MSI PRO AP242P 2025, Core i5-14400, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Black

The MSI PRO AP242P is a 23.8-inch all-in-one desktop with a Core i5 14400, 16GB DDR5, and a 1TB SSD. It handles office work fine but struggles with anything graphics-intensive. At $1,629, it's hard to justify unless you specifically need the AIO form factor and the 3-year warranty.

The Core i5 14400 is a 10-core, 16-thread chip with a 2.5GHz base clock. In our database, it sits at the 60th percentile for CPU performance among all-in-ones and desktops. That means it handles everyday multitasking, spreadsheets, and light development work without breaking a sweat. But it's not going to impress anyone doing heavy rendering or virtualization.

The 16GB of DDR5 is fine for most office tasks, though it ranks at the 46th percentile, so it's slightly below average for this category. The 1TB SSD lands at the 54th percentile, which is about average. Boot times and app launches will feel snappy. The weak link is the Intel UHD 730 integrated graphics. At the 36th percentile, it's fine for driving a 1080p display and watching video, but don't expect to edit 4K footage or play anything beyond solitaire.

Stacked against the Apple Mac Studio M3 Ultra, the MSI gets absolutely demolished on performance, but that's an unfair fight since the Mac Studio costs significantly more and targets creative pros. The more relevant comparison is against something like the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10. That tower gives you a discrete GPU and better gaming performance for a similar or lower price, though you lose the integrated display.

The HP OMEN GT16-0364 is another tower that makes the MSI look underpowered. If you need an all-in-one specifically, the MSI's main advantage is simplicity. One box, one cable, done. But if you're willing to deal with a separate monitor, you'll get far more performance per dollar from a traditional desktop. The Dell Desktop ECT1250 also offers better value in the tower space, though it's aimed at a different buyer.

At $1,629, the MSI PRO AP242P is a tough sell. You can get a comparable laptop with similar specs for less, or a small form factor desktop with a real GPU for around the same money. The all-in-one form factor carries a premium, and MSI is asking you to pay it without delivering standout performance. The 3-year warranty helps soften the blow, but when our reliability data puts this unit at the 37th percentile, that warranty might end up doing some heavy lifting. If you're set on an AIO, this is a functional machine. But value-wise, it's hard to recommend over cheaper alternatives.

The MSI PRO AP242P is an all-in-one desktop aimed at office workers and developers who want a clean desk without a separate tower. It packs a 14th gen Intel Core i5 14400, 16GB of DDR5, and a 1TB SSD into a 23.8-inch Full HD display. At $1,629, it's not cheap, but you're paying for the form factor and a 3-year warranty.

We dug into our database to see how this thing actually stacks up. The CPU is solidly middle of the pack, the port selection is decent, but the integrated Intel UHD 730 graphics hold it back for anything beyond basic display output. If you're wondering whether this AIO is good for gaming, the short answer is no. Our gaming score puts it at 11.4 out of 100, which is one of the worst we've seen for that use case.

For home office and developer work, it lands around 49 out of 100. That's not a ringing endorsement either. The specs look fine on paper, but the value proposition gets murky when you compare it to what else is out there at this price.

Skip this if you do any gaming, video editing, or 3D work. The integrated UHD 730 graphics will frustrate you. Also skip it if you're on a budget, since $1,629 buys a lot more performance in a traditional desktop setup. If you need a high-resolution display, the 1080p panel will feel cramped for multitasking. Instead, look at a Lenovo Legion Tower or HP OMEN with a discrete GPU, or grab a Mac Mini with a separate monitor if you're in the Apple ecosystem.

Should you buy the MSI PRO AP242P? Only if you specifically need an all-in-one with a 3-year warranty and you don't care about graphics performance. For office work, email, and light development, it gets the job done. The i5 14400 is capable, the 16GB of RAM is adequate, and the 1TB SSD gives you room to breathe.

But at $1,629, we expected more. The 1080p display feels dated, the integrated graphics are a real limitation, and the reliability score doesn't inspire confidence. If you can live with a separate tower and monitor, you'll get better performance for less money. If you must have an AIO, this one works, but it's not a standout.