Computex 2017: Dell goes all-AMD in its upgradable AIO PCs

Five screws hold the motherboard, making upgrades simple

Dell has surprised onlookers by announcing an all-AMD VR-ready all-in-one PC at Computex 2017.

It's been years since a vendor produced an all-AMD AIO, and the 27 7000 is ready to prove itself, packing the new Ryzen CPUs: an AIO first. The top-of-the-line models are ready to support VR, too.

As standard, the 27 7000 (27" LCD display with an IPS panel and 1920 x 1080 resolution) runs on a quad-core Ryzen 5 1400 CPU and RX 560 GPU with 4GB of RAM, for $1,000. It's a basic machine, but gamers can expect to get an easy 30fps at maximum settings, or 60fps on medium.

Want more power? For $1,300 you can grab an octa-core Ryzen 7 1700 processor and RX 580 GPU with 8GB of RAM. This is where the VR support kicks in, and it's plenty for 1920 x 1080 gaming, too.

At the head of the range is a $1,500 configuration, which ups the 1920 x 1080 display to 4k with HDR support (although the RX 580 GPU is still the same, so don't expect to run VR at that resolution).

While the pure AMD hardware is interesting, it's not the Inspiron's most important feature. The AIO can be upgraded, with just two screws to get at the storage drives and three more to reach the motherboard. This is an almost unheard-of level of versatility for an AIO PC, and means that you can upgrade the CPU for VR, even on the base model. Dell has committed to supporting the AM4 motherboard platform until at least 2020.

The downside of the PC comes from its port selection - no Thunderbolt here. Instead owners will have to make do with HDMI (in and out), USB-C, USB 3.1 (x4) and USB 2.0, as well as the standard RJ45, SD and headphones.

No need to break the bank

At the same time as the 27 7000, Dell announced a cheaper AIO called the 24 5000 (23.8" LCD display with IPS panel). CPU, RAM and HDD can all be chosen based on user preference, but the graphics are locked to an RX 560 with 4GB of RAM. Starting price is $700.

Neither of the above PCs are built for gaming, but Dell didn't forget the enthusiast market. The Inspiron Gaming Desktop is another AMD machine, starting at $600. It features dual graphics slots and three GPU options - although those with money to burn can opt for Nvidia's GTX 1060 with 6GB of RAM.