On the right side, there's another USB Type A near the power button, and on the left there's an SD card slot and a headphone jack. Around the back, you've got two USB-C connections (one of which supports Thunderbolt 3), three USB Type A ports, HDMI input and output, and a gigabit Ethernet connection.
There's an infrared camera for fast face authentication with Windows Hello as well.Īs you'd expect for something so large, the Envy 32 has a ton of connectivity options. That's great for privacy, but it also helps to streamline the look of the Envy. That's because HP hid it away in a drop down compartment above the monitor. One thing you might not notice at first is a webcam. Rather than throw in half baked accessories, I'd love to see companies like HP just include better options from third parties like Logitech. I worried I was going to break the battery covers for both devices because they were so flimsy. It's not ergonomic at all, and pressing the buttons is oddly awkward. The mouse, meanwhile, just feels like bargain bin plastic. The keyboard looks very expensive, but the keys are mushy, typing on it is unpleasant and there's no real feedback. While I was impressed by the Envy 32 All-in-One's overall build quality, it's strange how HP cheaped out with its accessories. The keyboard also has a helpful notch for a phone and tablet, and it can quickly connect to those devices too for easy multitasking. Still, there are some thoughtful touches I appreciated, like the ability to wirelessly charge your phone from the base. It's a nice looking machine, though some of the design choices are a bit baffling (does there really need to be a wood grain finish?). It still gives off the air of being for professionals, with its thin screen borders, elegant acoustic fabric and angular case. HP didn't try to make the info look as sleek as the Surface Studio or iMac, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like many smaller speaker arrangements though, you lose plenty of detail if you're not sitting directly in front of them. At 50 percent volume, it's loud enough to fill a medium sized room. Most impressively, I could crank up the sound incredibly loud without hearing any distortion. The speakers worked well for all types of tunes, from Hans Zimmer's orchestral soundtracks to Bjork's classic Post album. Sure, you'll get thumpier deep notes if there was a subwoofer (which the Envy unfortunately doesn't support), but for music that's not always ideal. The Bang & Olufsen speakers don't disappoint either, delivering clear vocals, vibrant mid-range and some table-shaking bass. And if you're sitting up close, like many PC users, you'll actually notice the extra detail in 4K video. The screen is bright and colorful, making it ideal for editing photos or catching up on your favorite show. The Envy 32 simply demands your attention. It doesn't matter if I'm just listening to some Gorillaz and browsing the web, or binging Netflix. Together, the Envy 32 All-in-One's display and speaker bar deliver an incredibly immersive entertainment experience. That's a good thing, since you'll never get decent sound from thin and tiny speakers. The Envy 32's speaker bar juts out several inches from the bottom of the screen, making its presence known. A leather Bang & Olufsen tag makes it clear this isn't your typical PC speaker, but really you could probably tell that from its sheer size. The speaker is draped in an acoustically transparent cloth covering, giving it an elegant look overall. You'll find similar hardware in home theater soundbars, but the Envy also pushes beyond those with more low end performance. The Envy 32's speaker setup, meanwhile, is made up of two tweeters, two medium drivers, a woofer and two passive radiators. The display also covers 98 percent of the DCI-P3 standard with 10 bits of color depth, making it useful for creators who demand screens with the utmost accuracy. It feels absolutely towering when you're sitting in front of it. The display is larger than the competition, which typically max out at 28 inches, and it's also the first all-in-one screen to support HDR at 600 nits of brightness. All it takes is one look to see what the stars of the show are with the Envy 32: that enormous screen and beefy speaker bar.