HP has a winner on its hands with the HP Envy 34 Curved All-in-One (2017) (starts at $1,779.99; $1,999.99 as tested). Like its predecessor, the HP Envy Curved 34-A051 Signature Edition All-in-One ( at Amazon) , this iteration is built around its 34-inch curved screen. But as it did with the more recent Envy All-in-One (27-b010), HP has put the CPU, the motherboard, the storage, and the discrete graphics processor into the base rather than behind the screen to give the PC a slimmer, sleeker look. And the faster Intel 7th-gen Core processor, a larger solid-state boot drive, AMD Radeon RX graphics, and 16GB of memory give a nice boost to performance. As a result of these improvements, we have no qualms naming the Envy Curved All-in-One our Editors' Choice for high-end all-in-one desktop PCs.

Curves Ahead

The screen is the first thing you notice about the new HP Curved All-in-One ($1,699.99 at HP) , and it's breathtaking. It measures 34 inches diagonally, has an expansive 3,440-by-1,440 resolution, and uses a 21:9 aspect ratio. While most HDTVs, laptops, and desktops use the more common 16:9 aspect ratio, the wider 21:9 is close to matching the CinemaScope (2.35:1) ratio used in big-budget action movies.

What's really notable about the display is that it curves, kind of like on the Samsung UN55JU7500FXZA ( at Amazon) UHDTV and its variants. While the large-screen curved HDTV market has been a nonstarter for various reasons (mainly because you have to be in the one sweet spot on the couch to see the picture clearly without distracting reflections), curved displays on desktops aren't subject to the same limitations, as the solitary user will generally be seated front and center. Since you're only a few feet away from the screen, the curve makes movies truly immersive. Also, the screen has a matte finish that quells pesky reflections that can wash out the images on the glossier displays you'll find on, say, the 27-inch Apple iMac or the Dell XPS 27.

The bezels around the screen are only about 0.41 inch (10.5mm) thick, so you won't notice them while watching videos. This setup is almost ideal for watching widescreen movies from streaming services like Amazon Prime and YouTube, which support the 21:9 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, some other services (such as Epix, Starz, and Disney Movies Anywhere) only support 16:9, so even ultra-widescreen movies will be displayed with black bars above, below, and on the sides of the picture. Hopefully one day all streaming video companies will adapt to wider screens, since they're showing up on HDTVs as well.

In addition, you can use the included HP Display utility to put the display into a Technicolor-certified mode. In this mode, colors pop and have a 99 percent sRGB color gamut, making images look truer to life than they do on lesser displays. The Apple iMac has an even wider DCI-P3 color gamut that is better for content creators like photographers and videographers who need stronger reds and oranges, but its screen isn't nearly as wide. The Technicolor certification is more than sufficient for movie watching. HP Display can also adjust the colors on the screen to minimize blue light (which supposedly inhibits your sleep hormones).

As on the Envy All-in-One (27-b010) ( at Amazon) , the pop-up camera in the top of the screen can be used to log in with Windows Hello (in Windows 10) or make Skype calls. Since the camera hides away, you have an extra measure of security.

One of the few nits to pick with the screen is that its curve makes straight lines and picture borders look rounded, which could throw off art hobbyists. While I'm sure some will be able to adapt, I would recommend taking a test run on the system before you buy one if graphics creation is in your wheelhouse.

Dashing Design

The Envy Curved All-in-One has the retro feel of a retro-modern 1950s tube TV. The screen is suspended on a thin, chromed metal arm, and you can tilt it to better view it while seated or standing. The base houses the desktop's motherboard and drives, so the screen is much thinner than on the previous Envy Curved All-in-One, where they were mounted behind the screen. About the only drawback to this is that you can't mount the system to a wall or articulating stand the way you can the iMac or the XPS 27 ($1,399.00 at Dell Technologies) . Altogether, the system measures about 18.5 by 32 by 8 inches (HWD) and weighs 24 pounds, so it should fit in the typical den or home office.

The front of the base is a speaker bar with four 35mm audio drivers and two passive radiators firing stereo sound at you. The speakers are tuned and branded by Bang & Olufsen, and can fill a medium- to large-size room with music or sound from streaming videos, though without the really deep bass notes. The speakers sound much better and play louder than on most all-in-one PCs, save the latest iteration of the XPS 27, which takes a similar approach to audio quality and quantity. The Dell has more forceful sound levels, so it might be a better choice for a dorm room. Like the 27-inch Envy All-in-One, the Envy Curved has a ring-shaped touch-sensitive volume control located on the right side of the base.

The keyboard feels a lot more luxurious than the simple plastic one that came with last year's HP Envy Curved. It's full size, but like the Apple iMac's keyboard, it has a short Z-height and is rechargeable. The included wireless mouse is a little oddly shaped, with its body resembling a small bar of soap and a palm rest hanging over the bottom to help it better fit in your hand, but it matches the overall look.

Connectivity options are excellent, including a headset jack, an SD card reader, and a USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3 on the right side. That trumps the iMac, which lacks USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 and has its SD card slot inconveniently placed in the back. On the HP's back panel, you'll find the jack for the AC adapter, an Ethernet port, an HDMI-in port, an HDMI-out port, a button for switching the HDMI source, four USB 3.0 ports, and the power button. Wireless connections are handled by way of 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2.

The desktop comes with 16GB of RAM, which is certainly enough memory for most games, playing multiple video streams, and multitasking. The combination of a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) for programs and a 1TB SATA hard drive for storing files strikes a good balance between speed and capacity. The Envy Curved All-in-One comes with a one-year warranty.

An Even-Better All-in-One

The Intel Core i7-7700T processor and the AMD Radeon RX 460 GPU make the Envy Curved All-in-One ideal for both full HD and 4K video playback, plus it has enough power for mainstream gaming. It smoothly played our Heaven and Valley tests at 1,366-by-768 resolution with the graphics quality set to Medium (75 frames per second, or fps, and 89fps, respectively), and was just short of smooth playability (23 to 24fps) at 1,920-by-1,080 resolution with Ultra graphics quality enabled. That's within a few frames of our class leaders, the Asus Zen AiO Pro Z240IC ( at Amazon) and last year's Envy Curved All-in-One. Essentially, you can play the occasional game like Overwatch ($19.99 at Blizzard Entertainment) , though you'll want to keep the details down.

See How We Test Desktops

On the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test that measures everyday productivity, the Envy Curved All-in-One earned a score of 3,415 points—top marks for the systems listed above. It was also the champ on the CineBench test (714 points) and finished second on the HandBrake test (1 minute, 3 seconds). It was unable to complete our Photoshop CS6 test due to an incompatibility with one of the 11 filters we use in it. Prior to that crash, however, the system was on pace with the others listed here, and should have more than enough power to feel fast for several years.

The new HP Envy 34 Curved All-in-One (2017) eclipses last year's model with twice the SSD storage, a more attractive chassis, a faster processor, an improved keyboard and mouse, and superior ergonomics. It reaps all the benefits of its new design with the internals built into the base, primarily improved port placement, a thinner screen, and a soundbar that makes video viewing a pleasure. And its value is in line with the upgrades, costing just $50 more than the list price of last year's model. For those reasons, it replaces its predecessor as our latest Editors' Choice for high-end all-in-one desktops. If you're a movie and TV enthusiast but also want to be able to multitask on a huge screen, then the HP Envy Curved All-in-One should be in the top spot on your shopping list.

Artboard Created with Sketch. HP Envy 34 Curved All-in-One (2017) 4.5 Editors' Choice See It $1,699.99 at HP MSRP $1,779.99 Pros Gorgeous, feature-rich 34-inch screen.

Powerful Intel Core i7 processor.

Good storage configuration.

USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3.

HDMI input and output ports.

Excellent speakers.

Touch-sensitive volume controller.

Secure pop-up webcam. View More Cons Curved screen takes some adjustment, especially for artwork.

Not wall mountable.

Some streaming services don't support 21:9 aspect ratio. The Bottom Line The latest HP Envy 34 Curved All-in-One desktop PC mates an outstanding 34-inch widescreen display with impressive processing power. It's a terrific combination for hard-core multitasking, gaming, or simply kicking back and watching the latest blockbusters.

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