Breaking New Ground

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All-in-One computers are the next step in traditional desktop computing, combining all of the necessary computer components into a single, sleek design. But this has come at a cost; the majority of all-in-ones are limited by inferior hardware and poor options for upgrading or repairing, taking away some of the most beneficial parts of a desktop computer. ViPC is a standard aimed to break this barrier by combining aspects of an all-in-one with those of a desktop.

This Article looks at current market all-in-one computers aimed for certain professions: designers, photographers, and programmers, comparing several models from known companies and evaluating each on price, performance, and usability.

AiO Usability Comparison

How the computers compare when looking at ease of use

Usability Details

Technical specs are important, but what makes each computer different? Usability can make everyday computing headache free if done right. Small, everyday actions such as having a keyboard dock or choosing how to orient the ports seem like standards a chassis should have, but are often neglected. The following topics are common features that many consumers want in a computer and we’ll see how the different models fair.

Portable

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- *Portable:* 
   - Moving ViPC AiO in in between desk to table
   - Remote start shown
      - carry grips shown
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Chain:*
  - Traditional AiO connected to several cables
  - Lockdown symbol
  - Stick man with frown

In todays world, being mobile is vital for almost every situation. Collaboration has been a growing criteria for businesses and schools, making sharing your work important for all parties. Currently, you have to choose between power or mobility. Traditional desktops / all-in-ones are designed to be kept in a single spot; transporting them is awkward and difficult. Laptops are easy to transport, but leave much to be desired in terms of performance. Many people have both a laptop and a desktop, but this leads to differences in workflow.

ViPC AiO is designed to be transported easily throughout a workplace or home. By incorporating all of the standard peripherals into the case itself, the computer can easily be relocated without causing any headaches. Grips are another feature many computers don’t include, so we made sure to add grips for pain-free transportation.

Carry On Compliant

Carry on vs Shipping

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- *carry on:* 
   - Phoenix bringing ViPC through airport security
   - carrying with or in a carry on bag
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Closed:*
  - shipping in large box, dents on box
        -money sign above
  - Stick man with frown

Closed Monolithic

Shipping a computer is expensive, time consuming, and potentially harmful to the machine. To avoid doing this many people buy a laptop for travel, but this introduces two additional problems; a laptop isn’t going to have the same performance as a desktop computer and it’s another machine you have to manage.

Open Modular

There are many reasons you would want to travel with your computer. Students going home for the holidays, spending the week at a convention, or travelling for business are a few. Being without your main computer for such trips can be difficult, so we made ViPC as travel-friendly as possible. ViPC is small enough to fit into carry on luggage, saving you time and money by not having to pack it separately. This also mitigates the need for a laptop for travel, making your life much easier by just needing one computer.

Carry on Complaint

Avoid Shipping your PC

Clean Desk

Clean Desk vs Mess

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- *clean:* 
   - Clear desk, keyboard mounted
   - Sketch paper on desk?
   - Phoenix with smile
- *mess:*
  - Desk with usb hub, wires all over, keyboard on desk
  - Stick man with frown

Closed Monolithic AiO

Keeping your computer desk clean can be a difficult task. From your keyboard or drawing tablet to the stacking pile of soda cans, managing desk space isn’t easy. Many all-in-ones do a good job of minimizing space below the desk by taking the traditional desktop tower out of the equation, but you still have to manage all of the peripherals on the desk.

Cable messes have always been a nightmare for computer desks. Look behind a desk and you will likely find piles of cables, all tangled and messy. You need power surge protectors, plugs for a monitor, USB hubs, and more.

###Modular AiO Managing your keyboard while not in use is a problem many face. Some people unplug it from their computer or flip it on its side on a ledge, but everyone shares the common problem; where can I put my keyboard for easy storage? ViPC solves this issue by using the most logical approach: incorporating a keyboard stand into the AiO chassis for storage and transportation. Now, you can simply place your keyboard underneath the screen to sketch new designs or work in your textbook.

To battle the famous cable mess that plagues many computer desks, ViCase incorporates many common peripherals into the case itself to reduce the number of external cables.

Clean Desk vs Mess

More space for other activities

Easy Clean

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- *Open:* 
   - ViCase cover in dishwasher next to other plates
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Closed:*
  - Traditional AiO, dust all around 
       -red heat arrows radiating off computer
  - Stick man with frown

For computers, dust is their worst nightmare. Dust build-up makes your components run hotter, shortens the life of fans, and covers the shiny exterior of your PC. It can be a hassle to clean PCs, but it’s an important step to take in keeping your computer running cool and quiet. ViPC not only has high quality dust filters all around the case for great cooling, but the top cover and dust filters are also 100% dish washer friendly. A common mistake many people make is to use compressed air to blow dust off their computer. While this gets the dust off in the short run, all of that dust doesn’t magically disappear; now it is floating all over your room. Our filters and cover can be thrown in the sink for true cleansing, keeping the airflow in your PC dust free.

Easy Clean

Dishwasher safe and easy to clean

Easy Access

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- *Open:* 
   - Slightly off center top down view of ViPC AiO, all ports of motherboard shown
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Closed:*
  - hand reaching to back of AiO, fumbling around plugging in USB
  - Stick man with frown

For many, once you buy a PC you can operate it without opening it up. Many all-in-ones are designed like this, making self repairs / upgrades nearly impossible for the average user. For ViPC, we wanted to provide easy access for every aspect of the computer, from turning it on to plugging in peripherals.

The power buttons on PCs have always been a pain to use. Most of the time you have to reach far behind the screen or, for tower PCs, underneath the desk. Not everyone is going to have their computer set up the same way, so we decided why not let the user choose where to power on their ViPC? The ViPC includes a remote power button that can be placed on the desk or taped to a wall for easy access no matter where the PC is situated.

Similarly to power buttons, getting to your ports can be difficult. The ViPC AiO gives you the option to orient the direction of your ports however you want; face them up or down, left or right. For easy access, facing them upwards gives you every port you need just by standing up and looking down at your computer. Facing them downwards will hide any cables sticking out in case you value looks over function. And you can change the orientation any time you want.

Easy Access

One-step to open PC

Open Modular

Open Modular Displays

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- *Open:* 
   - ViCase Stand plus Display as two parts explosion drawing
   - Additionally a matrix of 2 x 2 displays, all different size
      - inside each display the words: IPS, 4k, 120 Hz, 30 bit
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Closed:*
  - iMac outline
  - Stick man with frown

Closed Monolithic AiO

Traditional all-in-ones have the display unalterably integrated with the entire chassis.

**Closed AiO architecture limits your choice of:

• Screen size
• LCD type
• Quality …

… to what the manufacturer decides upon. Some give certain flexibility in the size or screen type, but with hundreds of factors to take into account for monitors, this simply means you are limited in finding the best screen for you. All-in-ones also have no upgrade or repair options for the screen post-purchase, meaning you must buy a whole new machine.

Open Modular

ViPC AiO lets you choose any monitor you want, including the one you already own. This is made possible by utilizing the open modular industry standard of VESA mounts. The Display is the single most important interface between you and your computer. This is even more true for practitioners of the visual arts, such as photographers and designers. Resolution, size, density, color accuracy, viewing angle are all factors where the open modular AiO gives you full control to optimize features versus your budget.

And because the screen is separate from the components, you can upgrade the screen without changing the rest of the components while still enjoying the benefits of the all-in-one form factor.

Comparing Screen Options

AiO Open Modular Display

More choice, easy upgrading and repair

Open Modular Upgrading

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One of the biggest downsides to all-in-one computers is the absence of options for future upgrades. With their slim designs, many manufacturers eliminate the option of upgrading key components such as the screen or graphics card. While they last for quite some time, you eventually have to get rid of the entire system due to the lack of upgradeability. ViPC throws this concept out the window, letting the user upgrade every component down to the power supply, significantly extending the useful life of the computer and reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO). Because ViPC uses standard desktop parts, upgrading is easy and not restricted to any standard; use your PC how you want to. We also fully recommend self-upgrading your machine! This saves time and money for both parties, and we provide many guides that walk you through the process of doing so. We can also do the repairs or upgrades for you, but give you the option of choosing.

Open Modular Configuration

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Our configurator lets you choose how you want a computer built, and what parts you want inside. Choose from typical components such as power supply or CPU, while getting even broader choices such as the color of your ViCase cover or an AiO conversion kit. Many configurations are limited in what you can choose, but we want to give the user as much choice as possible to make the perfect machine. And for those that need guidance, we have pre-configured models that are ready made and tested for you.

Open Modular Formfactor

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- One arrow above pointing towards ViPC, one arrow below pointing towards AiO
- Creating loop

Different form factors come with different benefits. Tower PCs are easy to repair and use standard parts, but are large and bulky. All-in-ones mold together the monitor and components into a single chassis, but suffer in terms of upgradability and performance. Mini-PCs are easy to transport, but often times use mobile parts. Each comes with its own advantages, and different users will want different form factors. ViPC open modular formfactor means we give you control of how you want your computer configured. Switch from an all-in-one layout to a mini-PC seamlessly, making the best of both worlds a reality.

AiO Open Modular FormFactor

Fluid Formfactor for seamless switching

Desktop Parts

Desktop Parts vs Mobile Parts

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- *Desktop:* 
   - Large Graphics card, racing wheels
   - Phoenix riding it?
- *Mobile:*
  - Small mobile graphics, normal wheels with smoke coming from top
  - Stick man riding with frown

Closed Monolitic AiO

Many all-in-ones use mobile variations of components to reduce power usage and size. Mobile parts have less power consumption, lower clock speeds, and smaller coolers, effectively acting as gimped versions of desktop parts. While useful for devices such as laptops, having mobile parts on an all-in-one limits performance and upgradeability.

Modular AiO

ViPC uses standard desktop parts for all of its components, running at the intentional speed that item was given. Desktop parts are overclock-able, offer more performance-per-value, and are much easier to replace/upgrade. Some desktop components such as the CPU cooler and graphics cards are larger than their mobile counterparts due to heat, but ViCase manages to fit these components all in a 6-liter housing.

AiO Desktop vs Mobile Parts

Better performance, easy upgrades, lower cost

I Fix It Option

Fix vs Trash

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- *Open:* 
   - ViPC AiO, parts hovering above with arrows pointing towards machine
   - new parts being upgraded
- *Closed:*
  - iMac outline
  - image in landfill, 

Closed Monolithic AiO

Many all-in-one components are fused into the chassis as non-standard parts, such as the screen, power supply, and motherboard. This means that when the time comes to upgrade components, you must replace the entire machine, costing more funds and decreasing the life of the device. Most manufacturers will let you send the product back for repairs, but this costs time and money.

Modular AiO

Using standard parts around an open computer chassis means that your computer can last you as long as you want. Everything in the machine is user replaceable, such as standard ITX motherboards or FLEX ATX power supplies. This also means less waste, and repairing or upgrading the machine can be done yourself with little experience needed. ViPC firmly believes in an open system, so we made sure to incorporate this mindset when it came to the longevity of ViPC.

I Fix It Option

Freedom to upgrade parts yourself

DIY Option

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- Pheonix changing parts out of ViCase

There are many upsides to going the DIY route, including lower cost, more options, better performance, and the satisfaction of building a computer yourself. While we see the benefits of a pre-made machine, staying DIY still means we can configure your machine for you, while also not locking your future options down in any manner.

Workstation Class

Workstation vs Consumer

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- *Workstation:* 
   - ViPC with clock floating above, fully colored green
   - Phoenix with smile
- *Consumer:*
  - Traditional AiO with only 4 hours of clock  filled in
  - Stick man with frown

Everyone uses their computer differently. Some use it mainly for gaming or 3D modeling, while others use it for programming or video rendering. With this, certain configurations are going to be better for working day and night or just light work every couple of hours. Parts like hard drives or power supplies are rated for use, and are important factors to consider. If using a computer for heavy work, you’ll want gold + rated power supplies and hard drives that are rated to be used continuously. These will cost more and aren’t needed if you don’t need the level of reliability, but are a must buy if you do. ViPC configurations use workstation grade components, rated to keep up with your workload without failing.

Workstation vs Consumer

All day usage vs partial usage

Surge & EMI Protection

Safety

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With every computer, additional safety peripherals are needed to keep potential problems in check. For workstation computers, sudden electrical surges can be damaging, causing many delays – or worse – if your computer isn’t properly protected. Until now, people had to buy separate surge protectors to keep the components safe in the event of electrical failure. ViCase has surge protection and an EMI filter built in, meaning that your PC will always be protected no matter where you take it. The built-in DC port also keeps your monitor protected and reduces what you have to plug into the wall.

Surge and EMI Protetion

Built-in safety features

Save Planet

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PCs in today’s era are made to be used, then trashed once the newer models are released. Parts are becoming harder to upgrade and entire systems need to be replaced instead of a few select components. Once you own a ViCase, every component can be upgraded individually with standard desktop components, helping out the planet by throwing away less parts.

Conclusion

ViPC isn’t meant to have an outstanding lead in either price or performance (although it is the least expensive with identical specs) but excels rather in usability features such as portability, an upgradeable, modular system, and integrated safety features. These aren’t normally aspects you think about when buying an AiO, but they make day to day life more stress-free. ViPC AiO may not have the sleek curves of machines such as the Apple iMac, but when you start ticking down the comparison sheet, you’ll see that there is more than what meets the eye.

Reference