The Toshiba PX35t-A2306 All-in-One Desktop ($1,191.99 list) is a solid, well priced Windows 8 touch PC. If you get one, it will serve you well for the five to seven years (or more) that most people hold on to PCs these days. It's better than many, but not quite enough become the next top dog among the mainstream all-in-one desktops.
Design and Features
The PX35t-A2306 is a fairly understated all-in-one desktop, it looks very much like a 23-inch HDTV, and its 1,920 by 1,080 resolution touch screen ensures that you can watch full HD videos in native resolution. The screen takes up most of the front façade, with just enough bezel around the screen to activate off-screen gestures like brining up the Charms menu in Windows 8. This is a more responsive and versatile senor than the IR touch display on the HP Pavilion TouchSmart 23-F260XT AIO ($999). There's a silver bar at the bottom of the screen suggesting a speaker bar, but the built-in speakers with DTS sound are bottom firing. Sound from these stereo speakers won't fill a room, but they are adequate for most PC uses. The system is on a stand, which gives the user a spot to stow the keyboard under the screen. The screen has a decent tilt for sitting and standing users, but no height adjustment, and you can't lay the system flat for touch use. The current Editors' Choice Vizio 27-inch All-in-One Touch PC (CA27T-B1) ($1,549) goes the other direction with styling that stands out.
The PX35t-A2306 has an ultrabook-class Intel Core i5-3230M processor, 8GB of system memory, and a 1TB hard drive. With the 8GB of memory and 1TB hard drive, you have enough extra overhead to make sure the average user won't find herself in a situation where she runs out of either for a good five years. Also adding to the longevity are the system's DVD burner and HDMI-in port. The DVD burner will come in handy those rare times you have to re-rip a CD so you can put it on your smartphone, and the HDMI-in port will help extend the utility of the built in display. You can hook a cable box up to the HDMI in port or use it with a laptop or desktop PC once the internal components have inevitably become obsolete.
The PX35t-A2306 comes with a few pre-loaded utilities, including Amazon, Toshiba Book Place. WildTangent games, Stumbleupon, eBay, iHeartRadio, Netflix, Vimeo, Skype, Hulu Plus, a Deal app, Evernote Touch, Norton Internet Security (30-days), News Place, Origin (games store), a trial for Microsoft Office, and a few other Toshiba utilities. While par for the course for a retail system, budget an hour or so to get rid of the ones you don't use, or be prepared to see their tiles every time you boot your PC. The PX35t-A2306 comes with a one-year warranty.
Performance
The PX35t-A2306 exhibits average to above average performance for an all-in-one desktop, thanks to its Core i5-3230M processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000, 8GB of memory, and 7,200rpm drive. It lags the Vizio CA 27T-B1, since the more expensive Vizio has a Core i7 processor and a caching SSD. Likewise, the Asus Transformer AIO (P1801-B037K) ($1,299) and Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Late 2012) ($1,299) both have Nvidia discrete graphics for better 3D performance. That said, overall the PX35t-A2306 has the power to keep most moderately fussy users happy for several years of service life.
The Toshiba PX35t-A2306 is a nice all-in-one desktop. It has enough power and features to keep most users happy for the five to seven years that they would keep the system before considering an upgrade. That said, other systems like the Editors' Choice Vizio CA27T-B1 and Apple iMac have better features and performance that outshine the unassuming Toshiba. Solid, yes, but the PX35t-A2306 doesn't surpass the Vizio CA27T-B1 or Apple iMac 21.5-inch enough to get a higher score, nor the top spot.
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