HP IQ504 TouchSmart PC (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

Thoroughly enjoying the touch screen & also the performance of this machine. All in one design allows many placement choices, & TV can be hooked into it directly via cable. Large HD screen is beautiful 4 pics.

If you value your sanity, avoid buying HP products. I made the mistake of buying an HP TouchSmart IQ504t PC & it has never worked. When it arrived, the system booted badly & never was able 2 work effectively. The touch screen did not work & neither did the wireless mouse. It turns out that the batteries which were sent with the system were bad. After putting new batteries in the mouse, I still could not get the touch screen 2 work. After considerable phone time with technical support, it turns out that the cameras running the screen were defective. I had 2 wait 2 have HP arrange the return, wait 2 have the system repaired, & wait 4 the computer 2 be sent back. When it arrived, the case was damaged & the computer had 2 be returned again. If you want a computer that actually works, buy anything but HP. I had a similar experience with an HP printer, so my feeling is that defective products are the norm at HP.

My wife & I decided 2 buy the HP Touchsmart IQ506 2 use in the kitchen 2 help us stay organized. Our kitchen has a built-in granite desk with no holes 4 wiring. At first I was planning 2 get a mini-ITX, but when I came across this product, it looked perfect. My wife & I have used it 4 about 3 weeks & are very happy with it. The unit looks great & every detail about it makes it convenient & easy 2 use.

First, about the touch screen--it is different technology from a typical tablet PC. On the plus side, the screen can accept input from any form of touch. However, this means you can't rest your hand on the screen 4 stability--even when using a stylus. So you have a lot less precision. There is also no pressure sensitivity--just on or off. On my older tablet PC, I can draw just as naturally as with a pencil & paper, but on the Touchsmart, it takes effort just 2 write my name or draw a stick figure. This type of touch screen is ideal 4 pressing buttons or dragging things around but not 4 writing or drawing. It's main strength is that you can perform simple tasks without pulling out a mouse or keyboard or even a stylus. (If you plan 2 use a stylus 2 draw or write, I'd recommend a tablet instead). The screen also supports two simultaneous touch points, but since there doesn't seem 2 be much software that uses it, the multitouch is a little hard 2 appreciate--but neat 2 have though.

The display is large, bright & crisp. The speakers are surprisingly loud & clear 4 their size. But obviously if you want deep base you'd want 2 get external speakers (on the back there is a line out & a digital coax out).

The Touchsmart applications that come preinstalled look very sleek & are easy 2 use. The calendar & notes applications allowed us 2 get rid of the whiteboard, calendar & magnetic stickies that were cluttering our refrigerator--our number one reason 4 buying the computer. Except 4 basic kinds usage, their functionality is a bit limited, but they are fun 2 use though. The "slide show" function of the photo application looks especially good on the large display.

A few problems I ran into...

1. When I first turned on the computer, the touch screen didn't work. I tried everything, rebooting, etc. The calibration wouldn't even work. I figured my unit was defective & was about 2 call HP, but then I tried running my finger along the inside edges of the screen, which caused it 2 suddenly start working. Since then it's been working fine.

2. I also had a problem with the volume control on the right side of the screen. One time while holding it down 2 turn the volume all the way up, it apparently got stuck (volume kept going up). It wasn't stuck physically, but behaved as though it was. Rebooting didn't fix it; I had 2 unplug the power. This only happened once.

3. When I first tried Windows Media Center, the performance was quite bad (hard drive churning & freezing up), but after a day or two, it seemed 2 work better.

Overall though, I have 2 say I'm really satisfied with this product. The unit isn't perfect but it does a great job filling a specific need. And 4 the price, you can't beat it.

The item is better than expected great 4 my wife, she didn't like computers & now it's all she use.
The company that I got it from very helpful & quick 2 respond.
I will recomend this company

My Dell Demension 8300 was a great computer, but it finally gave up the ghost after 5 years. I went 2 the local computer store 2 look at replacement possibilities, & found the IQ504. I uncharacteristically bought the unit immediately & am very happy with it.

None of the complaints that I have read here have been an issue 4 me. The computer has worked perfectly since I took it out of the box. Maybe I'll discover something annoying in the future, but all is well now. DVDs play great, my music sounds wonderful, display is clear & sharp, touch screen operates elegantly. The only reason I penalized it one star is because it only has a 320 gig hard drive. These days every computer should have a 500 gig unit minimum. A 1 terrabyte external drive corrected that shortcoming.

If this thing continues 2 exceed my expectations I will probably buy another TouchSmart (the IQ516) 2 replace my television. I think it would make a nice centerpiece 4 a small scale home entertainment center.

I'm glad I bought this thing BEFORE reading the negative comments here!

Stay connected 2 your world with the HP TouchSmart PC. Its new all-in-one design combines a 22" diagonal hi-def widescreen with a powerful energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz Processor in a single sleek piano black design, with elegant espresso side-panel highlights that's perfect in any room you want. The next-generation touchscreen technology puts your digital life at your fingertips & gives you instant access 2 info, entertainment & social networks. Be free from dangling cables with the built-in WiFi, wireless keyboard & mouse & sync 2 your gadgets wireless with integrated Bluetooth, the only cable you'll need is the power cord! Watch or burn your photos, personal videos, movies & music with the built-in slot-load SuperMulti DVD/CD Burner. Easily chat face 2 face online or capture quick photos & video clips, & feel more connected 2 friends & family using the built-in webcam & microphone. Listen digital music, DVD movies, & multimedia entertainment with the integrated premium stereo speakers that deliver exceptional sound quality. Whatever the day brings, the HP TouchSmart PC will deliver a new level of fun 2 everything you touch. Touch-enabled 22 diagonal Widescreen BrightView LCD with tilt adjustment Integrated Webcam with Microphone Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 128MB dedicated with up 2 358MB Shared Graphics Memory Slot-loading SuperMulti DL DVD+-R/RW Burner Integrated High Definition Audio with High-performance 2.0 Speakers Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n with built-in WLAN Antenna Integrated Bluetooth 10/100/1000 BaseT Network LAN 5-in-1 card reader - SD, SDHC, MMC, MS, MS Pro Front ports - 2 x USB, IEEE 1394, Headphone Back ports - 3 x USB, Digital Audio Out, Line-in, Line-out, RJ-45 (LAN) Approximate Unit Dimensions - 21 (W) x 2.6 (D) x 17.4 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 24 Pounds

Redesigned with a next-generation, touch-enabled 22-inch high-definition LCD screen, the HP TouchSmart IQ504 all-in-one desktop PC is designed 2 fit wherever life happens: in the kitchen, family room, or living room. With one touch you can check the weather, download your e-mail, or watch your favorite TV show. It's also designed 2 maximize energy, with a power-saving Intel Core 2 Duo processor & advanced power management technology, as well as material efficiency--right down 2 the packaging. It has a sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights, & the HP Ambient Light lets you set a mood--or see your keyboard in the dark.

The next-generation, touch-enabled PC combines a 22-inch high-def screen with a powerful, energy efficient Intel Core 2 Duo processor in a single, sleek integrated design.

The TouchSmart IQ504 comes with a bevy of special software features 2 make your computing life a breeze, including TouchSmart Video & Photo 4 quickly sharing your snapshots & videos 2 the web, TouchSmart Calendar 4 helping your family manage its busy, overlapping schedule, & TouchSmart Notes 4 both text & voice notes right at your fingertips. And it comes with a wireless keyboard & wireless optical mouse 2 help you keep clutter 2 a minimum.

It's powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 processor, which provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture 4 improved gaming & multitasking performance, in addition 2 excellent power management. It has a built-in webcam & microphone 4 video chats with family & friends, & it includes integrated stereo speakers that produce crisp, clear audio from DVD movies & downloaded video purchases. Other features include a 320 GB hard drive, 4 GB of RAM (maximizing capacity), a dual-layer DVD±RW drive, the latest in Wi-Fi networking (802.11n as well as backward compatibility with 802.11b/g), Bluetooth wireless technology, Gigabit Ethernet, & an Intel GMA X3100 video card with up 2 358 MB of total available memory.

The pre-installed 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1) includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition 2 easily playing your DVD movies & managing your digital audio library, you'll be able 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, & offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

HP & the Environment
HP is committed 2 providing products that are designed with the environment in mind, & all HP TouchSmart IQ 500 series PCs have earned Energy Star & EPEAT Silver designations. They also use HP power management technology can reduce PC energy use up 2 45 percent, & their chassis design uses 55 percent less metal & 37 percent less plastic than standard PCs & monitors. To top it off, the new packaging design greatly reduces plastic foam cushioning materials.

The Basics

• Processor: The Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 processor has a 2.0 GHz processor speed, fast 667 MHz front-side bus (FSB), & 2 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; & a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU & RAM, & a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  With two computational execution cores in a single processor, it provides greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized 4 multitasking & is ready 2 support the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. It can simultaneously run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background. Some of the advanced Intel innovations of the Core 2 Duo processor include:

  • Smart Memory Access: Improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth 2 provide data 2 the processor when & where it is needed.
  • Advanced Digital Media Boost: Effectively doubles the execution speed 4 instructions used widely in multimedia & graphics applications.
  • Dynamic Power Coordination: Coordinates Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology & idle power-management state (C-states) transitions independently per core 2 help save power.
  • Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing: Saves power by flushing cache data 2 system memory during periods of inactivity 2 lower CPU voltage.

• Hard Drive: The 320 GB Serial ATA hard drive (7200 RPM) provides more than enough space 4 storing all your photos & home movies, your digital audio library, & downloaded movies & TV shows. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin 2 Firewire & USB 2.0.

• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC5300, 2 x 2 GB) maximizes the capacity 4 this notebook. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed & boosts the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this desktop's video card.

• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ & DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up 2 8.5 GB of data. It features 6x DVD±R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-R, 6x DVD-RW, 16x DVD-ROM, 24x CD-R, 24x CD-RW, & 40x CD-ROM speeds.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This TouchSmart PC comes with an HP ow-profile Wireless Keyboard with numeric keypad as well as an HP Wireless laser mouse.

29> The low-profile wireless keyboard stows away when not in use, freeing up valuable desk space.

Screen, Video & Audio
The touch-enabled 22-inch widescreen BrightView LCD offers height/tilt adjustment 4 optimal viewing. It offers a native resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, which uses shared video memory (up 2 358 MB allocated from the system memory) & provides Windows Vista Aero interface support & enhanced 3D graphics performance--delivering over 2x scores on 3DMark 06. Intel Clear Video Technology provides outstanding video playback with sharper image quality, increased clarity, & customizable color controls. It also enables enhanced visual quality of interlaced content on progressive displays. The integrated audio card is configurable 2 6-speaker surround sound, & it can provide two-channel audio via its integrated speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready 4 the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated tri-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up 2 five times the performance & twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in older home routers). You'll enjoy wireless connectivity 2 a wide range of peripherals with the built-in Bluetooth. This TouchSmart PC also offers ultra-fast Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000). It comes with the following external connectors:

• 5 USB 2.0 ports 4 connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras 2 MP3 players (2 front, 3 rear)
• 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port 4 connecting digital video camcorders & other peripherals
• 2 headphone jack (front
• 1 line-in & 1 line-out jack (back)
• 1 IR receiver
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet
• 5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system 4 users with advanced computer needs, & it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities 4 turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center 4 watching DVD movies & accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center 2 record & watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) & 2 access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium & an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you 2 access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever 2 share files between other PCs in your household & 2 manage your laptop computer settings 2 more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools & technologies 2 help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting 2 a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you 2 manage & monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, & other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Microsoft Works 9, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 (with 60 days of Live Update), Muvee Autoproducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe, Cyberlink YouCam (for easy uploading of personal videos 2 YouTube).

Dimensions & Weight
This desktop measures 21 x 17.4 x 2.6 inches (WxHxD) & weighs 24 pounds.

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP TouchSmart IQ504 desktop PC, keyboard, mouse, & power cord. Every HP TouchSmart PC comes with special HP Total Care, which includes 24/7 service & support 4 the first year via HP's North America call center & dedicated toll-free telephone support in English & Spanish in the United States.