HP TouchSmart 620-1080 3D Pro Reviews

Without designing a product from the ground up to take advantage of 3D technology, it's always a risky proposition to just drop in a new panel, toss in a couple of webcams and a pair of glasses. There’s no guarantee that the end product will end up, so to speak, greater than the sum of its parts. HP, however, has done a characteristically good job. The TouchSmart 620 3D is not in anyway a revolutionary product. It’s barely evolutionary, in fact, as it’s essentially a TouchSmart 610 that’s been made just that much better. The price is going to be a deal breaker for some, as $1900 is a lot to spend. Considering how much a 3D monitor and glasses will run you on your own, however, the high tech tax becomes a bit more palatable. At the end of the day, HP’s TouchSmart 620 is a uniquely capable device, offering computer novitiates and experts a satisfying experience. Come for the brilliant stand and contemporary design, and stay for the 620’s refreshingly easy-to-use 3D visuals and surprisingly good Beats Audio sound. Needless to say, we like it. This Christmas season, there are really only two all-in-ones to consider: Apple’s iMac, and HP’s new TouchSmarts.

At $1899 (or $1599, while that rebate lasts), HP's TouchSmart 620 3D is just a bit pricier than the Lenovo IdeaCentre B520. Both PCs offer a 3D experience, but Lenovo’s is equipped with an Nvidia graphics card, thereby offering up a more robust ecosystem with support for plenty of games and applications.

HP's graceless, overpriced TouchSmart 620 3D has very little to recommend it over competing 3D-capable all-in-ones. My feelings about 3D-capable all-in-one PCs have so far ranged from mild enthusiasm to ambivalence, but Hewlett-Packard's $1,599 TouchSmart 620 3D is the first to inspire true frustration. The 3D technology works well enough, but this system is a veritable case study in how Windows PCs can so easily frustrate consumers with bloatware and artless interface design.

The HP TouchSmart 620-1080 3D all-in-one desktop is the PC for people who want both the excellent TouchSmart 610 design and 3D video and photo viewing in one package. For those few niche players, it's a win. However, you really have to be a 3D zealot to want this system.