Key Points
- Our #1 choice for the best all-in-one computer is the Apple iMac with M1 Chip.
- When choosing an all-in-one computer, make sure you get one that has plenty of ports as well as enough RAM to last for years.
- All-in-one computers likely come with a keyboard and mouse, which means one less expense to consider.
If you’ve made the determination that a laptop simply isn’t for you, the next best thing might be an all-in-one PC. As a computer that saves desk space by combining all of its components into the same chassis as a screen, there is a lengthy list of great options to choose from. Not only will an all-in-one give you back some deskspace but it will also help limit the number of cables you need, which is a win for anyone who values desktop organization.
Let’s take a look at the best all-in-one computers available on Earth today.
- Best Overall: Apple iMac All-in-One with M1 Chip
- Best on a Budget: HP All-in-One
- Best for Families: HP Chromebase All-in-One Desktop
- Best for Gaming: HP Envy All-in-One
- Best for Creators: Microsoft Surface Studio 2
- Best Value: Dell Inspiron 24
#1 Best Overall: Apple iMac All-in-One with M1 Chip
- Supercharged with the Apple M1 processor which means exceptional performance
- Available in seven vibrant colors including a color-matched mouse and keyboard
- Offers a cinematic 24-inch 4K display with support for more than one billion colors
- Equipped with a 256GB SSD standard, can upgrade up to 1TB of storage
When it comes to outstanding hardware and software performance, the Apple iMac All-in-One with M1 Chip is hard to beat.
Apple’s decision to build its own processors resulted in the M1 chip, which has defied all belief about just how far Apple can push its iMac hardware. Considerably faster than previous Intel iMac models, the iMac with M1 can multitask like a pro thanks to the power of its 8-core CPU and 8GB of RAM. Add in a 256GB of storage and you have plenty of space to download files, movies, music, and more. Apple has also seen fit to include an HD 1080p FaceTime camera for significantly improved video calls.
Available in seven different colors, the 24-inch iMac not only comes with a colored monitor/desktop combo, but the keyboard and Magic Mouse both arrive in the same color variant.
Speaking of color, the 24-inch 4.5K display features 500 nits of brightness and support for more than one billion colors, all of which look vibrant and crisp. Last but certainly not least, are the seven various Thunderbolt/USB-C ports as well as the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best-in-class performance | Only runs macOS |
| Excellent operating system |
Check out the Apple iMac All-in-One with M1 Chip on Amazon.
Best on a Budget: HP All-in-One
- Powered by AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor
- 21.5-inch FHD display
- Included AMD Radeon Graphics
- Integrated 720p True Vision privacy camera
Available for just over $500, the HP All-in-One PC is a terrific choice for anyone wanting to save both space and money.
Don’t let the small size of the 21.5-inch screen fool you as the Full HD micro-edge display on the HP pops with vibrant colors. Helping to power the computer is an AMD Ryzen 3 processor that can more than handle everyday tasks like web browsing, watching movies, or even creating a few PowerPoints as well. The inclusion of an AMD Radeon GPU won’t provide enough power for AAA games, but you can certainly download and play plenty of gaming titles during your downtime.
Helping with HP’s performance is 8GB of RAM as well as 256GB of SSD storage. Performance aside, you can also stay connected with friends and family thanks to the HP True Vision 720p HD privacy camera. On the rear of the computer are four USB 2.0 ports, as well as one HDMI port and a headphone jack. The exclusion of USB-C is a miss but a necessary compromise given the price-to-performance ratio the HP All-in-One puts out.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Strong performance for the price | The screen might be too small for someone |
| Includes plenty of ports and a front-facing camera | Cannot upgrade RAM |
Check out the HP All-in-One on Amazon.
Best for Families: HP Chromebase All-in-One Desktop
- 21.5-inch full HD rotating screen
- Powered by an Intel Gold 6405U processor
- 4GB RAM and 128 GB SSD
- Runs on Chrome OS
Another standout all-in-one option from HP, the HP Chromebase All-in-One Desktop is a terrific choice for families looking for a shared computer.
Instead of Windows 11, the HP Chromebase is powered by ChromeOS, which helps reduce the cost and overall power needs. Instead of the latest Intel processors needed to really give Windows 11 a boost, the HP Chromebase opts for an Intel Pentium 6405U processor paired with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The power is more than enough to get through all of your browsing needs as well as utilize apps from the Google Play Store to boost your productivity and game selection.
The 21.5-inch Full HD rotating screen is great for quickly shifting between homework and entertainment. Plus, you get 178 degrees worth of viewing angles so it’s easy for both a parent and child to see the homework on screen.
As an added bonus, Google Assistant is built right in, which ensures the whole family is going to have fun shouting out voice commands. When you are done yelling “Hey Google,” you can turn the Chromebase around and find four USB-A ports, Ethernet, and dual USB-C ports for connecting a multitude of peripherals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Terrific for families who just need the basics | ChromeOS isn’t for everyone |
| The rotating screen is fun to use | Voice assistance can get old quickly |
Check out the HP Chromebase All-in-One Desktop on Amazon.
Best for Gaming: HP Envy All-in-One
- Built-in NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics with 6GB of dedicated memory
- NVIDIA Max-Q technology delivers Ray Tracing cores
- 34-inch 5,120 x 2,160p resolution display
- 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD
While all-in-one computers may not be known for their gaming prowess, the HP Envy All-in-One is here to change your mind about what these machines can do.
Between its beautifully large and vibrant 34-inch IPS display and dedicated GPU, the HP Envy is here to play, literally. Available with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 6GB of dedicated RAM and an 11th generation Intel Core i7 Processor with its own 32GB of RAM, the HP Envy has plenty of horsepower under its hood.
As a gamer with the HP Envy, expect to have ray tracing delivered thanks to the high-speed memory so games look their absolute best at every turn. The 5,120 x 2,160p resolution on the 34-inch screen gives you plenty of space with which to use ray tracing and the high-performance GPU.
Gaming aside, the HP Envy delivers all of the power you need for work and you can expect to multitask between Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word without the Envy skipping a beat. The rear of the computer is filled with enough ports to plug in just about anything you can think of, including two additional 4K displays to create one very large surface area for gaming.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very large monitor offers plenty of workspace | Might be too large for some desks |
| Plenty of ports to connect peripherals | Pricey |
Check out the HP Envy All-in-One on Amazon.
Best for Creators: Microsoft Surface Studio 2
- 28-inch PixelSense Display with 13.5 million colors
- Tilt the display up to 20 degrees down in studio mode
- Power Intel Core i7 processor
- NVIDIA GeForce GPU
For content creators looking for the best Windows-based all-in-one, there is no better option than the Microsoft Surface Studio 2.
Powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and paired with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, it’s no surprise the Studio 2 commands a price tag of just under $4,000. What you get for the price is a 28-inch PixelSense display that offers 13.5 million pixels, which display some of the best true-to-life colors ever found on a home computer.
If the display wasn’t impressive enough, the Surface Studio 2 really shines with how well it adapts to creator needs. For creators, the ability to work at either a 20-degree angle in studio mode or position the monitor upright in full desktop mode allows for plenty of flexibility. The ability to draw with the Surface Pen is yet another way the Surface shines, especially when it’s down at its 20-degree angle. Given the lack of options in the all-in-one space that work with a stylus, the Surface Studio 2 shines.
In fact, bringing big ideas to life with the Microsoft Surface Studio 2 is exactly what this computer is all about and you have enough power to run just about every application you think of. Whether it’s Photoshop or dedicated video editing software, you can throw it all at this machine and the Studio 2 will just smile and keep working.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Adaptable use cases are incredibly flexible | Might be too pricey for some creators |
| Can use Surface Pen to write on the screen | Not everyone needs a tilting computer |
Take a look at the Microsoft Surface Studio 2 on Amazon today.
Best Value: Dell Inspiron 24
- Intel Core i5 processor with 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD
- 23.8-inch FHD 1,920 x 1,080 display
- Windows 11
- Attached soundbar beneath display
As soon as you need a great all-in-one computer that offers outstanding performance at a great value, the Dell Inspiron 24 is the answer.
Running hardware with an 11th generation Intel i5 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, the Dell is a prime example of how you can get a lot of computer for not a lot of money. The 23.8-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080p) infinity touchscreen is the icing on the cake as this computer shows off bright and vibrant colors that pop as soon as you turn it on. The addition of Intel Iris XE graphics won’t enable you to play the latest AAA games, but it gives you enough power to handle light photo and video editing.
Adding to the Dell Inspiron 24’s value, the computer includes Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, three USB 3.1 ports, as well as a single USB-C port. You also get a compatible keyboard and mouse included, which is yet another reason why the Dell Inspiron 24 is a big winner in the value category of all-in-one computers.
Best of all, the Dell has one hidden surprise with a forward-firing soundbar right underneath the monitor. By adding this soundbar, the Dell Inspiron 24 arguably offers the best audio experience you can find on any all-in-one machine at this price point.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Awesome sound system | Only includes one USB-C port |
| Good enough graphics for light gaming | Needs to be purchased on a sale |
Check out the Dell Inspiron 24 on Amazon today.
©Jack Skeens/Shutterstock.com
What to Know Before Buying an All-in-One Computer
As soon as you start shopping for an all-in-one computer, you need to consider a few important factors before making a purchase. First and foremost is that all-in-one PCs and Macs come in different shapes and sizes. Because of the varied options, you can expect a range of prices depending on internal components, screen size, or the number of ports as well as what you want to do with the computer.
For example, in the case of the HP Chromebase, it’s perfect for students and families who really just need a web browser. On the other hand, the HP Envy is overkill for anyone who just wants to surf the web and work on a PowerPoint every now and then. Making a determination as to what you think you will do with an all-in-one computer is the best way to determine which computer is going to be right for you. If you are not going to take full advantage of the hardware or larger screen size, buy something less expensive and smaller.
Also worth noting for any all-in-one computer is that while you are buying this type of computer to save space, how much space is dependent on which computer you choose. For example, the HP Envy with its 34-inch monitor is going to take up much more space than the Dell Inspiron 24.
Using an All-in-One Computer: What It’s Like
Compared to a laptop, an all-in-one isn’t as portable but only takes up slightly more room depending on which all-in-one you choose. When compared to a desktop with a separate monitor and hardware that holds the CPU, GPU, motherboard, hard drive, etc., you get back a ton more space and that’s a great thing.
Using an AIO isn’t unlike any other computer, it’s just the hardware construction that’s different. You can take up a similar amount of space as an AIO by picking up a laptop, but you’ll be sacrificing screen size and now have to concern yourself with battery life management.
Ultimately, using an all-in-one is a great experience if you want just one piece of hardware for all of your computing needs. As this type of computer is no more expensive than a laptop or desktop, an all-in-one can make for a great investment.
Summary Table
| Rank | All-in-One Computer |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | Apple iMac with M1 Chip |
| Best on a Budget | HP All-in-One |
| Best for Families | HP Chromebase |
| Best for Gaming | HP Envy |
| Best for Creators | Microsoft Surface Studio 2 |
| Best Value | Dell Inspiron 24 |
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Mr.Mikla/Shutterstock.com.
