With AMD launching its 2013 lineup of APUs earlier this week, and Intel just about ready to make its Haswell processors official, it’s a good time to be shopping for a new computer. Consumers looking for a new desktop with all the performance improvements to this new generation of processors should take a look at the shiny new boxes HP announced yesterday, in addition to its 20-inch, super-sized tablet Envy Rove 20, newly redesigned laptops (including the Envy 14 Ultrabook with the optional 3200 x 1800 screen), and printers. From a top-of-the-line gaming rig for gamers, to a budget-friendly tower for students, HP really has a new desktop for everyone.
HP Envy Phoenix 800 Desktop PC
PC gamers who don’t want to bother building their own custom gaming rig but want all the latest computing power right out of the box, will love the Phoenix 800 (as pictured, right). Though HP has yet to specify the exact 4th-generation Intel processor and Nvidia graphics that will power this desktop, you can expect top-of-the-line parts that can handle “immersive games, HD videos, and photo editing software,” according to HP. This is one serious desktop inside and out: not only does it offer Beats Audio for a great sound, it has optional liquid cooling and red LED lights all around its slick black-and-silver case. This HP gaming PC starts at $1,100 and will be available on June 5.
HP Envy 700 Desktop PC
Non-gamers who still need significant computing power from their desktop for video and graphics tools like Premiere and Photoshop, but don’t want the sky-high price tags on gaming towers, should have a look at the Envy 700. This desktop actually gives you a choice of the new AMD APU or Intel Haswell chip, as well as discrete graphics from either Nvidia or AMD, which helps to make this still-beefy machine more affordable than the Phoenix 800. Designed for content creation where you can easily fill up hard drives with large media files, the Envy 700 can be equipped with up to three standard or solid-state drives that are easily accessible through its screw-less side panel. You’ll be able to rock out to Beats Audio-tuned sound and have the option to upgrade to 2.1 dual speakers with subwoofer. The base model starts at $600 and will also be available on June 5.
HP Pavilion 500 Desktop PC
If you have a lot of photos and other media you want to archive, but don’t need Beats Audio on your computer, the Pavilion 500 might make a better fit (pictured left). Like the Envy 700, you can choose between the latest AMD APU or Intel Haswell processor, or go for discrete graphics from either Nvidia or AMD. In addition, you can easily add a second hard drive to the Pavilion 500 as it has a second hard drive slot available, or configure the desktop with up to 32GB RAM (DDR3) so you can quickly flip through your massive photo library. The Pavilion 500 offers dts Sound+ rather than Beats Audio, which helps bring its starting price tag down to $490. Like the Envy 700 and Phoenix 800, this storage-friendly desktop will be available on June 5.
HP Pavilion Slimline 400 Desktop PC
As its name suggests, the Pavilion Slimline 400 is a mini-desktop that can easily fit on a desk in a crammed dorm room (pictured right). It’s less than half the size of a traditional PC tower, and looks like a miniaturized version of the Pavilion 500, only with more ports along the front panel. Just because it’s tiny, doesn’t mean the Slimline 400 is a computer lightweight. In fact, the mini-desktop is powered by the 4th-gen Intel chip and Nvidia discrete graphics, so it can probably handle games (at the lowest settings) better than most mainstream laptops and Ultrabooks. Like its bigger brother, the Slimline 400 comes with dts Sound+, but at least its price is at a reasonable $400. This is a Best Buy exclusive, which will be in stores starting June 30.
HP 110 Desktop PC
Bargain hunters looking for a basic desktop for Facebook and word processing with the latest technologies probably won’t find much better than the HP 110 desktop PC. Not only does it offer the new AMD APU or the Intel Haswell processor, and built-in media card reader, the HP 110 can also be configured with up to 2TB of hard drive space and 8GB RAM. With a starting price of $290, we assume the base model will use the AMD chip, and offer less RAM and on-board storage. That said, it’s still a great price for an up-to-date machine for most users. Like most of the new HP desktops introduced yesterday, the affordable HP 110 will be available June 5.
