Desktop PCs that squeeze all the key components into the display are known as all-in-ones, and the best all-in-one computers give you all the capabilities of a desktop PC in an elegant display that's easy to fit on your desk.
I know because my team and I regularly test and review the best all-in-one PCs from the major manufacturers. While few are powerful enough for real gaming or other demanding work, the modern 24-inch Apple iMac we regularly recommend is surprisingly capable thanks the speedy M4 chip which drives it.
If you're on a budget, something more affordable like the MSI Modern AM271P won't make you feel like it. But if you can afford to splurge and would like an alternative to an iMac, the HP Envy 34 is a luxurious all-in-one computer with a lovely 34-inch display and a built-in wireless charger.
Read on for detailed comparisons, full reviews and a suite of test scores which back up our claims that these are the best all-in-one computers you can buy.
The quick list
In a hurry? Here's a brief overview of the computers on this list, along with quick links that let you jump down the page directly to a review of whichever PC catches your eye.
Apple's 24-inch iMac is our top recommendation for a basic PC because the Apple M3 chip inside gives it plenty of power for work and play, while the 24-inch Retina display looks great in a family room or office. Plus, the webcam is great and the speakers sound good.
The MSI Modern AM271P is an awkwardly-named office all-in-one that's affordable and easy to set up. The built-in speakers aren't great and the aging internals won't run games well, but this remains the best all-in-one for getting things done on a budget.
The HP Envy 34 gives the Apple iMac a run for its money in terms of luxury, offering a vibrant 34-inch 5K display and nearly Apple-quality speakers. Plus, it has a wireless charger built into the stand, making this our most recommended all-in-one for those who can afford the upgrade.
Alex Wawro is a lifelong journalist who's spent over a decade covering tech, games and entertainment. He oversees the computing department at Tom's Guide, which includes managing laptop coverage and reviewing many himself every year.
The best all-in-one computers you can buy today
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The best overall
The colorful Apple iMac M4 looks an awful lot like its predecessors, but under the hood this all-in-one is powered by the all-new Apple M4 chip that helps propel it to our top spot on this list.
I really like the iMac because it combines good performance, a surprisingly good speaker setup and a lovely display with great viewing angles in one attractive package that's easy to fit into your desk.
The 24-inch 4.5K display is among the best you can get on an all-in-one, and its wide viewing angles make it surprisingly good for gathering friends or family around to watch YouTube videos or stream a TV show. Pair that with the six-speaker sound system, which supports Apple's Spatial Audio feature, and you get the best theater experience out of any PC on this list.
Pair that with the speed and power of the M4 chip, which is more than capable of handling basic work tasks, homework, basic video editing and light gaming, and you start to see why I love this machine as a general-purpose PC. Plus, the 12MP webcam is great for FaceTiming relatives or taking part in remote learning, and if you're using FaceTime you can use the new Desk View feature to transmit a live feed of whatever's in front of you on your desk in addition to your own video.
For more on why the Apple iMac M4 is a great all-in-one that's so easy to recommend to families, students and teachers, check out our review and testing results!
Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch review.
The best value
The MSI Modern AM271P 11M is an awkwardly-named all-in-one that's quite good if you need something relatively affordable that's capable of tackling the day-to-day tasks of handling business and getting things done.
That's because this PC packs a speedy 11th Gen Intel Core i7 laptop CPU into its display along with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. The fact that it's powered by a top-of-the-line laptop CPU means this MSI can deliver a lot of speed and functionality even though the entire PC is housed inside the display itself. And with its built-in VESA mount, you can set it up on the included stand or mount it on a wall or monitor arm for more convenient workplace setups. Plus, you get a 1080p webcam, keyboard and mouse packed in with every unit -- though all three leave a little something to be desired, so you may want to replace them with your own favorites down the road.
Read our full MSI Modern AM271P 11M review.
The best upgrade pick
The HP Envy 34 is an elegant Windows 11 all-in-one that impresses thanks to its vibrant 34-inch 5K screen and powerful performance.
It's a legit rival to the Apple iMac thanks to that lovely screen, which gives you 5K (5,120 x 2,160 pixels) resolution so you can appreciate 4K movies to full effect. It also gives you loads of room and resolution for in-depth photo and video editing, so it's great for students and creative professionals.
There's room to customize it for your needs too thanks to the expandable memory and storage. Plus, the onboard discrete Nvidia graphics card ensures it has the graphical muscle to handle serious video editing, AI work or some gaming when work is done.
The wireless charger built into the stand is a premium touch, though during our review we did find it a bit finicky to use with some phones.
Regardless, this all-in-one computer is lovely and powerful, making it a great choice for working professionals, families and folks who want a decent gaming PC that doesn't take up much room on your desk.
Read our full HP Envy 34 review.
How to choose
How to choose the best all-in-one computer for you
Even the best all-in-one computers generally don't deliver a ton of power, so if you need a PC for serious photo/video editing, coding or playing games you should probably look elsewhere--like our regularly-updated list of the best gaming PCs.
But if you need an all-in-one for general computing, you have a lot of great choices. The first thing to decide when shopping for the best all-in-one computer for your needs is what operating system do you want: macOS or Windows?
While there are a few all-in-one Chrome PCs, the vast majority run on either Apple or Microsoft's operating system. And while Windows AIO PCs like the HP Envy support a wide variety of software and are compatible with any game you care to run, those strengths of Windows matter less when it comes to all-in-ones because these PCs generally don't have the power or cooling to run the most demanding apps and games anyhow.
So if you prefer macOS, you should definitely feel good about choosing an all-in-one like the 24-inch iMac. Macs are just as capable as Windows PCs these days, and the webcams built into Apple's PCs are excellent. Plus, the modern iMacs can also run apps from Apple's App Store and support modern features like iPhone Mirroring, so you can easily access iOS apps or even your phone's home screen right on your desktop PC.
The best all-in-one PCs compared
Here is a quick look at our testing data for the PCs on this list. The tables below shows scores for benchmark tests we run using Geekbench 6 (which measures CPU performance) as well as our own custom tests for measuring file copy speed and video editing speed.
These comparisons give you a general sense of how these machines stack up performance-wise, so you can make sure to avoid buying a machine that's mismatched to your needs.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 25 GB File Copy (MBps) | Handbrake (Min:Seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iMac M4 | 14,724 | N/A | 5:03 |
| MSI Modern AM271P 11M | 5,232 | 420.8 | 13:10 |
| HP Envy 34 | 7,935 | 1,579.5 | 8:23 |
How we test the best all-in-one PCs
How we test to find the best all-in-one PCs
Every all-in-one we review goes through a variety of benchmark tests in our lab as well as long hours of real-world use. As with our laptop reviews, we use a colorimeter to measure the brightness, color accuracy and color gamut of each all-in-one's display.
For performance, we use the Geekbench 4 test to measure a system's overall processing abilities. We also run a custom spreadsheet test to see how long a PC takes to match thousands of names to addresses. To evaluate each system's hard drive speed, we measure how long it takes to copy a sizable workload.
Most importantly, we spend a ton of time simply using each all-in-one desktop for everyday activities. We watch movies, do work, play games, and blast music on the speakers, all to get a better sense of which ones are worth your money.
For more information, check out our how we test page for Tom's Guide.
