MSI AE2050 All-In-One PC Review

This MSI AE2050 is no longer available, but over 5 years later we still have it and it still works as an awesome family computer! Check out the current offerings of MSI All-In-One PCs.

The family computer. It’s the center of the home. It’s quite common now for that to be a focal point in the kitchen, family room, or some other central area in the house. So, you want something attractive, fun, and useful to everyone. Also, you probably want something that does not take up a lot of space. I am getting ready to revamp my own desk area because the cord situation is out of control! I have way too many cords going here, there, and everywhere. However, I do not have that problem with this computer.

I have secretly drooled over the touch screen all-in-one PC technology for quite a while. So, when I was given the opportunity to review either a MSI laptop, or All-in-One, guess which one I chose? The MSI AE2050-008US is a really cool 20″ that I could not wait to check out. The name MSI has been around for a long time. However, it’s possible that only true geeks like me are familiar with the name. MSI is known for computer components such as motherboards and graphics cards.

I was also happy to see that this model includes an AMD Dual-core E-350 APU Platform 1.6GHz. I also received an 11.6″ HP laptop recently with the same processor that I need to write a review for. It was interesting to see how each functioned with the same chip.

Unboxing and setting up the AE2050 was easy. The initial setup from turning it on until it reached the Windows desktop took a while, but that is fairly normal for a new PC. I explored the different options on the computer and found ArtRage. After showing it to my kids, I was basically shoved out of the way while they used the included stylus to create picture after picture.

I have tried out a couple of touch computers before, but never had a chance to review one for a long period of time. But, I noticed right off that the MSI is a lot more responsive than some others that I have played with.

Feature Highlights

• AMD Dual-core E-350 APU Platform 1.6GHz
• 4gb DDR3 RAM (upgradeable to 8gb)
• 1TB SATA2 Hard Drive
• 802.11 b/g/n Wireless LAN
• 6 USB Ports (With MSI Super Charger Technology)
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• 20″ (16:9), 1600 x 900 Touch Panel
• Classic Leather Design
• Embedded ATI Radeon™ HD 6310 Discrete Graphics
• Exclusive “MSI Wind Touch UI”
• Featuring the Latest USB 3.0 Support

The MSI Wind Touch UI is a program designed to be the hub of the computer. It allows you to use touch to access your calendar, pictures, weather, the internet and more.  Setup is customizable so that you can add access to your favorite websites and social networking sites like Facebook.

As listed  this model comes equipped with USB 3.0. This will soon be the new standard in USB devices and is 10 times faster than USB 2.0. I tested this out by copying files to and from my 500gb Seagate FreeAgent which is currently the only other thing that I own that supports USB 3.0. It was definitely much faster. This saves a lot of time when moving large files back and forth. An added bonus that I have not seen before is that one of the USB ports is equipped with MSI Super Charger Technology. This allows you to charge your iPad, or other tablet computers and accessories that you usually would not be able to charge by plugging them into a traditional USB port because they do not generate enough power. The port can be switched back and forth from a traditional USB port to the supercharger in Windows. And, it can even charge when the computer is off.

One thing that really surprised me about this AIO is that it includes Dolby SRS Premium Sound. Playing music on it sounds really good. Not at all what you would expect from speakers in such a small package. But, if you crave even more sound, of course there is an audio port on the back of the computer along with the other ports.

The only thing that I can honestly say that I do not like about the MSI is that the webcam is not very good. I asked about this while on a conference call with an MSI engineer. He explained that this model includes only a 0.3 megapixel webcam to keep energy low. However, he also told me that in the future they are going to start using the same 1.3 megapixel camera that they use on the higher end models. This is good news! I rectified this problem by simply plugging in my USB webcam.

I think that this MSI computer is a great addition to any household. And, it is priced right. This model costs around $680. The Wind Touch series also comes in 18.5″, 21.5″, and 23.6″. You can check out all of the different models and options on MSI.com.

Disclosure: The MSI Wind Touch PC was provided in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

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