Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W

Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W

The Acer Veriton Z290G-UD525W-UD525W ($599 list) is a one-trick pony: It's one of the cheapest touchscreen-equipped all-in-one desktop PCs on the market, but is best suited for data-entry or management applications like cash register and concierge desk managers. It's too slow to keep mainline clerical workers productive if they multitask or run any sort of multimedia software. The Z290G-UD525W has standard Acer business desktop styling, which consists of glossy black plastic with some minor embellishments. It's indistinguishable from an inexpensive flat panel monitor, except for the tray-loading DVD burner on the right side of the desktop. The included wired keyboard feels a little cheap (the space bar in particular is a little wobbly), but it gets the job done. In a win of aesthetics over functionality, the rear-facing I/O ports (like the USB and Ethernet ports) actually face down so they're hidden from views directly astern. This makes them less noticeable, but also harder to use: You may need to physically turn the unit over to plug in Ethernet or USB cables.