HP TOUCHSMART IQ816

HP's Snazzy Kitchen PC



The TouchSmart IQ816 PC is the big brother of the TouchSmart IQ506, and like its sibling, this model is an all-in-one PC with a touch screen that can work as its primary interface—perfect for the kitchen. The 25.5-inch widescreen is primed for HDTV content, with its built-in ATSC/HDTV tuner. It's a decent performer but loses a couple of points for being loaded with crapware.

The IQ816's real strength is that it's more touch-centric than its all-in-one rivals. This system has nearly the same build as its predecessor, with all of the internals placed behind the screen. The IQ816 is noticeably more responsive, working much like an iPod touch or iPhone. Also, HP enabled the input panel for handwriting recognition and on-screen keyboard functions by default.

But loading all these extra features has downsides, such as a longer hoot time and a taskbar littered with icons. Even so, once everything is loaded, the touch interface is snappy. Of course, you can still use the included wireless keyboard and mouse if you prefer.

With the IQ816, you can surf the Web wirelessly, leave handwritten notes to family members on the screen, play a Blu-ray movie, video-chat via the webcam, and more. You also get five USB ports, a FireWire port, 5-in-1 media-card reader, and a Pocket Media Drive bay.

In testing, the IQ816 showed passable scores on Photoshop CS3 and Windows Media Encoder test. The system's Nvidia GeForce 9600M GS graphics are competent for just about every standard task except gaming.



If you're looking for a kitchen PC, the IQ816 is a good choice. But for the bedroom or den, the Sony VAIO VGC-LV190Y is a better, if more expensive, option.—Joel Santo Domingo.

Specs: 2.1-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 processor; 4GB 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 750GB, 7200-rpm SATA hard drive; 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9600M GS graphics card; Bin-ray drive; integrated 25.5-inch widescreen LCD monitor; five USB 2.0 ports; one FireWire port; integrated stereo speakers; Windows Vista Home Premium.

PC Magazine February 2009