You can't throw a rock in a Best Buy without cracking the monitor on an all-in-one PC, but few can match the Apple iMac on specs, style and price. The Dell XPS 27, however, looks to go toe-to-toe with Apple's popular all-in-one -- and at a (relative) bargain.
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Dell has offered all-in-ones before, but the XPS 27 is a gorgeous all-in-one that deserves a look from anyone looking for the Windows equivalent of an iMac. The 27-inch widescreen display is the same resolution -- "Full Quad HD" or 2,560 x 1,440 pixels -- and it boasts the same all-in-one design accoutrements: a wireless keyboard and mouse, a metallic finish and a slot-loading disc drive (Blu-ray optional -- something you won't find on any Mac).
The XPS 27 also has the distinction of being one of Dell's first products to pack Intel third-generation Core processors, a.k.a. "Ivy Bridge" chips. You can get either Core i5 or i7, and if you're looking to do serious graphical work, you may want to look into the optional Nvidia graphics (GeForce GT 640M).
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For memory, it comes with 4GB of RAM standard, but serious power users can crank that up to 16GB. Storage starts at 1TB (going up to 2TB), and you can even supplement that with a 32GB solid-state disk (SSD) for faster boot-ups -- thanks to Intel's Smart Response Technology.
You also get four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0, an HDMI input and output and a media card reader slot. Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi (N) come standard, though you can upgrade to Intel's "Advanced" N card, which claims to have better range and speeds up to 300Mbps.
Feature for feature, you get more bang for your buck with the Dell XPS 27, which starts at $1,399, than the 27-inch iMac, which starts at $1,699. However, Apple is due to update its iMacs for Ivy Bridge processors soon, and rumors are rampant about Apple possibly upgrading their screens to "retina" displays.
If both the iMac and the XPS 27 look expensive to you, Dell's got something else for you -- a pair of new all-in-ones in its mainstream Inspiron line of machines. The 23-inch Inspiron One 23 packs either Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge chips (starting at $749), while the One 20 is Pentium or Sandy Bridge (starting at $529).
Interesting quirk: You can upgrade the One 23 as a touchscreen, but with optical touch technology -- as opposed to the capacitive tech in Toshiba's recently unveiled touch-friendly all-in-one. Without a capacitive touchscreen, though, the Dell won't be able to take advantage of all the touch features in Windows 8.
How do you like Dell's new all-in-ones? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Dell XPS 27 All-in-One PC
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This story originally published on Mashable here.
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