2.4GHz Core 2 Duo P8600
4GB DDR2
320GB hard drive
DVD±RW
19-inch integrated touch screen
Intel integrated graphics
Windows Vista Business
In recent years, all-in-ones have gone from relatively simple PC-monitor combos to pretty elaborate entertainment hubs that manage your photos, music, and data, as well as let you watch and record your favorite TV programs. Whatever style you're looking for, you can find them in systems like the Dell XPS One, the Gateway One, the Sony VAIO VGC-LT29U, or Eurocom's LV220C ViiVA—all of which are designed to be both visual showpieces and tech centerpieces.
Eurocom's $1,750 L390TP Uno is in many ways a more traditional take. It forgoes TV capabilities (though a tuner is an option for other configurations) in favor of simple PC functionality. And it eschews the eye-popping design in favor of a decidedly plain—but not unattractive—scheme of black with silver trim. The system’s big distinguishing feature is a touch screen—but it comes with plenty of drawbacks that made the Uno seem more like a tablet PC with desktop pretensions.
For instance, you can use a finger to navigate the screen, but it’s better suited to tried-and-true pointing devices (a wireless mouse and keyboard are included). Since the 19-inch panel has no digitizer, you'll need some practice to master the precise movements necessary. It also takes quite a bit of force to activate buttons (and patience to cope with a mouse cursor that jumps to wherever you put your finger down). The HP TouchSmart, for one, offers considerably more elegant implementation; its proprietary software makes the touch aspect more immediately useful and fun for accessing common programs.
Still, the Uno offers some advantages. At 12.5x18x2.7 inches (HWD) without the included stand, the Uno could be a space-saving option for those living in cramped quarters. (The Uno is also wall-mountable using its included VESA bracket.) Lightweight (20 pounds) and easy to carry, the system might also be a good choice if you frequently need to move your PC from room to room.
Or you might consider it just to cut down on your power bills. Eurocom touts the compact system as extremely energy-efficient and claims it pulls a maximum of just 70 watts of power.
Component-wise, this all-in-one is definitely run-of-the-mill. The 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo P8600 processor from Intel is paired with 4GB of DDR2 RAM and the 64-bit version of Windows Vista Business. A 320GB hard drive and a DVD±RW drive, positioned on the left side of the display, round out the storage potential; a Webcam is integrated into the display's upper bezel.
Connectivity options are a tad more exciting. The left side of the display houses a multiformat card reader, an ExpressCard slot, one USB port, one four-pin FireWire jack, an HDMI-out for sending video to your HDTV, and four audio input and output jacks, including those for a microphone and headphones. On the underside of the monitor, you'll find two more USB ports, Ethernet and phone connectors, an external SATA (eSATA) jack, VGA-out, and two nine-pin serial ports. (This is also where the necessary AC adapter plugs in.) One nice touch: If you're using the system's stand, it sports two more USB ports and another pair of headphone and mic jacks.
Aside from taking a respectable 3 minutes and 46 seconds to convert 11 songs to AAC format in our iTunes trial, the Uno's performance was mostly unexceptional: It scored 5,363 on our 64-bit Cinebench 11 test and needed 6 minutes and 40 seconds to complete our Windows Media Encoder trial. While all these results were improvements over the last touch-equipped all-in-one we looked at, the TouchSmart IQ816, they're still on the low side overall.
Because of the system's native display resolution (1,440x900), we weren't able to run our usual Futuremark benchmark apps (PCMark Vantage and 3DMark Vantage), though we're guessing from the other numbers that the results would be unexceptional as well. For the same reason, we can't compare the Uno’s gaming prowess with that of any other system, but when we tried out the DirectX 9 version of Company of Heroes at the PC's native resolution, the average frame rate was 7.1 frames per second—borderline unplayable.
Of course, this PC wasn't meant for games, much as it wasn't meant for TV. But if your work space is too small (or too poorly organized) to accommodate a regular desktop-and-monitor pairing, or if you just want the basic benefits of another computer without taking a big hit on your power bill, the Uno might be a sensible way to go. As long as you don't expect it to be the same kind of well-rounded problem solver the other all-in-ones are striving to be, it basically delivers what it needs to.
Price (at time of review): $1,750 (as tested)author : Matthew Murray
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