A Windows 8 computer for many tastes

Today on my GlobalTV Monday Morning News I showed three examples of the newest Windows 8 PCs. They all run on the newest Windows 8.1 operating system with improvements like booting directly into desktop mode.

They vary in size, function and price and all come with 10 finger gesture display. As you probably know by now, all run two versions of Windows, the traditional desktop similar to Windows 7 and the enhanced mode with large icons, meant to be used as a touch tablet.

I must admit, I wasn’t a fan of Windows touch screen, but even if you use the desktop mode most of the time, it does come in handy to reach out to the screen and swipe or touch icons in addition to your mouse and keyboard.

Having said that, the following examples of the wide variety of form factours Windows 8 devices come in today, certainly brings a lot of choices to consumers.

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-The Asus Transformer Book T100 is a well-designed affordable 10-inch Windows 8.1 convertible with a street price of $399.99. It runs on the Intel Atom Z3740 quad-core processor, has plenty of multi-tasking power and more than 10 hours of battery life.

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Unlike the first generation of Windows RT convertibles running a special version of Windows on much lower performing chips, the T100 has sufficient power to handle serious programs like Photoshop. It converts into a tablet and its size makes it ideal for travel, relaxing at home or even catching up with work. It weighs in at 1.07kg with keyboard and only 550g as a standalone tablet.

www.asus.com/ca/‎

Compared to another popular convertible, Microsoft’s own Surface RT or now 2^nd gen Surface, which in itself is also a worthy competitor, the T100 has rounded edges making it easier to hold especially on your lap. http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/

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-The Dell Inspiron 17 7000 series, starting at $899, with Intel 4^th gen i5, including DVD optical drive and mid-level 1600×900 screen resolution is a sharp looking laptop. It’s beautifully made and looks more expensive than what it is, saying that in a nice way because it can also be configured to a serious do-it-all laptop with Full-HD resolution, additional gaming graphics card and more, almost doubling the price. At first it might seem heavy, but I like the thicker screen as it feels like a solid standalone touch screen 17.3” monitor, compared to lighter laptops that feel flimsy.

www.dell.ca

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-Desktop PCs are not selling like they used to, but you have to check the new designs. The ENVY Recline 23 Touchsmart redefines desktop computing. Starting at $1150, with Intel 4^th gen Intel i5 and Nvidia enhanced graphics, the Recline 23 has the most agile gliding display movements. Sure, it can be used standing or sitting, including horizontal gaming modes, but it can actually dip below the desk surface close to your lap for the easiest touch screening, including art work. The 23” screen is wide viewing IPS capapble and includes a handy HDMI input for plugging in smaller laptops. HP has come a long way since its first Touchsmart PC in 2008. This is an ideal Windows 8 PC the whole family can enjoy in  busy areas of your home, or work PC with the most flexible screen positions.

www.hp.com/canada