All in One desktop computers??????

[Fatman]

Dell has gone to hell!!!!!! Used to have one at home and always recommended them but the customer service and there computers have bit the big one.

Had them for years with my job and used to never have a problem - since we moved to the new building and all new systems they do nothing but break down, the hard drives fry for no reason and just in the last two weeks while folks were working on them 2 monitors just started smoking.

My laptop at home is a Toshiba and it's the best one I've ever had!!!!!!!! Few years ago a laptop couldn't do everything a desktop could do but not anymore - larger screens, hard drives just as large as a desktop, keyboards that are just like a desktop. I don't use the touchpad mouse - I have a wireless Logitech it has a small usb receiver and you have a regular mouse.

My Toshiba has a 320 gb hard drive and I have all of my CD's loaded on it and all my docs and pics and even with the space taken up by the operating programs I still have 285 gig left.

[Phantom309]

That's all built -in so you'll come back and get repairs/buy new stuff ........
Just like the autos,..... Welcome to the 21st century ........
They're all in it together, you're not gonna beat em .........
They make it a point to stay three steps ahead ..........

[papasage]

my neighbor buisness has one with the computer built into the screan . don`t know the brand or anything about it .

[heavyfoot]

CP,

Need to understand why she wants a DT computer, instead of a laptop or tablet? If her requirements meet a DT then I would say that the DT box has been a commodity now for about the last 8 years. All of the manufactures have basically the same development cycle, test plan, qualification of factories, same component and subassembly suppliers and measure the same quality parametrics on factory floor and in the field, same SPC charts. I would focus more on what software will be bundled with the purchase and what the warranty will be. Benchmark that data with the different DT companies.

I like the laptops and have a IBM ThinkPad. As you know you can attach a full size keyboard and flat screen to it. Also take the laptop with you on business trips and vacations , where you can't with the DT. What I really like now is my xmas gift of a Nook Tablet that cost $200.00. I can lay on the couch and watch TV and visit all my fishing websites and communicate with the kids on Facebook and download eBooks at over half the cover price of new hard cover books. Instead of setting at a computer table typing on a DT or laptop computer. DT's take up to much room on the computer table and if you get a stand alone on the floor if the box has the wrong air flow ( different with companies and models) they suck dust into the box and that causes early life failures.

So again, really important to understand why she wants a DT and focus on what software, terms and conditions of the SW and what the warranty is and where can you take the box when it's DOA? What's the turnaround time to fix? All the boxes are going to break. But what company do you have confidence in that will fix your box in an expediated manner and do it right the first time. Do they have a local repair center or do you have to mail it off to a repair depot in another state?

[Hanr3]

Couldnt tell you the last time I used my DT. Oh wait I lied, last time I used it was 3 years ago when I bought my Laptop.

Here I sit on the recliner watching tv and posting on Crappie.com.

[no1son]

Laptops don't stand up as well as desktops, either flat or tower. That being said I have a reconditioned ThinkPad that came with XP all for about $300 at MicroCenter. Close to having two years on it with out a spec of trouble. But I also still use the Pentium IIs once in a while, one with WIN98SE and the other with DOS 7, units I have had for over a decade now.

Be aware that there are better built business grade computers and there are home grade ones. For my money a used recent business grade unit is very likely to give a more solid performance for longe than a new home grade computer and cost a bunch less in the process and in many cases bundled with most of the software you will need.

You gotta go some to find a more consistently well built, durable computer than an IBM in the brand name units. And say what you want to I have yet to see a laptop as reliable from unit to unit as a ThinkPad.

[heavyfoot]

There are laptops sold in the consumer market, business application and military. The military being the most robust with the design improvements to strengthen the shock capabilities, water and debris penetration to name a few design enhancements from all PC and Mac manufactures.

If you did a analysis of the field return problems (warranty claims) and customer calls on the laptop market in North America benchmarking all manufactures. The results would be #1 Dropped laptop, #2 Liquid spills, #3 System board failures and 4# Hard Disc Drive failures (HDD). The field data is somewhat skewed by the fact that all PC and Mac manufactures compete for the market share of leased laptop computers to “Universities.”

So don’t drop the laptop and don’t spill your favorite beverage into it and you have a purchased a quality computer.

FYI, IBM PC division was sold to Lenovo Chinese Company on April 2005. I have heard of one IBM site now purchases laptops from Toshiba for their employees business use.

My IBM ThinkPad laptop and 3 DT models are all still operational today. Excellent quality, lean six sigma products.

[Charley41]

I quit buying form the big box stores. Check around for some one who builds a pc from the ground up. I have an Intel Pentium 7 processor in mine. I trade the futures market using two 37 inch monitors. At the same time I can surf the web and even watch the video. Extreme Speed. Cost 1300 to set up. In some case can use your old tower to build it. Also can check out Falcon Trading computers to get a feel of what i'm talking about.

[no1son]

I quit buying form the big box stores. Check around for some one who builds a pc from the ground up. I have an Intel Pentium 7 processor in mine. I trade the futures market using two 37 inch monitors. At the same time I can surf the web and even watch the video. Extreme Speed. Cost 1300 to set up. In some case can use your old tower to build it. Also can check out Falcon Trading computers to get a feel of what i'm talking about.

Excellent advise provided you get it from a reputable builder, preferably one who does this for business clients and has been around for a while. Just don't expect bargain basement prices. This is another case where when you go custom, you get what you pay for; so don't have the builder scrimp on bargain basement components. The best builders will probably refuse to do that anyway. $1300 is not bad at all for that kind of approach and what you got out of it. Very reasonable for a permanently located workstation with that sized monitors.

Anybody who has not run dual monitors will be amazed at how well that works. I have that at work, and would be lost without it there, since I set my background image on one of them to include references to frequently needed emergency procedures a nd contacts, and then work primarily in the other with only overflow processes into the second. 37" screens now that is a bit of overkill, but then with a TV card you get hi def TV, too.

[Cane Pole]

I got my wife an Apple all in one. She liked the little apple on the front and wanted it. It is a nice machine. No plastic.