Samsung launching all-in-one PCs

Samsung is launching a new range of all-in-one computers, its first foray in to the desktop computing market. The U250 and U200, which will go on sale in May through PC World, run Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 7 Home Premium.

Samsung has not yet announced full pricing details for the two computers, but the U250 is thought to feature a 23in touch-screen monitor which supports full high definition. The U200 will boast a slightly smaller display, and will be HD-ready, capable of playing content at 720p.

The monitors can be wall-mounted or stood on a desktop, and the touch-screen interface is said to be ideally suited to photo-editing, gaming and watching movies.

"I don't think the Samsung touch-screens will be huge, but it will certainly appeal to a section of the market," Ranjit Atwal, principal analyst at Gartner told PC Pro. "Desktops have never disappeared, they've just been take over in the mid-price sector by notebooks and netbooks...but it's become one of those devices which are a central part of a multi-PC household."

All-in-one PCs have become increasingly popular in recent years, as manufacturers seek new ways to make the traditional desktop computer smaller and more compact, and better suited to use in a communal family setting.