Hands-on: HP goes all out with this new curved all-in-one PC

The only thing I don’t like about the HP Envy Curved All-in-One 34 is the name: it’s a bit of a mouthful. In every other respect, this is a great-looking all-in-one PC with some neat features.

Obviously the huge 34-inch ultra-wide screen is biggest feature of all. It has a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and an anti-glare finish, a nice tonic to the often annoyingly glossy screens of all-in-one PCs. It’s sharp, bright and colourful. In fact, the screen covers 99% of the sRGB colour space, which means it can display all the colours used on websites and most online videos.

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A curved screen is also a great choice for an all-in-one PC. Unlike a TV, where you don’t get the benefits when sitting far away, the curve is a natural fit when sat up close. Being ultra-wide, you can easily fit two documents side-by-side, while films and games will be all the more immersive.

Unlike an iMac, for example, the computer components aren’t behind the screen, but in the base. Inside you’ll get a choice of Intel’s latest Kaby Lake processors and a 4GB AMD Radeon RX 460 graphics card. Reportedly there will be an Nvidia graphics option as well, but there are no details on that yet. The RX 460 is hardly the fastest dedicated graphics option and will be limited to playing a few lighter games at lower resolutions than the screen’s capable of.

Another benefit of the base design is it has the speakers built in. HP’s previous curved all-in-one had the speakers built into the screen, which made it look rather chunky. This way you get, in all probability, better speakers and the benefit of a nice, slim bezel for the screen.

I didn’t get a chance to listen to the speakers properly, but with four drivers and two passive radiators, I’d wager the sound should be impressive. B&O had some involvement in tuning them, too, which is a good sign.

But what I like most about the HP are all the nice design flourishes. A neat touch-sensitive ring gives you volume and playback controls, while the built-in webcam pops out from the top of the screen when you need it and hides inside when you don’t.

It’s also great to see an HDMI input on the back, so you could connect a games console and use the Curved AIO as a monitor. There’s an HDMI output as well in case you need one.

Unsurprisingly, none of this comes cheap. We don’t have a UK or EU price yet, but prices start at $1,729 USD when the HP goes on sale in February.

First impressions

There’s an undeniable wow factor to the HP Envy Curved AIO 34. It’s a luxury, but the sleek design and spectacular screen justify the premium.