William Maher04 December 2007, 1:01 AM
Is Dell's all-in-one PC an iMac-killer? More importantly, would you buy an all-in-one PC?
Dell’s new
XPS One could be the first Windows-based all-in-one PC to look like a viable alternative to the Apple iMac.
The 20-inch aluminium and glass system is on sale overseas, and offers built-in 802.11n WiFi, Intel’s E6550 Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM standard, 500GB HDD, memory card reader, HD TV tuner, and Blu-Ray in the top-of-the-line model.
 Dell's XPS One |
Early reviews are mixed – with some pointing to the Blu-Ray and card reader as giving Dell an edge over the iMac. Detractors point out the lack of full 1080p on the XPS One and sub-par benchmark results compared with the Apple.
One thing is clear: For enthusiasts wanting a home cinema with HDMI-out, this is not your machine. For one thing, the value’s probably better by building your own tower (though this misses the point of the all-in-one design). We’re also wondering if Dell will go larger on the screen, which at this stage trails Apple’s 24inch.
The new Dell is certainly no screamer, and the lack of upgradability and graphics power will hamper its appeal to enthusiasts and gamers. But as a desktop it’s got potential.
The big advantage is the simple one – space saving. And using the wireless keyboard and mouse, there’s only one cord to plug into the back.
Dell says its design goal was to combine elements of TV and PC function. It’s certainly a good option as a secondary screen for watching DVDs , Youtube clips or download DivX clips.
The XPS One also seems to have avoided the clunkiness that has plagued some of the other all-in-one PCs we’ve played with this year, including:
 HP's touchsmart PC |
HP’s promising TouchSmart PC, which offered a curious mix of walk-up kitchen notepad/calendar and family photo album/music player (great idea, but third party software integration wasn't allowed when we reviewed it).
 Sony Vaio L |
Then there's Sony’s luggable Vaio L Series "Panel PC", which is let down by a poorly tacked-on keyboard. We’ve read that the panel style is inspired by Sony’s Bravia televisions.
While comparisons with the iMac are hard to ignore (and the flame wars have begun in earnest), it’s hard to criticise Dell for this move. We’ve been waiting a long while for a good all-in-one system (why has it taken PC manufacturers this long to get it right?), and can’t wait to get our hands on the XPS One.