If you’re in the market for a stationary PC, but find traditional desktops to be unsightly and/or too bulky, MSI just announced a trio of all in one systems that might be just what you’ve been looking for.
The company announced three brand new systems in all: the AG220, AG240, and AG270. Though each system’s name suggests that they all hit spec tiers, they’re actually bunched much closer together on those fronts than one might think.
The AG220 sports an Intel Core i7-4700HQ processor clocked at 2.4 GHz, with a Turbo Boost maximum of 3.4 GHz. It wears a 21.5-inch 1080p display with 10-point touch, and graphics processing is handled by an Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M card, which is a member of the GPU maker’s newest series of laptop-oriented graphics chips.
On the storage front, MSI pairs a 128GB mSATA SSD with a 1TB 7,200 mechanical hard drive. The 12GB of RAM that the system comes with will likely allow you to have an obscene amount of browser tabs open simultaneously without experiencing any slowdowns.
Wireless connectivity options include 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.0. A DVD burner is built in as well. Ports include a trio of USB 3.0s, along with a pair of USB 2.0 connections. HDMI is also available, and a 2-megapixel web cam, memory card reader, and a pair of 3-watt speakers are integrated into the rig.
The next higher rung on this ladder is the AG240, which includes the same CPU, GPU, and storage setup as the AG220. Though it also has a 1080p display, at 23.6-inches, the AG240’s is a bit larger. It ships with 4GB of extra RAM (for a total of 16GB), and instead of a DVD burner, it sports a Blu-ray burner. The speakers also get an upgrade: they get bumped up from a pair of 3-watters, to two 5-watt speakers.
Finally, there’s the AG270, which significantly differentiates itself from MSI’s other two systems by offering an Intel Core i7-4860HQ running at 2.4 GHz (3.6 GHz with Turbo Boost), a 27-inch 1080p display, Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M or 880M graphics cards, and a pair of 128GB mSATA SSDs running in RAID 0. The SSDs are supplemented by a 2TB 7,200 rpm mechanical hard drive.
Like the AG240, the AG270 includes 16GB of RAM, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a Blu-ray burner. The speakers still generate 5-watts of power each, but are Yamaha branded. Port selection includes four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0, and HDMI-in/out. When it comes to ports, the only difference between the AG270 and its counterparts is the addition of an extra USB 3.0 connection.
All three models are covered in an amalgamation of glossy black plastic, brushed metal, and strips of red beneath their displays. MSI’s logo and insignia are mounted under the screens as well. The edges also feature some red trim, but the backs are dominated by a black finish that likely consists of plastic. Each of these MSI all in one desktops ships with a full QWERTY keyboard, along with a 3,500 dpi mouse. All are VESA-mountable as well, and each runs Windows 8.1.
Based on these specs, each of these systems is likely to benchmark quite well. However, whether you buy or not depends on how willing you are to shell out over $1,000 for a PC whose upgrade capabilities will likely be limited to RAM and storage.
This new series of all in ones will start at $1,249.99, and launch next week. You’ll be able to snag them from Amazon, Newegg, and other sites once they’re released. A precise release date is unavailable.
