I looked into the same thing and ended up with a tower. The sales guy told me that basically the all-in-one is just a laptop stood up on it's side. So if you ever do go to upgrade memory or anything along those lines it costs quite a bit more for the all-in-one. Plus I got a tower that had more features than the all-in-one cheaper, and that included buying a 27" monitor. But in the end I think it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other? Good luck with your choice.

 

Has anybody had any experience with these and any recommendations? And before Andy says it, no Apple products...

Okay, I won't say it... But you didn't say, No Pictures!

 

If Apple is out of the question, then I would push you very much towards a kick-a$$ laptop. I did away with my desktop about 8 years ago and I do not miss it at all. Get a wireless mouse and you're good to go. At first the smaller keyboard bothered me as I had an ergonomic keyboard before, but I got used to the laptop keyboard within a couple weeks. Nice thing about a laptop is that you are not tied to the office. You can do work anywhere with a wireless network tying in your printer (get an "e-printer") and a backup hard drive. For me, I will never have a desktop again....just not needed. As for which brand to buy, they are all pretty much equal so get the one that has the best processor, memory, and fit's your style the best.

 

There are several suitable all-in-one units out there. The one thing that I would advise against is a slot-feed DVD drive. Be sure to get a system with a tray-loaded DVD drive. The slot-feed drives are a) unreliable b) have trouble loading some discs c) have a problem ejecting some discs d) are horribly expensive to replace when that time inevitably comes along. As for the touch screen business, Windows 8 will be out before long and it is hard-wired to use a touch screen (as well as a mouse and keyboard). If you need any specific system recommendations, let me know...

 

I thought the same as you some time ago, I already had a macbook pro so went with the iMac and have never looked back. It is fantastic and so much space saved, run the one or 2 ms applications I need for work through Crossover no problem. And you won't need a memory upgrade.

 

For games and phone, Apple IPhone4S linked VIA cloud to an IPod and ITouch for music, and all can access the internet and have 10 Million apps. The IPhone4S allows you to speak to it and it will do all the typing for you. Keep your old desktop for spreadsheets and such. Really, you're kind of anal for not going Andy's way and getting an Apple (see above). In the last 2 years I went all Apple except for my bills, stock trades and spreadsheets. It's really not that hard to convert and the boot up speed and lack of anti-virus sh!t makes computing pleasant again. I also have a MacBook Pro laptop.

 

Really, you're kind of anal for not going Andy's way and getting an Apple (see above).

I have nothing personal against Apple. I was actually looking at a Mac Book Air but had concerns with compatability. So Andy talked me into going to the Apple Store and talking with them. I talked with the guy there who seemed very knowledgable and told him my concerns. AutoCad was no problem but my estimating software was. So he loaded it up on a couple of Macs and could not get any of them to read the USB key. He called his tech support and I called the estimating software company. They told me that their keys were not compatible with any Apple products and will not be until more people asked for it. To change my estimating system would cost around $40k... So to answer your question, nope I am not being anal, I did my research and already determined Apple products will not work for me.

 

Don, I suggest a standard tower system combined with a wireless mouse/keyboard. None of them come with the wireless keyboard/mouse but it's a simple upgrade. You can use your existing monitor and only have 2 wires on your desk, the monitor cable and power. I would also stick with a PC that has at least a Core i5 architecture, 8gb ram and separate video processing since you use AutoCad. Here's one you can pickup at BestBuy locally. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+Desktop+/+Intel%26%23174%3B+Core%26%23153%3B+i5+Processor+/+8GB+Memory+/+1TB+Hard+Drive/3395059.p?id=1218399239183&skuId=3395059 I use this keyboard/mouse combo and you can't beat the price from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001S4OTS6/ref=bit_abba_sia_ff_us_po_bm_title?ie=UTF8&ascsubtag=&tag=abba-sia-ff-us-20

 

As a follow up, I don't like the all in one PC's simply because you are locked out of many upgrades AND when one part fails you can't simply replace it like you can with a modular system. They also tend to have less processing power for the price than a modular system. One more thing, if you don't have at least a 21" monitor drop the coin and upgrade to a 23" LED monitor, it's money well spent. I use this one and love it. http://www.amazon.com/HP-2311x-23-Inch-LED-Monitor/dp/B004G8QO5C Best Buy and Staples carries it as well.

 

As a follow up, I don't like the all in one PC's simply because you are locked out of many upgrades AND when one part fails you can't simply replace it like you can with a modular system. They also tend to have less processing power for the price than a modular system. One more thing, if you don't have at least a 21" monitor drop the coin and upgrade to a 23" LED monitor, it's money well spent. I use this one and love it. http://www.amazon.com/HP-2311x-23-Inch-LED-Monitor/dp/B004G8QO5C Best Buy and Staples carries it as well.

+1

 

I was just basing my recommendations on what you wrote.

I am looking to replace my home computer again. My home computer needs are pretty light, except for AutoCad all I do is surf the net, play some very low level games (like the ones on Facebook) and basic office work (Microsoft Office type stuff).

 

So to answer your question, nope I am not being anal, I did my research and already determined Apple products will not work for me.

Thanks for that decision. Nothing against you but too many people are getting Macs. Next thing you know we will have to deal with viruses and the other issues with Windows machines.

 

My two cents: Unless you have an immediate need, I'll recommend that you wait for Windows 8 to be released so that you can get a computer that's native to the Windows 8 operating system and not an upgrade. If you need one now, the good news is that Windows 7 is fairly stable...much better than Windows 95 and light years ahead of the old Windows ME days! Or, if it's only one program that's keeping you back from buying a Mac, then get a notebook for that program and a Mac for everything else. If you only use the notebook for that program and don't load other crap on it or use it to download anything else (including playing Facebook games), it will most likely run faster and give you fewer (if any) problems. However, if Quicken is a program that you'll need to use, be forewarned that it doesn't work on the Mac Lion O/S as of yet. That's a big problem for Quicken and while they say they are working on it, a release of a compatible Quicken version has yet to have been announced. If you wonder why Mac users are recommending going with a Mac, a few reasons is that they seem to be more stable, have fewer operating issues, require fewer updates, have fewer viruses (yes, that will probably change) and start up faster. Also, the App store makes it easy to get programs and keep them current. There's not that many reasons to have a disc drive slot in Macs these days.

 

External disk drive, get it out of the closet when you need it.

 

My two cents: Unless you have an immediate need, I'll recommend that you wait for Windows 8 to be released so that you can get a computer that's native to the Windows 8 operating system and not an upgrade. If you need one now, the good news is that Windows 7 is fairly stable...much better than Windows 95 and light years ahead of the old Windows ME days! Or, if it's only one program that's keeping you back from buying a Mac, then get a notebook for that program and a Mac for everything else. If you only use the notebook for that program and don't load other crap on it or use it to download anything else (including playing Facebook games), it will most likely run faster and give you fewer (if any) problems. However, if Quicken is a program that you'll need to use, be forewarned that it doesn't work on the Mac Lion O/S as of yet. That's a big problem for Quicken and while they say they are working on it, a release of a compatible Quicken version has yet to have been announced. If you wonder why Mac users are recommending going with a Mac, a few reasons is that they seem to be more stable, have fewer operating issues, require fewer updates, have fewer viruses (yes, that will probably change) and start up faster. Also, the App store makes it easy to get programs and keep them current. There's not that many reasons to have a disc drive slot in Macs these days.

Andy, you missed a couple notable Microsoft releases such as NT, XP and Vista. Of all these Windows 95, XP and Win7 have been the most stable. Luckily Win8 extends Win7's core architecture (not new like Vista was) but sports a new user interface needed to port the OS to tablets, smartphones, etc. Win8 will introduce the concept of the Windows Store, the MS analogy to iTunes and the Android app store. That should ease some of the application currency issues, allowing updates to happen inline with the OS rather than as separate, disparate actions. Personally, I wouldn't wait on Win8 for a desktop. You just need to make sure your hardware can support the advanced features, which the machine I referenced does. Don't get me wrong, for anyone who doesn't have an application that either isn't ported to Mac OS or can't run in Fusion, Parallels, etc. then I think you should have your head examined if you don't buy an iMac or MacBook.

 

While I appreciate that the young salesman was quite knowledgeable, if it were me I would: - Set up an appoitment with a salesman on line, and arm them with the knowledge that you expect them to be able to demonstrate both Parallels Desktop 7 and VMware Fusion 4, to see if they will allow you to run your custom estimation software on an iMac running Windows7. Since the store has both these and the windows7 OS for demo purposes, all you really need to do is have them load it and have it ready for your appointment. Course, I could be wrong, but I bet an iMac 27" w/8gb ram & Fusion 4 with Windows7 will run it. KG

 

Here is my 2 bits: Macs are great machines, but pricey. IMHO, you get what you pay for. My wife & I switched to Macs a few years ago because we couldn't keep our Windows machine virus & spyware free for more than a week at a time! I got tired of updating virus cleaners & anti-spyware software. You can run Windows on most of the newer Macs, thereby allowing you to run any of your Windows based software. If a Mac is not for you, I have looked at some great HP touch screen all-in-one machines. For what you described for your needs, I think the HP would be your best bang for the buck. I have looked at various HP models at Best Buy and Sam's Club. I would advise on any computer purchase to get the biggest hard drive and the most RAM you can afford. This will give you the most longevity of use vs. getting the fastest processor, Blu-ray, etc. Good luck!

 

Ok, I can't help it, I've got to chime in here. As a retired computer tech I can say I really tried to like Mac's but they just weren't intuitive for me like Windows is. I also didn't like the proprietary hardware involved with Mac's. Not knocking them; just saying how it was for me personally. I keep an old Dell 3000 w/XP in my multi-purpose room/office and it's my workhorse. It doesn't give me any trouble as long as I don't try to get too carried away with it even though it has at least 40 programs that I've loaded on to it over the years. I guess it's about 7 or 8 years old now and I do notice it being slower than the computer connected to the TV which is what I use 99% of the time. Living alone has its perks. I can go back and forth from watching pre-recorded TV shows using Windows Media Center and dual tuners to the Interweb. I can expand the storage space as needed or configure the hard drives pretty much any way I want to minimize the inconvenience of a hard drive crash. Set routine backups, etc. to happen automagically during the night. I do keep a mini laptop to do my PCV tunes and to take on the road occasionally. Then there are my old back ups that I let weekend visitors use so mine don't get trashed by them. The rest are just parts or back up parts like a wireless media keyboard w/roller mouse like I'm using to type this on my big screen TV set. With the ability to watch Internet TV on the big screen along with regular cable (I don't like sat), I'm never at a loss for entertainment or checking the news and weather. One bad thing to report though. I've found Vista to be too unstable. I figure I'll upgrade to Win 8 after it has had a chance to get the bugs worked out and there are always some bugs. :wink: Might be a good time to upgrade the motherboard and ram too and stick the old parts in another carcass for other use or sell. Good luck in your search... I find Newegg.com, Tigerdirect.com, and Pricewatch.com to be good starting places in my searches.

 

Ok, I can't help it, I've got to chime in here. As a retired computer tech I can say I really tried to like Mac's but they just weren't intuitive for me like Windows is.

My office includes a few IT Specialists that report to me and when they found out I had a purely Apple home network they teased a lot. When Vista got pushed to our boxes from the big LAN Admin in the sky, two of them got so disgusted that they bought iPads, now one of them is using a MacBook Pro as a desktop replacement and most of them use iPhones. I get it that most users can't even tolerate the change/training a new web browser requires, but if you can tolerate a 4 week adjustment period, Mac users tend to not go back. For me it's as simple as HD vs Vic. Reliability and innovation won out. KW

 

While I appreciate that the young salesman was quite knowledgeable, if it were me I would: - Set up an appoitment with a salesman on line, and arm them with the knowledge that you expect them to be able to demonstrate both Parallels Desktop 7 and VMware Fusion 4, to see if they will allow you to run your custom estimation software on an iMac running Windows7. Since the store has both these and the windows7 OS for demo purposes, all you really need to do is have them load it and have it ready for your appointment. Course, I could be wrong, but I bet an iMac 27" w/8gb ram & Fusion 4 with Windows7 will run it. KG

Keith, The software itself loads, runs and operates fine on the Mac. The problem is it uses and external USB KeyGen that lets the software save, print and export. Without the Key you are basically using a demo copy of the software. The guy spent hours trying to get it to work and the company that developed my software told me flat out that the Key would not work on a Mac. That is the only reason I am staying away from Macs. Andy is right I could just use my laptop but I am very forgetful and leave it all over the place now. So I would rather all my computers be able to run all the software I need. Don

 

Andy, you missed a couple notable Microsoft releases such as NT, XP and Vista. Of all these Windows 95, XP and Win7 have been the most stable. Luckily Win8 extends Win7's core architecture (not new like Vista was) but sports a new user interface needed to port the OS to tablets, smartphones, etc. Win8 will introduce the concept of the Windows Store, the MS analogy to iTunes and the Android app store. That should ease some of the application currency issues, allowing updates to happen inline with the OS rather than as separate, disparate actions. Personally, I wouldn't wait on Win8 for a desktop. You just need to make sure your hardware can support the advanced features, which the machine I referenced does. Don't get me wrong, for anyone who doesn't have an application that either isn't ported to Mac OS or can't run in Fusion, Parallels, etc. then I think you should have your head examined if you don't buy an iMac or MacBook.

I agree, I am not really going to wait on Windows 8. If I do that then as soon as 8 comes out we will start hearing about Windows 9. As quick as all this crap changes it is difficult to keep up. So with that I think I have been talked out of an all in one and probably will just get a new desk that can hide the clutter. I think I am going to go with the Alienware Area-51, I tried building the Dell I wanted and kept running out of PCI slots. So this Mac/Microsoft war sounds allot like the Vic/Amsoil one...lol

 

Keith, The software itself loads, runs and operates fine on the Mac. The problem is it uses and external USB KeyGen that lets the software save, print and export. Without the Key you are basically using a demo copy of the software. The guy spent hours trying to get it to work and the company that developed my software told me flat out that the Key would not work on a Mac. That is the only reason I am staying away from Macs. Andy is right I could just use my laptop but I am very forgetful and leave it all over the place now. So I would rather all my computers be able to run all the software I need. Don

Don, The driver library (DLL?) necessary for your authentication software is most likely loaded with the windows operating system. Since I had the same type issue with a Biometric Storage software on a mac, and running windowsXP on the mac allowed the machine to recognize and use the PKI keys on the thumbdrive I thought the same might work for you. For my first couple of years on Mac I ran a second OS so I could boot the machine as a Windows box if I needed to. My contractors now include an FPKI genius, so I have built in PES to assist with work stuff. If it isn't worth trying again to you, I get that, but the next time you reboot 3 times in one day or start getting strange solicitations because your pc is fairly vulnerable to mal/ad/spy ware you may rethink this conversation a bit. Good Luck, I put my money on CNET recommendations, then buy from Newegg and Tigerdirect when I just have to have Windows for inclusion in my work environment. KG

 

Keith, I am one of those strange few that really never has a problem with windows. I dont do much online and my email all goes to my phone so I just erase anything I dont know. I was really wanting the Macbook Air, I have no problem with Mac, back in the late 80's/early 90's thats all I used because Mac was the **** if you needed to do graphics work. As far as your first two paragraphs... I have no clue what you are saying... Way above my head...lol I just want to plug it in and it works Don

 

I agree, I am not really going to wait on Windows 8. If I do that then as soon as 8 comes out we will start hearing about Windows 9. As quick as all this crap changes it is difficult to keep up. So with that I think I have been talked out of an all in one and probably will just get a new desk that can hide the clutter. I think I am going to go with the Alienware Area-51, I tried building the Dell I wanted and kept running out of PCI slots. So this Mac/Microsoft war sounds allot like the Vic/Amsoil one...lol

Interesting that on one hand you talk about just wanting to plug it in and it works then on the other hand you're talking about building a machine with multiple PCI slots which indicates a desire to expand and add hardware that by it's nature will make your system more complicated to build AND maintain. Price out the system you are trying to build but make sure you get the second generation core i5 or i7 chip or you are just buying last year's technology. The Core i7-2600 is a killer CPU for the price if you want to be future proofed for at least the next few years. http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-2600+%40+3.40GHz http://www.engadget.com/photos/intel-core-2011-processor-details/#3731549 http://www.engadget.com/photos/intel-core-2011-processor-details/#3731551

 

I have been using a Dell Inspiron for the last few months. The wife got tired of the tower sitting on the desk and wires all over. 21.5 touch screen, great resolution, adequate sound. Comes with DVD burner lots of usb ports and HDMI in. Wireless mouse and keyboard are included. I think it was 600 so you could buy several of them vs. an Apple. I forget it is touch screen so usually don't touch it. Oh, it has great voice commands and internal web cam. I can say "start listening" Once it listening, I can say "open Google Chrome" and it does it, or "open start menu" or dictate of course. Face recognition log in. The webcam learns your face and wakes from sleeping when it sees you. I find it interesting that Macs biggest claim to fame with 4% of the market is that it will run Windows. For that and a bit more speed we pay 250% more for one. My PC I dumped was still running. I built it in 2006. My wife is still using a Compaq notebook with an external LCD monitor bought in 2005. My Dell Production tablet is an 07 model that travels with me. I have a terabyte external drive that backs up every week. If I get a few years out of a PC (continuing the assumption it is not as good) and simply throw away the PC if it fails or falters buying another. About 5-7 years down the road I paid the same as for a MAC. Now who sits with an old Mac? The tech curve pushed their products too. The PC is clearly the bang for the buck. My Mac owner friends don't keep their stuff for 5-7 years, they buy the new thing. As a matter of fact they stand on line with the rest of the cult for the first day release of everything Apple.