Screen size
Diagonal of the screen installed in a monoblock (see "Type").
In general, the larger the diagonal, the more advanced both the screen and the computer as a whole are considered. The large display size is convenient for games, movies, and some special tasks like layout of large printed materials; in addition, a higher resolution can be provided for such a screen, and more space is available inside the case for advanced components. On the other hand, a larger monoblock will cost much more than a relatively small one, even if the other characteristics of such models are completely the same. In addition, the power of the hardware is not directly related to the size of the screen — high-end monoblocks can be quite small.
As for specific numbers, a
diagonal of 20" or less is considered very limited nowadays,
monoblocks of 21.5" are small,
a 24" screen is medium, and values of
27" and
32" indicate large sizes.
Resolution
Resolution of the screen installed in the monoblock (see "Type").
The higher the resolution, the clearer and more detailed image the screen can produce, but the more expensive it is. In addition, high resolutions require corresponding powerful graphics, which further affects the price of the entire computer. The minimum indicator for modern monoblocks is actually 1366x768 — this resolution allows, in particular, to play HD 720p video in proper quality. However, nowadays, the more advanced format is most widely used —
Full HD, providing a resolution of 1920x1080. And in high-end monoblocks with a large diagonal and powerful graphics, there are also more solid resolutions —
Quad HD(2560x1440, 3440x1440),
Ultra HD 4K(3840x2160, 4096x2304) and even
5K(5120x2880) standards.
Surface treatment
Type of own screen cover in monoblock (see "Type").
—
Glossy. The most common type of coating in modern PCs. Such a surface (with the same characteristics of the matrix) noticeably surpasses the matte one in terms of brightness and colour saturation in the visible image. The main disadvantage of gloss is the tendency to glare in bright ambient light; however, all-in-one PCs are not often used in such conditions, and this phenomenon can be compensated by increasing the brightness of the backlight. With all this, this type of coverage is quite inexpensive.
—
Glossy (anti-glare). A modified version of the glossy finish (see above) that, as the name suggests, is more resistant to glare. At the same time, in terms of picture quality, such screens are usually not inferior to classic gloss. On the other hand, the anti-reflective surface is somewhat more expensive, and its advantages in this case are not often really significant. Therefore, screens with such a coating are found in modern monoblocks much less often than glossy ones.
—
Matte. The key advantages of a matte finish are its low cost and the almost complete absence of glare, even in bright ambient light. On the other hand, the image on such a screen is dimmer than on glossy displays (including anti-glare) with similar matrix characteristics. Therefore, this type of coating is rarely used
...nowadays — mainly in relatively inexpensive household and business models, for which a bright picture with saturated colours is not fundamental.Number of slots
The number of slots for RAM modules provided on the PC motherboard. In this case, we are talking about slots for removable strips; for a PC with
built-in memory, this parameter is irrelevant.
The slots available on the "motherboard" can be occupied all, partially or not occupied at all (in models
without RAM). Anyway, you should pay attention to their number if the initially installed amount of RAM does not suit you (or ceases to suit you over time), and you plan to upgrade the system. The smallest amount found in a PC with removable memory is
1 slot ; if it is busy, you will only have to change the bar when upgrading. More connectors for RAM are always paired, this is due to a number of technical nuances; most often this number is
2 or
4, but it can be large — up to 16 in powerful workstations.
Note that when planning an upgrade, you need to take into account not only the number of slots and type of memory (see above), but also the characteristics of the motherboard. All modern "motherboards" have restrictions on the maximum amount of RAM; as a result, for example, the presence of two DDR4 slots does not mean that two strips of maximum capacity can be installed in the system at once, 128 GB each.
USB 2.0
The number of full size USB 2.0 connectors on the back of the PC.
USB is the most popular modern interface for connecting peripherals. And the number of connectors is, accordingly, the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the rear panel without the use of splitters. Specifically, version 2.0 was the most popular some time ago, but now it is considered obsolete, it is gradually being replaced by more advanced standards like USB 3.0 (3.1 gen1). However, USB 2.0 capabilities (data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps) are still sufficient for many peripheral devices, from keyboards and mice to printers. So it's still a long way from the end of the standard, and some PCs may have
4 or more USB 2.0 ports on the back.
Separately, it should be noted that similar connectors can be placed on the front side of the case. However, for peripherals that need to be constantly connected to the computer, it is more convenient to use the rear panel, while the front placement is better suited for frequent connection / disconnection.
USB 3.2 gen1
The number of full-sized
USB 3.2 gen1 connectors(previously labeled USB 3.1 gen1 and USB 3.0) provided on the back of the PC.
USB is the most popular modern interface for connecting peripherals. And the number of connectors is, accordingly, the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the rear panel without the use of splitters. As for the USB 3.2 gen1 version, it has a connection speed of about 4.8 Gbps. In some configurations, the number of such connectors can reach
4 or even more.
It is also worth noting that ports of this type can be placed on the front side of the case. However, for peripherals that need to be constantly connected to the computer, it is more convenient to use the rear panel, while the front placement is better suited for frequent connection / disconnection.
Optical drive
The type of optical disc drive provided on the front of the PC. It is worth saying that nowadays, many computers
are not equipped with such drives at all — modern technologies make it possible to do without optical discs. If there is equipment for such disks, its options may be as follows:
—
DVD-RW. Drives capable of reading and writing DVDs (as well as older CDs). The standard capacity of such a disc is 4.7 GB, which allows you to burn a movie in HD quality (or even higher) on one disc, and install the installation files of a rather “heavy” modern game on several discs. At the same time, DVD drives and media for them are cheaper than Blu-ray, and therefore are used more often.
— DVD/Blu Ray. Drives that support both CD and DVD (see above) and
Blu-ray discs. The latter are specially designed for HD content (including 3D) and demanding games and have the appropriate capacity — up to 66 GB. However, nowadays, media of this type are used extremely rarely — they are quite expensive, while there are more convenient and perfect alternatives (starting from external HDDs and ending with downloading data from the Internet via high-speed channels). Therefore, Blu-ray drives have almost fallen into disuse.
Some time ago, CD-only drives were also found in PCs, but today they are completely obsolete.
USB 2.0
The number of full size
USB 2.0 connectors provided on the front of the PC.
USB is the most popular modern interface for connecting peripherals. And the number of connectors is, accordingly, the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the front panel without the use of splitters. Specifically, version 2.0 was the most popular some time ago, but now it is considered obsolete, it is gradually being replaced by more advanced standards like USB 3.0 (3.1 gen1). However, USB 2.0 capabilities (data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps) are still sufficient for many peripheral devices, from keyboards and mice to printers. So this standard is still far from completely disappearing, and some PCs may
have several of these ports on the front panel at once.
Separately, it is worth noting that similar connectors are most often available on the back of the case. However, the front panel is closer to the user, and the sockets on it are optimal for peripherals that need to be connected and disconnected frequently, such as flash drives.
USB 3.2 gen1
The number of full-size
USB 3.2 gen1 connectors(previously labeled USB 3.1 gen1 and USB 3.0) provided on the front panel of the PC.
USB is the most popular modern interface for connecting peripherals. And the number of connectors is, accordingly, the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the front panel without the use of splitters. As for version 3.2 gen1, it has speeds up to 4.8 Gbps). USB 3.2 gen1 connectors are also compatible with USB 2.0 peripherals. Thus,
2 or more such connectors are often provided on the front panel at once.
Separately, it is worth noting that similar ports are most often available on the back of the case. However, the front panel is closer to the user, the connectors on it are optimally suited for peripherals that need to be connected and disconnected frequently, such as flash drives.
