Within the PC ecosystem , we basically have three different categories: desktop PCs (in their different formats), laptops and All in One computers ; the latter are separated from the usual desktop PCs because although they are, indeed, desktop PCs, the hardware they equip makes them a kind of middle ground. In any case, is it worth buying an All in One PC over a desktop PC or a laptop? We are going to see its advantages and disadvantages to unravel this unknown.
All in One computers are those that integrate all the hardware components of the PC in the same case as the screen, and this is the main difference with respect to desktop PCs. With respect to laptops, the difference is that they do not incorporate a keyboard and mouse, although in most cases they do incorporate speakers and even a webcam.
Advantages and disadvantages of All in One computers
The main advantage of this type of computer is, obviously, the saving of space . The fact that all the components are integrated in the same case as the screen makes it much thicker and heavier than an individual monitor, but it totally saves us having a PC case on or under the table, as well as the wiring of the same .
The second advantage, for those who like that, is aesthetics, since it allows to have a more minimalist and contained environment than with a PC case, even if there are cases with minimalist aesthetics.
As for the disadvantages, there are really many more than the advantages: the first is that since the hardware is “embedded” in the monitor housing, there is much less space to begin with than in a desktop PC, and for that reason it is common that these computers incorporate laptop hardware instead, essentially becoming “desktop notebooks”, and thus generally perform less well than a desktop PC.
This at the same time causes that, as the components are so close together and so little space to be able to incorporate thermal solutions in conditions, the temperature is a constant problem when performance is required in these equipment, and at the same time for the same reason they are usually quite noisy, even louder than laptops because they have the screen panel as an additional element generating heat.
Are these computers worth it?
As a general rule, we would say that these teams are the middle ground between a desktop PC and a laptop. They provide roughly the same performance as a laptop, although there are some All in One that do mount desktop hardware, but with the disadvantage that we cannot carry them -at least not so comfortably- from one place to another, and of course They do not have a battery that gives them autonomy without being connected to the current.
Thus, they do not give us the power and cooling of desktop computers, nor the portability of laptops, but in return they give us a cleaner and tidier desktop and even more aesthetically beautiful. They are not a product that we would recommend for any type of user in particular, except for models that mount very powerful hardware and that do deliver great performance (but have the counterpart of getting very hot and making a lot of noise due to the small cooling systems that they integrate ), so answering the question of whether or not they are worth it, the answer is no, and proof of this is the low sales volume they have compared to the other two types of user computers (desktop and laptop) .