The AIO is one such system, but the cool thing about it is that it's an All In One beast, with all of the components built into the same unit that houses its 15in TFT LCD screen.
While most Atomicans prefer to build their own PCs due to the immense satisfaction that this involves (which has been scientifically proven to be second only to scoring a threesome), not to mention the saving in cash, there are still those who would prefer to buy a machine off the shelf, usually for a relative who has just discovered an amazing new invention known as the Internet. The AIO is one such system, but the cool thing about it is that it's an All In One beast, with all of the components built into the same unit that houses its 15in TFT LCD screen.
With a 2.4GHz Pentium 4 at the heart of this futuristic device, it's certainly not lacking in CPU processing power. Thanks to this speedy CPU, as well as 256MB of DDR-RAM housed on a SiS315 motherboard chipset, this unit performed respectably in SYSmark 2002, with an overall score of 193. Pity then about the totally woeful graphics chipset, which is the integrated SiS315 chipset. It's no wonder that this machine only scored a pitiful 1,443 in 3DMark2001 SE.
If this was a typical PC, you could just whack in a better video card and play away, but due to its totally integrated nature, lack of an AGP slot, and the fact that opening the case is next to impossible, this is not a machine that you'll ever be using as a gaming beast.
Pairing up such a powerful CPU with this sloth of a graphics chipset is kind of like hooking up Angelina Jolie with John Howard - it just doesn't make sense, should never happen, and leaves you feeling unclean in a 'time to scrub my flesh with bleach' way.
Other than the disparity between the CPU and graphics chipset, the rest of the features on the machine are very nice. A combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive is tucked away at the right hand side of the monitor, while four USB2 ports, an onboard Ethernet port and an IEE1394 port provide more than enough connectivity. There's even an integrated 56Kb/s modem for those of you without broadband access. And for a PC, this thing is incredibly quiet, with zero noise from the HD and only the barest of whispers from the HSF.
If it weren't for the piss poor graphics chipset, this could have been a very nice and simple to use system, all tucked away in a cool package. Unfortunately, for those of us who like to do a little more than merely write letters in Word or surf for fresh pr0n on the Net, the graphics chipset used proves to be a killer Achilles Heel.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012