HP TouchSmart 600 / 600T / 600XT

Blu-ray drive; HDMI input; improved touchscreen UI; touch-optimized third-party apps

Weak benchmark performance; integrated audio amp needs more power

We had refrained from benchmarking all-in-one machines until Dell sent us its XPS One 24 (May 2009), which came with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 desktop CPU; so it’s only fair that we benchmark HP’s offering, too. (We still don’t run our gaming...

MSI's Wind Top AE2010 does a great job of filling the gap between budget-minded all-in-one PCs, and flashier big screen models.

Huge, gorgeous, 16:9 1080p screen ; TouchSmart suite delivers some excellent programs ; Svelte and attractive design ; Doubles nicely as a PVR/TV, complete with HDMI input for game consoles

Touchscreen is still just a smidge finicky ; Middling processor and graphics card could do with an upgrade ; It’s still a bit costly

HP’s latest all-in-one touchscreen PC, the TouchSmart 600-1055, boasts impressive upgrades to both form and function.

1080p screen, Blu-ray drive, HDTV tuner ; Excellent custom touch-enabled applications

Weak graphics performance ; Limited upgradability

This third-generation TouchSmart PC is boosted by Windows 7's gesture support, but HP's custom multitouch software is even more impressive.

Blu-ray player. True 1080p HD. Ambient Lighting. Bluetooth and 802.11 b/g/n. Minimal bloatware. Kitchen friendly. Very adjustable. Wireless everything but power and TV. HDMI and game inputs

Only 60-day subscription to Norton Internet Security. Some competitors offer Quad Core at this price point. $100-200 more expensive than rivals

The HP TouchSmart 600-1055 PC is HP's top-of-the-line Windows 7 PC that shows how touch screen interfaces are going mainstream.

Terrific multimedia features, including Blu-ray drive and HDTV tuner; Great speakers; Good touch applications; Sleek styling

So-so performance for the price; Touch interface still rough in spots; Not appropriate for gaming

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, slot-load Blu-ray player/DVD burner, NVIDIA GeForce GT230M with 1GB dedicated RAM, 23-inch 1080P multitouch display, and a slew of inputs, including 6 USB, a card reader, coax, S-Video, HDMI, audio and composite

Best touch software we've seen on a PC; video inputs can connect game consoles to HD screen; TV tuner, Blu-ray drive included

Performance lags behind less-expensive all-in-ones; touch apps, while a cut above the rest, could still use improvement

Some other touch-screen all-in-one computers offer similar or better PC performance for less, but if the touch experience is more important to you than maximum performance for your money or serious gaming , the TouchSmart 600 is the clear choice. It's...