HP Envy Curved All-in-One 34 (2017) Review
The Envy Curved AIO 34 isn't HP's
first all-in-one Windows 10 desktop with a 34-inch curved screen, but the
redesigned 2017 model takes a huge leap forward over its clunky predecessor in
every respect. It sports an elegant yet practical design, produces superior
sound, incorporates some atypical features and delivers solid general-purpose
performance, all for a reasonable price.
It shares the classy design
aesthetic of its smaller, flat-screened sibling, the Envy AIO 27. But the wider
display demands a bigger base, allowing HP to fit in perks like a Qi-compatible
wireless charging pad and an audibly better implementation of the Bang &
Olufsen-tuned sound system.
You have the option of
7th-generation, quad-core Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB memory, a 256GB
SSD plus 2TB HDD and an Nvidia GTX 950M or Radeon RX460 graphics card. The
cheapest configuration starts at $1,730 and you can max it out at $2,220. In
the UK, you can get a similar setup as our test configuration, but with 8GB RAM
and a GTX 950M for £2,000.
It's priced head-to-head with
Dell's audio-first all-in one, the XPS 27 and cheaper than the 27-inch iMac
(for similar configurations), both of which have smaller but much better and
higher-resolution flat screen displays. The configuration options don't span a
big range that much in price and I think the middle-of-the-road model we tested
delivers a reasonable value.
Is Wider Better?
It takes some acclimatization to a
curved display. There's a fine balance it needs to strike: too much curve and
it's distracting, too little and defeats the purpose of the curve. For the 2017
model, HP slightly decreased the curve radius and trimmed the bezel
significantly -- though it's the same size panel as the old model, it looks
much bigger and vastly more attractive. However, you really do notice the
curve, even when working on something in the center of the screen.
Most current panels, including the
Envy's, operate at a 3,440 by 1,440-pixel resolution; that's an aspect ratio of
21:9 rather than the 16:9 used by HD and 4K video. On one hand, at a 16:9
aspect ratio a 34-inch display would be about 17 inches tall and you'd have to
be bobbleheaded to use it comfortably.
On the other, watching full-screen
video on the wide displays requires pillarboxing. Additionally, the resolution
is stuck between HD and 4K so scaling artifacts can be an issue for both types
of video, and because of the pillarboxing you lose some of the immersive feel
the curved displays are going for.
You also lose the option of a
touchscreen; that's something that hasn't hit the curves yet, though it won't
matter to a large chunk of people. (For instance, with a desktop you, usually, sit
too far from the displays to be able to comfortably use a touchscreen.)
On the other hand, games are more
adaptable to oddball resolutions, and with the ability to expand the field of
view you really can take advantage of the wider display. Plus, it comes in
handy for tasks that really do expand to fit the space allotted, such as culling
through hundreds (or even thousands) of photos. It lacks the color gamut
necessary for enthusiast photo editing, though it's nicely nonreflective.
Positive Response
Though the monitor's the first
thing you notice about the Envy Curved AIO, the less visible audio system is
another highlight. Behind the front mesh are four Bang & Olufsen-tuned
speakers, which sound quite good (and can get pretty loud). The audio's not as
elaborate as that of the Dell XPS 27 but it's much improved over the set on the
27-inch model and I think will please all but nitpicky listeners.
Because this base is bigger, HP
includes two passive radiators for enhanced bass. As a result, music sounds far
more balanced and resonant than the Envy 27 AIO and better than most of the
all-in-one integrated speakers out there. Plus there's sufficient frequency
range that you can actually hear differences among the presets.
Note that in some respects, B&O
is the Leica of audio. In this case, it means they share the same
don't-futz-with-it philosophy. The default settings are for a flat frequency
profile (i.e.: nothing's boosted or suppressed), which may not be to everyone's
taste. That's why the presets are important.
Like its sister system, there's
also a cool touch of audio control on the right side of the base. When used
with Microsoft's own Groove Music or other media apps, the control supports
tap-to-pause and swiping forward and backward through tracks. It doesn't seem
to work with any services that play through web browsers, however.
You’ll like HP's design choices: It
moved all the guts from the display section to the base, with an SD card slot,
USB-C charging port and headphone jack easily accessible on the right side plus
four USB-A ports, HDMI in and out and Ethernet connections on the back. The
jack on the right side can be somewhat awkward, since the headphone cord
occasionally intrudes on your mouse territory, at least if you're right-handed.
HP's retractable webcam also
appears here. It not only preserves the thin-bezel aesthetic of the monitor,
you can also rest assured that no one's watching you when the camera is put
away. You do need to tilt the monitor back a bit to center yourself in the
image, at least if you're an average-height, but the system's perfectly
workable in that position.
Still, you might not be a fan of
HP's Envy wireless mouse and keyboard for anything more than blending into the
system design. The mouse feels a bit awkwardly weighted, the buttons are too
hard to press and the keyboard keys have very little travel.
The Envy Curved AIO may have a
fast-forward design, but its operating speed is less remarkable. It should
handle most day-to-day tasks without problems, and starts up quickly. Though doubtfully
a speed freak would find it satisfactory, its gaming performance should be fine
for less demanding players.
Grading On The Curved
Whatever issues you might have with
the curved display, let’s admit it raises an already graceful looking
all-in-one to a new level of elegance. But the Envy Curved AIO 34 has the
brains to back it up, too.
HP ENVY CURVED AIO 34 (2017) SPECS
Price: $1,999
(for reviewed model)
Display Size/Resolution: 34-inch 3,440 x 1,440 pixel display
PC CPU: 2.9GHz Intel Core i7-7700T
PC Memory: 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,400MHz
Graphics: 4GB AMD Radeon RX460
Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
Networking: 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2
Operating System: Windows
10 Home (64-bit)
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