HP Envy Rove 20-k014us Pro Reviews

This would be a great family PC, but it’s too expensive

It's a shame that the Rove is currently only available with an i3 processor, as it's probably not powerful enough to use as your main home PC. However, it will work really well as a second PC that acts as a kind of entertainment terminal that you can share with all the family.

The HP Rove 20-K014us portable all-in-one desktop PC has both the innovations and problems that come with being a first-generation product in a nascent category.

HP's Envy Rove 20 has a nice screen and wonderfully designed kickstand. But despite a new Haswell CPU, this $979 tablet/AIO suffers from some design flaws.

Rather, HP's designers view this Windows 8 Home--based system as an all-in-one desktop that users can haul around the house as needed--hence the name, Rove. Its sturdy hinged prop-up stand works as a handle. And because the Rove can operate for nearly 3 hours on internal battery power (one of its tabletlike features), you don't necessarily have to bring along its power cord. You can even lay the machine flat to use its 20-inch multitouch display as a gaming platform, something HP encourages by bundling several games that take advantage of multitouch support. See also: all-in-one PCs buying advice.

The HP Envy Rove 20 is the most competent all-in-one/tablet crossover thus far. The display is good, the peripherals are reasonable, connectivity is okay, and the price is not too high. Granted, $880 is a lot for a 20-inch all-in-one, but the system’s bang-for-the-buck is better than the absurdly expensive Dell XPS 18 or the moderately overpriced Sony Vaio Tap 20. Those advantages aside, the Rove struggles with the core contradictions of an all-in-one/tablet crossover. As an all-in-one, the system is underpowered and over-priced, but as a tablet, it’s far too large and heavy. The hybrid all-in-one category feels like the answer to a question no one asked, and HP does nothing to change that impression. Most consumers will find the sensible move is to skip the Rove 20 entirely and instead choose an all-in-one and a tablet. HP sells 20-inch all-in-ones for $500, leaving $379 to buy a Google Nexus 7, a Kindle Fire HD, or iPad Mini. This is a far better choice than trying to combine both systems into one big, bulky PC.

The portable touchscreen All-in-One segment is one of the more niche places Windows 8 has extended to, but it’s arguably one that makes more sense. More often than not, we ditched the mouse and reached for the touchscreen instead; even the keyboard could stay in a drawer for most of the time, though tapping an on-screen ‘board for anything longer than a terse email isn’t our idea of fun.At $979.99, the Rove 20 makes a reasonable argument, though there are compromises to be made to slip in under the $1k barrier. The screen is great, but the resolution falls short of the 1080p offered by rival models from Sony and Dell. Build quality is fantastic, but that makes it heavy, and the specifications are relatively low for the All-in-One segment. If you’re willing to sacrifice the ability to carry your PC without turning it off first, you can save around $200-300 by skipping the battery feature. Still, the HP ENVY Rove 20 works great as a machine to carry between the kitchen, the den, and even out into the garden. It’s not quite a tablet and not quite as powerful as many desk-bound PCs, but if you want touch and Windows and aren’t willing to compromise on screen size, it’s a solid option on a short list.

The HP Rove 20 doesn't break much new ground in the newish tabletop PC category, but it's built like a tank, has a great adjustable kickstand hinge, and gives you a full 1TB of hard drive space for less than anyone else. That said, I'd be tempted to spend another $100 or so on Dell's 18-inch version -- despite having a slightly smaller screen, the Dell version includes a full 1080p display and weighs half as much as the Rove 20.