Buying guides tend to blur together. The useful part here is the trade-off each pick represents, plus the specs to check before you order. Those are covered below.
The big question: tower or all-in-one?
TechRadar's framing is simple. If you want upgradeability, discrete graphics, or serious gaming and editing performance, buy a tower. If you want a tidy, mostly hassle-free setup and don't expect to open the case, an all-in-one works. The guide says an AIO won't match a tower's performance.
It also points out that all-in-ones often use laptop-class silicon. In its view, the same Intel Core 5 chip will underperform in a laptop compared with an AIO, since AIOs typically run at higher power settings. That is TechRadar's editorial claim, not something verified here.
Dell Tower Plus (EBT2250): the upgradeable Windows pick
TechRadar calls this the best Windows PC for most people. Its reasons are configurability, internal expandability and quiet operation. Its complaints are the basic bundled keyboard and mouse and the plain looks.
What the expansion story looks like. Dell's U.S. listing shows two M.2 SSD slots and two 3.5-inch HDD bays. It also lists three PCIe expansion slots (x4, x4, x16) and two DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB of DDR5-5600. A third M.2 position is taken by the wireless card. A Dell spec sheet adds a practical caveat: the two PCIe x4 slots are covered when a graphics card is installed. So the three slots don't all stay usable once you add a big GPU.
Configurations vary a lot. Dell's U.S. page lists builds from a Core Ultra 5 225 with Intel UHD graphics, 16GB and 512GB, up to Core Ultra 7 265 systems with RTX 5060 or 5050 graphics. Dell's UK page also shows a Core Ultra 9 285K with an RTX 5080, 32GB and 2TB. The guide's "up to Core Ultra 9 285K and RTX 5080, 64GB and 4TB" is a maximum-configuration statement. It doesn't describe every build, and not every combination is sold in every market.
Watch the operating system. The guide warns that some very low-end versions ship with Linux. TechRadar's own review is more specific: the cheapest configuration has an Intel Core Ultra 5 and integrated graphics. That review says the most affordable model runs Ubuntu Linux, and all other configurations run Windows. The Dell U.S. listings I found show Windows 11 Home. Check the OS line on your exact order page anyway.
Pricing reality. In its review, TechRadar put the base configuration's MSRP at $949.99, the review unit at $1,899.99 and the maximum build at $3,679.99. Treat those as review-time figures. Dell's own page showed a different starting price and a "Sold Out" notice when it was captured, so current pricing and stock need checking separately.
Where it falls short. The guide says the reviewed mid-range build was smooth for 1080p gaming and creative apps. TechRadar's review put Cyberpunk 2077 at almost 70 fps at 1080p and about 20 fps at 4K without DLSS. The review's own conclusion was that serious gaming calls for the RTX 5080. The base build is a different machine, and performance scales with the parts you pick.
Lenovo Yoga AiO 27: the tidy Windows all-in-one
The guide's pitch is ergonomics and flexibility. The 27-inch 1440p, 120Hz panel sits on a stand that tilts, pivots and lifts, and it can act as a standalone monitor via HDMI input. It can also drive a second display through HDMI output.
Ports and extras. The guide lists USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, a headphone jack, a 5MP webcam with a privacy shutter and Dolby Atmos speakers. The full review adds that some models include an IR camera for Windows Hello, while others don't.
The regional catch. This is the most important buying detail:
- TechRadar's review says U.S. buyers get Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 configurations from Lenovo, with Best Buy selling a non-touch variant.
- UK buyers can choose up to a Core Ultra 9 285H, locked to 32GB of RAM.
- Australia is the only market with the discrete RTX 4050 option, per the review. The guide notes that most powerful versions aren't available in the U.S.
Limits. RAM is soldered in every configuration, with no open memory slots. TechRadar rates the performance as fine for office work, streaming and some photo editing, but underpowered for video or 3D work. Sound is described as decent but not great. Don't buy this expecting a gaming or workstation substitute.
I couldn't open Lenovo's own specification pages in this round of research. The Yoga details above therefore rest on TechRadar's reporting and review, not on independent verification against Lenovo's documentation.
Apple iMac 24-inch (M4): the macOS option
This is the Mac pick, with a 4.5K Retina display and a color-matched keyboard with Touch ID. Apple's tech specs confirm the 2024 four-port model's 4480-by-2520 display and Thunderbolt 4 ports. The M4 iMac is a 2024 product, so it isn't new in 2026. It's simply the one TechRadar still recommends.
Two details matter for buyers:
- The guide says ports are limited to four USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, so older USB-A peripherals need adapters. TechRadar's 2024 review notes the base model has only two such ports, so check which version you're ordering.
- The guide says it isn't the most powerful Mac and the screen is on the small side at 24 inches. It suggests pairing a Mac mini with a display if you want something bigger.
Matching hardware to workload
The guide offers rules of thumb rather than guarantees. For everyday office or school work, it suggests a Core 5 or Ryzen 5 class chip with integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. For creative work, it suggests a Core Ultra 9 or Ryzen 9, an RTX 4080/5080 or better, 32GB of RAM and 2TB or more of storage.
Its gaming tiers by GPU are:
- 1080p: RTX 4060/5060 or RX 7600 XT/9060 XT
- 1440p: RTX 4070/5070 or RX 7700 XT/9070
- 4K: RTX 5070 Ti, 4080 or 5080, or the RX 7800 XT / 7900 XT / 7900 XTX / 9070 XT class
The guide is blunt about Macs for gaming: if you want modern AAA games at high settings, buy a Windows PC with a discrete graphics card, not an AIO. That fits the Windows-centric reality of the game library, though it's an opinion, not a benchmark result.
How TechRadar says it tests
The outlet says it runs:
- Geekbench 6 and Cinebench R24 for CPU
- 3DMark for GPU
- Crossmark for overall responsiveness
- Cyberpunk 2077 and Civilization VII benchmarks for games
- HandBrake and PugetBench for Adobe Photoshop and Premiere for creative work
It says it compares only like-for-like tests and aggregates results with a geometric mean, so a single huge outlier doesn't dominate the score. Its worked example shows how one extreme result can inflate an average by hundreds of percent while the geometric mean stays closer to reality. These are the outlet's own methodology claims, and I haven't verified that each system ran every test.
A skeptic's note
The guide's Windows-versus-Mac security comparison is generalized. It says Windows needs constant patching and is the most frequent malware target, while macOS has fewer vulnerabilities. That's broadly a market-share argument, not a measured comparison. Treat it as context, not a reason to choose a platform.
Also, the page carries retailer deal links, and its picks are editorial judgments. Verify configuration, region, operating system and price on the exact order page before you buy.
Pre-purchase checklist
- Decide whether you'll ever open the case. If yes, choose the tower.
- Confirm the operating system on the order page, especially on the cheapest Dell builds.
- For the Lenovo, confirm which processor, touch option and region you're getting, and accept that memory is fixed.
- For the iMac, check the port count and whether you need USB-A adapters.
- Match the GPU to your target resolution, using the guide's tiers as a starting point.