Ever have trouble with the amount of space a bulky PC takes up? An all-in-one (AIO) computer can be the answer to your prayers. These machines have sleek designs that reduce clutter on your desk and on your floor as the PC itself is built into the monitor. Outside of the convenience of these machines, are all-in-one gaming PCs a good alternative to playing games on a dedicated tower gaming pc?
We’ll take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of the all-in-one PCs, some of the current machines to consider and if they can really handle the latest performance pushing game releases.
What makes an all-in-one PC great
One of the biggest appeals of an all-in-one PC is how simple it is to set-up. Not everyone is into PC building and either gets a friend to do it for them or simply pays someone who makes it their business. AIO PCs make set-up simple, it’s as easy as plugging the machine in and turning it on. There’s no need to hunt for all the necessary specifications as it all comes pre-built which can be a huge relief to some.
They usually come with a bunch of peripherals you would need to buy separately like a keyboard and mouse. Unlike a desktop PC, some AIO monitors come with a touchscreen (like the Lenovo IdeaCentre and Surface Studio 2) which offers you more control options than a standard PC. Plus the monitors of these machines come with built in cameras which can be handy for work-related video calls or even streaming games online.
Many even use their AIO PC as a replacement for a TV in their bedroom. As a lot of TV viewing has migrated to online apps like Netflix and even BBC iPlayer, the high resolution screens make for great film and TV viewing. The HDMI ports means you can plug in video game consoles to expand the range of games you can play on your machine. Ultimately, an AIO PC can be a great choice if you’re new to PC culture and want to try out some of its exclusive games.
Drawbacks to an all-in-one PC
It must be stated, AIO PCs are not always manufactured with gaming in mind. It’s biggest issue is one that’s familiar to those who’ve owned a gaming laptop: the machine isn’t upgradable. As games continue to push the performance of PCs, you won’t be able to upgrade as a lot of these machines have an integrated GPU and even ones that have a dedicated GPU aren’t built to be replaced. The most you’ll be able to replace is the RAM which may help frame rates in-game but won’t always make a world of difference when trying to run the latest AAA game.
At the end of the day, an all-in one PC is built for a general audience rather than a niche set of PC gamers. Their slim design makes it hard to justify adding in bulky graphics cards to appeal to this market. That isn’t to say it can’t be done as many AIO PCs have similar specs to gaming laptops, you only lose the upgradability that a tower desktop PC affords you in the long run.
The best all-in one PC’s for gaming
So we know it’s possible to have a good gaming experience on an all-in one PC, but to what extent can current machines play the latest games?
Surface Studio 2
Taking a look at Microsoft’s Surface Studio 2 can make it seem like it’s a dedicated gaming machine. It comes with either a NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB or 1070 8GB with a good amount of RAM at 16GB or 32GB. These specs can have you running AAA games with a steady 60fps. However, you can run into issues with its display. It’s 4500 x 3000 resolution is uncommon for most games so you’ll be troubleshooting what in-game resolution will work and still look good. Plus it’s 3:2 aspect ratio can cause black bars at the side of the screen with a game like Overwatch which requires a 16:9 aspect ratio. While these shortcomings can hinder certain games, the Surface Studio 2 is more than capable of handling some of the best games of the last few years.
Dell Inspiron 27 7000
This AIO is a sleek 4K monitor with an immersive sound system and an articulating stand so you can position the monitor to what feels natural to you. For gaming it has options for upgradable RAM from 4GB to 16GB with an Intel Iris XE built into the CPU. This means it isn’t quite capable of running the latest games but if you have more of an interest in indie titles and retro games you should have no trouble. This is a machine that comes cheaper than some of the others but at a real cost if you’re looking to do any kind of serious PC gaming.
iMac (M1, 2021)
While not the perfect machine for gaming, the iMac can make a good choice for a more casual gamer. The most impressive thing about Apple’s AIO is it’s 24 inch 4.5K screen with a high refresh rate that can reach a max of 120fps. The RAM can be configured from 8GB to 16GB and the GPU is Apple’s custom M1 processor that improves performance on a Mac beyond that of previous Macs. Problem being that not every game is compatible with Macs in the first place which can limit the number of games you can play although this isn’t much of a problem if you use cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Playstation Now. The iMac can be a good choice for PC gaming but not one that offers you all that PC gaming has to offer.
Should you invest in an all-in-one PC?
An AIO PC can give you a decent gaming experience but they aren’t dedicated gaming machines. They’re also very expensive which can be disappointing when you want to play games on them. Gaming laptops are generally the better option with similar specs but with some additions that boost performance and cater more to the gaming community. However, if you have an AIO PC don’t be afraid to download some games and see what they’re capable of. You may be surprised!
All-In-One Gaming PCs: What’s The Hype?
All-in-one PC’s are sleek and expensive pieces of hardware that reduce clutter on your desk but how good are they for gaming? Read on to find out.
Author Bio: James Sayers has a passion for writing on media such as music, film and video games. He works at Tillison Consulting as an SEO Campaign Manager working on blog content and SEO improvements for clients
