There’s been a lot of talk going ’round the internet lately about the new Dell XPS One. It is built as an all-in-one monitor+computer similar to the iMac.

After some intense research, I offer the following well-thought-out and poignant anecdote:

They both suck.

Now I’ll explain why:

I’m not going to talk about what operating system is better at all because it truly doesn’t matter. You’re either a Windows fanboy or a Mactard. Take your pick. You can debate pointlessly about OS accolades and flaws all day long but at the end of the day you’re still dealing with a computer built from kill-fast parts.

The reason why these slabs can fit so much into such a compact space is because the parts are smaller, i.e. laptop parts.

Let me give you the 101 on laptops.

Any laptop is designed to last 2 years. That’s it. If you can get more than 2 years out of any laptop, consider yourself fortunate. It doesn’t matter who makes it because the parts are essentially all the same across the board.

A regular big-box PC on the other hand has a life span of 4 to 5 years. This isn’t to say the OS will stay current (obviously); I’m talking about hardware. The bigger parts do make a difference and moreover the computer can "breathe" easier.

Both the iMac and the XPS One are built from parts designed to last 2 years.

Is it worth it to go with style over longevity?

Absolutely not. No way, no how.

If you want a compact computer, get a laptop. Don’t bother with the PC-pretending-to-be-a-laptop.

In addition, it’s FAR EASIER to change out or upgrade things like the optical drive, RAM and hard drive on a laptop. On my now-old Dell Inspiron 6000, the optical drive comes out by removing a single screw. The RAM takes two screws. The hard drive, one screw. All in plain sight, all easy to change out.

Don’t buy all-in-one slabs. Not worth it.