PC makers have been hard pressed by the rapid decline in PC sales in recent months. However, rather than give up without a fight, this has acted a catalyst for the best of them to come out with some interesting and innovative designs.

One of the latest of these comes from HP, which has announced a new series addition to its All-in-One (AIO) PC offerings, with the Envy Recline. This, the company asserts, offers “the most immersive touch experience available” in the category.

Pull your screen down, put your feet up

More specifically, HP explained that the new AIO, which boasts 10-point touch, enables users to pivot the touchscreen lower and closer to them, making interaction more accessible and comfortable.

One of the key features is a unique hinge that allows users to push the screen below the table and much closer to their lap, essentially making the AIO assume the position of a large, though thankfully not hand-held, tablet, or close to a touch-enabled ‘table PC’. Additionally, the hinge also allows the AIO to be adjusted to a more traditional, upright position to watch movies and view content.

Apparently, this flexibility of positioning was not based on a whim, but rather an HP study that revealed that “an overwhelming majority of people preferred their screen in a low and close position for 100% of touch-related tasks.”

As the video below demonstrates, it certainly looks intriguing – provided you have managed to make peace with Windows 8 already.

Up for inspection

The AIO will come in two sizes, a 23” version and a 27” offering. Both, however, sport full high-definition (HD) IPS touch screens, 4^th-generation Intel Core i-series processors and Nvidia discrete graphics

Additionally, an Envy Recline 23 TouchSmart Beats Edition will also be available, coming equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of memory and a pricetag of R17 000.

Climbing incrementally in the price range, the Envy Recline 23 TouchSmart All-in-One PC with an Intel Core i7 processor and a similar amount of memory will cost R17 000, while the Recline 27 will add an extra R500 to that price tag for the extra screen real estate. All three devices are slated for local release in November.

To the point

“Customers have told us that they want touch on their PCs, and at HP we’re always looking for ways to improve the experience,” commented Yesh Surjoodeen, PSG category manager, HP South Africa. “HP’s family of reclining all-in-one PCs offer new ways to stay productive and enjoy immersive experiences such as movies and games with the most natural touch experience available,” he concluded.