desktop PC

We've seen a steady stream of new all-in-one desktop PCs in the past year, and manufacturers are showing no sign of diminishing the flow. It makes sense, really: With so much user attention being diverted to small, simple, finger-friendly hardware, the large metal boxes that live on or under our desks need a makeover if they're to remain relevant.

A new, all-in-one PC from HP is aimed squarely at small business users with a 20-inch monitor, space-saving design and a choice of both processors and operating systems.

HP's 20-inch Omni 100 all-in-one desktop sports an extremely low asking price for an all-in-one of this size ($559, as of 1/18/2010), but we're still hard pressed to recommend its admittedly lackluster combination of features, for all but the most dedicated of bargain-shoppers.

The holidays are upon us, and it's a fine time to consider replacing your aging desktop PC. Much has changed in the past year, with new processors and graphics cards from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia delivering performance enhancements at every price point. And you still have a wealth of options to choose from, whether you're shopping for a fixed retail configuration or customizing a system from a boutique PC vendor. Colorful cases of all shapes and sizes have long replaced the humble beige box, but indecipherable naming conventions aren't making shopping any easier.

The innovation that used to mark the PC arena seems to have shifted to the smartphone.

Today's modern desktop PCs offer a wealth of options: You can go for a PC with a fixed retail configuration, or you can customize your system by stepping through a sometimes dizzying array of choices from a configure-to-order vendor. The resulting array of components is no longer wrapped up in a beige box, but in a colorful shell of highly variable shape and size, differentiated by indecipherable naming conventions.

Speedy all-in-one PC runs Windows 7 and OS X, but lacks extras like multitouch, Blu-ray, and a TV tuner.

HP delivers a system that’s speedy for its small(ish) size, but left out details that could have brought it closer to the top.

Smaller systems generally sacrifice features for a svelte chassis, and HP's Slimline s5370t is no exception.

The MSI Wind Top AE2220's shoddy picture undoes its significant upgrades over its predecessor.

Shuttle, known for making small-form-factor desktop PCs, announced today (on its European site) the Shuttle Barebone XS35, a mini PC that's less than 1.5 inches wide. Powering the XS35 is the Intel Atom D510 Dual Core Processor (2x 1.66 GHz) and a high-performance NVIDIA GT218 as the system's graphics card. The XS35 is passively cooled, increasing the energy efficiency of the system and making it whisper-quiet.

Microsoft put eye-catching hardware on display at last week's Windows 7 launch event. From netbooks and ultrathins to standard-size laptops and All-in-One touchscreen PCs, here's a closer look at some of the shiniest new Windows 7 machines.