HP IQ770 TouchSmart PC video review

By Ross Burridge

Posted on 2 Mar 2007 at 13:50

PC Pro has been given exclusive access to HP's unique new touchscreen PC, the IQ770 TouchSmart.

Touchscreen technology has long been a feature of tablet PCs but can it successfully translate to the desktop?

Watch our exclusive video review, presented by PC Pro's reviews editor, Ross Burridge:

What do you think of this video? Let us know by clicking here.

HP's TouchSmart concept has been in development for four years, and the IQ770 is the result: a brave piece of design that's impressed everyone in the PC Pro office.

The touchscreen is stunning. Unlike convertible tablet laptops, there's no disfiguring digitising mesh or opaque touch-sensitive membrane. Instead, HP has used infra-red sensors around the bezel, leaving the panel's ample brightness and wide viewing angles undiminished.

The end result is a responsive and accurate touchscreen, to the point that you don't even need to make physical contact with the screen for your touch to be recognised - hover within a few millimetres of the panel and the system interprets your presence as a tap.

HP's SmartCenter software is the killer stroke. Touch the 'home' button on the bottom right of the bezel to launch it, and you'll be greeted by a set of big, friendly icons. You can customise this main page with up to 12 items, including one of HP's proprietary applications, which include family-friendly additions such as virtual Post-It notes. It's very effective, and once you've spent a little time configuring the start page, you'll find little reason to delve back into the Windows Desktop.

The rest of the system reflects thoughtful design. The IQ770 weighs just 20kg - more than enough to make it a good addition to anywhere in the home where there's constant foot traffic. It's also a great choice for a secondary TV, thanks to the DVB-T TV tuner.

After using the IQ770 constantly for a few days, we're nearly entirely sold on the concept. Better still, the £1,200 (inc VAT) price tag makes the IQ770 a great value family PC.

Look out for the full two-page review in the May issue of PC Pro, out on 15 March.