Fri, 04 Nov 2022
The Holiday PC Buyer's Guide 2022
ut all platforms. It’s the best time to consider a PC upgrade without wrecking your wallet! Whether you are upgrading that trusty old home PC that’s started to feel its age or you want a faster home office setup to get work done more efficiently, you’ll find the ideal balance between convenience and value from a pre-built PC.
That said, deciding what type of PC to buy can be a chore in and of itself. Not only are there tons of options out there, but even characteristics like size and shape can alter what you can fit into your workspace. To help you decide what upgrades would suit you best, we’ll cover a few factors you should consider.
Factors to Consider When Picking a PC for Your Home
Purpose: Work, Play, or a Bit of Everything?
PC hardware can range from astonishingly powerful to well-balanced and efficient, so it’s important to pick according to the work you’d like your PC to handle. A PC tailored to handle occasional browsing sessions won’t do very well with more strenuous tasks like data analysis.
If the primary purpose of your PC is general browsing and using the occasional office app, a modern entry-level to mid-range CPU coupled with integrated graphics will do the job perfectly. This’ll ensure a snappy experience without slowdowns/lag, even at higher resolutions. Moreover, this route also opens up interesting possibilities like opting for AIO (All-In-One) PCs or small form factor options.
On the other hand, if you intend to get work done with your upgraded machine, it’s best to opt for more powerful hardware. However, this could limit you to relatively larger form factors.
Space: Does it Fit?
It sucks when an upgrade you grabbed on sale just doesn’t fit into the space you have. Whether you have a tiny corner in your house carved out for yourself or you have a proper home office, it’s essential to consider how much space you can spare for your brand-new PC.
If you’re absolutely starved for space, an AIO or a small form factor PC would be ideal. Their physical footprint is relatively small, but they can also pack quite a punch when it comes to performance.
Now, if you have quite a bit more room to play with, you don’t necessarily have to pick the largest available option if you don’t need all that performance. It just gives you more flexibility. For example, you can choose to reduce clutter and wiring on your desk with an AIO PC instead of a tower desktop PC.
Budget: Price, Value, and Your Wallet
Although you’ll find pre-built options at almost every price tier, it’s essential to set a budget in addition to considering factors like space and use-case. Having a fixed budget narrows down your options and allows you to make the right choice.
Of course, if money is no object, you could always go for the best available option and ignore this factor entirely. But if you aren’t really using the computing power you’re buying, you won’t be getting decent value out of your upgrade.
All-in-One or Desktop PC?
An All-in-One (AIO) PC bundles all the parts needed for a PC (including the monitor) into a single monitor-like form factor. Not only is this highly convenient if you’re starved for space, but you can also go completely wire-free using wireless peripherals.
Granted, AIO PCs can’t pack the computing power available to Desktop PCs at the top end. Also, if you already own a monitor that you want to use (unless you have the space for multiple displays), AIOs aren’t ideal.
So, a desktop PC should be your pick if you need top-notch performance in tasks like gaming, data analysis, number crunching, etc. Even though they take up more space, they make up for it by bringing more performance to the table.
The Top Contenders: What Suits You Best?
Now that you have a rough idea of what upgrade you’ll need during the festive sale season let’s go over the best available options!
AIO (All-in-One) PCs: One Thing to Rule Them All
An AIO PC simplifies work and leisure setups like nothing else does. Instead of running multiple power and display cables between your power outlet, your PC, and your monitor, you can use a single power cable to power an AIO PC.
If your work setup has limited space where only a monitor can slide in, an AIO PC will be an excellent pick. Of course, packing all that hardware onto a monitor’s back reduces the amount of computing and cooling performance you can expect from these machines. However, modern CPUs have advanced quickly, and you’ll now find that even an AIO PC can tackle relatively intensive office workloads without too much trouble.
Modern AM272P
If you’re on the hunt for an AIO PC that’s sleek, power-efficient, and can still pack a punch – the Modern AM272P is an excellent pick. It comes configured with up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P CPU with Xe Graphics and 64GB of DDR4 memory. All this hardware comes packed behind a gorgeous 27” Full HD IPS panel with various eye care features.
The AM272P AIO PC also features a Windows Hello-capable 1080p webcam with a privacy cover. It also gets access to intelligent security features for professionals handling sensitive information. You can enable privacy features like automatically blurring/locking your display when you move away from your PC.
Modern AM242TP
Much like its larger, more advanced sibling above, the Modern AM242TP 11M is perfect for professionals who value power efficiency, a slightly smaller screen, and decent performance. You can find the Modern AM242TP 11M equipped with up to an Intel Core i7 1165G7 and 64GB of DDR4 memory. The 23.8” IPS-grade LED monitor on this AIO offers a Full HD resolution and MSI Anti-Flicker technology.
The Modern AM242TP 11M AIO PC boasts advanced eye care features like an Anti-Flicker, Less Blue Light, and Anti-Glare display panel. It eliminates flickering and effectively minimizes eye fatigue caused by extended sessions in front of your PC.
PRO AP272 12M & AP242 12M
While the Modern AM242TP and AM272P offer decent performance for an AIO PC, we can’t expect them to rip through hefty workloads. That’s where the PRO AP272 and AP242 come into the picture! It offers up to a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 12700 12-core CPU and 64GB of DDR4 memory behind a sleek 27” or 23.8” Full HD IPS LED monitor.
If you want serious computing power without giving up the conveniences of an AIO PC, the PRO AP272 and AP242 12M fit the bill perfectly. You’ll also retain all the eye care and intelligent security features from the Modern AM272P, like a Windows Hello-enabled FHD webcam, blurring your screen when you move away, and more!
Compact Desktop PCs: Small, Capable, and Powerful
If you need more computing power without going for a large Tower Desktop PC, you should consider a compact Desktop PC. Not only will you be able to pick from a broader range of sizes and hardware combinations, but you will also gain the flexibility to use a monitor with the features you want.
Cubi 5 10M
With a case volume of just 0.66L, the Cubi 5 will be one of the smallest PCs you’ve ever seen. It’s so tiny that it’ll fit into the palm of your hand! However, the hardware it packs inside is serious. It features up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 U-Processor, Wi-Fi1 6, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port for high-speed wired and wireless connectivity.
Although the Cubi 5 10M is tiny, it’s designed to be upgradeable. Simply remove four screws at the bottom to access the M.2 SSD, memory modules, and 2.5” SSD/HDD!
PRO DP20Z
Although the Cubi 5 packs a punch when it comes to performance, it can’t handle anything CPU/GPU-intensive. The PRO DP20Z ups the ante, offering up to an 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with powerful Vega 8 graphics in a 2.66L case. It also has Wi-Fi 6 for blazing-fast networking and USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports for incredible 20Gbps transfer speeds.
Thanks to the more powerful processor and graphics chip, the PRO DP20Z can handle 4K displays with ease – making it the perfect choice for an HTPC in the living room or working on apps that need screen real estate. It also boasts an upgradable design, with the M.2 SSD, RAM slots, and 2.5” HDD/SSD bays easily accessible.
PRO DP21 12M
The PRO DP21 12M trades graphics performance for additional CPU horsepower. If your workloads are much more processor-intensive, the PRO DP21 12M will offer an excellent experience with configurations offering up to a 12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700 processor!
It retains features like Wi-Fi 6, USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a tiny form factor with a case volume of just 2.3L. Like the other PCs above, you can access the M.2 SSD, RAM, and 2.5” SSD/HDD bays for a straightforward upgrade when you need one.
PRO DP130 12th
If the hardware in the smaller Compact Desktop PCs just won’t cut it for your work, the PRO DP130 12th is an ideal middle-ground between saving space on your desk and getting unfettered desktop-class performance. It comes equipped with up to a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 12700 12-core processor and a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card in a compact 13L case.
Thanks to the combination of CPU and GPU, you can easily handle graphics-heavy tasks and even play your favorite games without breaking a sweat. If you have more space to spare and need a mix of computing and graphics power, the PRO DP130 12th should be your pick. On a side note, even at its 13L volume, the PRO DP130 12th is still smaller than the average 27” monitor.
Business Monitors: Care for Your Eyes with Style
Eye fatigue is now a problem for everyone since so much of our work is done in front of a computer screen. We have no choice when there’s work to be done, do we? Picking monitors that focus on eye care features can help minimize this fatigue. Some things that help reduce eye strain are anti-flicker and anti-glare panels and reduced blue light.
However, in the end, the best monitor for your setup comes down to your needs. Do you prefer a curved display, which resolution you want to run, what sort of work you are doing, and so on can all play a factor in your decision making. In fact, that would need a Protect your Eyes with MSI (here it is).
Modern MD241PW & MD272QP
Both the Modern MD241PW and MD272QP Business Monitors are ideal candidates for your next upgrade. While the MD272QP boasts a 27” 1440p display, the MD241PW offers a 23.8” 1080p panel. Both models offer all the eye care features you’ll need for a comfortable viewing experience.
Although higher resolutions are technically ‘better,’ it comes down to your preference and requirements. If you have the hardware to drive higher resolutions and have the space to accommodate a 27” monitor, the Modern MD272QP would be the right pick. However, if you want something more compact that isn’t too demanding on your PC, the Modern MD241PW is the way to go.
Both monitors come equipped with Productivity Intelligence (PI) features that offer Smart tools to maximize efficiency.
Modern MD271CPW
Watching movies on a larger flat screen can become a problem when sitting in front of your PC. The edges don’t look right, and there’s more strain on your eyes as you keep trying to focus on the action all around the screen.
The Modern MD271CPW Curved Monitor offers a 1500R curve to reduce edge distortion while minimizing eye strain. It boasts a 27” Full HD VA panel for better visuals in darker scenes.
PRO MP341CQW
The PRO MP341CQW is an excellent choice when you want to combine work and leisure without compromise. It boasts a gorgeous 34” curved ultrawide VA panel with an incredible 3440 x 1440 resolution and a 100Hz refresh rate.
The large screen area allows you to spread out multiple apps side-by-side and will come in handy for tasks like video editing, where it’s essential to see more of the timeline without compromising the preview window. You can enjoy movies in full ultrawide glory, with the 1500R curve ensuring a pleasant viewing experience.
Whether you want to watch movies, play a few games, or get work done, the PRO MP341CQW will have your back.
There’s More! Say Hello to MSI Cloud Center
With everyone carrying high-quality cameras in their pockets, lack of storage is becoming an increasingly frustrating issue. Yes, you can buy smartphones with larger storage capacities, but how do you back up all that data?
One option is paying a monthly/yearly subscription to a third-party cloud provider like Apple (iCloud), Google (GDrive), or Microsoft (OneDrive) for additional storage. But that perpetual fee for backing up your data sucks, doesn’t it?
MSI Cloud Center offers a better solution – your own Personal Private Cloud. And the best part, it doesn’t require you to pay a monthly subscription!
Every MSI Business Product listed above comes with access to MSI Cloud Center – allowing seamless transfer of photos, videos, and more between your PC, Android, and iOS devices wirelessly. You can even allow family members to access these files or mark them private. It’s your data, and you retain complete control over it.
And if you run out of space, all you need to do is add more storage to your PC!
Shout Out for MSI
If you’ve always valued reading reviews and feedback from others before making a purchase, you have a chance to return the favor! Share your thoughts about your latest MSI purchase, let us know, and we’ll thank you with a cool reward.
You can find details about Shout Out promotion here.
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