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A 3D PC you might actually buy: HP's new 3D TouchSmart all-in-one

HP announces its new, 3D-capable TouchSmart 620 3D Edition all-in-one desktop

Rich Brown Former Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Expertise Smart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
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Rich Brown
2 min read
HP

HP has joined Lenovo, Sony, and others in marrying 3D display technology with the convenience of an all-in-one desktop.

The new TouchSmart 620 3D Edition starts at $1,800 for the base model, putting it in the middle of the pack in terms of pricing, but this touch-screen PC also includes perhaps the most robust touch software suite on the market.

Specs for the new 23-inch TouchSmart 620 include a 3.1GHz, second-generation Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB of memory, a Blu-ray drive, and a 1.5TB hard drive. The 3D capability comes by way of a 3D display and software from TriDef, as well as a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6670 graphics card.

Those specs are appropriately a step or two down from those of the $2,300 Sony Vaio L-Series 3D Edition, but Lenovo's $1,300, Core i7-based IdeaCentre B520 remains an impressive 3D all-in-one bargain.

You might be willing to absorb the HP's higher price tag if you value well-developed touch software or an all-in-one with an display that tilts down 60 degrees. The new TouchSmart also includes a built-in, two-lens camera for recording 3D video and still images at home.

Pure 3D gamers won't necessarily appreciate those extras, but families interested in using a PC as a home entertainment kiosk might. In any case, I'm glad to see more 3D-capable all-in-ones, since the PC 3D experience isn't half bad, and it's far easier to acquire via an all-in-one than cobbling together 3D onto a tower-standalone monitor set up.

We'll have our review of the TouchSmart 620 3D Edition up before the end of the week. The system itself goes on sale November 15th.