An all-in-one PC that doesn’t have it all, after all
A computer built into a monitor is a good idea, but it can still be a waste of space. Although you’re losing the big box, you’re not gaining anything: these machines are basically laptops with bigger screens and no keyboard, so performance won’t match a similarly priced tower desktop PC. And of course you can’t carry them around, unless you’re one of those brave people on the internet who uses your iMac in Starbucks, at a pizza restaurant or on the train.
So you’ll need good reasons to choose an all-in-one PC. HP’s looks handsome, even if its curved back and tilt stand (reminiscent of a certain fruit-branded rival beginning with ‘A’) are finished in silver and white plastic rather than aluminium. For the money, though, it looks positively classy.
The same can’t be said of the included wireless keyboard and mouse, which look as if someone fully intended to push the boat out with their design, but didn’t quite get round to it. The mouse works fine, but it’s far too big a lump for the few buttons it offers. The keyboard shares the same glossy black coating, which gets greasy and dusty if you so much as look at it, let alone lay a finger on it. The keys, meanwhile, have a soft and spongy action that takes the joy out of typing.
Still, those parts can be replaced if they bother you. What really matters is the 23in touchscreen, and it’s actually very good. It’s bright, and the vibrant colours will do justice to your photos and videos. For films and games, the built-in audio is loud and clear enough without having to add external speakers.
The Pavilion 23’s problem is performance. The model we tested had a mid-range AMD processor with a sensible 8GB of RAM, which should have been adequate. However, due to the sluggish 1TB mechanical hard drive, Windows 10 didn’t feel as smooth and speedy as we’d have liked. Loading The Guardian’s home page took five seconds on our fast broadband, plus another three for it to stop juddering as we scrolled around.
AMD’s R6 integrated graphics card is more powerful than you might expect, so we got older 3D games such as Dirt Showdown playing smoothly at Full HD resolution on medium quality settings. HP also makes the same system without a touchscreen and with Intel Core i5 processors, or with a dedicated AMD Radeon graphics card for £150 more.
With plenty of connections, including a couple of fast USB 3.0 ports and the latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi, you’ll have no trouble putting the Pavilion 23 at the centre of your setup. But disappointing performance and tacky input devices make it a less attractive prospect than it initially seemed.
VERDICT
It’s not bad value and looks good from a distance, but the Pavilion 23 is more of a compromise than we’d like in an ideal world.
SPECIFICATIONS
1.8GHz AMD A10-8700P quad-core processor • 8GB memory • 1TB hard drive • DVD writer • 23in 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • Webcam • 4x USB 2.0 ports • 2x USB 3.0 ports • Gigabit Ethernet • Windows 10 Home • 451x568x193mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty