All-in-One computers VS desktops are the most challenging comparison. To understand which one is the best, you have to identify each computer’s key features and performance. Let us start with the definition; All-in-One computers have the display screen and other components on one unit but still occupy a desktop space.

On the other hand, desktop computers have a computer system unit and a separate display screen. So the main difference is the number of computer components. The All-in-One computers have their components compressed into one unit, making them smaller than desktops.

All-in-One computers VS desktops begin with the history of the display monitors. In the past, desktops had huge monitors with cathode ray tubes. Then came the LCD flat-screen technology, which had better display and comfort. Soon and very soon, Apple started to integrate the computer system unit in the monitor creating the All-in-One computers.

The first All-in-One computer was the iMac from Apple that had the system unit below the cathode ray tubes in the monitor. Moreover, there are LCD monitors with the system immediately behind the display screen. The mouse and the keyboard are the only peripheral devices from an All-in-One computer.

In this article, you will get the positive features and negative characteristics of All-in-One computers, and you will decide if they are better than desktops. But you should note that desktops are more powerful than All-in-One computers. This is because All-in-One computers have smaller components like laptops hence less power and performance.

Why You Should Get All-in-One computers

They Save On Desk Space

Of course, All-in-One computers are negligible due to the compressed components into one unit. They are compact enough to occupy busy but small office spaces. This compact design has made this computer suitable for offices because one desk can serve several employees. As time moves, All-in-One computers are continuing to be slim.

Excellent Display Monitors

Many manufacturing companies are coming up with better displays for All-in-One computers every day. Some displays are larger with various control features than monitors on desktops. They have excellent resolution and brightness adjustment features. Some displays have automatic brightness adjustment depending on the amount of light in the room. You may be interested in this post also: Are Hard Mouse Pads Good For Gaming?

Easy to Clean and Maintain

All-in-One computers are compact have only two peripheral devices that make them easy to clean and maintain. Simply take a rag and wipe the screen or use a blowing machine to remove accumulated dust and dirt. But desktop computers have many units and connecting cables that make them complex to clean.

Desktops occupy a lot of space, forcing you to place the system unit on the floor. The system unit can quickly accumulate dust and water while on the floor. Making it hard to maintain and in the end, they have a short useful life than All-in-One computers. You will pay more for the cleaning labor and insurance premiums with desktops.

Save Electric Power

Energy cost is the main reason many commercial offices and residential homes are switching to All-in-One computers. Desktops have two different systems that both consume good amount of power. Furthermore, the system unit has huge rotating fans, hard drives, and many other power-consuming parts. Nevertheless, the monitor has a separate plug-in that takes in power.

Desktops have also led to secondary power costs. For example, desktops produce much heat, forcing users to turn on the AC unit hence more power consumption. All-in-One computers are energy efficient with a single power supply unit, and the computer is ready to work.

They are Semi-portable

All-in-One computers are not fully portable like laptops but are semi-portable. When you compare the portability of All-in-One computers VS desktops, you can see a big difference. Just unplug the power cable and carry your computer to another room or office. They are more lightweight than bulky desktops. Desktops require about three boxes to carry one computer.

Some companies have come up with All-in-One computers with an internal battery. The internal battery can help you switch rooms even without turning off the computer. Remember to carry along your mouse and keyboard.

Touch Screen and Excellent Web Camera

The All-in-One computers are like smartphones on your desk with the current technology. They come with a touch screen feature that is helpful in times of hurry. When the touch screen and internal battery are in place, you can move to another room without the keyboard and mouse. Desktops have rigid monitors that only display what is happening in the system unit.

When you look at All-in-One computers VS desktops, you will notice a web camera on All-in-One computers. The COVID-19 pandemic has made many people work from home, and a web camera is an essential part of a computer. They have an in-built web camera with perfect pixels for clear video calls and Zoom meetings.

Less Cable Connectivity

Most All-in-One computers have wireless connectivity, starting with peripheral devices. The mouse and the keyboard are wireless, making fewer cables on the desk. Many cables in a busy office can lead to accidents and the destruction of property. Desktops have many cables, from the power cables to the display cables and peripheral devices like scanners and printers.

Moreover, other wireless connectivity are the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features on the All-in-One computers. Consequently, Apple has released an All-in-One computer that can accept a SIM card and use a cellular data network to access the internet.

Internal Speakers and TV Tuner

All-in-One computers have internal speakers as a compressed part of the computer. These speakers are not super loud, but they are audible enough for a human ear. Most desktops have external speakers that make the whole system bulky and full of cables.

All-in-One computers can have the TV tuner feature that makes your machine a multipurpose item. You can use it as a computer or switch on the tuner and use it as a TV. However, such All-in-One computers are costly, or you can order a custom made.

They Look Attractive

Generally, All-in-One computers look beautiful on the desk. They have excellent color that is smooth for office use—and also come in different styles and designs that bring in the fantastic finishing. Some are curved, creating a double screen suitable for typing re-writes. Most desktops have old fashion monitors with dull colors.

The Down Side Of All-in-One computers

They are Very Expensive

The extra features listed above, like the excellent display, Bluetooth, touch screen, and many more, do not come cheap. All those features are part of the purchase price of the computer. Most All-in-One computers are manufactured and branded by a single company making them very expensive.

You can buy separate parts from different companies and assemble which is cheaper by a reasonable amount for desktops.

Hard to Upgrade

In the world of technology, nothing stays in fashion forever. All-in-One computers have compact parts that are hard to replace with a new up-to-date part. This limitation has made many All-in-One computer users stay with outdated machines with slow processors and motherboards. Do not forget they are expensive to purchase.

Economists recommend you purchase the desktop and use the extra money to upgrade your computer. Desktops have huge parts which you can easily change. You can change the memory, hard drives, processor, or the whole motherboard to the latest versions. And desktops have extra slots for hard drives hence more storage space.

Hard to Repair

All-in-One computers are hard to repair because the hardware inside is compact and soldered close together. Other parts are unreachable and require special tools and expert skills to repair. Desktops have adequate space and are easy to repair faulty parts at home. Sometimes opening up an All-in-One computer can be against the warranty.

The compact hardware in the All-in-One computers is closely related, and you can easily damage another part while repairing a simple fault. For example, you can easily damage the display while repairing the USB port. Furthermore, it is harder to get spare parts for All-in-One computers than desktops.

The best way to repair an all-in-one computer is to send it to the manufacturer, which is time-consuming. This is why many users end up disposing of them as damaged goods. This limitation has made insurance companies increase the cost of covers for such computers.

Less Power

When comparing the operating power for All-in-One computers VS desktops, desktops come out as the best computers. All-in-One computers have compact parts like laptops, and essential parts for power are always left out. They are not suitable for gaming because of their less powerful processors and memories which are also impossible to upgrade.

Overheating and Limited Ports

All-in-One computers have little to no internal space, creating zero airflows, hence overheating. It is not easy to notice overheating, but after five years of continuous use, your All-in-One computer will start to crash down due to overheating. Overheating is the reason All-in-One computers have a short lifespan.

All-in-One computers have few ports because of their compact nature. On the other side, desktops have many ports for peripheral devices, external storage devices, or other devices like phones and tablets.

How to Deep Clean Desktop Computers

Do you want your desktop to have a maximum useful life? Then do a periodic internal cleaning. Desktops have a lot of space in the system unit, so you can easily separate the parts and clean them separately.

Dust and sometimes cobwebs accumulate on essential parts like the fan and processors, limiting the cooling effect. Internal cleaning will take your computer back to the original high-speed machine. The heat sink on the processor and the processor fan need good concentration while cleaning. Here is how to do it perfectly.

Step One

Switch off your computer, unplug it from the power supply, and place the system on a clean and free table. Then open the case.

Step Two

Take a can of compressed air and do a general dust removal with the air bursts. Ensure you maintain a safe distance of about two inches so that the bursts of air do not damage the motherboard, RAM, processor, and graphic cards.

Step Three

Next is to clean the fans. Gently hold the fan with your finger and use the compressed air to remove the dust. Ensure the fan does not rotate, or else the compressed sir can break fan blades. Then deep cotton wool in alcohol and wipe the fan blades to remove stubborn stains. Please note the blades are very delicate and need gentle handling.

Step Four

It is time to clean the power supply unit, and this is the unit where you fix the power supply cable. Blast the unit with compressed air to remove accumulated dust. The power supply unit has an air filter that holds back excess dust and fur. So ensure you also clean the air filter, or you can remove it and clean it on the floor.

Step Five

Cleaning the heat sink is the challenging part of internal cleaning a desktop. The heat sink is found directly on top of the processor. First, use compressed air to remove the dust on the fan and the heat sink. Remove the heat sink from the processor and use step three above to clean the fan and around the heat sink.

Step Six

When you remove the heat sink, you will see some paste on the processor. This paste is the thermal grease that also helps to cool the processor. Apply some isopropyl alcohol on a piece of dry cloth and gently wipe off the thermal grease from the processor. Remember also to wipe the downside of the heat sink. Apply a fresh thermal grease and reattach the heat sink.

Step Seven

Lastly, blast compressed air in the ports to remove dust and wipe all other exterior parts with alcohol. Do not use water while cleaning your computer because it can cause rusting and take longer to dry up. Wipe all the connecting cables and peripheral devices. Also, blast the monitor and wipe it with alcohol. Now reassemble your clean desktop computer.

Final Thoughts

All-in-One computers VS desktops is a tricky topic because both have positive and negative features. So the decision depends on your desired outcome. For example, if you want to save desk space and energy costs, choose All-in-One computers. But if you want more performance power and ease to repair or upgrade, choose desktops.

Take a piece of paper and list down all desired features and results you want from your computer. Draw a T-table of All-in-One computers VS desktops, then fill in your desired outcomes and features appropriately. Go and buy a computer from the T-table that will give you at least 70% of your desires. Get to learn Windows VS Mac here.