Andrew Cunningham

Sometimes it feels like PC makers develop products by adding adjectives. Why would you sell an all-in-one desktop when you could sell a gigantic, ultra-wide premium curved all-in-one desktop?

That seems to be the design theory behind HP’s curved Envy desktop, a desk-devouring, 34-inch all-in-one. The Envy is in the same market as the Retina iMacs and, to a lesser extent, Microsoft’s artist-oriented Surface Studio. It’s a machine that makes an immediate impression, both for its size and for the number of features it offers. But how well does it work once that awe has worn off? Is it a practical machine? And is it worth the at-least-$1,700 you’ll pay for the privilege of using it?