Hands-on: HP’s Envy Move is an all-in-one PC you can take anywhere

It’s not easy to move a desktop PC and its monitor from room to room, and even if you do, there’s usually a bunch of cords and setup to be dealt with afterwards. TV manufacturers have overcome that problem by releasing portable lifestyle options. But what about desktop PCs? Enter the radical new HP Envy Move.

Announced during a press event on Thursday, HP’s Envy Move All-In-One PC is a computer-centric spin on that portable lifestyle TV concept. It’s a lightweight standing PC with a handle on the back that you can essentially cart from room to room like a suitcase, to fit your different work or entertainment needs.

I’m not going to lie to you, it originally seemed like a strange concept when I first heard about it at HP’s Global Headquarters in Palo Alto California. I mean, why not just use your laptop, and or a laptop with a portable monitor instead? But, having had a hands-on preview, I can now see the appeal – especially for families.

The Envy Move All-In-One sports a large 23.8-inch QHD (2560×1400) LCD touch-sensitive display but weighs just 9.04, pounds which means it’s about as light as a gaming laptop but with a much bigger panel — it was quite easy for me to pick up and carry. It also has a built-in rechargeable 6 cell, 83WHr battery with fast charge support. HP estimates you can charge it to 50 percent in 45 minutes.

Basically, the Move All-In-One gives you the benefit of a large desktop-like monitor but with PC smarts so that you can use for a range of lifestyle or work-related activities without the hassle of much setup or cords. HP’s Senior Vice President & Division President of Personal Consumer Solutions Josephine Tan said in the case studies HP carried out, the device proved popular for “yoga, TV, study, work, gaming, and even for watching stuff in the bath.”

“Its versatility lets it act as a work device, an entertainment device, and even an exercise companion for on-demand workouts. And for homes with multiple members, this form factor lends itself to be a shareable hub that anyone can use in any part of the home.”

Personally, I was interested in its gaming capabilities, which it can handle – but with a caveat.

The starter configuration is powered by a 13th Gen Core i3-1315U mobile processor, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. It also comes with Windows 11 Home and Wi-Fi 6, and ships for $899. Otherwise, the top-of-the-line configuration comes with an Intel Core i5-1335U CPU, 16GB RAM, Windows 11 Pro, and Wi-Fi 6E, and ships for $1119.99 — so either or should run lighter games.

The caveat is that both units only have Intel UHD graphics – there’s no discrete graphics card onboard, but HP is pushing its use with game streaming services like Nvidia’s GeForce Now for those not wanting to miss out on high-end framerates.

Additionally, the HP Envy Move has modest but workable ports for work and play. It includes single USB-A and USB-C ports as well as a HDMI video-in port. It also has Bluetooth 5.3, but no 5G, since “the aerial would have been too difficult to fit into the panel.” A white HP 720 Bluetooth keyboard fits into a pocket behind the PC, so that it can be easily taken and used anywhere the device goes.

Another vital component to the HP Envy Move All-In-One’s portability is its standing design. As well as a handle on top, it has two mechanical feet that surprisingly auto deployed when I placed it down. They’re based on a gaming laptop’s hinges, so that it sits flush on carpets and harder surfaces.

The Envy Move’s AI integration is also a highlight for me – it features an 5MP HP Wide Vision camera with an integrated AI image signal processor that turns it off when you leave and back on again when you return. What’s more, it registers two viewing proximity sweet spots – when you’re either two feet, or six feet away – and switches the speaker’s audio between stereo (two-feet) and spatial audio (six-feet), so that you can enjoy it alone or with your family. Ambient light sensing also automatically raises the screen brightness for gaming in dimly lit rooms.

The HP Envy Move 23.8-inch All-In-One comes in just one color, Shell White. It’s available now on HP.com or you can buy it from Best Buy.