HP TouchSmart IQ500 Touchscreen Desktop PC Review
With the launch of its TouchSmart IQ500 Touchscreen PCs, HP has redefined home computing. As compared to its predecessor, the 19 inch IQ770, the 22 inch IQ500 is stunningly elegant and beyond compare. Looks-wise the IQ770 rules, and probably no PC comes even close. Can the same be said about its features?
The beauty of the IQ500 lies in the fact that it has an all-screen, all-in-one form factor design. One wonders where the CPU is housed. When set on its adjustable stand with the colored ambient light on, the IQ500 looks ethereal, especially in the dark. The ambient light can set the mood for a great evening of entertainment or for some high-powered task crunching. The sheer exquisiteness of the IQ500 enhances the look of any home décor.
Although there is a little bulky part at the back, it almost goes unnoticed. After all there must be some place where all the high powered machinery must have been fitted-in by HP. The input and output ports have been smartly camouflaged and blend well with the smooth finish of the unit. Besides the one cord that powers the IQ500, there are no hanging wires. Wireless peripherals and integrated LAN reduces the need for any cables. The integrated webcam and microphone, which again cannot be noticed, enables friendly confrontations as well as quick capture of photos and videos.
The next generation HP TouchSmart Software Suite provides an attractive, easy and fun-filled interaction that makes the IQ500 an entertainment console and a communication centre. The totally customizable homepage reminds one of the iPhone-like interface. There are large icons that handle a vast combination of functions and one can almost forget the keyboard, and especially the mouse.
The software helps in getting organized by enabling one to put eye-catching reminders or voice memos, and keep track of appointments using the calendar feature. Two finger scrolling can make browsing a pleasant experience. One can watch movies, listen to music, view photos, check the weather or watch TV, all at the touch of a finger. Finger-flipping through picture and music albums organized in a fan or tiled arrangement, and tapping to choose or zoom are cool actions that bring control to one’s fingertips.
A touch-sensitive button on the bottom right brings a flexible toolbar with icons for major functions into view. Browsing through and tapping the required icon enables one to open the desired application.
The built-in 2.0 stereo speakers have excellent audio capabilities while listening to music, watching DVD movies, and viewing television. There is a DVD burner slot on the right hand side which appears almost hidden. The integrated TV tuner enables one to pause, rewind and record TV shows. Photographs could also be edited, manipulated and uploaded on the internet by the touch of a finger.
There is a 5-in-1 memory card slot for viewing digital photos. There is also a FireWire port for camcorders. A little flap on the bulky back end reveals a whole array of useful ports for every computing and multimedia need.
Since all these functions require a powerful processor, the IQ500 is powered by the energy-efficient and top-in-the-range Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a speed of 2.17GHz, and 4GB of RAM. In combination with HP’s TouchSmart technology, one can enjoy the versatility of the Windows Vista Home Premium operating system.
The built-in wireless LAN and integrated Bluetooth provide reasonable internet browsing and data transfer speeds. A Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS card assists gaming and high definition viewing needs.
The IQ500 comes in two models: the IQ504 without TV tuner and IQ506 with TV tuner, and are priced at $1,299 and $1,499 respectively. Since Vista reserves quite a bit of working memory for itself, the TouchSmart software is not given enough RAM memory to play with, resulting in occasional sluggishness. Moreover, whether the IQ500 performs better than the AMD driven IQ770 is debatable.
Nevertheless, with the versatility and functionality that the svelte IQ500 provides, it is a PC that yet remains to be paralleled.