Dell XPS One 27-2710 Pro Reviews

It’s very expensive but this all-in-one PC is the perfect home, work and entertainment hybrid

While we have a few minor quibbles with the Dell XPS 27 Touch's design, we think this is the best all-in-one on the market today.

Much as my colleague Rich Brown said about the previous version of the XPS 27, this is simply the best all-around Windows 8 all-in-one you can buy. Others have special features, such as the Lenovo Horizon's built-in battery and lie-flat hinge, or the iMac's thinner, cleaner design, but it's tough to match the combination of higher-res display, touch screen, and Nvidia graphics in the XPS 27, all wrapped up for a very reasonable price.

Dell trades blows with the 27" iMac at its $1,600 price point, selling for $200 less and including a touchscreen display, while Apple gives you GeForce GTX 660M graphics and more memory. Those subtleties are probably less important to most folks than the fact that Dell keeps you in the world of Windows, while Apple shifts you over to OS X.

In today's world, $2,599 is certainly a lot to ask for a PC, even one with a big screen. We knocked the Acer Aspire 7600U as expensive, and our XPS One 27 Touch is $700 more (though it boasts a much faster CPU, twice the memory and storage, the SSD hard drive booster, and the dazzling, higher-resolution display). If all you care about is screen size, you can buy a basic $500 desktop tower with an HDMI port, connect it to a 40-inch HDTV, and save yourself more than $1,500 over this AIO. That option, though, might also require you to buy a bigger desk. And your setup won't have touch input—a crucial component for a pleasant Windows 8 experience.

This machine will be costing you right around $1300 USD, and for that price you’re getting one beast of a computer. The Dell XPS One 27 with multi-touch display is easily one of the most solidly put together total packages running Windows 8 today, and makes us feel right at home with the touchscreen user interface immediately on startup. Dell has created a computer that makes us confident that touchscreen interfaces are indeed the future of home computing, especially in the entertainment realm – grab it now!

A fine all-in-one PC with great build quality and a glorious 27in display, but we'd advise against the optional touchscreen

It’s got a beautiful screen and powerful hardware, but adding a touchscreen makes it very expensive

The Dell XPS One 27 Touch is the way everyone should first use Windows 8. It's a power user's system that check all the boxes and makes Windows 8 great.

The Dell XPS One is a very pretty, powerful machine, and it will certainly add style and class to any room you put it in. Unfortunately, it’s like they say: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This AIO has multiple issues if you plan on using it, rather than just looking at it, including a difficult-to-position stand, an off-color screen, and poor port placement. Of course, for some people these will be minor issues. If you’re just looking for a sexy AIO to liven up your living room, the XPS One is a very nice choice. But if you’re a graphic designer looking for a new multimedia powerhouse, you may want to pass.

Dell has a very nice machine on their hands. It is not for everyone, but for those looking for such products it offers a lot of positives. Now that the newer models have Windows 8 and touchscreens, it adds to the value of these products. Though I am honestly curious as to how the glass on the touchscreen enabled products will perform when it comes to fingerprints and dust. I guess that will have to be answered another day.

It took two years before any Windows vendor found a way to offer an all-in-one with the same 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution as the 27-inch iMac. Now that Dell has figured it out, the remaining 27-inch Windows PCs look woefully under-featured. Dell may have locked up the right supplier to make the XPS One 27, or perhaps it's simply willing to make less profit than its competition. Whatever Dell has done to make this system available, consumers have won. At any of its various price points, the XPS One 27 is the best Windows 8 all-in-one you can buy.

All-in-one computers require some tradeoffs, but if you’re willing to sacrifice future upgrades for a more attractive and better-integrated PC, the XPS One 27 is the computer to buy. It offers an amazing display, good performance and a reasonable value. It also lacks any glaring faults, which means we find no reason why we cannot recommend this system to someone interested in an all-in-one. The high price is the only obstacle, but you get what you pay for.

Aside from a few polish and configuration gripes, I like this computer quite a bit, not least because it finally brings Windows all-in-ones on par with Apple in terms of screen resolution. It's also faster than the 27-inch iMac on many programs, and has a lower price. For those considering a high-end all-in-one purchase, wait a few weeks to see what, if anything, emerges in the way of a new iMac, but keep the Dell XPS One 2710 at the top of your list.

Dell's Ivy Bridge all-in-one has a high asking price but is worth considering for its excellent combination of speed, features, and looks.

As well as Dell's XPS One 27 did, if you're jonesing for a touchscreen experience, this isn't the all-in-one for you. It doesn't boast a touch-capable screen, and that's because Dell opted to go with a high-quality Samsung PLS panel that's absolutely stunning. At 27 inches, it's Dell's largest AIO to date with a scintillating 2560x1440 native resolution. But it's not just about sheer size; the display is crisp and vibrant, offering superb viewing angles. It really is that nice and since the PC is the display in this system and you're not able to decouple one from the other, Dell's component selection here was all that more critical. They nailed it. Sitting behind the gorgeous panel is a well rounded collection of hardware, including an Intel Core i7 3770S processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics. It's a combination that might be wasted on some mainstream users, which is probably why these parts don't come standard. As configured, the setup Dell sent us runs $1,999, though cost of entry starts at $1,399 for a Core i5 3450S and Intel HD 4000 graphics foundation. At that price, you'll also have to forgo the 32GB mSATA solid state drive, which acts as a giant cache buffer for the 1TB or 2TB (in this case, 2TB) 7200RPM hard drive, and give up the Blu-ray drive as well. It all depends on your specific needs and budget.

In today's world, $2,000 is certainly a lot to ask for a PC, even one with a big screen. If all you care about is screen size, you can buy a basic $500 desktop tower with an HDMI port, connect it to a 40-inch HDTV, and save yourself a grand. That option, though, might also require you to buy a bigger desk, or wall-mount your display. And your setup won't be as elegant or powerful as the Dell XPS One 27. But if you doubt the value of this system, consider the fact that a monitor of the same size, resolution, and quality as the one found in this system will cost you about $850 all by itself. And unless you opt for an Apple iMac, you can't currently buy any other AIO system with a screen with this much resolution, not to mention crispness, vibrancy, and excellent viewing angles. We'd be happy if the screen here were a little less glossy, but it's far from the biggest transgressor we've seen in that regard.

We don't usually get excited about all-in-one desktop PCs because they're all usually much the same. However, the Dell XPS One 27 has so much going for it, it's hard not to be impressed. From its high resolution, 27in screen, to its 3rd gen Core i7 CPU and GeForce GT 640M graphics -- even the one-cable set-up procedure -- there's a lot to like about this unit. It looks good, it's great to use and, above all, it's powerful.