Going After Apple?

Apple is known for the sleek design and compact structure of its computers. This is evident not only in their Macbook laptops but also on their iMac desktops. The company created a one-stop desktop in which usual peripherals like LCD monitors, optical drives and web cameras are built into the entire unit. The only things sticking out are the keyboard and mouse. They wanted to make the desktop free of loose cables as much as possible and the experience as clean and compact as possible. The idea is really great for those who want to save space but the catch here is the really steep price for this innovative technology. An Apple iMac can cost as much as, or more than, a Macbook.

This type of all-in-one desktop became a luxury commodity until the arrival of the Intel Atom processor. Apple's competitors finally had the chance to answer the iMac with more affordable substitutes. Acer had the EZ1601, MSI with the Wind Top AE 1900 and Asus with the Eee Top. They are equipped with optical drives, card readers, web cameras and USB drives. As an added bonus, some of their monitors have a touch-screen feature, meaning they can be operated without a keyboard or mouse!

All of these all-in-one desktop contenders are a fraction of the regular selling price of the iMac. Thanks to the Intel Atom processor, costs are kept low and manufacturers are able to add more features to their products. Not only are they affordable, they also consume less electricity. All these features look very attractive but one question still remains. Are these systems up to the regular rigors of computer tasks?

The main difference between iMac and its competitors is the processor. While the others run on Intel Atom, iMac has Intel Core 2 Duo, which is obviously more superior in terms of performance. Atom is a processor known for its portability and not its performance. It is not recommended for heavy tasks like video editing, games and Photoshop. Could this difference compromise all of the features of these low-cost desktops? Maybe they are all just filled with unnecessary bells and whistles. Maybe they are only meant for light tasks.

I wonder why Asus, Acer and MSI used Atom as their processor of choice (aside from lowering costs). Maybe they haven't figured out a way to install a fan unit to cool the extreme heat generated by the dual core processors without destroying the compact design of the desktop.