Hewlett-Packard Corp. released a new line of desktops today, looking to attract a more specialized consumer demographic by building products with ergonomics, touch screens, and gaming in mind.
Running on Windows 8, HP’s new line of touch monitors is designed to provide “an immersive touch experience,” said Todd Kruse, product marketing manager, speaking from a web presentation last week.
The Envy Recline, which comes in 23 inches and 27 inches, features a 1920 x 1080 full HD display, as well as a 10-point touchscreen described as “ultra reactive.” It allows users to either swipe, tap, or pinch the screen, or just hook up a keyboard and mouse and use it as a regular monitor. It also comes with NVIDIA graphics for better visuals,
Beats Audio for the PC’s sound, and built-in 5G Wi-Fi support at 802.11 ac. The Recline also features an HD webcam and the ability to link up to a TV screen through Intel WiDi.
Yet what HP is particularly proud of is its attention to ergonomics. The Envy Recline is outfitted with a hinge mechanism, allowing users to rotate it for below-desk typing or for deep reclining.
That design was a difficult one to come up with, especially since it had to balance out with consumer demand for thin, contemporary-looking screens, Kruse said.
Consumer design manager Glenn Wong added HP engineers then had to consider users’ sizes and what they would be doing while using the touch displays.
“When we think users, they’re tall, small, larger torsos, smaller torsos,” he said. “And then there’s how people sit down – they lean back, they slouch, they may recline … So we have an all-in-one made … for any table height.”
Wong added one of HP’s employees, an engineer who graduated from Stanford University, came up with several different iterations of the hinge before settling on one that worked. HP later patented the design.
Both models of the Recline have a fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4570T processor, but the 23-inch model comes with eight gigabytes (GB) of SDRAM memory, while the 27-inch model comes equipped with 12 GB.
While both come with one terabyte of memory in their hard drives, the 27-inch model also has 16 GB with its solid-state drive acceleration cache.
A red-and-black version of the 23-inch model is also available, branded as a “special edition Beats design,” with better audio quality. That version is geared towards the younger set, who might want a model more suited for music, games, and movies.
Besides the Envy Recline, HP also launched some lower-priced touch monitors – the HP Pavilion 23tm and the HP Envy 23 23-inch IPS monitor. Both measure at 23 inches, and both work as entry-level products for consumers who want to try new technologies, but who don’t want to pay more.
For example, the Pavilion is slated to be a touch monitor that can tilted, mounted on a stand, or placed on a wall. The HP Envy IPS monitor, on the other hand, doesn’t have touch screen capability, but it’s a more premium monitor at a lower price point.
Alongside these products, HP also released a gaming tower called the Envy Phoenix.
“It’s for the ultimate gamer. This market is increasing … A lot of people out there have no money for a $20,000 gaming tower,” Kruse said. “This hits the sweet spot at a good price, with a great edgy design.”
Pricing for the Envy Recline starts at $999 for the 23-inch version. The 27-inch model starts at $1,399.
For the HP Pavilion touch monitor, consumers can expect to pay about $349, while the Envy IPS monitor starts at $249. The Envy Phoenix is about $1,299.
