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CES 2013 Preview: Desktops

CES 2013 is around the corner to tell you what to look forward to in terms of desktops in the year to come.

CES 2012 version b

Now that you've made all your purchases for 2012, what's next? That's right, the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is right around the corner to tell you what's exciting in the world of desktops in the coming year. For desktop PCs, the future is shiny aluminum and expansive glass screens. After all, you need something to house that large touch screen.

Windows 8 Is Here, For Better or Worse
Windows 8 was the big story (or non-story) of late 2012. As of Oct. 26, 2012, the only way you can buy a new consumer-grade desktop PC is with Windows 8 pre-installed. Yes, you can still buy a closeout mid-2012 PC with Windows 7 on it, but for newly announced consumer PCs at CES, Windows 8 is it. Using a PC with Windows 8 is tricky without a touch screen, and older Windows apps only work in the so-called desktop mode. People will continue to miss the Start menu, though third-party software developers are working to replace the old Start menu's functionality.

Using the history of Windows Vista as a gauge, it could be a quarter or two into 2013 before we start to see consumer systems with Windows 8 to Windows 7 "downgrade" options in their startup screens, if Microsoft allows that option at all. You can, of course, buy a commercial or business-grade PC. Thanks to lengthy IT testing processes, it's unlikely for any corporation's IT department to buy into Windows 8 beyond a few tests systems at this point. If you absolutely, positively want a new PC that comes with Windows 7 and will be supported for years, get a business PC. Otherwise, shop for a touch-screen PC with Windows 8.

You've Got The Touch
Touch screens will be big at CES. Whether they are on tablets, notebooks, smartphones, or desktop PCs, touch screens have become a standard interface. People now expect to zoom an image larger by pinching with their fingers, and to move around a user interface with a swipe of a finger. With a touch screen, Windows 8 makes some sense. Without one, you're going to be flailing around and looking for peripherals (such as Windows 8-optimized keyboards and mice). Look for desktops in the $600 and above price range with touch screens, though the sky is the limit when you start adding high-end components and HD screens to the mix.

Speeds and Feeds
Simply put, the mid-level Core i5 CPUs that many manufacturers put in ultrabooks are plenty fast for most day-to-day computing tasks. Add solid-state drive (SSD), and you have a system that boots in seconds, and hardly ever feels slow. There are exceptions to this of course; you'll still need a discrete graphics card to play hardcore 3D games. Causal games like Angry Birds work fine on $99 smartphones, however, so if all you have planned for the day is a surfing session and a quick round of World of Warcraft, then the base model desktop might even be enough for you. Look for halo products like 27-inch all-in-one desktops with "greater than HD" resolution screens to dominate news stories, but keep an eye out for bargain systems. They are more than enough to replace that old system you bought eight years ago and that has been handed down from family member to family member over that time.

We'll be on the ground in Las Vegas the week of Jan. 7 for CES, so stay tuned to PCMag.com to get you daily fix of tech and gadget news. For more, check out PCMag's CES preview for laptops.

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About Joel Santo Domingo

Lead Analyst

Joel Santo Domingo joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel earned a BA in English Literature and an MBA in Information Technology from Rutgers University. He is responsible for overseeing PC Labs testing, as well as formulating new test methodologies for the PC Hardware team. Along with his team, Joel won the ASBPE Northeast Region Gold award of Excellence for Technical Articles in 2005. Joel cut his tech teeth on the Atari 2600, TRS-80, and the Mac Plus. He’s built countless DIY systems, including a deconstructed “desktop” PC nailed to a wall and a DIY laptop. He’s played with most consumer electronics technologies, but the two he’d most like to own next are a Salamander broiler and a BMW E39 M5.

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