For a family, all-in-one desktop computers are going to be the best choice buy. The question is whether or not users are willing to spend the necessary bulk pay to get the performance standard they’re used to.

At $699.99, the HP TouchSmart 310-1125y offers all the regular desktop features plus a more-than-acceptable processing speed. Since the 310-1125y comes with HP’s patented TouchSmart monitor, the price hike in comparison to other desktops with similar capabilities is justifiable.

The TouchSmart monitor sports a 20 inch touch screen that is responsive and easy to manipulate. The weight of the monitor is supported by its hinged base, allowing users to tilt the monitor as they see fit. The 310-1125y’s monitor screen boasts 16:9 aspect ratio and a crystal clear 1,600×900 resolution. All sorts of multimedia adventures, whether they deal with photos, videos or 2D games, run smoothly and sharp through the LCD beauty.

The base of the desktop is coated in an intriguing glossy black finish. It’s a surprisingly good-looking chassis, and has the hardware to back-up its luster. Users will find 6 USB 2.0 ports on the machine, the most important of connections in this day and age. There is also a multi-format card reader, Ethernet (if you’re fortunate enough to have such a connection), and the necessary audio ports and headphone and microphone inputs.

One of the USB slots will be spoken for by the USB dongle, which receives the signal from the convenient wireless keyboard and mouse. The wireless controls are particularly important for those who like to sit back in a big fluffy chair a few feet from their computer.

The system also has a DVD burner, but lacks a few connections that a pricier machine would surely have (which is why it is completely legitimate that the 310-1125y lacks such luxuries as USB 3.0, eSATA and HDMI). The thing that the 310-1125y has going for it is its affordable price.

This is a basic machine, after all, so the price also reflects the inability to easily access the internal components. Users won’t be able to manually upgrade their machines without putting in the man hours plucking out the standard 4-gigabyte memory for the upgradeable 8-gigabyte one.

However, since the users that decide to purchase the 310-1125y are looking for basic functionality, they will be happy to know that the 310-1125y is fast. The 2.9 gigahertz AMD Athlon II X2 245e processor is an upshot to the lack of other features. All multimedia programs will run smoothly and quickly. Users will find 750 gigabytes of storage space on the 7,200rpm hard drive.

So, if users are really uninterested in the ability to play 3D games, and are very attracted to the idea of a flawless touch screen that comes with some sweeteners like Hulu and eBay, then the 310-1125y is a good buy for them.