The Acer All in One Z5 is among the best of all-in-one PC options. All-in-one computers solve a problem that we didn’t know we had until the solution arrived. The problem was that, for desktop computer users prior to all-in-ones, the available products had separate monitors and CPU boxes. Some sought to rid their desktops of clutter by using a large laptop computer as a desktop computer replacement. But laptops as desktop replacements have a couple of drawbacks. Even a large laptop is not going to have a monitor as large as a desktop allows. And laptops are at an ergonomic disadvantage because you can’t move the keyboard away from the monitor to find the most comfortable position. All-in-one PCs reduce the clutter on your desktop and allow you to have a larger monitor than a laptop would have allowed, plus you can move the keyboard wherever it is most comfortable for you. The Acer All in One Z5 is such an accomplished example of the all-in-one PC product category, that it wins the TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award.
The operating system is Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (Touch Pack), the 64-bit version. Compared to Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, Home Premium supports one CPU, not two. And it cannot back up to a network. Home Premium also lacks Windows XP mode, doesn't encrypt its file system, and doesn't support location-aware printing or remote desktop host. But it has most of the other features. For previewing programs and clearing the desktop, there is Aero Peek. For resizing a program window, there is Aero Snap. Of course it has the Aero skin so you can see through the Taskbar and window borders. And it has the Windows 7 feature that few people know about, Aero Shake, which clears the desktop if you click and hold the one window you want to work with and lightly shake it.
The system ships with a trial version of McAfee Internet Security Suite and MyWinLocker encrypted password protection. There are a couple of media applications. CyberLink PowerCinema takes advantage of the built-in TV tuner and provides other multimedia services. CyberLink YouCam takes advantage of the built-in webcam so that you can capture and edit video and stills. Entertainment applications such as the Oberon TouchGames take advantage of the included touch screen. Productivity applications such as Acer Touch Suite and Microsoft Touch Pack also present clever ways to use the touch screen. There is a system recovery utility and Adobe Reader. A trial version of Microsoft Office is also part of the software bundle.
While other all-in-one PC vendors often drop anemic central processing units (CPUs) into all-in-one computers, the Acer All in One Z5 has an Intel Core i5-650, a dual-core processor with a clock rate of 3.2GHz. A dual-core processor executes instructions in parallel, instead of one-by-one in the manner of a single-core processor. So it is fast enough to handle most general multitasking chores without bogging down. Now, if you're rendering digital video or performing some other graphics-heavy task, then there are more appropriate computer systems, given that all-in-one computers do not pretend to be anything other than general purpose machines. The Acer All in One Z5 has 4MB of RAM (core random access memory). Its hard drive is extremely spacious: 1.5TB. How much is that? The Acer’s hard drive could hold more than 750 two-hour movies.
Some all-in-one PCs have wired keyboards and mice. The Acer, however, has a wireless keyboard and mouse, which enhances its role in preserving an uncluttered desktop. At 23 inches, the Acer’s high definition monitor is larger than most of its competitors. The monitor (which is also the computer) has built-in stereo speakers and a one-megapixel high-definition webcam. The webcam captures images with resolutions of 1280 x 800, which is slightly better than the high-definition standard of 1280 x 720 pixels. The Intel HD Graphics video card holds an astonishing 1.7GB of video RAM.
This all-in-one PC can read and write to many different card reader formats. The “Multi-in-one” slot accommodates Secure Digital cards, SDHC cards, MultimediaCards, Memory Sticks, Memory Stick PROs and MemoryStick PRO-HG Duo cards. So much for sneakernet. For real networking this all-in-one PC has a built-in connection for gigabit local area networking. It also has built-in wireless networking that supports the latest IEEE Wi-Fi standard: 802.11n.
Most of the all-in-one PCs in our review come with a one-year warranty, and so does the Acer All in One Z5. Acer provides technical support via chat, email or telephone.
This all-in-one PC arrives loaded with excellent features such as a fast processor, a generously sized disk drive and one of the largest monitors in the all-in-one PC product category. The monitor is a touch screen model, which opens up a whole new and useful way of interacting with a computer. A suite of applications that make the most of the touch interface are part of the software bundle. It also doesn’t skimp on software for security, productivity and entertainment. It includes the convenience of a wireless keyboard and mouse. Web cam, speakers and a “Multi-in-one” card reader are all part of the package. We wish it had more USB ports than just the two, but then the fast processor and the 1.5TB hard drive outweigh this minor criticism. The ENERGY STAR qualified Acer All In One Z5 is one of the best all-in-one PCs in our review.
