Small form factor PC aside, All-in-One PC is among the popular choices when it comes to the limited workspace. In this article, we take a quick look at another AIO PC we have actually tested for quite some time, the Pro AP272 12M from MSI. The Pro AP272 12M is a 27-inch variant that is priced at RM4,099, not exactly the most affordable option around but let’s see what MSI has to offer this time.
The content of the box is pretty much what you’ll get for most of the AIO PC out there. You find the MSI Pro AP272 12M along with the accessories like the power brick, and the bundled wireless keyboard and mouse, all the basic necessities to get you started.
Aside from the 1920×1080 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate, no information on the sRGB color gamut and brightness can be found in the specs sheet. We did our own independent test out of curiosity and this is the result of our findings. The unit we are testing here covers 86.9% of the sRGB color gamut and a brightness of 301.9 nits.
The unit has two built-in speakers at the back, and two USB ports at the side for ease of access if you don’t want to reach for the bottom USB ports. The speakers are pretty basic, not the type that will give you a super immersive experience but it’s there for your basic audio needs if you don’t have enough desk space for a dedicated speaker set.
You’ll find more IO at the bottom of the unit but what really sparked our interest is the DisplayPort and HDMI ports here. Unlike the monitors that we’re dealing with every day, these ports only work as output ports. This means that you can only extend the display from the system running in this unit and not use it as a dedicated monitor that is mainly for display purposes only.
As the name suggests, the AP272 12M is an AIO PC that comes with a 27-inch IPS display. There is also the AP242 12M with a smaller display, but both shares almost identical specs of Intel Core i5-12400, 8GB DDR4-3200 memory, 512GB M.2 SSD, and Intel UHD Graphics 730. It doesn’t have dedicated graphics like NVIDIA and Radeon to handle crazy AAA titles, but it will still suffice for your basic entertainment needs i.e video streaming, web browsing, and very lightweight gaming.
It also comes with a built-in webcam that features Window Hello to improve users’ privacy and productivity. If that doesn’t really matter much to you, well, it makes video calls or conferences easy since you don’t need a 3rd-party webcam to get the job done.
From our stress tests, the highest temperature recorded is 91°C but that is when you stress it hard. For most use cases, the temperature is hovering mostly at around the 60-70°C range. Not too bad I would say.
For the power draw, although the Intel Core i5-12400 did boost up to 4.4GHz, the maximum power draw is only at 40W. This is actually much lower than the official specifications, which is at 65W and this is probably the limitations set by MSI in the BIOS settings in order to keep the temperature under control in such a tight space.
Verdict
Honestly, I still think that AIO PCs are still quite a niche product even though it’s been around for a very long time. Despite having a bigger display that makes work easier, most users will still go for a laptop because of its portable design, alongside the built-in battery and ready-to-use input that allows you to work anywhere you want rather than being fixed to a spot all the time.
The only reason I will get an AIO PC for myself is because of the limited workspace I have because of the small desk I’m using right now. For most of my work, I will still need an actual PC with a dedicated graphics card, and proper cooling that keeps the CPU running at its full potential as long as possible. With that being said, the MSI Pro AP272 12M is definitely not the product a PC enthusiast will even bother to look at because of the limitations.
Of course, there are other uses for the AIO PC aside from just being an office use work PC. There are still many uses for AIO PCs other than the other common use case of basic entertainment, but at the end of the day, the decision is really up to you. For the price of RM4,099, the AP272 12M is not the cheapest option around for sure, and I think that the AP242 12M which comes with a smaller 24-inch display will be a better choice as it is retailed at a lower price of RM3,399.
