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Lenovo A720 AIO can be laid flat on the table so multiple people can collaborate on it

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PCQ Bureau
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At the annual Intel Developer Forum conference, held in San Francisco in September, Intel showcased its Adaptive AIO technology, which will allow the AIO to be put to a variety of different applications in the future.

While the traditional desktop PC segment may not be growing that rapidly, the AIO space, according to Intel, has been growing at well over 30%. In fact, people are putting AIOs into the visible parts of their homes, like their drawing rooms, kitchens, etc. In offices, AIOs can be placed at receptions and as kiosks.

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The future AIOs will have adaptive screens, with the OEM vendors coming out with a variety of interesting designs. They would be thin and lightweight, with a removable screen with battery backup, so you could carry it from one place to another. Some vendors, like Lenovo have introduced a model called A720, which has hinges so that you could position the screen at any angle you'd like, right up to laying it flat on the table so that multiple people can collaborate on it.

Lenovo IdeaCentre B320: A decent performer for less than 40k

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The Lenovo IdeaCentre B320 combines the functionality of an all-in-one desktop and an HDTV into one unit

It is a PC that can double up as an HDTV. Shuffling between PC and TV is a breeze through the one key TV button, and this makes it a perfect alternative if your work gets tiring or if a cricket telecast is underway, without even leaving your desk. The All-in-One has wireless keyboard and mouse rendering your desk free from entangling cables. The keyboard features a dedicated key to launch the web browser or manage the media player. The keys are well spaced and are very east to type. You can upgrade the RAM up to 8GB.

It runs on Windows 7 Home Basic, and is powered by 3.2GHz Intel i3 processor, and has ample storage of 1 TB along with 4 GB RAM. The desktop also features a 5-in-1 card reader, Bluetooth 3.0, and a USB 3.0 port. It also has 0.3 MP Webcam but the picture quality is much better than what you would expect out of a 0.3 MP. The quality is good to the extent that you could also conduct video-conferencing over it. With AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card support it scores 2624 in 3D Mark which is an average performance. The wide 21.5 inch display supports full HD with a resolution of 1920x1080. Video playback is bright and clear and so is the TV. Its power consumption is 40W.

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Bottomline: A budget all-in-one PC with in-built TV tuner, perfect for work and entertainment.



HP Touch Smart 520: A Powerful but Costly AIO

A truly feature-packed all-in-one with touchscreen capability, but comes at a staggeringly higher price

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HP 520 isn't just a powerful machine but an elegant looking feature rich multi-touch display-based PC that comes at an exhorbitant price of Rs 74,000. The PC is powered by Intel's Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD6500 graphics and boasts of 1TB storage along with a TV tuner card.

It is supported by a curved silver stand which can be tilted backwards upto 30 degrees. For connectivity it has two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and an Ethernet port. Also included are a multi-card reader, an audio and mic, a Kensington lock port, TV tuner port and a Blu-ray drive/writer. The ports are easy to access and since they are placed on the sides and back, they give the display a neat and uncluttered look.

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The wide 23-inch multi-touch screen response is decent and if you want an alternative to using a keyboard and mouse, you can bet your money on it. The LED display packs a compelling 1920x1080p resolution making elements such as your daily web pages, HD videos and games look crisp and lively. The speaker generates awesome and clear sound. It also features a wireless mouse and keyboard.

The performance tests, suggest decent gaming ability with 3226 points in the benchmark test, whereas, in the PC Mark Vantage test, which is the overall system performance test at the component level with a range of CPU and HDD tests, it recorded a superb 9122. All this implies it is good for gaming, video playback and other productivity work. Its power consumption is a decent 60W as well. You can upgrade RAM and HDD in it.

Bottomline: A powerful AIO with the best perfprmance in our shoot-out. If price is not holding you back, just get it.

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Apple iMac 21.5: A Powerful and Stunning All-in-One

For Rs 65,000 you might get a better configuration in some other all-in-ones, but you will miss the experience of using an Apple device and the support environment, like iCloud, Apple Store, etc, fashioned around it

Beauty and the beast have been coupled in the new Apple iMac all-in-one. The stunning looks, reminiscent of Apple devices, and the matte aluminium body make this iMac a sturdy and compact all-in-one. The screen measures an impressive 21.5 inches and comes with a wireless mouse and small keyboard from Apple itself.

The 21.5-inch LED backlit display with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and resolution of 1920x1080p is certainly the finest one that we have seen. It boasts of a built-in Face-time HD camera that allows crisp and clear video calls at 720p resolution. The monolith body has very few ports, such as 4 x USB 2.0, 1 SD card slot, a FireWire 800, an Ethernet and a Thunderbolt port, beside an 8x super drive with 4x double layer writer. Its built-in speakers gives clear and crisp sound.

Apple iMac 21.5 is powered by 2.5GHz Intel Quad-Core processor, has 500Gb HDD and has 4 GB DDR3 RAM that can be upgraded up to 8GB. Its stunning graphics are stirred by AMD Radeon HD 6750 card, which makes gaming, watching HD movies a smooth and unique experience. This device supports fast data transfer from and to other Apple products via the Thunderbolt cable at 10 Gbps which is 5 Gbps faster than the latest USB 3.0. It runs on the latest Mac OS X and its power consumption is 94W.

Bottomline: With the new quad core processor, improved graphics and Thunderbolt technology, the Apple iMac 21.5 All-in-One is a treat, even at Rs 65,000.



HCL Beanstalk AD1V0028: An average AIO below 40k

It's an average AIO PC adequate for office requirements and comes at a competitive price

HCL Beanstalk AD1V0028 is the latest in the HCL all-in-one series and features an LED backlit anti-glare display with a screen resolution of 1366x768 and aspect ratio of 16:9. It is powered by 3.3 GHz Core i3 processor and 2GB DDR3 RAM making it a decent performer. It has a 500GB HDD, 1.3MP in-built webcam and 2 x 3 watt speakers. However, it doesn't have separate graphics and runs on the Intel HD graphics card. It has a wired keyboard and mouse, both of which have a fairly long cable.

The display is nothing extraordinary and at 1366x768p screen resolution, the video playback looks pretty neat. We found the anti-reflective matte finish and the powerful speakers very impressive and useful during video playback. However, the graphics are ordinary and that reflects in the 3D Mark 06 score, which is a dismal 2712. However, in PC Mark Vantage test, it fared well with a score of 5072. In CineBench 11.5, it scored 5.48fps.

This all-in-one boasts of numerous connectivity options, such as an HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, DC-in, Ethernet port and an optical drive. Besides, it supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as well. It comes with nine months warranty and six months additional warranty if a customer registers his machine within 30 days of purchase. You can upgrade RAM, processor and HDD in this AIO.

Bottomline: It is an ordinary AIO with an average performance but at a good price. For light users, it will work well.

Dell Inspiron One 2020: An Entry level stylish all-in-one

Priced at 29K and equipped with Ubuntu Linux OS, surely there are something to cherish but you will miss the same experience as it is in other products discussed in our shoot-out.

Dell Inspiron One 2020 is an entry level AIO which comes preloaded with Ubuntu Linux operating system and is powered by Intel Pentium Processor G620T, 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD. You can get its windows version for an additional Rs 5,000.

It is an incredibly thin all-in-one which will keep your desk clutter free. Also, it is very easy to setup and use. The 20inch display has a non-glossy screen with anti-reflective matte finish and supports max resolution of 1600x900p. It boasts of an integrated HD webcam that allows crisp and clear video calls.

This all-in-one has got plenty connectivity options, such as 5 USB 2.0, 8-in-1 media card reader, optical DVD R/W Drive, Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Additionally there are 3 OSD keys for volume & brightness control, a microphone and a phone jack. Wireless keyboard and Mouse are two input devices for the system.

In PC Mark test it scored a decent 4927, whereas in 3D Mark it scored just 2127. While evaluating it in a multitasking environment for normal & stressed computing and multimedia test, it faired decently. That is primarily because of the type of processor used i.e. Intel Pentium Processor G620T which is not as efficient as core i processor series. Power consumption ranged between 30-35W. RAM, HDD, Graphics card can be upgraded. Upgrading from 2GB to 4GB will cost Rs. 1,000 and upgrading the graphic card is Rs. 3,000 and the HDD is around Rs. 2,000 approximately.

Bottomline: If price is a concern and you have basic computational need then go for it.



HP Omni 220 PC: A Power-Packed All-in-One for Rs 60,000

This all-in-one provides excellent system & graphics performance, and is in direct competition to Apple's iMac (21.5”)

HP Omni 220 PC is an all-in-one which has all the ingredients to be a hit. The machine has got elegant looks and an attractive design. The body looks sturdy and is pristine black in colour. The monitor is adjustable and sports an anti-glare 21.5” full HD LED backlit screen display with a max resolution of 1920x1080p. The device is supported by a curved black stand. It is priced at around Rs 60,000 which is still lesser than Apple's iMac 21.5.

HP Omni 220 PC is powered by a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4 GB DDR3 RAM. It has 1 TB HDD, integrated webcam, speakers powered by Beats audio which is one of the best in its class. There is an AMD Radeon HD 6450A graphics card to enhance the visual effects. To make it user-friendly, Omni 220 comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Connectivity options include two USB 3.0, four USB 2.0 ports, a mic, a headphone jack, a line-out and a 6-in 1 media card reader.

The device is capable of playing high quality video very crisply and clearly. Its power consumption varies from 56 to 63 W from idle to multitasking environs. In the PCMark Vantage test, which measures complete system performance, it scored an amazing 8558 Marks which means Omni 220 is capable of handling heavy loads. In the graphics and visual ability test, it got a score of 3201 which is again a decent score. The overall performance of HP Omni 220 is at par with Apple's iMac. HDD and RAM can be upgraded in it.

Bottomline: A phenomenal performer and if you can stretch your budget to Rs 60,000, then go for it.

HP Omni 120 PC: A Smart Looking Device at a Competitive Price of Rs 45,000

Powered by Core i3 processor, this AIO is smartly designed and elegant looking. However, it doesn't provide great graphics and visual performance.

HP Omni 120 is a superbly built and smartly designed AIO, supported by a curved silver stand which is tilted and adjustable. It is powered by Core i3 processor, has 4GB DDR3 RAM and 500 GB HDD. The all-in-one has several connectivity features such as 6 USB 2.0 ports, microphone, headphone, integrated webcam, optical drive and a 6-in-1 media card reader. Also it supports Ethernet and wireless network connectivity. There are wireless mouse and keyboard that run on two AA and two AAA batteries respectively.

The AIO lacks some features which are very common with AIOs these days. Some of these include USB 3.0, HDMI or a Blu-ray drive. One good thing is that it comes with a three year warranty.

There is a 20” widescreen HD & anti-glaring display with LED backlit with a maximum resolution of 1600 x 900. You can easily play your HD videos but it needs graphics card for heavy graphics games. The webcam is right above the display, while the speaker is in the bottom which generates good quality and clear sound.

Coming to performance, the machine performed just satisfactory. For the graphics and visual performance, it scored only 2509 which is very ordinary. However, it scored an excellent 7805 for the complete system performance. Also, the power meter fluctuated between 38-46W from idle to running state. You can upgrade RAM and HDD in this AIO.

Bottomline: The AIO is a good choice if you want an all-in-one with basic features and computing needs.

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