HP TouchSmart IQ506 Expert Reviews

. The problem is that no one has perfected the recipe. HP garnered some fanfare a year ago with its flagship kitchen computer, the TouchSmart IQ770. Since then all-in-one contenders like the Dell One and iMac have risen to power. So, here's the question:

Elegant space saving design. Speakerbar produces booming lows and clear highs. Bright 22-inch screen hides smudges and fingerprints. Integrated TV tuner adds living room chops. Blazing connectivity via gigabit ethernet and integrated 802.11b/g/n. 500GB ha...

Not the smoothest touch-based interface. Handoffs between TouchSmart/Vista programs are slow and awkward. Very limited upgrade options. Mid-range GPU puts a damper on hardcore gaming. Retractable bezel feels cheap and rickety. Sluggish processor given its...

Want simple, touch access to information, social networks, music, photos, videos, e-mail, TV? The convenience of connecting via webcam? Check out the slim and stylish, next-generation...

The HP TouchSmart IQ506 PC is sleeker, has a better more intuitive interface, and is faster to boot than its predecessor.

A lot less bloat/ads/crapware than previous HP machines. Improved touch-screen interface. 4GB of RAM. Integrated IR remote. Wireless everything. ATSC/HDTV tuner. "Ambient Lighting" lights your workspace. Energy efficient. EPEAT (silver) and Energy Star ce...

No Blu-ray. Internet Security is only 60-day subscription for live updates. Windows Media Center is a little slow to react. 64-bit Vista may be incompatible with your existing hardware and software. Still has some crapware. No back button on mouse. No poi...

The HP TouchSmart version 2.0 is a vast improvement over the previous model. It's sleeker, has a better, more intuitive interface, and is faster to boot. A few flaws keep it from the all-in-one crown.

The Hewlett-Packard TouchSmart IQ506 may be worthy of the Jetsons' household. This all-in-one desktop PC is all screen--22 inches of 1650-by-1080-resolution display, with a laptop's guts hiding inside. Though the TouchSmart ($1500 as of 6/25/08) isn't a p...

Sharp multi-touch screen Sleek all-in-one design

Built-in speakers are a bit scratchy Lacks expandibility

Paying the $1500 price buys you a system with classy design, the versatility to handle everyday tasks, and the ability to do some light multimedia lifting. It doesn't have enough power to deal with more graphics-heavy activities. The TouchSmart is appropr...

Hewlett-Packard's redesigned TouchSmart PC solves at least one of the problems of the original. The new look stays much truer to that of a traditional all-in-one, leaving behind last year's clunky hinged design that we admit we kind of liked. The $1,499 T...

Svelte new design; large, touch-sensitive display; easy to use, touch-friendly software, a lot of wireless connectivity options; underbody keyboard light.

Single-point, Windows-based touch looks dated next to multitouch iPhone; slower than other all-in-ones in its price class.

HP's new-and-improved TouchSmart all-in-one PC refines the touch-based concept it introduced last year. Faster all-in-ones, and Apple's iPhone, make the TouchSmart seem a bit behind the times, but the convenient software and its kitchen-friendly design of...

Sleek, classy all-in-one PC gets points for design, but it lacks the same wow in its performance.

HP's TouchSmart IQ506 Desktop PC costs $1,500 in the US, and is expected to retail at around £1,099 inc VAT in the UK from August or September.

For the proposed premium price you get a classy design, the versatility to handle everyday tasks, and the ability to do some light multimedia lifting. The HP TouchSmart IQ506 doesn't have enough power to deal with more graphics-heavy activities. The Touch...