All In One Computer Vs Desktop: Pros, Cons, Better to Buy

It used to be easier. And it’s not about green grass or young years. You could choose a computer for home or work tasks in just a couple of minutes. There wasn’t much choice. No laptops, all-in-ones, nettops, tablets, or other obscure terms for you. I had a bulky stationary PC, one monitor from which took up a quarter of the room, and so they were happy. But such systems and half of those tasks could not be performed by modern computers.

The variety of the current form factors of a computer sometimes presents a choice: All In One Computer Vs Desktop. What’s best for home? In this article, we will look at the advantages of both options, and in the end, we will compare them with laptops.

Table of Contents

All In One Computer Vs Desktop

Monoblock a single device, monitor, and computer in one case. Unlike a laptop, it is designed for stationary use and is powered by the mains power supply, and not from the built-in battery. A monoblock does not require a lot of space for separate placement of the monitor and the system unit, as is the case with a traditional desktop (stationary PC).

Let’s take a closer look at what is the difference between an All In One Computer and a computer.

All-in-one design . Monoblock case includes LCD / LED display, motherboard, processor, storage, video chip, audio system. External peripherals are just keyboard and mouse.
Occupied space. This difference between All In One Computer and a computer follows from the previous paragraph. Since almost all the equipment is located in the small monoblock case, it is enough for it to allocate only a small table with space for the keyboard and mouse.
Built-in acoustics. There are, of course, monitors with built-in speakers, but this is rather an exception to the rule. For a desktop computer, you need to buy an external speaker system.
Limitations on the size of components. The body of monoblocks is not very thick. An outwardly neat device should accommodate many components. You have to sacrifice their size, which means performance. Therefore, you should not demand great computing power from the monoblock.
Selection of components. Assembling a Desktop opens up great opportunities for choosing components. When buying All In One Computer, you choose between the ready-made configurations offered by the manufacturer. On the other hand, you don’t worry about compatibility issues for all parts.
Upgrade options. Monoblocks and PCs offer completely different possibilities for improving the “hardware”. When buying All In One Computer, it is important to understand the pointlessness of excessive savings. It is better to overpay a little in order to extend the relevance of the device for several years, without having great prospects for an upgrade.
Appearance. The devices are very different in appearance. The All In One Computer does not have a large CPU, but it is somewhat thicker than the average monitor.
Touch control. Many monoblocks have a touchscreen display. It is difficult to regard this as an absolute advantage. Especially considering that the display here is much larger than that of a smartphone or tablet.
Price. The cost is also different. About this – at the end of the article.

Take a look at our guide how to setup 3 monitors on one computer?

All In One Computer Vs Desktop: Pros and Cons

To answer this question, you need to consider your use cases. What pros and cons of this or that solution will matter more to you?

We present a summary table of the pros and cons of the All In One Computer so that you can clearly assess the pros and cons of this form factor.

Pros

Great design All-in-one PC manufacturers pay special attention to the external aesthetics of such computers.
Compact dimensions without sacrificing display diagonal
Saving space in the room due to the absence of a Desktop PC.
Low power consumption
Few wires . You can do it with just one power cable
Built-in acoustics . It is often better than in laptops. Saves money for its owner if he does not need a more serious speaker system (with low frequencies)
Touch screen (subjective advantage)

Cons

Not designed for gaming. Those who like to spend their leisure time in games are better off abandoning such a purchase.
Low performance. To solve serious work tasks, you will have to think about purchasing an expensive All In One Computer or give preference to a PC
Heating under increased loads. The compact case is not always successfully cooled by the built-in cooling system
Impossibility of further upgrade, with the exception of RAM and storage
Impressive costs in the event of failure of one of the components. The “solidity” of internal units can become a serious problem for repair work
Few ports and modules

All In One Computer Vs Desktop differences

The answer to this question is in listing the pros and cons above, just the opposite. That is, an ordinary desktop computer gives significantly higher performance, you can play modern games, run complex resource-intensive applications, at any time you can improve the hardware of the system, quickly repair or replace a defective part in the event of a breakdown.

In turn, you will have to buy a computer desk and allocate enough free space for all external components. This can be problematic, for example, when the area of the apartment is limited.

Your choice:

Performance and speed
Compactness and style

All In One Computer Vs Desktop: Which is better to buy

The answer to the question is based upon the use and need of the person. The Computer Form Factor Competition will never have a single winner. As they say, to each his own. However, it is possible to distinguish categories of users and situations when buying a particular form factor will be more profitable and expedient.

All in one is better for

The external presentability of the monoblock can emphasize the style and luxury of the premises, the status of the homeowner, and become an object of admiration among the guests. Such a choice is justified for those who have aesthetics of appearance in the first place.

Not a lot of room for a Desktop, a bunch of wires and peripherals? Buying a classic computer is not the best option.

The monoblock is suitable for those who do not need high computing power. Whether you browse the Internet, watch TV shows and movies, use a device for study, play simple games, and work in simpler applications, the all-in-one device will satisfy your needs. For work in office applications the most it.

When there is no time and desire to get involved in the technical part, to study the compatibility of components and catalogs of models on the market, buying a monoblock may be more expedient.

Do you need a CPU for a computer?

First of all, for gamers. For a relatively low price, you can purchase a computer with a gaming graphics card.

Professional applications for photo editing, video editing, 3D modeling, music sequencers (etc.) require powerful hardware. In this case, a powerful PC is an indispensable workstation.

For professional artists, designers and photographers, it makes more sense to buy a professional monitor for a computer than to buy a monoblock. In order for the monoblock display to have high performance, you will have to spend a considerable amount on it.

For heavy content consumption, a personal computer may be the preferred option since you will not be limited by the size of the display. The Desktop CPU is purchased separately from the monitor, so you can select the characteristics of the computer and monitor you need separately. Agree, watching movies on a 32-inch diagonal is much more pleasant than on a conventional 24-inch All In One Computer.

Read Difference Between DVI And HDMI.

laptop is better for

First of all, those who are in constant motion cannot sit in one place. If you travel often, go to the country house or do not mind working in the fresh air, in the park or in a cafe a laptop will become your faithful companion.

Pupils and students will also give preference to a laptop. On a mobile computer, they can type lectures, type essays, and diploma texts, create and demonstrate presentations, search for information on the Internet in preparation for classes.

If your home computer (all-in-one or PC) is used by several family members, having your own laptop is the solution to many problems. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that it be powerful and productive. After all, for games and other complex tasks, you will have a desktop PC.

All In One Computer Vs Desktop: Price difference

What is better for the price All In One Computer or Desktop? Here the advantage is on the side of the stationary PC. Moreover, both in front of monoblocks and in front of laptops. For the same price, you will buy a much more productive computer, with more capabilities, with the option of a further inexpensive upgrade and reduced costs for repair/replacement of parts.

The all-in-one market actually lags far behind the computer hardware and laptop markets. There is less competition here, so prices are higher.

Well, let’s count what we got: desktop pc is much cheaper, and at the same time, the performance of such a PC can still be higher due to better cooling of the processor and video card and not so close arrangement of components to each other.

However, the difference in price is not so enormous as to force a person who does not want to spend time and effort studying component compatibility and assembling a PC on their own to change their mind.

Conclusion

Thus, in order to make the right final choice between the form factor of your future computer, you need to do 3 things: accurately analyze your needs, determine an affordable purchase budget and competently weigh for yourself all the pros and cons of different form factors and specific models.