There's no question, however, that Microsoft's tile-tapping operating system has brought touch into the mainstream. That's ushered in a new wave of desktop PCs that do, well, what that old HP did—let you control the operating system and applications by pointing, dragging, and swiping on screen in addition to using a keyboard and mouse.
While several vendors offer touch-enabled monitors for tower PCs, most of today's touch-screen desktops are all-in-one models, with their computing components either in the base or back of an LCD monitor. With the advent of Windows 8 and 8.1, all but the cheapest all-in-ones—and Apple's iMacs, whose OS X operating system doesn't do touch—are now touch-screen systems.
Most use capacitive touch, which features a transparent layer that responds to the electrical conductivity of a human finger, though a few use an array of optical sensors to which a touch appears as a shadow. Ten-point capacitive touch means that the screen can sense up to 10 simultaneous inputs in different places, as when you're using an on-screen keyboard or when several people are gathered around a screen; Microsoft's minimum is 5-point touch.
The Basics: The Best Touch-Screen Desktops
All the considerations that apply to shopping for any all-in-one apply to touch-screen desktops—you want a perky processor, an ample hard drive (preferably with a solid-state cache or buffer to speed program loads and waking from hibernation), a wireless keyboard and mouse. Many models rely on the integrated graphics built into Intel and AMD processors; would-be gamers will get better performance from a unit with discrete or dedicated graphics, like the Nvidia GeForce GT 620M of Lenovo's IdeaCentre Horizon or AMD Radeon 8690A of Dell's Inspiron 23. Still, know that you won't find the same level of high-end gaming graphics in a touch-screen AIO that you might in the best tower-style gaming desktop.
Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon
SCREEN SIZE AND RESOLUTION. The most common screen sizes are 23 and 27 inches diagonally, with full HD or 1080p (1,920x1,080) resolution, but there are plenty of exceptions. The Rove has a 20-inch display with 1,600x900 pixels, while the Dell XPS 18 and Asus Transformer AIO P1801 squeeze 1080p into 18.4 inches. The Dell XPS 27, successor to the XPS One 27 Touch, offers 2,560x1,440 resolution. The best touch-screen desktops use in-plane switching (IPS) rather than generic twisted nematic (TN) display technology, letting users view the screen from broader angles before losing image color and clarity.
SCREEN TILT. As users of the HP 150 discovered, constantly lifting a hand to touch a vertical display can lead to tired arms. For prolonged touch sessions, a screen tilted back to a shallower angle is more comfortable. That's why the kickstand of the Acer Aspire 5600U-UB13 can tilt from 90 back to 30 degrees, and why the HP Rove's kickstand and Dell Inspiron 23's double-hinged base can go all the way from vertical to horizontal.
HP Envy Rove 20
BATTERY LIFE. Say what? Aren't these desktops that plug into AC power outlets? Yes, they are, but in some cases, once you have a touch screen that can lie flat, you basically have a jumbo tablet—one too big to tote around or hold up for e-reading like a 7- to 10-inch tablet (weights range from the XPS 18's five to the 27-inch Horizon's 19 pounds), but that can perform tablet tasks such as browsing in your lap, watching Netflix on the coffee table, or playing games with no cord to get in the way. The Asus Transformer AIO is perhaps the most radical entry here: Detached from its base, the screen changes from a Windows 8 all-in-one to an Android tablet with its own Tegra 3 processor.
As you can see, the best touch-screen desktops can open up all kinds of new possibilities, both in how you use them and in the applications you use.
Check Out Some of the Best Touch-Screen Desktops We've Tested ...
Dell XPS One 27 Touch
Our Verdict: With the welcome addition of a touch screen, Dell's powerful XPS One 27 Touch is the best Windows 8 all-in-one we've seen yet. We just miss the iMac's aluminum shell and wish Dell offered a more powerful graphics chip.
Dell Inspiron 23
Our Verdict: The Inspiron 23 boasts a sleek design, speedy performance, and a flexible touch screen that lets the system look and act like a tethered Windows tablet. It's a winner among all-in-ones.
Dell XPS 18
Our Verdict: This compact, thin, and light all-in-one PC doubles as a tabletop Windows 8 tablet with a highly responsive and gorgeous screen. The 18.4-inch display is small for an AIO desktop, but just the right size for its double-duty functionality.
Vizio CA27T-B1
Our Verdict: An attractive and strong-performing all-in-one desktop with a great-looking screen and fine sound system comes at a fair price, but cheap-feeling peripherals and a poorly anchored display diminish its overall value.
Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon
Our Verdict: A clever yet functional design along with a separate, unique interface when the system is lying flat combine to make Lenovo's IdeaCentre Horizon tabletop PC worth a look for all-in-one shoppers.
Acer Aspire 5600U-UB13
Our Verdict: An elegantly thin design makes the Acer Aspire 5600U-UB13 an all-in-one to consider for light duty in your home. Don't be tempted by its sleekness should you require anything approaching heavy lifting.
Asus Transformer AIO P1801
Our Verdict: This convertible PC is a peppy all-in-one desktop with a screen that detaches to become a huge tablet. It's a fascinating concept and a reasonably well-executed one, if not without a few software kinks.
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