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AMD unveils a liquid-cooled version of the Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU
It appears to have a memory bandwidth increase from the standard version of the graphics card.
HP’s latest all-in-one comes with AI noise reduction
The EliteOne 800 G8 has a sleek design and an optional pop-up webcam.
The iMac Pro puts a darker spin on a familiar design
The cylindrical Mac Pro was a gorgeous feat of engineering, but that beautiful design also made it tough for Apple to update it regularly with fresh components. No wonder Apple essentially ditched it -- with the newly announced iMac Pro, the company squeezed seriously high-end components into a familiar body. The company has gone as far as calling it the "most powerful Mac" ever, which seems at odds with the iMac Pro's classic, consumer-friendly aesthetic. After all, aside from the space gray finish, the iMac Pro looks a lot like a machine that would set you back less than $2,000.
Microsoft's Surface Studio proves desktops can still be cool
The most interesting computer released this year isn't an ultrathin laptop. It's a desktop made by Microsoft. Seriously. The Surface Studio is Microsoft's bigger and bolder follow-up to its Surface hybrid laptops. And while it might look at first like a typical all-in-one, it hides a unique ability. Give the screen a bit of a nudge and it starts bending -- all the way down to a 20-degree angle, in fact. Try doing that with an iMac. Like Microsoft's previous Surface devices, the $3,000 Studio is an attempt at evolving how we use computers. And together with the new Surface Dial accessory, it might just be the powerful modern rig creative professionals have been waiting for. But of course, there are a few first-gen stumbling blocks to deal with.
Surface Studio is Microsoft's first all-in-one desktop
As rumors suggested it would, Microsoft unveiled a new all-in-one PC today at its "Imagine What You'll Do" event in New York. The Surface Studio, as it's called, is a gorgeous desktop that rivals the iMac, while adding various design and software features you won't find on Apple's system. On stage today, Surface chief Panos Panay said the Studio is built for creators and professionals. For starters, it features a 28-inch, 12.5mm thin touchscreen that's capable of pushing 13.5 million pixels -- 63 percent more than a 4K display. Of course, Surface Studio is powered by Windows 10, and Panay says it's designed to work seamlessly with the upcoming Creators Update.
Lenovo unveils two compact, VR-ready desktop gaming PCs
Desktop PCs are becoming a tough sell, thanks to rival laptops with NVIDIA mobile graphics chips nearly as powerful as desktop graphics cards. That's perhaps why Lenovo launched a couple of oddball Windows 10 desktop models at Gamescom that emphasize portability and gaming power. The first is the IdeaCenter Y710 Cube, a compact, handle-equipped model that, we can't help but notice, slightly resembles a killer robot.
Smart projector aims to bring the big screen home wirelessly
There's nothing better than a projector in your living room for movie fans. But for many people, setting one up isn't exactly easy (though it's doable if you put in the effort). There's complicated wiring to deal with, and they're also pretty bulky. French startup AV Concept Products is hoping to solve these issues with the All in One HC (AIO), its new Android-powered smart projector. It's fairly slim, it can spit out a decent 720p image (yes, a 1080p version is in the works) with 1,000 lumens in a brightly lit event space, and it supports AirHDMI, which lets you transmit video from any device with an HDMI port. The big problem? The company is currently targeting a $1,499 price for the AIO, though you can snag one via Indiegogo for $999 and $1,299 at the moment. Those are all pretty steep prices for a projector without 1080p, but AV Concept Products tells us it's also working on a subscription plan to ease the pain. It's hoping to raise $50,000 in its crowdfunding campaign over the next 35 days.
Acer makes its new all-in-one portable by adding a battery
With the PC market dwindling and Microsoft itself now providing some of the best Windows 10 models (like the powerful Surface Book convertible), third-party OEMs have to do something to stand out. That's perhaps why Acer has decided to put an internal battery in its 17.3-inch Aspire Z3-700 all-in-one (AIO) to make it more roadworthy. It's not the first AIO to do this trick -- Dell's hybrid XPS 18 did it a couple years ago, and Lenovo's 27-inch Horizon 2 takes the idea to the extreme. The Z3-700 is one of the lightest and longest lasting we've seen at 2-kilograms (4.4 pounds), though. That suggests it's more a big tablet than an AIO, but Acer says the dual kickstand and 1080p, 10-point multi-touch screen also make it a worthy desktop PC.
Acer's all-in-one has Intel's latest chips and depth camera
Laptops are the biggest winners with Intel's less power-hungry Skylake chips, but desktop computers do get some perks. Acer has just launched the U5-710, a new all-in-one (AIO), that uses the new CPUs along with Intel RealSense cameras. The high-end Aspire U (U5-710) model gets the latest Core i5 or i7 sixth-generation desktop chips, most of which have four cores and a modest performance bump over the earlier Haswell models. They do use slightly less juice, however, and support up to 16GB of faster (and pricier) DDR4 RAM.
Dell unveils a range of affordable PCs ahead of Windows 10
While Dell managed to surprise us with its rather handsome XPS 15 -- the sibling of the thin-bezel XPS 13 laptop -- at Computex, it's also bringing us a range of both new and refreshed models ahead of the Windows 10 launch. Starting off with the headliner, we have the Inspiron 15 7000 series laptop (pictured above) that runs on Intel's quad-core Core i7H chip, and it's garnished with Waves MaxxAudio enhancement plus a "performance class" NVIDIA graphics processor with 4GB of GDDR5 memory, so you'll get some good gaming action on it. Most importantly, the machine's 15-inch FHD display has an optional 4K touchscreen upgrade that looks stunning, though it isn't clear as to how long that 74WHr battery can last for. The price? All we know so far is that it'll start from 5,999 yuan or about $970 when it launches in China on August 7th.
ASUS' fancy all-in-one packs a 3D camera and speedy USB 3.1
PCs with integrated Intel RealSense are still hard to come by these days, so excuse us for getting a little excited with this new ASUS all-in-one. Specifically, it's the 23.8-inch Zen AiO (Z240IC) that comes with said 3D camera technology, which offers gesture control and 3D face recognition (for authentication); but you can also go for the smaller 21.5-inch Z220IC variant if you don't mind missing out on RealSense. Similar to the iMac, the Zen AiO consists of an aluminum unibody that tapers to 6mm-thick edges; though it's gone with the "subtle Icicle Gold" as its flagship color, and finished with horizontal brushed lines on the back. ASUS' iconic concentric-circle brush pattern can also be found on the chin below the screen.
Which all-in-one desktops are worth buying?
As laptops continue to become more powerful, there's still plenty of room for an all-in-one desktop in your life. Their slim profile makes them a bit more desk- or living room-friendly than a typical tower PC, while the large built-in screen is great for getting work done or watching a movie. To help you decide which units are worthy enough to grace your office or den, we've taken a look at reviews from trusted critics to find systems that can handle a variety of tasks, including editing documents, watching movies and even some hardcore gaming. Check out the gallery below to see five of the better all-in-one desktops available now, as well as one we'd rather you didn't buy.
IRL: A 24-inch AOC monitor that doubles as a gigantic Android tablet
What can you do with 24 inches of Jelly Bean that you can't do with 10? Manufacturers like Acer, Asus and ViewSonic have been building oversized Android-powered devices for a couple years now; I was determined to find out why, so I spent a few weeks with AOC's own all-in-one. The hybrid external monitor will run you $370 on Amazon -- more than twice what you'll pay for a comparable 1080p screen -- but this pricier model adds stock Android 4.2.2 with a touchscreen interface. With the tap of a button, the integrated quad-core processor and eight gigs of storage spring into action, effectively converting this otherwise ordinary monitor into a complete Android-powered machine. There's even an integrated 720p webcam, and with stock Jelly Bean on board, you can install whatever apps you'd like from Google Play.
ASUS' 20-inch 'portable' all-in-one PC has gesture controls and a carrying handle
"Portable" can mean different things to different people, and ASUS is also severely stretching the definition of the word with its new 20-inch all-in-one PC. The built-in battery will apparently go the distance, as long as said distance takes five hours, while a fold-out handle ledge offers a way to carry it without getting finger smudges on the screen. The unit weighs in at 3.2kg, and when we gingerly picked it up to carry, we were left wishing for a handle that was a little more substantial.
Dell's new Inspiron 20 is a giant tablet for work and play
Dell's new all-in-one is a sleek option that can travel with you from room to room. Starting at $450 (or $350 without touch), the Inspiron 20 (3000 Series) is by no means a high-end product, but its thin design and adjustable stand make it attractive as a family PC for group movie-watching sessions and the like.
Aio Wireless takes a cue from Sprint's Framily plan with new group discounts
Cheesy moniker aside, Sprint's newly minted Framily plan is not one to be ignored. It allows you to save money by sharing an account with, well, friends and family, all while being billed separately on up to 10 lines. Following in similar footsteps, AT&T's prepaid subsidiary Aio Wireless has now announced Group Save, which allows users to get a maximum monthly discount of $90 per account. It's simple, really: the more lines you add, the more cash you save every month on your bill total, not per line. With Aio's Group Save, you can have up to five lines; the first two get you a $10 discount, while lines number three, four and five knock off $30, $60 and $90 per month, respectively.
Intel flaunts 8-core Extreme Edition Haswell with support for DDR4 memory
Since Intel's next Haswell chips are aimed squarely at enthusiasts, what better place to unveil them than at the Game Developer's Conference? Aimed at power users, the 4th-gen Core-i7 Extreme Edition CPU will feature eight unlocked cores and 16 threads, trumping the last model's six cores. It'll also support the latest DDR4 memory standard for much higher transfer speeds and lower power drain than DDR3. Also arriving soon is an unlocked 4th-gen "Devil's Canyon" Core chip for overclockers and a "Black Brook" reference all-in-one PC packed with tech like the RealSense 3-D camera (see the video after the break). Finally, Intel revealed that its 5th-gen Broadwell 14-nanometer processors will be available unlocked and with Iris graphics. While those chips were delayed, the new 4th-gen CPUs will arrive in mid-2014 -- so it might be prudent to put off any upgrades. Update: Intel has informed us that the unlocked 4th-gen chips are code-named "Devil's Canyon," not the Extreme Edition CPU. We've updated the post to reflect that.
Court tells AT&T's Aio to put down the magenta in T-Mobile trademark case
Any interior decorator will tell you, there's a fine line between blush and bashful. Unfortunately for Aio Wireless, the same can't be said of plum and magenta -- at least not in a court of law. T-Mobile announced today that a Federal Court in Texas has ordered the AT&T subsidiary to stop using a "plum color as a central part of its trade dress," as it is "confusingly similar" to its own trademark magenta. According to court documents, T-Mobile claims the Plum in question, Pantone 676C, is so similar to its own Pantone Process Magenta that it "dilutes its strength and likely causes confusion among consumers." The court's preliminary injunction will prevent Aio from using large swaths of the offending plum color and "confusingly similar shades" in advertising, marketing and store design. T-Mobile brought the suit against the pre-paid carrier, which is owned by its competitor AT&T, last summer, just months after its initial launch. While the difference between plum and magenta may be evident to most, court documents show that AT&T's branding company raised concerns about the shade during a vetting process that included focuses groups and extensive consideration of other carriers' color schemes.
LG's 21.5-inch Chromebase all-in-one puts ChromeOS on the desktop
Besides Samsung's Chromebox series ChromeOS has appeared mostly on laptops, but now LG will put its new Chromebase up against Apple's iMac and Windows-based all-in-one desktop PCs. According to the spec sheet, that 21.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD hides an Intel Celeron CPU, 2GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD inside, along with an assortment of ports (including HDMI-in so you can use it as a monitor) in the back and on the sides. It won't compete with high-end PCs on horsepower or internal storage, but it's ready to play a part in Google's vision of network computers that run mostly web-based apps, are hassle free and require no real maintenance. We're not expecting to get Steam loaded on here, but when we're playing IT for relatives over the holiday something like this may seem like a better option. Without a pricetag it's hard to judge properly, so we'll look for that and more information -- including other devices that might use some of the Chrome-related trademarks that leaked in October --next month at CES.
ASUS ET2321 Haswell all-in-one flashes slim design, optional NVIDIA graphics
ASUS AiO PCs have run the gamut from pretty versatile, like the dual-boot Transformer AiO, to pretty functional like the articulating ET2300. But pretty, period? Perhaps not so much. That is not until a video of the above ET2321 popped up on the company's official YouTube channel. The short marketing clip emphasizes the slim styling as much as the 4th-generation Intel CPU and optional NVIDIA 740M or Iris graphics. The rest of the specs include a 23-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 IPS screen with a 178-degree viewing angle, Windows 8, SonicMaster audio tech with built-in speakers and 802.11ac WiFi. There's no sign of it yet on ASUS's site, but we'll have to assume the design tweaks are a direct response to the (visually) striking competition it faces in the all-in-one space.
