 25.6 pounds. You’ll be able to view the display anywhere between 90 degrees straight up and down and 0 degrees (flat). Moving the display (as demonstrated in our hands-on video below) is extremely easy yet keeps the machine tight in place wherever you want to leave it.

The speaker grilles you’ve got up front of the base are part of this machine’s Dolby Home Theater v4 setup, and they sound rather nice. This machine presents one of those situations where you wont be needing additional side-speakers all around just to hear it across the room – you’re set! Along the right side of the base of the machine you’ve got a Blu-ray Disc slot where you’ll be able to read and burn Blu-ray disks as well as CDs and DVDs.

Also included in the review pack we’ve received is the optional TV tuner so we can pick up some sweet channels and make this an even more inclusive device. This package also includes an IR Windows Media Center remote control which has worked like a charm with the included receiver which you simply plug in to the machine and click away.

Up top on the front of the screen you’ve got a 720p HD webcam so you’ll be able to Skype the whole night through – and also make use of some brand new interactive Kinect-like games as well (you’ll see more of this in our hands-on video below as well.) Have a peek at some additional features inside this device in the following readout:

Software

For graphics you’ve got a lovely NVIDIA GeForce GT630M 2GB discrete graphics which you’ll certainly need to love as there aren’t any options for switching when you pick up this machine. That said, we’ve had no problem working with any game that’s been thrown at the machine with Batman: Arkham City flowing like a charm and Diablo III having no graphics issues to speak of. Playing Batman with a wireless game pad and this massive display was an extra treat as the hardware lends itself to a pushed-back appearance. In other words, there’s nothing to distract from the fun.

Because this is a touchscreen-centric device, Lenovo has included a hub where you can play a set of games that work entirely with touch. You’ve got 10-finger touch sensitivity, which makes things rather interesting for the updated Pong they’ve got ready for you, and you can play the keyboard as well – the musical keyboard, that is. This system is demonstrated in the hands-on video we’ve got prepared for you right here, as it were.

You’ll see that not only does this computer make use of its touchscreen surface to make music and to play games, it’s ready to make use of the camera as well to play some interesting video games. The camera-centric games aren’t nearly as fine-tuned as the touchscreen games, which is why you won’t see them advertised as a feature on this system. They are there though, and they’re fun to work with. Windows 7 is here as well, and it’s clear that though this system is working with a perfectly legitimate set of extras (like a pull-out onscreen keyboard) to make your experience nice in the meantime, Lenovo has prepared this system for Windows 8 – that’s not an official statement from them, but it seems pretty clear when you’re working with the machine.

As for performance, you’ll find this machine working perfectly well for an all-in-one system, and with the quad-core i7 under the hood, you’re good to go for processing video and playing hardcore games at your leisure. Of course it’s no beastly custom-made gaming computer, but it’s really not meant to be. What you’ve got here is more an entertainment machine than a workhorse.

It would be nice to have a more vast collection of touch-friendly applications out there in the world of Windows 7 right this minute, but alas, someone has to go first with the hardware. You’ll find Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja – as well as the awesome two-finger version of space hockey – to be more than enough to play with until the new wave of touchscreen apps comes on later this year.

Wrap-Up

The Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 is a home run for Lenovo. You won’t find a better touchscreen PC for this price, not until Windows 8 makes touchscreen PCs a commodity. For now they’re still somewhat of a rarity – and this machine is one of the good ones. This machine is well worth the cash and ready to be your school or home-friendly all-in-one computer right this minute. You’ll find this all-in-one monster available online right now for right around $1849 straight from Lenovo.

Case

This case is massive, gigantic, and certainly not made for hauling around to LAN parties – there’s no handles here, folks. Instead this machine is made to remain stationary, made with so many fans and air ducts that it’ll never, ever get hot (it might, but we’ve not seen it yet), and it’s clean. This machine looks fabulous, with a classy white combination of plastic and metal parts and safety bumpers all around so there’s no clunks or clanks when you’re opening or shutting doors.

The front of the machine has a flat aluminum shape to it with a couple of peek-holes you’ll be able to see in the hands-on look at the machine in the video above. This front panel is a door which reveals your DVD drive, memory card ports, and whatever else you want to attach in the racks on racks on racks available throughout the front of the machine. This machine comes with room for so much customizability right out of the box it’s absurd.

The back of this AVADirect tower has a massive collection of ports which you’ll read about below and will be able to see in the hands-on video above. It’s all very neatly arranged, and up on top of the tower you’ve got a few more for good measure. The bottom of this case has that unique boost not just for your visual pleasure, but so air can move through the machine top to bottom. The bottom is open so air can travel through the case downward, upward, out the back, and out the front as well – there are fans behind that door up front and there’s a dust catch you can remove and clean underneath as well!

You’ve also got two distinctive sides to this machine, with the right side having a small area for cords to rest in, keeping them clear of the other side which is the deep home for all of your massive bits of next-level gear. For those of you that love lights, you’ll find a few well-placed green LEDs sitting down deep in the guts, blinking like it’s no big deal, while a couple of white lights shine up front through those crevices mentioned above so you know the machine has been turned on. Again – if you didn’t have a monitor plugged in to show you that the beast was turning on, you might never know it for how silent it is – that’s what the lights are for.

Sound Levels

With this build you’ll find a total of seven fans, eight if you count the one attached to the 3rd Gen Intel Core i7 hardware. With that many fans you might expect quite a bit of rustling to be going on inside this box, but no. You have to get up within a foot of this device to hear it make a sound – it’s that quiet. This device has SPCR Certification for quietness. This means that it must run under 20dBA at idle as well as under 27dBA under maximum load. Check out more about SPCR Certified PCs to get an in-depth idea of what this means for your own gaming room. Don’t expect to be lulled asleep by the hum of this machine – there really isn’t any.

Custom Build

This monster has a set of specifications that I do not hesitate to say are a dream for our modern age of gaming. In addition to the massive amount of ports you get on the top and back of this machine, prepping you for any and all display, 3rd party connection, and memory card situations, you’ve got processing and graphics power that’ll blow your socks off. You’ll notice at this point that I’m having trouble finding much that I do not like about this system, and for that I apologize – I’m a sucker for fantastically constructed machines.

QUIET GAMING PC, Core™ i5 / i7 Z77 Low-Noise Custom Gaming System
• NZXT H2 Classic Silent White Mid-Tower Case, ATX, No PSU, Steel/Plastic
• ANTEC TruePower New TP-750 Power Supply, 80 PLUS®, 750W, 24-pin ATX12V EPS12V, One 6-pin + Two 8-pin PCIe, SLI Certified
• ASUS P8Z77-V LX, LGA1155, Intel® Z77, DDR3-2400 (O.C) 32GB /4, PCIe x16, SATA 3Gb/s RAID 5 /4, 6Gb/s /2, HDMI + DVI + VGA, USB 3.0 /4, HDA, GbLAN, ATX, Retail
• Intel Core™ i7-3770K Quad-Core 3.5 – 3.9GHz TB, HD Graphics 4000, LGA1155, 8MB L3 Cache, 22nm, 77W, EM64T EIST HT VT-x XD, Retail
• PROLIMATECH Megahalems Rev. B CPU Heatsink w/ Dual 120mm NB-Blacknoise SilentPro PL-1 Ultra Quiet Fan, Socket 1155/1156/1366/775, Nickel Plated Copper, Retail
• Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, Polysynthetic Silver, Electrically Non-Conductive
• CRUCIAL, 16GB (4 x 4GB) Ballistix Tactical Tracer w/ LEDs PC3-14900 DDR3 1866MHz CL9 (9-9-9-27) 1.5V SDRAM DIMM, Non-ECC

• NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 670 950MHz, 2GB GDDR5 5000MHz, PCIe x16 SLI, 2x DVI + HDMI + DP, OEM
• OCZ, 120GB Vertex 3 SSD, MLC SandForce SF-2281, 550/500 MB/s, 2.5-Inch, SATA 6 Gb/s, Retail
• Western Digital 1.5TB WD Caviar® Green™ (WD15EARX), SATA 6 Gb/s, IntelliPower™, 64MB Cache
• SONY AD-7280S Black 24x DVD±R/RW Dual-Layer Burner, SATA, OEM
• SABRENT CRW-UINB Black 65-in-1 Card Reader/Writer Drive, 3.5″ Bay, Internal USB
• CUSTOM WIRING, Standard Wiring with Precision Cable Routing and Tie-Down
• Smart Drive NEO Standard Silent Hard Disk Drive Enclosure, 5.25″
• Lamptron Deluxe Black Shakeproof PSU Gasket Silencer
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition w/ SP1, OEM
• Silver Warranty Package (3 Year Limited Parts, 3 Year Labor Warranty)

This build will cost you, again, a total of $2,019.16 in all, and if you’re wondering how much it cost to ship from the AVADirect facilities in Twinsberg, Ohio to where this review is taking place in Saint Paul, Minnesota here it is: $58.23. Not so devastating a shipping cost at all. Especially considering how well it was packaged – they even stuffed the inside of the unit with padding to assure nothing wiggled loose!

Benchmark Results and Performance

Have a peek at our standard test results here picked up by GeekBench. You’ll find that nowhere in our history of Desktop Reviews will you find a more powerful system, and of course the Laptop Reviews don’t stand a chance either.

We tested out Batman: Arkham City and we tested out Portal 2, Skyrim and Crysis 2, we played some HD videos and we rocked out a couple monitors at a time – and there’s nothing, no waiting time, everything is swift – it’s like this machine was made for the future. Have a peek at some more of the inner bits of the machine here as well:

The Bottom Line

This machine is well worth the cash you’re going to pay for it. For the couple thousand dollars you’re going to drop on this exact build you still couldn’t get the least expensive Mac Pro, and I dare you to find a more well put together PC for this kind of cash. This custom-made conglomeration of top-tier gamer-friendly parts makes me want to forget about factory built machines entirely. There’s just no going back after this.

If you’re not all about having the best of the best or have no use for processing and graphics power that’s going to blow you away with even the most heavy games on the market, this build is not worth the cash. You can pick up the standard build of this machine – with the silence, the case, and slightly lower power than what we’ve got here for $1107.51 from AVADirect too – that’s probably going to be good enough for most gamers out there on its own.

If however you want the most powerful, silent, and aesthetically pleasing gaming PC on the market, this is it. You can grab it from AVADirect’s online store today – and don’t forget to customize!

Hardware

The actual casing and set of ports is extremely similar to other Acer models such as the AM3970 – though that model is made much more for the everyday user while this Predator unit brings on a shape and color scheme much more suited to the gaming-specific user. Sharp angles are clear to be seen all around the unit while bright fire orange stripes run up and over so you’re ready to race.

Up on top you’ve got what Acer calls their Multi-in-One digital media card reader with essentially every sort of card port you can imagine. Though if you’re a modern gamer you’ll probably either be using disks or digital downloads, these will come in extremely handy when you switch camera types or are handed a strange card from a friend full of photos of your last LAN party – if you’re the kind of person to take photos at such an event, of course.

Also on top are 2 USB 3.0 ports and 2 USB 2.0 ports as well as a mic port and a headphones port. On the back you’ll see every sort of port you could need to get off the ground for a fabulous one-display gaming experience. This includes a couple of covered ports in our build that you’ll be able to have active should you choose them for your build (you might want that display port, for instance), but we’re perfectly alright with using the DVI Video and HD-capable HDMI ports for now.

Included with this tower, as it is with most/all Acer desktop units, you’ll get a pretty standard USB keyboard and optical mouse if you’re currently going without. They work fine, but you might want to think about an upgrade if you’re actually going to go hardcore with your gaming love. Also included inside are 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN and 802.11b/g/n Wireless for some sweet connections, and High Definition 5.1 Channel Audio Support ready to go as well if you’ve got a massive room you want to fill with the crunching bone sounds of your digital enemies.

Up front we’ve got a 16X DVD+R/RW SuperMulti Drive, inside a 2TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive, and the whole bit is running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit – and of course it’s upgradable to Windows 8 if you do so choose in the near future. Inside we’ve also got the lovely NVIDIA GeForce GT630 Graphics with 2GB Discrete Video Memory as well as a 2TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive, Intel B75 Express Chipset, and again, that lovely new Ivy Bridge i7.

Have a peek at the results from our standard for desktop and notebook computing benchmarks, Geekbench, and certainly feel free to peruse the rest of our results from similar units in our Desktop Reviews portal. You’ll find that this device is right on the cutting edge when it comes to manufacturer assembled units, and

Have a peek at a few more details on the system in this readout as well:

Wrap-Up

In the end, what you’ve got here is an Acer machine, through and through, in an iteration aimed directly at the most high-powered and graphics intensive games you’ve got on hand. We’ve played everything from Diablo III to Batman: Arkham City on this device and have found that be it masses of characters smashing up the display or a vast playable world with realism in abundance, you’ll still be running strong.

The unit we’re using here will cost you a cool $1199.99 from Acer’s online store and it is indeed in stock right now. Head to our timeline below as well to check out additional Acer reveals and hands-on experiences we’ve had in the past couple of weeks!

The innards you’ll get to see in the system list below, and indeed what we are after here since we’ve already reviewed the HP Z420 Workstation here we’ll want to focus on what exactly makes them different. First you must understand that both devices are made of essentially the same materials. HP brings on steel and hard plastic in all places, making this not the lightest tower in the world, but certainly keeps with the HP tradition of making their machines rough and tough.

Inside you’ll find that the motherboard, processor, and power supply are not removable, but that everything else in the machine is – by hand. For a look at that whole process on the Z420, head back to that review. What you’ll find is one whole heck of a lot of green tabs and a bunch of moving parts for easy change-outs, like this one:

Each green tab, switch, and lever allows you to access a component with great ease. If you’ve never modified a computer’s hardware before, this would be a great place to learn how. Even the four 4GB 2Rx8 PC3 cards seemed easier to remove and replace than normal – but perhaps that’s just part of the experience after gleefully ripping out every other component then replacing them like an army exercise with a rifle.

We had a couple of interchangeable bits with our build including a lovely Micron RealSSD C400 2.5 256GB SATA drive at 8GB/s, an NVIDIA QUADRO 600 for hot, hot graphics action, and an Intel SSD 313 Series at 24GB. Have a peek at several benchmark results below, starting with the basic build we were given, no changes made:

Next we’ve got the same build, but this time with the NVIDIA QUADRO 600:

Finally is a result with the Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 drive at 1TB the device was sent to us in the original build switched out for the Micron RealSSD C400 2.5 256GB SATA drive at 8GB/s in addition to the NVIDIA QUADRO 600:

You’ll want to pay attention to each of the individual scores more than that final result, of course finding then that the NVIDIA addition boosts the lot.

As far as what this machine consists of in the front and back on the outside, you’ve got one whole truckload of a lot of ports. Up along the back you’ll find four USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, audio line in, audio line out, 2 PS/2 ports, VGA out, DisplayPort, and a lovely Serial Port – we commend you if you can find a use for it! There’s also ethernet and a power supply, of course, and a couple of headphone jacks up front, one of which supports microphone as well, with four more USB 2.0 ports as well.

In other words, you won’t be hurting for connection abilities. This machine is set for essentially anything you want to connect to it, and incase I didn’t drive the point home above: if you don’t have it, it’s beyond simple to install it. Have a peek at a few more details on the machine’s innards here:

Wrap-Up

This machine is not the most powerful monster right out of the box, but it’s certainly not meant to be. Business owners will be completely satisfied picking up a big crate of these for their new IT venture, and with the ability to configure them on the fly, upgrading for the future will not be an issue. Like the Z420, this machine will be ready to be an up-to-date miniature beast for many years to come.

You can head on over to HP’s online store and grab one (or a whole load of them) starting at $699 USD, with Quad-core configurations beginning August 1, 2012. Have a peek below at some additional photos of this lovely configuration below and check the timeline for additional HP Z-series products!

While we’ve already had a look at a configuration that was extremely similar to this one, this time we’ve got a bit of a boost with the 23-inch LED monitor included in the box. The tower we had a look at back in February was the Acer model AM3970 [see our full review] while this configuration goes by the name Acer Aspire AM3970G-UW10P Desktop PC + 23-inch Monitor. If you’re heading to your favorite online outlet to find this particular model, you’ll just need the numbers AM3970G-UW10P – or you can head to Acer’s online portal for the model and go from there!

Inside this beast right out of the box you’ll get a 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 (2320) processor 3.0GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.3GHz working with 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. The model we’ve got here has AMD Radeon HD 7350 with 1GB of vRAM inside for video, a lovely Acer keyboard and optical mouse, and the whole thing will be blowing your eyeballs out with a lovely 23″ widescreen LED display at 1920 x 1080 native resolution.

Inside is 8GB of Memory, a 1TB hard drive, a set of media readers up top for essentially any memory card you’ve got on hand, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 12 USB 2.0 ports, HD audio, a DVD +-RW super multi-format drive, and a bunch of software that’s equivalent to what we saw on the version we’ve already reviewed. This build of the tower does yield some better results with GeekBench than we got with the other model, as seen here:

And otherwise we’ve got pretty much the same build inside as far as the general bits go:

The monitor is massive and it is quite lovely, being both rather vivid and surprisingly high quality for having been part of a package deal. The keyboard and mouse, too, are surprisingly high quality in that regard. If you’re looking for a gaming setup, you may want to seek other options as far as those two components go as they’re certainly not configured for any massive kinds of multi-key magic, but they’ll do the job for your average user.

The monitor is more than high quality enough for the student, the at-home hobby user, and the family member getting their own computer for the first time – the same can be said for the tower. The whole package is certainly excellent for the new user as well as the user who has had a computer for many years and wants to be in on a new generation of computing power, but does not need the newest in new.

You’ll be getting a fabulous package here with the Acer Aspire AM3970G-UW10P Desktop PC + 23-inch Monitor, a computer / monitor / mouse / keyboard package with everything in the box that you need to bring high-definition video entertainment and everyday computing to your home, office, or classroom.

Hardware

Our Powerbox review unit had the latest and definitely greatest in gaming hardware, complete with an Intel Core i7-3820 CPU running at 3.6Ghz, a monster NVIDIA GTX 690 GPU (with an MSRP of about a thousand dollars all by itself), and an Asrock EXTREME4-M Micro-ATX x79 motherboard. But that’s all details (and all configurable, by the way): the stars of the show are the memory and storage. In addition to a massive 1.5 terabyte storage drive made up of two Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drives in a RAID 0 configuration, there’s an 240GB OCZ Revodrive 3X2 SSD that sits in one of the PCI-E bays to hold the Windows partition.

But the pride and joy of the Powerbox is its RAMDisk, a permanently active 20GB partition that sits on the machine’s 32GB of DDR3 memory leaving 6GB for system use. (4GB each is dedicated to the PCI-E and hybrid drive caches.) Ours came in four 8GB Corsair DIMMs. The Windows pagefile, TEMP directory and IE and Chrome browsers sit on the RAMDisk by default for maximum performance. The read speeds for the RAMDisk is an amazing 8GB per second, at least theoretically.

All of this is wrapped up in a Lian Li case customized with externally mounted fans (plus another three inside, with two dedicated to the liquid-cooled CPU) to accommodate all of this high-end hardware, plus a 750 watt Thermaltake modular power supply. The case and motherboard combo allows for double USB 3.0 connections on the front and  two more around back, another six USB 2.0 ports, two eSATA and one Firewire port, SPDIF and 5.1 audio right off the motherboard, and two PS/2 ports for you old school types.

Altogether our configuration of the Powerbox came to a cringe-inducing $4,463, with basic configurations starting at $2,999 with a 10GB RAMDisk, 260GB PCI-ESSD and a GTX 680. Yes, you could certainly build it yourself for less, but this is for gamers who want the bang in an all-in one package. For those of you who are builders, be aware that due to the design of the Lian-Li case and the size of the components, modification will not be easy – you’ve got to remove the PSU and most of the intricately arranged cabling in order to access any of the components.

Software

The Powerbox comes with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit, and not much else. However, there’s some considerable modifications done in order to maximize performance. In addition to the browser, pagefile and cache moves mentioned above, the box comes pre-loaded with a full version of Primo Ramdisk Ultimate Edition, for switching the RAMDisk from Direct-IO to SCSI mode and back again, among other things. You’ll also get a free copy of SuperSpeed Disk Cache, the two utilities totaling a value of $200. In addition to the basic tools that come along with the drivers, you get AsRock’s XFastUSB tool for dynamic monitoring and boosting of the motherboard’s USB 3.0 ports. Some inoffensive software like Chrome, Flash player and Paint.net is pre-loaded.

It must be said that the RAMRod’s non-standard storage and memory usage created some stability issues. Older drivers for the GTX 690 graphics card may have contributed to this, since they (mostly) went away after I installed new ones. Even so, there were more hang-ups and freezes than we like to see on a modern system.

Performance

This is what you came to see. What’s the point in spending thousands of dollars on a gaming PC if it doesn’t beat all comers, right? Well, the basic performance of the RAMRod Powerbox doesn’t disappoint. In our standard Geekbench test, the Powerbox beat everything except the new HP z420 workstation, and that’s running off of a newer-generation Xeon octo-core processor, so we’re inclined to be generous.

The really impressive scores here are for storage. We’ve included the new Anvil benchmark for the hybrid storage drive in the gallery below, but the star of the show is the 20GB RAMDisk. In the benchmark the RAMDisk read consistently above 4GB per second, with write speeds nearing the 3GB mark. Also note the Input-Output Per Second score of 1.1 million read, and over 700,000 write – according to DV Nation, no other gaming system can match it, and we’re not arguing.

The PCI-E system drive is impressively fast in its own right, with reads consistently going over 1GB per second and breaking 4GB on the 128K file test. Write speeds were somewhat poorer, but the input/output score was an impressive 665,744 . If you’re swimming in numbers right now, consider that the average Ultrabook with a standard SATA SSD gets about one tenth the scores of this system drive. You can see the 3DMark and PCMark scores, along with a few other benchmarks, in the gallery below.

But what did this do for games? Needless to say, the combination of some of the best components money can buy led to buttery smooth framerates on just about every game we tried. On a 1920×1200 monitor with every setting and switch set to its highest, plus V-sync enabled, the framerate never dropped below 60. With V-Sync off, we got eye-popping framerate scores of an average of 114 in the original Crysis, 124 in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 131 in Batman: Arkham City, and 111 in Grand Theft Auto IV. We’re not the most demanding of gamers here at SlashGear, but suffice it to say, the Powerbox in this configuration can produce graphics better and faster than most people’s eyes can actually see, and with this level of hardware this is likely to remain the case for at least two or three years.

A note on some of the more physical aspects of the Powerbox: it’s loud. Very loud, and surprisingly so for a system of this size. But then you need to take into account the externally mounted fans and the high temperatures inside such a compressed build – there’s not a whole lot that can be done about it, even with the addition of Intel’s first-party liquid cooling. Those of you who plan to do your own upgrades beyond the graphics card and storage drives should do your homework beforehand.

Value

Make no mistake, this is a fantastically expensive gaming machine. Were I going to order it for myself, I’d opt for the full-sized tower with an Antec case, just because it’s easier to work with and probably quieter. That said, if you’ve got the money and the inclination (and if you’ve got a significant other, some impressive negotiation skills) then more power to you. Those who need a machine that’s semi-portable will be happier with what DV Nation calls the “SFF” Lian Li version, but be careful when moving it, as it still weighs in at about 30 pounds.

Wrap Up

Got a few thousand dollars you’re not doing anything with? Want the fastest storage that money can buy, convincingly disguised as a Windows gaming machine? Does the sound of case fans and GPU coolers lull you to sleep at night? Then DV Nation’s RAMRod Powerbox might just be your dream machine. It’s not cheap, it’s not subtle, and it’s certainly not for everyone, but as boutique gaming machines go, it’s hard to compete with. You can order one at their website.

Hardware

The Z420 Workstation is on the low end of HP’s full-sized Z-class, with only the even newer Z220 and the all-in-one Z1 below it. That said, it still gives you all the functionality of a full-sized workstation, and makes great effort to deliver first-class performance with a relatively economical price.

Our test unit came equipped with an eight-core Intel Xeon E5-1620 CPU clocked at 3.6Ghz, a relatively modest 8GB of memory and 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, and an AMD FirePro V5900 professional graphics card. Other additions include a multi-card reader and an extra guide and fan assembly for the graphics card. For these parts the total comes to $2762, up from the base price of $1169. A maxxed-out Z420 with the top end processor and graphics, an NVIIDA Quadro 5000 graphics card, 64GB of memory, huge SSDs and hard drives, integrated carrying handles and the like pushes towards $12,000.

For those interested in the Z420 or one of its bigger brothers in an IT environment, you really shouldn’t pay attention to the components. These are staggeringly configurable and in any case, the tower form factor is designed for replacements and upgrades. The case itself is of some interest to us here. HP’s workstations are renowned for being tough, and indeed this is the case: steel and hard plastic are hard to mess up. But what caught my eye is just how easy it is to add and remove parts, thanks to an ingenious system of tabs, handles, slides and slots.

When I cracked the case (which is itself quite easy thanks to a handled access panel) I found that every single component could be removed by hand, with the notable exception of the motherboard, processor and power supply. Since these are generally the components that are left alone, it seems just about right. The only problem I encountered was with the graphics card brace, which achieved a tool-less design with an unfortunately flimsy plastic lip. Have a gander at a true “unboxing” video below:

The outside of the case is just as important. The front of the case has three USB ports, two of which use the much faster USB 3.0 standard. You’ll also find FireWire and audio in/out. Around the back you’ll find another two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, an extra FireWire port, the audio and Ethernet ports embedded on the motherboard, and two PS/2 ports (for you die-hard Model M users). A locking mechanism keeps your expensive interior safe, and a rear-mounted power button (identical in function to the front button, not just a switch) completes the build.

While not as pretty as a standard desktop, and indeed not as stylish as the new Z620 and Z820 monster machines, the Z420 clearly means business. Upgradeable components include three optical drive bays and 3.5-inch hard drive bays, two PCIe-16X slots, and a 600-watt power supply. Even the most demanding of users could keep this machine up to date for years.

Software

It’s rare that we see Windows 7 unencumbered by extra software, but naturally workstation-class users aren’t interested in bloatware. HP doesn’t disappoint: the only non-essential programs that came with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit were the Bing Bar (sigh), a Corel DVD viewer, Roxio Creator Business and HP’s proprietary Remote Graphics Software (RGS).

RGS deserves a special note here. In many ways it reproduces the functionality of Windows’ own RDP, but is tuned to the exacting demands of graphics professionals. Demonstrations showed the software keeping up with some rather amazing CAD visuals in real-time. RGS is free for use with any HP computer.

Needless to say, Windows users who are tired of bloatware will find a lot to love here. While many users and IT managers prefer to install Windows from scratch, this is the first machine I’ve seen in perhaps a decade where I didn’t feel the need. Performance is smooth and screaming fast, as you would expect with these components. Other pre-installed OS options include Red Hat Linux, and you can order recovery media for an extra $10.

Performance

Components with this kind of power are, quite frankly, far beyond our usual fare. While not exactly ideal for gamers thanks to the OpenGL-specific graphics cards, those whose work demands incredible amounts of power won’t be disappointed. Graphic design, CAD, medical imaging, financial tracking… there’s enough power and options here to satisfy everyone.

In my own personal usage, Photoshop and Premiere are about the toughest programs that I put my machines through. The Z420, as expected, put the other Windows laptops and desktops I’ve used lately (all of which had second-generation Core-series processors) to shame with its combination of an 8-core Xeon E5 processor and fast memory. For those with the inclination, even faster processor and storage options are available.

Benchmarks aren’t all that relevant on a machine as configurable as this one. Needless to say the Z420 has far outpaced any consumer-focused Windows machine we’ve ever tested, and only the latest revision of the Mac Pro comes close. PCMark 7 gives this configuration a score of 3168 – you can see the full test in the gallery section.

An important note about all that screaming horsepower: it doesn’t, in fact, scream. During extensive uses I never once heard the Z420 make noise that surpassed the ambient volume of my home, with the exception of some extremely fast disk writes. If it weren’t for the LED status lights I might never know it was on. There’s some incredible engineering that’s been put into airflow, heat, vibration and noise management, and it shows. This thing makes my home-built desktop (with some pretty high-end cooling components itself) sound like a sputtering B-52.

Wrap-Up

There aren’t many reading this that need massive amounts of power for specific and often crucial tasks. But for those who do, and can afford the premium that a workstation demands, the Z420 is an excellent choice. While not as flashy as the machines above it or as compact as those below it in HP’s line, it strikes a happy medium while keeping a wide variety of initial configuration and upgrade options.

When it comes to desktops, I nearly always advocate building from the ground up for those with the skills to do so. the Z420 is the first machine that’s made me reconsider. The sheer ease of replacing components along with a truly amazing level of sound suppression make me wish my own computers were half as user-friendly. If you need a full-size workstation, the Z420′s combination of features and price (depending upon your configuration) is very, very hard to beat.

Hardware

There’s no getting around it: the Omni 27 is big. With all the size of a 27-inch LCD monitor plus considerable heft for desktop-grade components and a steel stand, the combined unit weighs in at around 35 pounds. While a little cumbersome to maneuver, once it’s placed on your (big) desk or table, the weight is reassuring. The wide base connects to the display via a stylish pare of support brackets, doubling as adjustment arms that bend back to an angle of  25 degrees. Unlike some all-in-ones or monitor stands, the display stays put with almost no effort. Those with the inclination can remove the back panel and swap out the stand for a standard VESA mount.

The hardware makes no bones about its focus on media. Along the right side of the unit you get a combined card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet, a Beats-certified headphone port with pre-amp, and a separate microphone-in port. The back shows an extra four USB 2.0 ports, a subwoofer line and a digital audio out function. On the left you get the standard display and volume controls, plus a optical slot drive – DVD is standard, but our review unit came with a Blu-ray drive.  There’s also a surprise HDMI port that deserves note: it’s HDMI-in, allowing users to either make use of Windows’ built-in DVR functions in Media Center, or just use the sizable display as a standard HDTV. This handy and useful extra is not standard, but for the moment, the upgrade is free. Another option for an over-the-air TV tuner was left out of our review unit.

The screen itself is an impressive if not overwhelming 1920×1080 panel. We’ve seen denser resolutions at this size (even from HP) but considering most consumers’ expectations and requirements, it should be more than enough. Aside from a model badge and both HP and Beats Audio logos, the front has only the 27-inch screen and a pair of sizable speakers hidden behind a soft grille. As a computer it’s more than adequate, and in a small room (such as a dorm or office) it can pull double duty as a television. You’ll need a desk with a depth of at least 30 inches to use it comfortably, but the large display does allow for more usable space on the desk itself.

A note on HP’s included input accessories: they’re surprisingly good. Both the mouse and keyboard use RF wireless, always an appreciated touch for the form factor. The keyboard in particular is a step a above the usual pack-in fare, with a protective coating applied to the keys that should see them last far more than normal. Note the “Beats B”, which doubles as an on/off switch for Beats Audio. There are certainly better mice and keyboards out there, but as a free perk, these are appreciated.

Software

HP’s include much more than just Windows 7 Home Premium on the Omni 27. First and foremost is the Magic Canvas, an adapted version of HP’s TouchSmart interface designed for use with a mouse and keyboard. The flashy and glossy UI serves as a replacement for Windows’ default desktop. While clearly intended for those without familiarity with Windows 7, it’s not any more or less complicated than the standard interface. While I can appreciate HP’s attempts to make the Omni 27 more friendly for inexperienced computer users, I can’t help but think that a set of interactive how-to’s for basic computer operation would have been just as effective and saved confusion in the long run. Without a touch panel, the extra tweaks seem unfortunately superfluous. You can switch between the basic interface and Magic Canvas at any time.

More utilitarian is the HP LinkUp Viewer. This application replaces Microsoft’s built-in RDP functionality, which isn’t available on Home Premium builds. If you’ve got another HP machine on your network, it seamlessly and quickly functions as a VNC-style remove viewer. While a higher tier of Windows may have been able to achieve this more easily, the added functionality is appreciated. LinkUp Viewer can be used on any HP Windows computer. The rest of the software is your standard consumer-grade pack in. Advanced users won’t appreciate any of it, but the consumer market that’s most likely to be interested will find it useful, or at least easy to ignore (with the exception of Norton’s rather insistent security and backup software).

Performance

Our Recommended configuration came with a 2nd-generation Intel Core i5 processor, an impressive 8GB of RAM, a 1TB traditional hard drive and Intel integrated graphics. For those who need a little more oomph, Core i7 processors, larger traditional hard drives or 128/256GB SSDs, and discrete graphics up to NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M are available. That said, you probably won’t need it – the base configuration puts up some great performance. The combination of a Core processor and plenty of RAM is more than enough for most consumers, even with the media-focused slant of the Omni 27. Those who intend to do some PC gaming will want to spring for a graphics card upgrade, but everyone else should be just fine with the basic configuration.

Media

The Omni 27 was made for audio and video, and it shows. The big, bright screen makes watching even standard DVDs a treat, but it really shines with HD streaming content. Movie buffs looking for a personal computer to match their craving for video would do well to spring for the Blu-ray upgrade, though at a cost of $100 for a reader and $160 for a writer, it may be cheaper just to plug your current Blu-ray player into the HDMI-in port. Audiophiles won’t go wanting, either: a pair of impressive front speakers are loud and clear, with the option for a subwoofer as a bonus. The Beats brand adds a pre-amp to the headphone port for more private listening. Throw in an optional TV tuner and you’ve got a media powerhouse that almost matches the flexibility of a home-built system, as long as you’re OK with stereo sound.

Value

The base price for the Omni 27 is $1199, with our review configuration coming in at $1377.98. Upgrades can raise the price quickly, but the basic configuration is powerful enough for most. Movie buffs and gamers may want to spring for a discrete graphics card ($70-120) or Blu-ray drive ($100-160), but beyond that, it’s a competitively-priced system considering the screen size. Compare to the cheapest 27-inch iMac, with a better screen, but less memory and much fewer connection options, and you save $500. The wireless mouse and keyboard are icing on the cake.

Surprisingly, the Omni 27 is quite upgradeable for those with the skill and inclination. The plastic rear panel can be removed to access the full-sized hard drive, memory modules, and processor, and while the DVD drive, wireless card and discrete graphics card will require mobile components, they’re swappable as well. The operation isn’t easy, at least compared with a standard desktop, but DIY computer operators will be able to extend the life of the machine for years with a few frugal upgrades. It’s a surprising feature on a consumer-oriented machine, and one that’s much appreciated.

Wrap Up

If you want a large all-in-one for a relative budget price, the HP Omni 27 is a great choice. While I would have liked to have seen a full 2560×1440 panel, the screen will be more than enough for most, and HP’s partnership with Beat Audio means a sound expereince that’s second to none. Plenty of upgrade options, both before and after purchase, make it a very configurable machine. A surprisingly good mouse and keyboard, the ability to double as an HDMI screen, and a modular user-upgradeable design make compelling additions. The included software I could take or leave, but for those searching for a media powerhouse in a large and affordable all-in-one, the Omni 27 presents a competitive package.

Hardware

As far as the hardware goes, the C325 is a good-looking if not overly showy model. A mostly plastic casing is accented by a full metal base, helping to keep the considerable weight of the screen and components in check. Much to my surprise, the glossy case contrasts with a matte LCD screen – a definite boon to those who operate in bright offices or homes. The 1600×900 resolution is appreciated, and not often seen in a 20-inch panel – though the much-advertised multi-touch option doesn’t seem to be available yet.

Under the metaphorical hood lies The AMD E-450, a dual-core 1.65Ghz processor that should handle the standard web browsing, email, and light media of the vast majority of business and consumer users, but will be ill-fitted to advanced tasks. Ditto for the 4GB (8GB maximum) of DDR3 memory and Radeon HD 6320 integrated graphics. Our base configuration review unit came with a 500GB hard drive, but you can get a full terabyte if you spring for the upgrade. A standard DVD-RW drive on the right side of the integrated rounds out the major components.

On the right side, a pair of USB 3.0 ports flank the microphone and headphone jacks, below a 6-in-1 memory card reader. Around the back are four more standard USB 2.0 ports and an old-school Ethernet port. The b/g/n WiFi module isn’t accessible, but the hard drive and memory bays are – with room for a full-size 3.5-inch SATA drive and an empty RAM DIMM slot for easy upgrades. There’s no way to output to an external monitor, but there’s a connection for an optional TV tuner. All that’s left on the front are the sizeable front-facing speakers, a rather puny .3 megapixel webcam and the power button an monitor controls. A basic wired mouse and keyboard are included - serviceable, if not extraordinary. Considering the integrated nature of all-in-one, wireless inputs would have been nice.

The whole package is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from an entry-level all-in-one: no more and mo less. Hardware highlights are the high-resolution screen (any more would be overkill, any less would be annoying) and easily accessible storage and memory. I’m not a fan of the glossy plastic, and a height-adjustable stand would have been useful – the steel base only pivots the unit about 25 degrees.

Software

The C325 packs in Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. For the base unit it doesn’t do much, since there’s only 3.5 gigabytes of available memory when combined with the integrated graphics. But if you ever intend to upgrade or just spring for more RAM at the get-go, it’s a useful extension. There’s no restore or OS disc, but you do get a CD of drivers for troubleshooting without an Internet connection.

An unfortunate reality of low-priced PCs is that manufacturers will try to up the profit margin with software pack-ins. The C325 is better than most in this respect, something I can happily say about Lenovo machines in general. Aside from drivers and various Lenovo pack-ins, there’s McAfee anti-virus, a trial install of Microsoft Office and Windows Live Essentials. One pre-install I do appreciate is Google Chrome – always nice to see manufacturers that recognize that Internet Explorer isn’t an option for most power users. Too bad they had to throw in the Google Toolbar to “sweeten” the deal.

The all-in-one specifications won’t let it do high-end gaming or media creation, but heavy browsing sessions, massive email databases and iTunes (the bane of Windows performance fanatics everywhere) work without complaint. AMD’s E-series is worlds better than Atom-class processors, but still not as snappy as even the low end of Intel’s Core series.

Performance

As indicated above, the C325 isn’t suited to heavy-duty tasks – but then it isn’t really meant to be. Even so, a little more oomph from the CPU would have been appreciated; this all-in-one will be outpaced by the average ultrabook. If all you intend to do with an all-in-one is browsing and some light media playback, it should suit your needs just fine. If you’re looking for gaming, graphics or other high-end tasks, look elsewhere.

Value

The real equation you have to ask yourself is this: do I want a desktop that sacrifices size for expandability? For $600 you can get a pretty decent laptop these days, and you can find a more powerful desktop for far less. For the few usage cases where an all-in-one is ideal, the C325 fits the bill as a low-budget option. But can you find one of those cases where a laptop or standard desktop wouldn’t fit better? Perhaps the equation would be changed with the addition of a quality multi-touch panel, but even then, usability – not utility – would be the primary bonus.

Wrap Up

As a low-cost entry in the all-in-one world, the Lenovo C325 is solid. Pluses include good fit and finish and easily upgradeable memory and storage, with an excellent matte screen. The downside is that there just isn’t enough processing power for intensive tasks. With 4GB or more of memory multi-tasking shouldn’t be problem, but anything else will be a trial for this machine.

For basic terminals or a lightweight communal home computer, the C325 is a good choice, especially with upgraded memory and storage. But for those who need more performance or just can’t find a good enough reason to indulge in the form factor, a traditional desktop will serve better at a lower price, while a laptop will do for portability.

Hardware

Aesthetics are secondary for a standard desktop, but as they go, the AM3970 is decent. A steel chassis is surrounded by glossy black panels on the front and top, with only two subtle blue LEDs for power and drive status – a plus in my book. The power button is placed oddly on the upper left corner of the right side, making seeing and using it tricky if you place your computer on the floor or to the right of your monitor. On the floor is certainly where it’s intended to be, with four USB ports plus a headphone jack and line in on the top of the computer. The eject button is also on the right side, implying that the computer is intended to be beside or below the user’s desk and to the left, and leaving little choice otherwise. Once placed there, using the SD/MicroSD/Compact Flash/XD/Memory Stick card reader becomes a chore, thanks to the black-on-black inlaid slots.

Move around to the backplate and you’ll find all the standards, with a generous helping of USB ports. The four ports on the top are paired to ten (count ‘em, ten) on the back, leaving all but the most compulsive of plug-and-players well covered. Two of these ports use the new USB 3.0 standard – a nice touch. A pair of standard PS/2 ports are present for all you old-school Model M and Intellimouse enthusiasts. Our review configuration (AM3970-UR11p) came with discrete graphics and the on-board integrated VGA and HDMI ports disabled, with a DVI port and another HDMI taking their place on the expansion slot. Just below that you get a WiFi PCI adapter to compliment the gigabit Ethernet port, complete with detachable antenna.

Moving on to internals, the AM3970 comes with a 3.0Ghz Core i5 2320 CPU, 8GB of DDR3 memory (2×4 DIMMs) and a 1TB traditional hard drive. When compared to similarly priced desktop models from Dell and HP, Acer gives you identical components with an extra 2GB of memory. Along for the ride are a standard DVD-RW drive and a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card. Popping the access panel off requires a screwdriver (no thumbscrews) and while pre-built desktops like this one aren’t often made with expansion in mind, a reinforced back panel and a decent amount of room inside should make that easy enough for those who want to upgrade components later on.

A mouse and keyboard are included, naturally. It’s hard to mess up an optical mouse, but the keyboard deserves special attention – and not in a good way. Long travel on the keys combined with a glossy backing will make cleaning a nightmare, and the mushy feedback had me reaching for my spare Microsoft model almost immediately. This is rather disappointing, especially when compared to the quite respectable keyboards Dell tends to include.

Software

Acer includes the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium, the better to take advantage of that 8GB of RAM. Bloatware on basic desktops can be a problem, but on the AM3970 it’s better than I’ve seen elsewhere. Acer seems to be favoring static and easily deleted desktop shortcuts for a little promotional cash, which is fine by me. You still get a few extras that aren’t strictly called for, including the obligatory Microsoft Office trial and Bing bar, Norton Backup, Nook and New York Times readers, Evernote and Skype. With all that in there it would have been nice to see Chrome or Firefox, saving me a download.

With the exception of McAffee’s nagging reminders, auto-starting software is blessedly limited and mostly silent. The rather superfluous MyWinLocker encryption software, Norton Backup and Acer’s Clear.fi sharing service are the only other hangers-on in the Startup tab. All things considered, it shouldn’t take much for even intermediate Windows users to get the AM3970 running exactly as they want it, with a minimum of tinkering – though I note without surprise that neither an OS install disc or or restore disc is included.

Performance

The combination of a Core processor and plenty of RAM makes standard tasks basically effortless on any modern machine, and such is the case here. But thanks to a little extra memory and the discrete Radeon HD 6450 card, the AM3970 is slightly more capable than its competitors who lack one or both. It should handle processor-intensive talks up to and including some light video editing with ease, and HD video playback is smooth in both local and online playback.

That Radeon 6470 won’t get you very far with the latest PC games, unfortunately, and the combination of a single DVI and HDMI jack means you’ll have to get creative with cables and/or adapters if you want have more than one monitor. That said, less demanding games like Team Fortress 2 and such should function just fine.

Wrap Up

While there’s not much demand for the product category, the AM3970 definitely stands out in its limited field. Generous memory and discrete (if only just) graphics give it a performance boost that will satisfy most, and a ton of USB ports and a roomy interior make it suitable for hardware enthusiasts looking to expand. Software load is relatively light, and Windows regulars will feel right at home and unusually unburdened. The odd ergonomics of the case and downright awful keyboard are an issue, but should be easy enough to adjust to (or in the case of the keyboard, replace). All in all the Acer is a solid choice for those needing desktop-class power without breaking the bank.

Hardware

You’ll immediately have a bit of a smile on your face with a status identifying colored set of lights around the power/sleep button in the center bottom front of the unit. This button is able to put your whole machine asleep, turn it off and on, and will let you know what mode your machine is in at any given time. The entire machine is ready to go out of the box on the hardware side, but will require that you click through a set of yes, ok, ok, yes updates once you turn it on for the first time. Once you’ve got the whole thing set up, you’ve really got the whole machine here in one, and if you’re not the kind of person who minds the most basic set of controllers (mouse and keyboard) on earth, you won’t even need those as they’re contained in the box as well.

That said, the keyboard and mouse are the most basic of the basic, clunky keys and lightest plastic available contained within. These should be assumed to be only for the setup of the machine unless this is your first personal computer, in which case you’ll have a great time upgrading when the time is right. The display does not leave one wanting, brightness and viewing angles superb and top of the line, and the built-in speakers are certainly enough to tide over a single person using the machine for movies, music, and other media on their own. You’ll need some 3rd party speakers if you want to use this device as a media center for parties and movie showings, if you know what I mean. That said, the entire unit works perfectly with the Warpia StreamHD unit we also received this week, an few clicks in a couple of setup screens and we had 720p video feeding into the HDTV without trouble. Read more about this situation in our full review of the StreamHD.

This computer certainly is not the king of gaming, but it’ll play all your favorites with basically no hitches in the least. The only drawback here is that you’ll have to use regular old 15-pin cable connector if you want to go up to a larger display — but again why would you want to when this computer will roll out with as much high definition on its own lovely display anyway?

Above take a peek at what we’re working with, then head down to the benchmark score chart from Geekbench and get your comparison on.

Software

You’ll be running whichever version of Windows (or Linux, or whatever other oddball OS you’ve got in mind) with total success, and as this machine does come with Windows 7 pre-loaded, you’ll be off and running right out of the box. Inside the set of applications you receive will be sufficient for word processing and any and all of your homework or basic office needs, and as this computer runs a perfectly sufficient set of hardware bits behind the scenes, you’ll be able to run whatever other 3rd party applications you need without trouble as well. For you gamers out there, NVIDIA is under the hood, so you know good and well that you’ll be able to roll out with any of the top games in the market right now with a top of the line graphics experience.

The interface is swift, never once have I had to force an application to close, and running multiple monitors with the methods we’ve got available here has been perfectly successful.

Versatility

For those of you that are wondering, I’ve not been working on a desktop computer now for several years. It’s a testament to the quality that Acer has cultivated here that I say that this all-in-one PC could easily continue to sit at the end of my desk and see daily use, even though I use my 15-inch notebook computer for most of my everyday work. The computer is by no means light, and certainly isn’t mean to be carried around with one to and from the office on the daily, but as the back bracket does fold down and the entire unit can be carried with two hands (cords and all), this isn’t the least transportable desktop computer on the block.

It’s an impressively designed computer that attains cleanliness and an overall nice look without the display even being on that attains such accolades without falling into the same trap many manufacturers often do these days: ripping off Apple. Instead Acer continues to keep their PC heads high making a modern machine which will impress even the most steadfast desires to look as good on the outside as it does on the in. That said, the inside does, again, work quick and nice, so no worries on that front.

Wrap-Up

This computer was out of the box and up and running inside 30 minutes, and I’m no brilliant mastermind when it comes to non-Macs. I use a MacBook Pro for my daily activities because it does exactly what I need it to do and I’ve been using OS X for coming on 10 years in a row now — but Acer, what have you done? You’ve played a part in convincing me that Windows machines, the ones that turned me off of the idea that owning a desktop computer was a good idea for what I thought was forever, have now come to a point where I don’t even really care what operating system I’m running, the hardware being enough to leave a good impression on its own.

While I’ll be waiting until Windows 8 until I can really give the whole Microsoft world another shot as a day-to-day primary OS, this machine is already at the forefront of my mind as far as how I’ll be running with the devil when the time comes. It’s too bad this computer doesn’t have a touch screen or I’d never give it back — Acer, can you outfit it? Windows 8 on the horizon!

Hardware

The basic premise is the same: an amazingly clear, bright and vivid IPS LCD display – either 27-inches running at 2560 x 1440 resolution, like our review unit, or 21.5-inches running at 1920 x 1080, slotted behind a sheet of glossy glass and then into a minimalist aluminum chassis. Ports are neatly lined on the lower left hand corner of the rear panel, with only a slot-loading 8x SuperDrive dual-layer DVD burner spoiling the sides. The whole thing is lifted by a neat stand – complete with a cable-guide hole – with 17W speakers along the bottom edge and an integrated microphone. New to this generation is the FaceTime HD camera, more on which in a moment.

Ports are broadly the same as before, so you get audio in/out, four USB 2.0, a FireWire 800, two 10Gbps Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch iMac (just the one on the 21.5-inch version) and gigabit ethernet. There’s also WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, an infra-red port for use with Apple’s media remote (sold separately), and an Apple Wireless Keyboard as standard; this time around, iMac buyers can pick between the Magic Mouse or the Magic Trackpad.

Thunderbolt – née Intel Light Peak in partnership with Apple – made its debut on the MacBook Pro earlier this year, a high-speed connectivity standard hoping to replace not only USB 2.0/3.0, FireWire and eSATA, but display connections too. Using the same connector as Mini DisplayPort – meaning you can plug in either a Thunderbolt peripheral or an external display – it supports daisy-chaining of up to six devices per port, with enough bandwidth for simultaneous display of six uncompressed HD videos. Hardware using Thunderbolt is still in short supply – high-performance storage and multimedia interfaces are expected later this year – but the iMac 27′s twin ports does mean that, for the first time, you can hook up two external displays and spread your OS X desktop across three screens (if you have the physical desk space and the wallet to support it, naturally).

The real changes aren’t visible externally, but they’re what really make the new iMacs special. Quad-core Intel Core i5 processors are now standard across the range, with the entry-level 21.5-inch model getting a 2.5GHz Core i5, the high-end 21.5-inch version and the entry-level 27-inch model stepping up to 2.7GHz, and our high-end 27-inch iMac packing a 3.1GHz Core i5. A Core i7 quad-core is an option on both high-end preconfigs, while 4GB of 1333GHz DDR3 memory is standard; that can be upgraded to either 8GB or 16GB depending on model.

Graphics, meanwhile, are courtesy of AMD’s Radeon GPU line-up, with a Radeon HD 6750M 512MB chip at the low end of the range, the two middle models getting Radeon HD 6770M 512MB GPUs, and our review unit having AMD’s Radeon HD 6970M with 1GB of GDDR5 (with 2GB of GDDR5 an option). Storage is 1TB of 7,200rpm HDD on all but the smallest, low end iMac, with the remaining three also being offered with up to 2TB of HDD and an optional secondary 256GB SSD. Our review unit didn’t have the SSD, but the promise is significantly quicker boot times, zero noise and OS X performance.

FaceTime HD

FaceTime is Apple’s new brand for video calling, introduced on the iPhone 4 and since spreading to the iPod touch, iPad 2 and most recent MacBook Pro. On the 2011 iMac it gets a shot of 720p HD, shooting and recording video at 1280 x 720. Using the preloaded FaceTime app – and a free Apple account – you can make and receive video calls between each of the devices. It’s worth noting that only the MacBook Pro and iMac support 720p FaceTime calls; calls to the iOS devices are limited to VGA resolution.

While not the only video calling system around – obviously the FaceTime HD camera will work with third-party apps like Skype, as well as recording clips in OS X’s PhotoBooth app – FaceTime is one of the simplest. Apple has said it eventually plans to open up the system to third-party developers, allowing for cross-platform chats, but that’s yet to happen.

While the FaceTime HD webcam on the MacBook Pro is suited to a single user, Apple has used a wider-angle lens on the iMac and so more people can be seen at the same time. That’s useful if you’re holding a group video call: you can comfortably sit three adults in-frame and the quality is strong enough so that they’re not a blurry mess.

Software

OS X Snow Leopard is pre-installed, though Apple’s refreshed operating system, OS X Lion, is expected sometime this summer. Snow Leopard includes iTunes, Mail, Safari, iCal and other core apps; there’s also iLife, which bundles the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand and iWeb.

New software is easily accessible thanks to the Mac App Store, which brings the same simplicity from the iOS App Store on the iPhone and iPad over to the company’s desktop and notebook computers.

Performance

Apple’s performance claims don’t lack promise: up to 70-percent faster and with up to three times the graphics performance thanks to the new AMD chips. Obviously that depends on what configuration of new iMac you’re using, and which older version you had. Intel’s Sandy Bridge processors are the second-generation of the so-called “Nehalem” chips, adding integrated graphics onto the die for faster video encoding/decoding, as well as an onboard memory controller to cut down on lag.

Needless to say, everyday performance is complaint-free. OS X boots swiftly and apps load with no delay. You can have multiple browser windows open while simultaneously playing HD video, ripping CDs and doing other tasks.

In terms of benchmarks, we started out with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. The Core i5 3.1GHz iMac scored 9149, with particularly strong scores in processor categories. In contrast, last year’s iMac – with a 2.93GHz Core i7 processor, then the most expensive CPU option – scored 10,099, less than 1,000 points more. Considering our 2011 review unit isn’t the fastest iMac Apple offers, that’s an impressive showing, not least when you consider the previous-gen model we tested came in at a hefty $2,799.

We then turned to Cinebench, which measures the iMac’s CPU threading performance and the performance of the GPU using OpenGL. As the Geekbench results would suggest, the Core i7 CPU of the 2010 iMac helped it stay slightly ahead of the 2011 Core i5, though only by a minor amount: the old iMac scored 4.98 points, while the new iMac managed 4.61 points.

What Cinebench did show is the power of the upgraded graphics. The old iMac – with a Radeon HD 5750 GPU – managed 30.73fps in the OpenGL graphics testing, while the new iMac managed 36.51fps. Again, it’s important to note that ours isn’t the maxed-out iMac; Apple offers the Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GDDR5 video card as an option, which will improve graphics even further.

In the real-world, that adds up to faster video processing in iMovie, faster image editing in Photoshop, and the potential for hardcore gaming (which the beautiful 27-inch display is particularly well suited to).

Pricing and Value

Apple’s updated iMac faces competition from two main sides: all-in-one PCs running Windows – and often offering touchscreen interfaces – and MacBook Pro notebooks used with a standalone 27-inch Apple Cinema Display. On the PC side, Windows 7 based all-in-ones are generally cheaper than the 2011 iMac, which starts from $1,199 for the entry-level 21.5-inch model and climbs to $1,999 for our high-end preconfig 27-inch iMac. It’s difficult to find a 27-inch alternative, however, which leaves the iMac in somewhat rarified company.

For users thinking of switching between portable and desktop use, pairing a MacBook Pro – which, as we found in our review of the Core i7 Sandy Bridge based 2011 models, offer performance comparable to a desktop computer – with a 27-inch Cinema Display is a tempting option. It’s more expensive than the all-in-one iMac, however, with the cheapest MacBook Pro being the $1,199 13-inch Core i5 model, while the cheapest Core i7 starts from $1,499. Apple’s 27-inch LED Cinema Display comes in at $999, though is yet to be updated to support Thunderbolt. That means you can only hook one up to a MacBook Pro, unlike the triple-display support of the 27-inch iMac.

The Mac Pro is, of course, another possibility, though an even more expensive one. The entry-level Mac Pro is $2,499, and then you’re looking at $999 for a standalone Cinema Display. On the positive side, it’s more extensible and upgradable than the iMac, with space for several internal drives and the possibility to upgrade the graphics card.

Wrap-Up

Like an all-in-one, PC or Mac, the iMac has limitations around upgradability. Swapping out the RAM, hard-drive and optical drive are possible, if you don’t mind removing the LCD, but while the CPU and GPU can theoretically be changed, it’s a process the complexity of which will likely dissuade most home users. A regular desktop chassis is always going to be readily upgraded.

Still, there’s no shortage of power in the iMac as it stands, and while upgrading may become an issue years down the line, today it offers a compelling combination of performance, style and convenience. The absence of a touchscreen is a blip compared to some PC all-in-ones, but arguably desktop OSes – whether OS X or Windows – are still yet to prove the value of adding in touch. Apple’s ongoing refusal to consider Blu-ray does leave you reliant on either an external drive or an all-digital media setup which, given the 27-inch iMac makes for a tempting TV replacement in a bedroom or office, may be another drawback. Similarly, the absence of an integrated TV tuner open leaves you with USB models hanging off the rear ports.

Nonetheless, it’s hard not to be charmed by the 2011 iMac’s combination of swift processors and capable graphics. The aesthetic may not have changed in a generation or two but is still arguably well ahead of the plastic PC pack, and the price – although in the premium space – reflects the components, the quality of the display and, yes, the Apple cachet. This isn’t the all-in-one for buyers on a budget, and shopping around for regular desktops may find you equal or greater performance for your money, but the 2011 iMac is a polished update to one of the best machines on the market today.

Related: iMac core-7 (mid 2010) review

iMac  (mid 2011)

The Screen

The TouchSmart 610 has a 23in full 1080p 16:9 wide screen, and uses one of our favorite screen technologies called IPS (in-plane switching). IPS panel technology provides wide horizontal and vertical viewing angles as well as bright clear contrast. The only knock on IPS is that it is quite glossy and will reflect room and ambient light. HP also included a feature called optical touchscreen technology which conveniently allows you to use the screen even if wearing gloves, and allows the use of other objects like a stylus as well.

The stand that holds the 23in screen is where the true usefulness of using touch on a desktop comes in. The stand, which holds the monitor upright at 90 degrees, also allows you to slide the monitor down 60 degrees so that it almost lies flat on the desk. Writing, drawing and using touch are enhanced in this mode as it feels more natural than when upright.

The touch experience is sound but still has a few issues with accuracy. I’m also looking forward to support for more than two finger multi-touch.

Hardware Specs

The design is one of the best of all the TouchSmart designs i’ve used. I covered the unique stand above, but the overall form factor is quite tight and fits nicely as an all-in-one on any desk or in any room. The bezel has a black matte finish and the built in speakers and microphone are designed nicely along the bottom.

There is a side slot-loaded DVD player which can be upgraded to Blu-Ray if desired. On the side is also a 6-in-1 digital memory card reader for easy transport of videos, photos and more.

For wireless connectivity the TouchSmart 610 includes 802.11 for WiFi and Bluetooth technology as well.

The CPU is a high-end Intel Core i7-870 and is also available with a Core i5-660 or Core i3-560. The other specs are good as far as desktop PCs go. On top of the Core i7 you get 8GB of SDRAM, two 1TB hard drives (set up in a RAID 0 array), and 1GB AMD Radeon HD 5570 graphics.

The TouchSmart 610 also comes with Beats Audio technology that overall delivers a rich and robust audio experience. Playing music from the TouchSmart using the built in speakers was as good, if not better than the multiple integrated iPod speaker systems I have.

Software

The TouchSmart 610 ships with Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium. Not only does the TouchSmart come with the latest and greatest TouchSmart 4.0 software but it also comes pre-loaded with a variety of TouchSmart Apps. These TouchSmart Apps have been specifically designed for the TouchSmart and include games, photo and video editing software, a media player, a web browser that is touch-enhanced, even Facebook and Twitter, and a lot more. HP also has a download center where you can explore and download new TouchSmart Apps.

My kids enjoyed nearly all of the pre-loaded games, including ones from the Cartoon Network and Build-A-Lot which is similar to Sim City.

One of the pre-loaded games I enjoyed playing was R.U.S.E by Ubisoft, which is a real time military strategy game. The unique elements of this game were quite compelling when you add the ability to use your fingers to direct the strategy of your army. Below is a quick video demo HP made that I think shows it off quite well.

Overall Experience and Favorite Things

The element of touch and touch software on an all-in-one is one of the biggest features of the TouchSmart and, in my opinion, one if its more compelling offerings. By having a touch screen desktop I found myself relying on the mouse less but still using the keyboard for all forms of text entry. One of the more satisfying experiences with the TouchSmart has been seeing how my kids who are 8 and 6 used the PC.

Using a mouse is a bit of a learning curve for young kids, where touch is natural. Both my girls rarely left the TouchSmart user interface because it contained so many of the elements they use regularly, such as games, the web browser and media player. This made it easy for them to use the computer and not need me to constantly come up and help them get out of a screen they didn’t mean to get to. They have finally found a computer they can use that allows them to interact naturally and to get more out of learning and creative games like drawing and coloring.

Conclusion

If you are in the market for all-in-one PC you should definitely consider the TouchSmart 610. It’s so much more than just a desktop PC because of the TouchSmart software which brings new opportunities for in home computing. It’s also the one desktop that I can say with confidence could have useful features for every room in the house, with the exception of the bathroom perhaps.

The TouchSmart starts at $899 and can be found online at HP’s website or at other major retailers.

Some neat styling decisions has left the ZX6951 resembling a slightly chunky standalone TV or LCD display, making this Gateway a $999.99 machine you could comfortably put on a kitchen counter without it looking like a cubicle. The chassis is predominantly black plastic, with a silver surround and a chromed metal stand to prop the unit up at various angles. There’s also a standard VESA mount of the back, for attaching the Gateway One to your wall, though it’s worth noting that there’s a significant bulge around the back that the thinner edges belie.

Inside, this is no mere nettop. Intel’s 3.2GHz Core i3-550 processor takes center stage, paired with 4GB of DDR 1333 memory and a 640GB 7,200rpm hard-drive. There’s also a Blu-ray drive which will burn DVDs, Intel HD graphics and a 2-megapixel webcam. Connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n, gigabit ethernet and eight USB 2.0 ports, along with two PS/2 ports, a VGA output, and a multi-format memory card reader. No USB 3.0 or eSATA, nor an HDMI output either.

Unlike some all-in-ones we’ve seen of late, there’s no HDMI input for using the PC as a display. What you do get is a 23-inch 1920 x 1080 LCD display with a multitouch-capable touchscreen, together with an integrated ATSC TV Tuner. Gateway throw a wireless keyboard and mouse into the box, together with a remote control which positions the ZX6951 as a straight TV replacement. You also get fancy lighting underneath the all-in-one’s bottom edge, which isn’t as useful as, say, Philips’ Ambilight system but does at least look pretty slick.

The touch experience in Windows 7 is a subject of no small number of arguments, but the OS lends itself better to all-in-ones than it does tablets. Freed from the battery constraints of mobile devices – and their generally lightweight CPUs – the platform’s abilities are more obvious. The touch widgets (of which there are both Microsoft and Gateway examples) and other UI enhancements all work slickly and smoothly now, though whether touch actually adds to the regular desktop experience is still debatable.

What it does lend itself to is using the ZX6951 as a media PC, with Windows 7′s native Media Center functionality. Thanks to the TV tuner you can record or pause live TV, schedule recordings using an OSG, and the system will also play streaming content from the internet and access media shared across networked drives. We’d like to have seen a larger hard-drive option from Gateway, considering the HD-capable display and the size of HD-resolution files; unfortunately 640GB is the largest on offer.

We ran Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, to put the Core i3 through its paces. The Gateway scored 5822, unsurprisingly higher than the 2.93GHz Core i3-530 Gateway ZX6900, at 5313, but which actually puts it ahead of Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M90z, with its 3.2GHz Core i5-650 and 3GB of memory. In the real world, that means no problem whatsoever with multitasking between browser, email, media playback and other apps, with only the Intel GMA HD graphics limiting GPU-intensive gaming or video processing. That’s not to say you can’t do the latter, only that it’ll inevitably monopolize the CPU. We had no problem with fan noise during testing, the ZX6951 staying both cool and quiet.

While the touchscreen is a nice gimmick, you could make a strong argument for a version of the Gateway One ZX6951 with a regular display and a $100 or so off the price. Touch is nice, for those few moments it makes sense, but the remote control is more useful for media-center functionality (it saves sticky kitchen fingers from smearing the screen). The absence of a video input is another bug-bear, though it’s unlikely to upset too many would-be buyers; similarly, a slot-loading Blu-ray drive would’ve been more in-keeping with the slick design than the tray-load ODD Gateway has fitted.

In the end, then, this is a handsome all-in-one with power that punches above its station. We’d happily swap the touchscreen for a discrete GPU, and perhaps either USB 3.0 or eSATA for hooking up a capacious external hard-drive full of HD media, but the target audience looking for a kitchen, home-office or kids’ PC probably won’t be too bothered by the omissions. Considering Apple’s non-touch, smaller iMac starts at $200 more, with a slower processor, less storage and no TV tuner, the $999.99 Gateway One ZX6951 is something of a bargain.

Like other ThinkCentre workstations, the M75e is a solemn black obelisk that has no truck with unnecessary styling or design. There’s room for a single 5.25-inch drive on the fascia and a single 3.5-inch drive on the inside. Taking off the side panel is a simple matter of two screws, and while it’s obviously a reasonably tight fit inside, it’s all laid out neatly.

Into that reasonably compact desktop case, Lenovo has slotted AMD’s Athlon II X4 640 processor running at 3.0GHz and paired with 4GB of DDR3 memory. There’s also ATI Radeon HD 3000 graphics, using 256MB of that RAM, together with a DVD burner and a 500GB hard-drive.

Connectivity includes two USB 2.0 ports and audio in/out on the front panel, then a further four USB 3.0 on the back, gigabit ethernet, audio, DVI-D and VGA graphics (both of which can be active simultaneously), serial and two PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse. There are also four half-height PCI-E slots.

Lenovo is keen to stress the out-of-the-box flexibility of the ThinkCentre M75e, particularly how multi-monitor friendly it is. As standard, it can drive two displays (one DVI-D, one VGA) at the same time, either duplicating or extending the Windows 7 desktop, though the company also offers an optional half-height graphics card with a further two outputs, meaning a total of four displays can be chained off the one PC.

We ran Geekbench on the M75e, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the workstation scored 6145. Very strong processor scores were pulled down by middling memory performance. Still, it’s around 1,000 points higher than Intel’s 3.2GHz Core i5-650 in the Lenovo M90z (which only had 3GB of memory).

In terms of real-world performance, the M75e is certainly capable of handling Office, web browsing and email. It’s not a natural multimedia machine, lacking HDMI connectivity or, indeed, a hefty GPU for video crunching, but the processor is sufficient for general video editing tasks. Lenovo has also worked its “Enhanced Experience” magic on the start-up time, shrinking it down to roughly thirty seconds. How consistent that will be once start-up drivers and apps sink their claws into Windows 7 will remain to be seen.

Our main criticisms of the ThinkCentre M75e are generally byproducts of its SFF chassis. The reduced space leaves little room for cooling, and while the M75e doesn’t run hot it can get loud: under load, such as during our benchmark testing, the PC’s fan kicked in and was significantly louder than on other desktops or workstations we’ve reviewed. It seems Lenovo has opted for “quick and noisy” rather than “long and low”, since the fan was only running at high speed for short periods.

Our second issue is hard-drive space. With a single 3.5-inch drive bay (though four SATA connectors) we’d like to have seen Lenovo offer larger HDD options than the 500GB maximum supplied on this M75e review unit ($818 from Lenovo direct, or around $680 as the preconfigured 5042A7U from resellers). Considering 3TB drives are on the market now, limiting the ThinkCentre to, at most, just a sixth of that (250GB is fitted as standard) seems short-sighted. There are also no eSATA ports for adding high-speed external drives, nor USB 3.0.

Still, on balance there’s plenty to like about the Lenovo ThinkCentre M75e. No, it’s not the most glamorous of desktops, nor the most powerful or feature-heavy, but it’s also affordable and still manages to pack a solid performance punch. The easy of multi-monitor configuration is useful, and AMD’s Athlon II X4 processor is certainly capable of holding its own against the Intel Core i5 competition.

Acer’s Predator range has been through a few iterations now, each putting high-end hardware into an eye-catching case and promising a generally budget-friendly alternative to rival machines from Alienware and others. The AG5900-U3092 is a little less eye-searing in its color scheme – previous Predators have been all-orange, with shifting drive bay panels and odd mechanical flaps – but it’s still solidly made and has a little theater in its design. The DVD burner, for instance, opens up like a Predator’s mouth.

Inside, Acer has paired Intel’s 2.93GHz Core i7-870 processor with 8GB of DDR3 1333 memory, a 1.5TB 7,200rpm hard-drive and ATI Radeon HD 5850 video card with 1GB of its own memory. There’s also a 16x DVD burner, integrated audio and gigabit ethernet, and two spare PCI-E x1 slots and a single PCI slot. Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports on the front, eight on the back, two PS/2, three audio ports and a multi-format memory card reader. No integrated WiFi, but Acer do throw in a USB keyboard and optical mouse, while the OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Considering it’s a reasonably large chassis, there’s understandably a decent amount of upgrade potential in the Predator. Two hard-drives slot in at the front on simple tray-style bays, though while it’s easy to access the trays, they’re not hot-swappable. Open the left-hand panel, meanwhile, and there are another two 3.5-inch drive bays, this time facing out toward the side. The molded plastic top section of the chassis angles the USB and audio in/out ports up, useful considering the PC will mostly likely be sat on the floor under a desk, and also has a tray which can hold your iPod or other gadget while it charges.

Power on, and one thing is clear: Acer has sold a fair chunk of its soul to the bloatware devil. As well as the usual McAfee and Office 2010 trials, Netflix, eSobi and WildTangent have got their claws into the Predator, and then there’s Adobe and Acer’s own tools. Yes, some users might find them useful, but we’ve a feeling most will, like us, consider them pointless annoyances and have to spend a not-insignificant length of time uninstalling them.

When we’d done that, we turned to benchmarking. Our first step was Geekbench, a synthetic test of process and memory performance we run on all desktop and notebook systems. The Predator AG5900 scored 9,315, with particularly strong CPU performance as you’d expect.

That puts it certainly higher than most desktops, though it falls short of some of the more spec-heavy gaming models we’ve tested in recent times. iBUYPOWER’s beastly Paladin F Series – which we reviewed all the way back in March – scores more than 50-percent more, at 15,710, with its hexacore Core i7-980 Extreme CPU; it’s also more than twice the price of the Acer, however. It’s worth noting that the Predator’s fans are reasonably quiet, even when the system is under full load.

We then looked to PCMark Vantage for some more in-depth testing. Overall, the Acer scored 8,986 PCMarks, with unsurprisingly high scores in the gaming (9,766) category. Again, that’s well under half what the iBUYPOWER system managed, but it’s also worth noting that in the test games we looked at, we had no problems running the most recent titles at maximum resolution. Yes, the Predator isn’t the fastest machine out there, but right now it doesn’t have to be in order to make it comfortably equipped for what owners might be throwing at it.

In the end, it’s the balance between price and performance that makes the Acer Predator AG5900-U3092 a strong contender. There are undoubtedly more powerful gaming PCs on the market, but they generally can’t match Acer’s pricing; at $1,349.99, it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper than a similarly specified Alienware desktop. We’d liked to have seen USB 3.0 as standard, and hot-swappable drive bays, though the Predator isn’t a server and the latter probably isn’t something most owners would miss. Acer’s Predator-series chassis designs might be pretty crazy, but the AG5900 is actually a reasonably sensible buy.

It’s certainly compact enough to get lost under your HDTV, just 5.7 x 3.9 x 2.0 inches and made of sturdy metal and silver plastic. Although there are rubber feet for standalone use, you can also VESA mount it to the back of your display. Ports include audio in/out/microphone on the front, together with two USB 2.0 and a miniUSB, then VGA, HDMI, two further USB 2.0 and gigabit ethernet on the back. There’s also a DC power input – the external PSU is a reasonably small block – and a connector for the optional WiFi antenna.

Although described as barebones, there’s not a huge amount that the ARTiGO A1100 is missing. It comes with VIA’s single-core 1.2GHz U2500 Nano processor and the company’s VX855 MSP, the latter combining the GPU, Northbridge and Southbridge into a single chip. All the buyer need fit is a 2.5-inch SATA hard-drive and a stick of DDR2 SODIMM memory (up to 2GB). VIA don’t add WiFi as standard, but do offer an optional board which is easily connected, and there’s an optional SD card reader too.

Setup, then, is pretty straightforward, though you obviously also have to add the OS of your choice. Though the U2500 is happy with 64-bit platforms, don’t expect to get the full Windows 7 Ultimate experience from the A1100: the VX855 falls short of Aero compliance, meaning much of the graphical niceties in Microsoft’s flagship OS are absent, and multitasking with anything but the most basic of tasks is wishful thinking.

Opt for Windows XP or a Linux OS, however, and things are a whole lot slicker, though you might fall foul of VIA’s DirectX 9 limitations. We generally prefer the more flexible VLC over Microsoft’s own Windows Media Player app, but the VX855 lacks hardware acceleration for anything other than WMP. That leaves you at the mercy of the CPU.

In use, it’s a quiet system; not fanless, but the tiny 25mm fan is a discrete whirring and likely to be drowned out by whatever else is in the room. Unfortunately it’s also not especially capable, and the ARTiGO A1100 box gets very hot in use. We’d have happily accepted a little extra noise – and perhaps a slightly larger chassis – for a bigger, more effective fan. The miniUSB port is a neat addition, however, allowing you to hook the PC up to another computer and treat it as an external drive.

The CPU/GPU pairing was sufficient to play 720p HD video smoothly, but 1080p HD was less successful; at best we had some mild stuttering, while at worst there were multiple dropped frames and mis-matched audio. Obviously with no integrated optical drive or TV tuner, the ARTiGO’s HTPC credentials aren’t entirely solid. Office tasks and basic photo editing were more in line with the PC’s abilities, just as long as you’re content to do one thing at a time.

If the performance isn’t quite up to regular HTPC standards, neither is the basic functionality – at least not right now. We were unable to set the ARTiGO A1100 to boot up with its HDMI output active, instead finding it would always default to the VGA output. VIA is apparently working on a firmware update to fix this, but until that’s released it’s a frustrating flaw.

As with all barebones PCs, perhaps, the VIA ARTiGO A1100 isn’t really suited to a regular home user. With a street price of around $230 (budget $45 for the WiFi b/g adapter and $25 for the SD card reader) it’s cheaper than a prebuilt nettop, certainly, but factor in the time and money required to install an HDD, memory and OS, and then tweak the latter into giving the best performance with the CPU/GPU pairing, and you’re facing what’s obviously an enthusiast’s product.

If you’ve the patience and inclination, there’s plenty of potential for the VIA nettop. Its frugal power consumption makes it an ideal embedded device, as long as you’re willing to pretty much dedicate it to a single purpose: a simple file server, for instance. Unfortunately, what it won’t do is broaden VIA’s market among home users, at least until the company rolls out updated versions with faster, dual- and quad-core versions of the Nano CPU.

Our review unit slots into the middle of the updated Mac Pro range, with two of Intel’s 2.4GHz quadcore Xeon E5620 CPUs, 6GB of 1066MHz DDR3 memory and an ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB video card. With a 1TB 7,200rpm hard-drive it comes in at $3,499 – for $1,000 less you can have a single 2.8GHz Xeon quadcore and half the memory, while for $1,500 more there’s the dual 2.66GHz hexacore Xeon flagship. Still no Blu-ray – not even the option – so it’s a standard 18x SuperDrive, four PCI Express 2.0 slots, five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports. Networking options include two-gigabit Ethernet ports, Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi a/b/g/n.

There’s no shortage of graphics choices, either: the Radeon HD 5770 has Dual-Link DVI port and pair of Mini DisplayPort connectors. As for audio, there’s a digital optical input and output, plus analog in/out on the rear panel, and a headphone socket on the front (along with two each of the FireWire and USB ports). We’d love to see USB 3.0 or even eSATA there too, but sadly Apple hasn’t seen fit to install them in this particular Mac Pro generation.

Take off the side panel – an easy task with the flip-up (and lockable) latch on the back – and Apple’s unusual interior layout is revealed. Everything is sectioned off, with the processors and memory at the bottom in a pullout tray, the PCI Express 2.0 slots in the middle, and then the four 3.5-inch hard-drive bays slung above. Each bay has a drive carrier that a standard SATA 3Gb/s drive clips into, before slotting – cable free – into place. Our review unit had a single 1TB drive, but you can specify up to 8TB of traditional HDDs or up to four 512GB SSDs and an optional RAID controller for drive redundancy (RAID levels 0, 1, 5 and 0+1 supported).

Slick design, a sensible layout and plenty of ports are no use at all if the core system doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain, and happily the 2010 Mac Pro is capable of some serious crunching. We performed some of our benchmark testing natively in OS X, and then other elements in Windows 7 Ultimate running in either Parallels or Boot Camp. It’s common for Mac Pro owners to spend at least part of their time in a dual-booting or multimode environment, depending on the software tools they’re reliant on, and so we felt this would give a more balanced view of the desktop than OS X figures alone.

We started out with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. Tested natively in OS X 10.6.4 Snow Leopard (with the latest patches and updates installed), the Mac Pro scored 14,378. In comparison, a 2009 Mac Pro – with a single Xeon 2.66GHz processor but 12GB of DDR3 memory, a configuration costing roughly the same as the machine in today’s review – scored 9,600.

We then booted into Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit using Boot Camp, and the Mac Pro scored 11,451. Loading Windows in Parallels – which allows you to run both Mac and PC apps at the same time – saw a Windows 7 Geekbench score of 6,017, while scores using VMware ranged from 5563 to 6017. It should be noted that these virtualization scores were calculated when Parallels and VMware were running in four core mode; although they scored higher when using all eight cores, that leaves no resources for the host OS and isn’t advisable in real-world applications.

In contrast, Lenovo’s hefty ThinkStation C20 workstation, with its 8GB of DDR3 memory and dual 2.66GHz Xeon X5650 processors scored 19,565 in Windows 7 Professional. You pay considerably for those extra 5,000 points, however, considering the ThinkStation C20 is a $6,774 machine (almost double what Apple is asking for this Mac Pro).

We then turned to PCMark Vantage, which runs in Windows 7 rather than OS X and rates a system across seven categories (Memories, TV and Movies, Gaming, Music, Communications, Productivity and HDD) and then a final score. We tested the Mac Pro three times in all, using Boot Camp, Parallels and VMware, and had pretty consistent results across all batches. In Boot Camp, using the full 6GB of RAM, the PCMark score was 8,377, with particularly strong scores in Communications and Gaming.

In Parallels, with 4GB of the RAM assigned, the system scored 8,689 overall, with Communications and HDD ahead. Finally, in VMware, the PCMark score was 8,066 with Music and HDD leading the way. It’s important to remember that, in both virtualization setups, the software is emulating hardware so the GPU performance is less than when running a native OS. The Mac Pro fell behind the C20 by 1,400-2,000 points in these situations, but it’s still an impressive showing considering both the price difference and the fact that the PCMark testing was done in the Apple machine’s non-standard OS.

Day to day, then, there’s little you can throw at the Mac Pro and expect to slow it down. We processed HD video while watching different content, browsing with multiple tabs in several windows, and with several other apps running in the background, and we couldn’t get the Apple desktop to break a sweat. It’s hard to imagine the everyday user that would require such a machine; most would likely be better served with an iMac, given that model’s cheaper price and brilliant IPS display. Still, the absence of USB 3.0 and Blu-ray – on both iMac and Mac Pro – does still rankle a little, given rival PCs have offered both for some time now.

If you’re involved in frequent video, audio or image editing, however, or any sort of CAD or other processor-intensive application, then the Mac Pro deserves serious consideration. Strong performance not only in OS X but when running Windows 7 – particularly in Boot Camp – offers the best of both worlds for the platform agnostic, and while the Mac Pro’s upfront sticker price may seem high, compared to native Windows machines of similar build construction it’s actually surprisingly competitive. For those who want the very highest performance, the dual hexacore Mac Pro is an expensive option, but this midrange model arguably delivers the best balance of crunching power and price.

The ThinkStation C20′s diminutive stature is down to its rack-mount friendliness: with the optional brackets you can stack up to 14 of them in a standard 42U rack.  Of course, it also means a smaller footprint – either on the desk or underneath it – for users with just one C20.  Aesthetically it’s Lenovo’s usual somber black handiwork, with the front panel mostly vent meshwork aside from a single optical drive – in this case a DVD burner – together with FireWire, two USB 2.0 ports, audio in/out and the power button.  On the top edge is a recessed handle lined with soft-touch plastic, which makes moving the C20 particularly straightforward.

On the back, there are three fans (two system fans, one in the PSU) together with more meshwork and a further eight USB 2.0 ports, a gigabit ethernet port, two S/PDIF digital audio ports, analog surround audio outputs and a serial port, together with whatever graphics outputs your choice of video card offers (more on that in a moment).  The side panel opens to reveal a surprisingly straightforward internal layout, with tool-less mounts making upgrades and modifications relatively simple despite the comparatively small space.

There are some neat touches, too, some of which are obvious to the user and others less so.  Lenovo has used over 50-percent post-consumer recycled plastic and low-noise fans, which is always good, and the front panel port labels are backlit which makes plugging in peripherals simple when the C20 is under a desk or in a dim server room.

Of course, the real meat is what’s inside the chassis, and Lenovo sent over a loaded ThinkStation for us to test out.  The range kicks off at $1,199 with a single 2.0GHz Intel Xeon E5503 processor and 1GB of RAM, but our C20 has a pair of 2.66GHz Intel Xeon (Westmere) X5650 processors for a total of twelve cores.  There’s also 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 500GB hard-drive and an NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 video card, with Windows 7 Professional 64-bit as the OS.  Expect to pay around $6,774 for a similarly specified C20, though this isn’t the most outlandish configuration you could opt for.  Faster Xeon chips are on offer, together with up to 48GB of memory across six DIMM slots, dual graphics cards, a Blu-ray burner and twin hard-drives (HDD or SSD) with optional RAID.

The NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 deserves some attention, considering it alone adds $1,475 to the C20′s sticker price.  Currently near the top of NVIDIA’s workstation card range, it targets animators and designers running graphics-intensitive applications like 3D rendering.  At its heart is the new GT200GL GPU, with 192 CUDA cores, paired with 1.5GB of dedicated memory and 384-bit memory width; together, NVIDIA says the FX 4800 is capable of 76.8GB/s memory bandwidth, crunching 300 million triangles per second and 38 billion texels per second.

Of course, the CUDA cores are flexible in their abilities, and rather than being limited to pure graphics rendering they’re in fact each an individual multi-threaded processor.  Compatible software – which generally means the latest image, CAD and other high-end apps – can take advantage of any unused cores to speed up other processing tasks, offset from the PC’s main CPU(s).  As for outputs, you get two DisplayPort, one dual-link DVI-I and a stereo audio port, with a max 2560 x 1600 resolution and NVIDIA 3D Vision/3D Vision Pro compatibility.  It’s worth remembering that – if your wallet can hold up to it – you can outfit the C20 with two of these cards.

It came as little surprise, then, to find the ThinkStation C20 blitzed our benchmarks.  We started off with Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the Lenovo ThinkStation C20 scored a massive 19565.  That was primarily held back by memory performance and bandwidth; the processor scores themselves were well in excess of 20k.  The closest score in our benchmark database is the iBUYPOWER Paladin F Series, which packs a single Intel Core i7-980 Extreme, and was around 400 points lower (though it’s also in the region of $3,000 less than the C20).

We then turned to PCMark, which is a broader test of system abilities.  Overall, the ThinkStation scored 10030, with particular strengths in the Communication (10805), Music (7794) and Gaming (7640) tests.  Lowest score was 5250 in the HDD testing, likely a result of the single 7,200rpm drive in our review machine.  Looking back, the iBUYPOWER system (which is targeted at gamers) scored almost twice as well in PCMark, though in pro-level graphics applications the Quadro FX card of the Lenovo would likely make a more significant difference while an SSD would also help.

Still, this is mighty impressive performance from a relatively small machine, and we can’t help but be blown away by the sheer crunching ability of the dual Xeons.  In everyday use we had trouble slowing the C20 down – this isn’t a PC where opening a few dozen browser windows will cause lag – and it stayed admirably quiet too (though fan noise did ramp up as the system was stressed during benchmark testing).

The Lenovo’s price tag puts it out of contention for most people, and with its workstation credentials it’s not intended to replace high-end gaming machines. Graphics professionals, video editors or anyone looking to do vast amounts of crunching in minimal amounts of time, however – and without turning their office into a server farm – should definitely be considering the C20.  Its primarily limitation (bar price) is the mere two internal drive bays, but that’s the trade-off for its compact chassis; to be fair, Lenovo offer several larger alternatives in their S20 and D20 ranges that accommodate bigger RAID arrays.  For those unwilling to give space to such behemoths, the ThinkStation C20 delivers the power without the bulk.

As well as the Core i5-650 (with 4MB L3 cache) there’s 4GB of DDR3 memory (1GB of which is allocated to the Intel GMA HD graphics) and a 320GB 7,200rpm hard-drive (500GB is an option). Lenovo also fit a DVD burner and WiFi b/g/n, while a memory card reader and Bluetooth are optional. Above the 23-inch 1920 x 1080 display is a 2-megapixel webcam that can be physically covered up with a sliding hatch, useful for the particularly paranoid. Underneath the screen are the stereo speakers; there’s also a microphone hidden in the bezel.

Connectivity, meanwhile, includes two USB 2.0 ports, audio in/out and – if specified – the card reader on the right hand edge, while there are a further four USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet, a DisplayPort output and a VGA input on the back. The latter can be employed to turn the M90z into a regular 23-inch LCD monitor, useful if you want more screen space on your laptop.

Lenovo’s stark aesthetic is an acquired taste, for sure, but there are some elements which we wish rivals would adopt. The absence of an external power brick is one – you merely plug in a regular AC cord, as you would with a normal tower unit – as is the straightforward way the rear panel of the ThinkCentre hinges up and off, and gives access to the few user-changeable components inside. An integrated carry-handle is at the top of the M90z, though it’s a heavy machine and we wouldn’t want to make a habit of transferring it from room to room.

Our review model comes with the basic wire foot-stand, adjustable between 15- and 45-degrees, but you can also choose a height-adjustable stand that lifts the M90z over 4-inches. Alternatively Lenovo offer an Extend Arm stand, that mounts to a desk and then allows you to tilt, pivot and rotate the M90z to your heart’s content.

Turned on – using the single button on the M90z’s front panel – and the screen shows itself to be bright and clear, with decent viewing angles and nicely saturated colors. Lenovo bundle a wired keyboard and mouse, so setup is straightforward, though of course you’re also expected to take advantage of the multitouch control. Unfortunately, like other Windows 7 touchscreen PCs, the ThinkCentre M90z suffers by virtue of the Microsoft OS’ mediocre finger friendliness.

Basic apps have some touch control, so you can pinch-zoom in the browser for instance, and Microsoft’s Touch Pack for Windows 7 is installed, but underneath it’s still a platform tailored to keyboard and mouse. Lenovo attempt to work around these shortcomings with their own SimpleTap app – as we used on the ThinkPad T400S – which basically offers larger, customisable shortcuts in a drop-down menu, but if you’re expecting iPad levels of finger use then you’ll be disappointed.

Otherwise, the M90z shapes up to be a pretty regular desktop computer, albeit one held back by its Intel GMA HD graphics. We ran Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the M90z scored 5294 overall. That’s actually less than Gateway’s ZX6900, which has a Core i3-530 CPU, 4GB of RAM and scored 5313. In everyday use, the ThinkCentre was happy multitasking with several browser tabs open, media streaming in the background, and IM active, but gaming and anything more graphics intensive was beyond its abilities.

It’s rivals like the ZX6900 that count the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z out for the home market, frankly. With an MRSP of $1,019.99, the Gateway is cheaper than the $1,338 of our Lenovo review unit, but still manages to include Blu-ray, an HDMI output and eSATA. For businesses, the Lenovo’s over-engineered build quality and three-year warranty might make more of a difference, but we can’t help but think that most buyers would be better served saving their money and opting for the Core i3 version without the touchscreen. That’s still slightly more expensive than the Gateway, but likely more palatable to enterprise tastes. The ThinkCentre M90z certainly isn’t a bad all-in-one, but touch on Windows 7 isn’t the sales guarantee Lenovo were looking for.

As well as the processor, memory and solid-state storage, there’s an ATI Radeon HD 5750 GPU with 1GB of its own GDDR5 memory and an 8x SuperDrive DVD burner. Still no Blu-ray option, of course, and no USB 3.0 ports either; instead Apple gives you four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, audio in/out (each combining analog and digital), gigabit ethernet and a Mini DisplayPort that, on this larger iMac, also functions as an input for hooking up your MacBook Pro. On the side, as well as the slot-loading optical drive there’s an SDXC memory card reader (backward compatible with SD/SDHC cards, naturally) while inside there’s WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. The latter is used with the bundled Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse; the Magic Trackpad launched alongside the new iMacs is an optional extra.

While all-in-ones may not be particularly known for their upgrade potential, Apple has made great use of the 27-inch iMac’s internal space. The SSD is an option, but so is pairing a regular hard-drive with a solid-state counterpart, each occupying its own internal bay. The 27-inch model comes with a 1TB, 7,200rpm HDD as standard: you can upgrade that to 2TB or swap it for the 256GB SSD, or combine either HDD with the SSD. That could be useful for digital media pros looking for the system speed an SSD brings together with the relatively cost-effective storage a traditional HDD delivers. At this stage, you can’t combine two SSDs, however.

Our wish-list for the iMac gets smaller with each iteration, and right now is pretty much limited to Blu-ray, USB 3.0 and eSATA. Given Apple’s general antipathy toward the former, it looks unlikely that the company will include Blu ray any time soon; instead they’re betting on digital delivery through iTunes. USB 3.0 and eSATA are trickier: Apple helped lead the way in ditching legacy connections, which might lead you to assume they’d also be at the forefront in these faster ports, but so far there’s no sign.

Everything is wrapped up in what’s perhaps the slickest chassis in Apple’s line-up today, a smooth unibody aluminum expanse with a simple one-legged desk stand. Opt for the included wireless peripherals and a WiFi network connection and you can hook up the iMac with a single cable, for power, which snakes neatly out through a purposefully cut hole in the leg. Up front, most noticeable is the 16:9 aspect 27-inch IPS LCD panel, running at 2560 x 1440 resolution with 375 cd/m2 brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio. Hidden behind the glass bezel is an iSight webcam, a microphone and an IR port for use with the optional Apple remote, while underneath are stereo speakers each paired with a 17W amp.

The display remains a key selling point for the iMac, being bright, color-rich and having very broad viewing angles. Think of it as the desktop’s equivalent of the iPhone 4′s Retina Display; only a few PC manufacturers offer LCD displays that can compete, and it’s rare to find one integrated into an all-in-one machine. Obviously the iMac is at home with movie playback in Full HD, though of course with the absence of Blu-ray you’re limited to digital content downloaded or side-loaded in 1080p HD resolution. Standalone media performs well, with the iMac’s speakers belying the absence of a dedicated subwoofer; thanks to the digital audio output it’s straightforward to add a 2.1 or 5.1 surround sound system too.

With its superlative specifications, though, it’s likely content creation rather than consumption that iMac buyers prioritizing this particular model would be occupying themselves with. It’s certainly easily capable when it comes to processing video, audio and images. At the risk of getting geekier, though, there are some good reasons why this is the best iMac to-date.

We ran Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the quadcore iMac scored a massive 10099 points. In contrast, last year’s Mac Pro – with a quadcore 2.67GHz Xeon processor and 12GB of memory – scored 9600. The current generation entry-level iMac – with a Core i3-550 dual-core running at 3.2GHz is scoring around 6700 in Geekbench; the machine positioned at the same point in Apple’s range late last year scored just 4,650. More importantly, perhaps, is the increase in L3 cache, with the 8MB in the new iMac matching the old Mac Pro (the old iMac lacked L3 cache completely). Put simply, the L3 cache is used as a high-speed store for data being processed: the more you have, the faster the computer can crunch through whatever it is you’re working on. Meanwhile the FSB (Front-Side Bus) is the same 4.80GHz on the quadcore iMac as it is on the old Mac Pro: that’s the speed of the pathway between CPU and Northbridge, and a potential bottleneck if it’s not high enough.

When you start factoring that performance increase in with Apple’s pricing, the new iMac’s appeal gets even greater. First off, consider that – without the SSD – you’re getting Mac Pro (i.e. flagship) performance, plus a brilliant 27-inch display, for less than you’d pay for the current entry-level Mac Pro with a quadcore 2.8GHz Xeon ($2,199 versus $2,449). On top of that you’d need to pair the Mac Pro with a display; the 27-inch LED Cinema Display, using the same panel as the iMac we’re testing, will be $999 when it arrives next month.

Now, the Mac Pro obviously has some benefits of its own: the four hard-drive bays, faster SuperDrive, speedier CPU options and greater connectivity, for a start. For most users though, balancing high performance with price, the iMac’s combination of a slimline form-factor, huge amounts of processing power and integrated display will likely hit the sweet spot that previously only an entry-level Mac Pro would’ve filled.

From that perspective, the $2,799 of our review unit ($2,199 if you opt for the 1TB HDD instead of the SSD) starts to look a whole lot more reasonable. Yes, it’s overkill for most, but that’s why the 27-inch Core i3 version (at $1,699) is on offer; that model itself delivers around 45-percent more performance (as measured by Geekbench) than its predecessor. Factor in the quality of the display, design, construction and usability of OS X, and the iMac is not just a fitting flagship but a well-rounded alternative to traditional workstations. For all those reasons it comes highly recommended. Feel free to drop me questions in the comment section or visit  apple.com/imac for more details.

iMac Mid 2010 Core i7 Specification

The IdeaCentre Q150-40816AU bears the mark of Lenovo’s latest updates, throwing out the old single-core Atom chip of its predecessor and replacing it with an Intel D510 with twin 1.66GHz cores. That’s paired with 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 500GB hard-drive, NVIDIA Ion 2 DX10 graphics chipset (with 512MB of dedicated VRAM) and WiFi b/g/n. Ports, meanwhile, include HDMI, VGA, two USB 2.0, ethernet and audio in/out on the back, while there are another two USB 2.0 ports and an S/PDIF digital audio output on the front under a plastic flap. Lenovo supply a stand for propping the Q150 upright, or alternatively there’s a VESA mount on one side so you can hide it behind your HDTV or monitor.

In the box, Lenovo supply a power brick and a wired USB keyboard and mouse set; however, the company also sent us their N5901 wireless keyboard. A distinctive, chubby T-shape, the N5901 has a full QWERTY thumbboard across the top and a trackball underneath, and is primarily intended for those wishing to use the IdeaCentre Q150 as an HTPC.

Setup of the Q150 is straightforward, since it’s a regular Windows 7 Home Premium PC. Obviously there’s no optical drive, and Lenovo save around 30GB of the HDD as a service partition (for re-imaging the PC should you want a fresh install), but generally it’s a case of hooking up a monitor or other display and then getting to work. For HTPC use the front-mounted S/PDIF port seems ill-placed, seeing as it’s unlikely to be the sort of thing you’re regularly plugging in and unplugging, but most will likely use HDMI anyway, which carries both audio and video. We had no trouble connecting to a WiFi network to stream content both from the Q150 and from a standalone NAS.

Intel’s Atom D510 processor may be a step up from earlier iterations, but we still weren’t expecting dramatic performance from the low-power chip. We benchmarked the nettop using Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the IdeaCentre Q150 scored 1242. That’s only a few points higher than we were seeing from Atom 330 machines, and is unsurprisingly akin to what you’d see from a netbook.

In terms of real-world use, the Lenovo lived up to its multimedia billing. Previous machines using the Ion GPU were criticised for patchy performance, since things like Flash didn’t support hardware acceleration and, as such, relied solely on underpowered CPUs. With Flash 10.1, however, the Ion 2 in the Q150 is responsible for HD decoding, and it manages it with minimal fuss. Full-screen Hulu looked great, as did local content. Regular Windows apps, however, were less impressive; with the GPU out of the equation, the Atom CPU struggled with anything more than a little multitasking. Try to do more than surf with a couple of windows open while playing music in the background and the Q150 starts to get a little sluggish.

As for the Lenovo N5901 wireless keyboard, that uses a proprietary USB wireless dongle (which stows in a niche underneath) and is plug-and-play with Windows 7. As well as the QWERTY ‘board there are dedicated multimedia keys, and the whole thing sits nicely in the hand; we wish Lenovo had used the same soft-touch plastic on the front as they have on the back, though, since the glossy finish is a real fingerprint-magnet. The keys themselves are slightly convex, making for easier typing, and while you wouldn’t want to input anything of length, it’s certainly sufficient for searches, Twitter messages, brief emails and URLs. The trackball, meanwhile, is usable, though we wish Lenovo had opted for a gyroscopic navigation system instead. Still, that would add to the price, which at $59.99 is reasonable.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about the IdeaCentre Q150. Notable omissions are Bluetooth and any sort of memory card reader, though of course you could add either via USB. An integrated card reader would arguably be less than useful if your Q150 was mounted behind the TV, too. It’s a quiet-running system, and thanks to GPU acceleration is capable of stutter-free 1080p HD local and streaming video; 500GB is plenty of space for a nettop, too. Currently priced at $399 – $50 more than the single-core model with mere Intel GMA 3150 graphics and a 160GB HDD – it makes for a capable HTPC; throw in a cheap USB TV tuner and you could record TV too, since Windows 7 Home Premium natively supports media center functionality. This isn’t the machine for gaming or video editing, but then we doubt many would confuse it for such: instead it’s a great little media PC that serves up high definition content with minimal fuss.

There’s a little of the Lenovo in the Aspire X3400′s design, a solid black mini-tower (standing 10.5-inches high) with a minor splash of blue the only attempt to brighten things. Up front there’s a DVD burner, five USB 2.0 ports, a multi-format memory card reader and audio in/out; at the back there are a further four USB 2.0 ports, both HDMI and VGA, gigabit ethernet, audio in/out (with 5.1-channel support), an eSATA port, PS/2 ports for legacy keyboard and mouse (Acer’s supplied peripherals are both USB, and of reasonable quality if not anything outstanding) and of course power. Build quality is decent, with a pleasant mixture of gloss and matte black plastics.

Inside there’s a 2.9GHz AMD Athlon II X3 435 processor paired with 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9200 graphics with a 500GB hard-drive, though no integrated Bluetooth and WiFi. Acer offer a 2.9GHz X4 635 processor and up to 1TB of storage as options, while the Aspire X3400 can handle up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. Of course, because of the small size there are no free drive bays inside: the optical drive takes up the 5.25-inch bay and the HDD occupies the 3.5-inch bay.

Software is Windows 7 Home Premium, complete with a basic array of Acer’s own applications. Probably of most interest to the HTPC aficionados likely to be eyeing the Aspire X3400 is the eRecovery Management app, which automatically makes backups of your multimedia store. There’s also the usual trial of Office Home & Student 2007 (together with a full copy of Works 8.5), a trial of McAfee, Google’s Toolbar and Nero 9 Essentials.

We benchmark tested the Acer Aspire X3400-U2012 using Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. It scored a reasonable 5,108, primarily thanks to a strong showing by the processor. In comparison, Gateway’s ZX6900 – which uses a 2.93GHz Intel Core i3-530 with 4GB of RAM – scored slightly higher, at 5,313. Acer’s own all-in-one, the Aspire Z5600, scored 5,475 with Intel’s 2.33GHz Core 2 Quad Q8200 and 4GB of RAM.

The Aspire X3400′s integrated GeForce 9200 graphics are certainly showing their age, and this isn’t the GPU for you if you’re hoping to do any serious gaming. While it may run titles like Crysis it’s at their very minimum settings, and you’ll still see dropped frames. Instead, think of the Aspire X3400 as a home multimedia PC, perfectly sized to slot under your TV, hook up via HDMI (with HDCP support) and act as a media player. On those terms its capabilities are far more adequate; Windows 7 Home Premium includes native media PC features, though you’ll need to add a USB TV tuner if you want to record/pause broadcast TV. It’s a shame Acer didn’t throw a remote control in the box (or at least wireless keyboard/mouse peripherals).

In use, the Acer runs reasonably quietly – there’s some fan noise which may be noticeable during quiet media playback, but nothing extreme – and shows little in the way of lag. We happily browsed several internet tabs with media playing in the background and the Aspire X3400 had no problem keeping up with us. Paired with a sizeable NAS it would certainly work well as an HTPC.

We’d like to see a bigger hard-drive as standard, and obviously the GPU falls short of anything a semi-serious gamer might be looking for, but considering the $459.99 MRSP there’s plenty to like about the Acer Aspire X3400-U2012. Solid – if not outstanding – performance together with an admirably small footprint and lashings of connectivity add up to a strong contender for your living room or home office.

At first glance you could be mistaken for thinking the new Mac mini looks pretty much the same as its predecessor; in fact there are plenty of differences. Rather than the plastic shell of before, Apple have switched to CNC machined aluminum like their unibody MacBook Pro notebooks. It’s also lower and wider than the computer it replaces, but by shifting the power supply brick internally the overall footprint is less. Bar the Apple logo on the top and the slot-loading DVD drive up front, the unibody shell is clean and clear; all of the ports are at the back.

It’s the port selection that marks the new Mac mini’s other great departure: Apple has finally dropped the DVI socket and replaced it with an HDMI output (alongside the existing Mini DisplayPort). You lose a USB 2.0 in the process – it’s down to four – but also get an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot along with the FireWire 800, gigabit ethernet and audio in/out (which double as both analog and digital). Inside there’s WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR as standard.

In one fell swoop, Apple has given home entertainment users a super-straightforward machine that takes seconds to set up. Plug in the power cord, hook up via HDMI to your HDTV (the connection carries audio as well as video), and pair a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse set – not included, and of course you can use USB 2.0 peripherals too, though the Mac mini obviously works great out of the box with Apple’s own keyboard and mouse – and you’re ready to go. Not only does this new model use 25-percent less power than its predecessor (about as much in normal use as a regular lightbulb, in fact), it’s also incredibly quiet: 14dBa at idle means it’s likely to be overwhelmed by background noise in all but the most mausoleum-like of environments, and even when active we could hardly hear it running.

That’s a surprise, given Apple hasn’t really stinted on the specifications. Standard is a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo CPU with 3MB L2 cache and 1066MHz frontside bus, paired with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard-drive; options include a 2.66GHz CPU, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 500GB storage. Incidentally, the Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server – which replaces the optical drive with a second hard-drive – comes as standard with the 2.66GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM, along with two 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives built in.

We ran Geekbench on the Mac mini, a synthetic test that measures processor and memory performance. Altogether, it scored 3550, around 100 points less than the similar architecture and processor in the current-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro (which, it’s worth remembering, starts at $1,199). That’s respectable for a small-form-factor desktop, and well in excess of what we’ve seen from Atom-based nettops.

Graphics on both models are courtesy of NVIDIA’s GeForce 320M, which shares 256MB of the main memory. That means it’s unlikely to be a gamers’ dream machine, but can still pump out up to 2560 x 1600 resolution over Mini DisplayPort or 1920 x 1200 via HDMI (an HDMI to DVI adapter is included in the box, or you can buy a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter separately). Still, it happily crunched through the test video files we processed in iMovie – part of the included iLife suite Apple preload, as well as iPhoto, GarageBand and other apps – though took a little longer than the heftier CPU/GPU combos in the MacBook Pro line.

Thanks to OS X and iLife there’s plenty that you can do with the Mac mini out of the box, including use it as a media center. We’re disappointed that Apple didn’t bundle their infrared remote in the box – it’s a $19 accessory – since it works so well with Front Row, the company’s sofa-friendly UI that offers easy access to iTunes music, iPhoto photos, Movies and DVDs. Saying that, we’ve a feeling many Mac mini owners will look to third-party HTPC apps like Boxee, which add in features like internet streaming audio and video access (such as YouTube), on-demand content and, platform depending, premium pay-per-view TV episodes and films. We’d love to see Apple turn their attention to Front Row and boost its online abilities, but judging by their attitude to Apple TV they seem content to leave the niche to independent software vendors.

While you might assume the Mac mini was a relatively closed box when it comes to user upgrades, you’d not be entirely correct. Upend it, twist off the circular base-plate and you can easily access the two RAM slots so as to upgrade the memory (something we’d recommend doing yourself, since Apple’s factory-fit upgrades are, as ever, on the expensive side). Unfortunately the easy access ends there: if you want to switch out the hard-drive, for instance, you’ll need to get out the screwdrivers and set aside a fair chunk of time, since Apple has had to perform some origami to get everything to fit.

So, is the Mac mini the perfect second-computer, lounge media machine or MacBook alternative? It’s certainly a strong contender, though there is aspects, which we wish Apple, had addressed along with the new chassis and HDMI addition. An eSATA port is the most obvious one, though Apple point to their FireWire 800 port as an alternative, and for that matter we wouldn’t have argued with USB 3.0 rather than 2.0. It’s entirely likely that Mac mini users will be plugging in ever-increasing external hard-drives, and so boosting the interfaces accordingly would seem like a sensible plan. The Cupertino company’s consistent refusal to add a Blu-ray drive is also a pain, given the Mac mini’s obvious HD abilities.

Still, we’re big fans of the Mac mini in its current form. Yes, the price has seen a roughly $100 boost over the last-gen model, but if you consider a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter is currently around $35, plus the CPU and GPU boost, and throw in the SDXC card reader too, that doesn’t sound like too bad a deal to us. At $699 we’d certainly pick it over the white entry-level MacBook for home use, and it would make for an ideal family PC in the living room: showing multimedia content one minute, browsing the internet the next. If you’ve already amassed a huge Blu-ray collection – rather than, say, HD-quality digital content – then the absence of a suitable optical drive may be a deal breaker, but the majority of people will find a whole lot of their boxes ticked by, ironically, a very small Apple box.

Mac mini unboxing and walkthrough video:

System Overview and Features

Hidden behind the 19-inch 1,440 x 900 display is a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 processor together with 2GB of memory and a 320GB hard-drive. Graphics are courtesy of Intel’s GMA 4500 chipset, and there’s a side-mounted DVD burner, integrated stereo speakers, webcam and a total of six USB 2.0 ports. Network connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n and gigabit ethernet, though Lenovo don’t offer either FireWire or eSATA for high-speed data connections.

Design and Display

As for the physical design, it’s hard to mistake the A70z’s heritage. Sturdy matte black plastic together with a spring-loaded metal stand on the back add up to a solid machine, though not perhaps the most attractive all-in-one we’ve ever come across. Still, it’s eminently stable on the desktop – though because of the design you can only adjust for display angle, not height – and there’s a handle up top at the back for toting the machine around.

Doing so is helped by the fact that Lenovo bundle a wireless keyboard and mouse set with the ThinkCentre A70z, and if you avoid plugging in any of your own peripherals and hook up a WiFi network then you could feasibly narrow cables down to a single power cord. Slightly disappointing is the fact that the included peripherals come with a separate USB dongle, rather than using an internal connection. As for their own merit, the keyboard lacks the responsive feel we’re used to from the Lenovo ThinkPad notebook range, and the mouse feels undersized, but they’re still certainly better than you get with many other manufacturers.

You’ll obviously be making heavy use of them, too, since the A70z lacks a touchscreen option. If anything, it’s the 19-inch display that’s the biggest bugbear about the ThinkCentre; while we understand a 22-inch panel would make lugging it around the home or office more tricky, given you spend more time looking at it than you do carrying it, it’s a compromise we’d happily make if it meant we had Full HD resolution. While the A70z only has a DVD rather than a Blu-ray drive, the extra pixels would make working with multiple documents more straightforward, and of course there’s downloaded media to think about.

Performance

Still, given the GMA 4500 graphics, Lenovo aren’t expecting the A70z to replace your console. We ran Geekbench on the ThinkCentre, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the system scored 3191 overall, its CPU stores held back by the RAM performance. Still, in its raw state Lenovo claim you can have the A70z go from cold to Windows 7 being ready for use in a little over 30 seconds, and we found that to be true.

Verdict

The takeaway message is that, while the A70z is perfectly sufficient for Office applications, local and streaming media playback (even 1080p YouTube video and bandwidth-heavy Hulu) and even a little Photoshop meddling, this isn’t a gaming PC and nor is it a media center. Admittedly, Lenovo don’t bill it as such, but with the ThinkCentre’s standard VESA mount on the back, we did have visions of a wall-mounted machine for a kid’s room; similarly, with no video input, you can’t use the A70z as a display for your console, as you can with all-in-ones from other manufacturers.

So, it’s definitely for your desk then, but does it hold up its side of the Lenovo bargain? It’s hard to specify a traditional Lenovo desktop – with a separate tower and display – for the same price as the ThinkCentre A70z is offered at, and the differing form-factors are either an issue (if you want ease of upgrades) or a boon (if you prioritise space and portability). With Lenovo build quality, a mercifully bloatware-free standard install and the sort of speedy start-up that won’t force you into the kitchen to make a drink while you wait for your machine to be work-ready, the A70z fills its target niche pretty well. It’s not the most attractive of all-in-ones, and you should definitely look elsewhere for media functionality or touchscreen novelty, but if you want a reliable, affordable and decently compact PC then the ThinkCentre A70z warrants consideration.

Gallery

Since iBuyPower allow customization on pretty much every aspect of their machines, you can take the spec list with a pinch of salt; it’s configurable depending on your intentions and budget. Our review unit had the 3.33GHz Intel Core i7-980X processor, 6GB of DDR3-1600 memory, a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 motherboard using Intel’s X58 chipset and, among other things, two USB 3.0 ports, and two ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics cards set up in ATI CrossFire configuration. Asetek 550LC liquid-cooling keeps everything cool and quiet, and there are two drives: a 40GB Intel X25-V SSD for the OS – in this case Windows 7 Home Premium – and a 1.5TB Seagate SATA 7,200rpm hard-drive for data. A 1,000W PSU, both Blu-ray and DVD drives, and a distinctive Coolermaster HAF 922 case round things out, and iBP Labs Level 2 Powerdrive Overclocking service means the Paladin F is already kicking above its weight when it leaves the factory.

Intel’s Core i7-980X Extreme processor is the company’s latest flagship, built on 32nm processors like previous Core i7 chips but packing six cores each running at 3.33GHz. The processor also has more L3 cache than earlier versions – 12MB versus 8MB – and boosted QuickPath Interconnect speed, at up to 6.4 Gt/s; Intel have made better use of that cache, too, thanks to Advanced Smart Cache which can dynamically allocate the memory depending on each core’s workload. Finally you get Hyper Threading and Turbo Boost.

Meanwhile AMD’s ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card has already carved a niche for itself among gamers, and with good reason. Built on 40nm processes, each card – the Paladin F has two, remember – has an 850MHz core clock speed, 1,600 stream processors and 153.6GBps memory bandwidth. Each card has two DVI ports, an HDMI and a DisplayPort connector, and is capable of 2560 x 1600 maximum resolution.

As you might expect, that sort of specification adds up to superlative performance, and our benchmarking certainly didn’t disappoint. We started off with Windows 7′s own “Experience Index”, which assesses key components on a scale of 1.0 to 7.9. The iBuyPower PC scored 7.3 overall, only held back by its primary hard-drive data transfer rate; it scored 7.8 each for processor, memory, graphics and gaming graphics.

We then moved on to Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the iBuyPower system came back with a whopping 15,710 points. Contrast that with Apple’s Mac Pro – a system we’re still awaiting a Core i7-980X update for – the dual-CPU configuration of which we benchmarked seven months ago. Running two 2.66GHz quadcore Intel Xeon processors, the Apple desktop scored 9502 in comparison.

Finally we loaded up PCMark, often used to give more of an insight into how a system will perform in various tasks such as gaming, productivity and entertainment. The iBuyPower scored 19,174 PCMarks overall, with a huge 24,629 in the Gaming Suite category.

If it wasn’t already clear, Intel’s CPU – with the help of a well configured system – has no shortage of power. Users demanding the very highest frame-rates in today’s games, as well as the overhead to handle whatever titles are on the horizon, should frankly look no further. Throw into the mixture the ability to overclock the Core i7-980X to over 4GHz – we’ve seen at least one system builder offering a factory overclock of up to 4.4GHz – and the ambitious PC owner unafraid to tinker with BIOS settings could readily squeeze out even more performance.

The downside is, of course, price. A system using the same core components as our review unit – the CPU, memory, motherboard, dual graphics cards, SSD/HDD combo and PSU – comes in at over $3,000; with the bells & whistles iBuyPower added to our system you’re looking at more like $3,299. Is it worth the price? For everyday users, everyday gamers, everyday video editors… no, perhaps not; for a considerable reduction in price you can have a merely moderate drop in performance. Meanwhile the hexacore processor is to be just the first of a range of chips, and costs will inevitably fall over the coming months.

Still, the people considering the iBuyPower system are doing more than balancing sticker price with functionality, and if you have to have the fastest performing PC right now then you need to have Intel’s Core i7-980X inside. What most users will be asking the iBuyPower system to do won’t probably touch the edges of its capabilities, but that doesn’t undermine the fact that this is an incredible PC.

The Acer does pretty well, just going from the spec sheet along. The desktop-spec Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 processor is paired with 4GB of DDR3 memory and a 1TB 7,200rpm hard-drive, along with Intel GMA X4500HD graphics. Connectivity includes gigabit ethernet and WiFi b/g/n, along with eSATA, audio in/out, six USB 2.0 ports, a multiformat webcam and 5.1-channel audio. There are also 5W stereo speakers, a 1-megapixel webcam and a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium.

At first glance you could mistake the AZ5600 for an LCD display, and it’s a reasonably-designed – if a little plastic-heavy – machine. The majority of the ports are at the back, in a deeply recessed panel that’s tricky to reach without pulling the Acer out on the desk, though there are a few USB 2.0, the memory card slot and the DVD burner on the sides. A Home button sits in the strip in-between the LCD and speaker sections, and the power button is on the top edge, but otherwise most of the work is done via the touchscreen. Two chromed legs on the back tilt to adjust the overall screen angle, which you’ll need to play with since the panel itself is reasonably glossy.

Acer supply a wireless keyboard and mouse, the former having various shortcut and media control keys, together with a large volume dial, and the latter being a pretty straightforward wheel-mouse. Neither feel especially high-quality, but they at least match the matte silver color scheme of the PC itself.

The closest machine we’ve tested to the AZ5600 is Sony’s VGC-RT150Y, a little over a year ago. It’s either a testament to the impressive performance of that all-in-one back then, or how much the Acer delivers for its significantly lower price, but the benchmarking results are pretty similar. The Acer’s 2.33GHz Q8200 CPU edges out the Sony’s 2.67GHz Q9400, scoring 5475 to its 5445 overall in Geekbench; bear in mind the Acer has half the RAM of the Sony, too.

Equally important, perhaps, the AZ5600 runs far cooler and more quietly than the Sony managed, only flexing its muscle when called upon. We had no problems multitasking with performance-intensive apps, like processing video while simultaneously browsing. Where we’d like to see more grunt is in the Acer’s graphics chipset, with the GMA X4500HD falling short when compared to the GPUs on offer from ATI or NVIDIA.

Of course, the Acer’s 23-inch 1,920 x 1080 Full HD 16:9 display is also a touchscreen, and it’s one of the more responsive panels we’ve used recently. Windows 7 Home Premium has various touch-specific customizations, but Acer also load up their own Acer TouchPortal app that leans heavily toward finger-gaming. It’s not going to replace your PS3, certainly, but there’s more to do with touch here than on rival machines, where it can feel somewhat bolted on as an afterthought. Multitouch gestures – such as pinch-zoom and rotate – are all present and correct, though as we’ve seen before once you get out of core Windows 7 apps third-party software is generally patchy in its support.

Acer TouchPortal also throws some social networking into the mixture, aiming to be a dashboard of sorts for your social life. Flickr and Facebook integration pulls in new photos from your friends lists on both platforms, though it’s not the comprehensive offline app that it could’ve been. Useful for catching up with the latest shots, yes, but we found ourselves clicking into Facebook itself to do anything more ambitious.

Like Microsoft’s own Surface Pack of touchscreen games and visual distractions, the Acer apps are a distraction but not a particular reason to buy. Where the AZ5600 does stand out is in how it combines strong performance with lounge-friendly noise levels. For the $999.99 sticker price we’d like to have seen discrete graphics and a Blu-ray drive, at least for media playback – then the AZ5600 could’ve replaced a bedroom or kitchen TV – and the absence of any sort of video output (or input, for that matter) seems shortsighted. Nonetheless, if you want a sizable display, responsive multitouch and strong performance to do more than just a little browsing and video playback, the Acer Aspire Z5600 certainly delivers.