Photograph: Christopher Null
Best Luxe All-in-One
Lenovo Yoga AIO 9i 31.5
You’ll first notice the striking design of the Lenovo Yoga AIO 9i, featuring an impossibly slim 31.5-inch screen perched atop a curving chrome bar, which in turn appears to be balanced on a circular graphite base. The secret sauce is that all the electronics for the computer are found in this thin disc, including a 2.6-GHz 13th-generation Intel Core i9-13900H CPU, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512-GB solid state drive. You’ll find all of the computer’s ports on the back of the base as well: two USB-C ports (one offering USB4), two USB-A ports, and an HDMI output.
The machine is best-in-breed across the all-in-one universe (at least the Windows-based version of it), with top-tier marks on benchmarks across the board, despite the lack of a discrete graphics processor. It’s hardly a gaming rig, but it’s about as close as you’ll get to one in today’s all-in-one ecosystem. If there’s another miss aside from graphics juice, it’s the lack of a touch-sensitive display. That said, you won’t find a brighter LCD on the market, which, when combined with its 3,840 x 2,160-pixel resolution, provides a breathtaking view. It might sound pricey, but you’ll pay more for many of Lenovo’s laptops.
Photograph: Christopher Null
Best Widescreen All-in-One
HP Envy All-in-One 34
The Envy 34 is an all-in-one unlike any other, featuring a 34-inch non-touch display with a jaw-dropping 5,120 x 2,160-pixel resolution screen, providing an (approximately) 21:9 aspect ratio that lets you easily put two full screens side by side. Performance is off the charts, despite the inclusion of an ancient (over two and a half years old!) 12th-generation Intel Core i7-12700 CPU running at 2.1 GHz. Fortunately, the inclusion of a fat 32 GB of RAM, a 1-TB SSD, and discrete graphics from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 help overcome the machine’s outdated CPU—especially at graphics-related tasks, where the Envy 34 wholly rips up all of its competition.
The look of the machine is unique, its megascreen is mounted on a central pole, easily sliding up and down to adjust to your height needs. An included webcam mounts magnetically wherever you need it, and there’s even a wireless charging station for your phone in the center of the base. Merely counting the number of expansion ports is difficult, with a total of three USB-C ports, six USB-A ports, HDMI output, Ethernet, and an SD memory card slot split between the rear and the sides of the machine. When it comes to flexibility, nothing else on the market even comes close.
Naturally, this is all going to cost you: a hefty $2,469 as configured, though I tested a special order you can’t readily find. The high-end rack configuration (with 16 GB of RAM) is $2,150. Still worth it.
Other All-in-One Computers to Consider
Photograph: HP
HP OmniStudio X 31.5 for $1,450: This all-in-one computer has considerably better graphics performance thanks to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, and it’s the first Core Ultra-based all-in-one to hit the market. It’s almost a toss-up compared to the Lenovo above, but while it’s got plenty of power and scads of ports, the OmniStudio’s comparatively tame design left me dreaming of more eye-catching options.
Dell Inspiron 24 All-in-One ($950): While it’s a little more expensive, a little less sexy, and a little less powerful, this Dell AIO is nonetheless a reasonable alternative to HP’s Envy Move. The all-white but otherwise no-nonsense design feels particularly appropriate for corporate environments.
Avoid These AIOs
Photograph: Asus
I've tested several more all-in-one computers but can't recommend the following. Stick with one of the models above.
Asus M3402 and A5702: Asus’ all-in-one lineup (available in both 24- and 27-inch versions) features dated, chunky, uninspired hardware and surprisingly lackluster performance. While the smaller M3402 is the cheapest all-in-one I’ve tested to date, the slow CPU and grainy LCD are both recipes for frustration.
Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 27ARR9: This 27-inch all-in-one is a reasonable pick if you’re trying to outfit the sleepiest corporate office on the block, its black monolithic design offering only a modicum of style over the aforementioned Asus machines. Though performance here isn’t outright bad, it simply has none of the panache of Lenovo’s Yoga AIO 9i, making for a bit of a letdown. My other low-cost all-in-one picks are just better options.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2+: I'm not entirely sure who this 28-inch, touch-centric all-in-one is supposed to be for. Microsoft perhaps doesn’t either, as the hardware is still running on a (discontinued) processor released at the beginning of 2021. While even a luxe all-in-one like the Yoga AIO 9i will cost you $1,800, the Studio 2+ runs a shocking $4,500. It’s an “avoid” based on price alone.
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