HP All-in-One PC Review: Budget Pick or Overpriced?

content: Is This HP All-in-One Finally Usable?

If you're considering an all-in-one PC for its space-saving design, HP's budget offering seems tempting. After years of notoriously underpowered models, the 2023 refresh promises improvement with AMD Ryzen processors. But does it deliver enough for daily tasks? Having tested this $500-$600 system alongside its predecessor, I'll analyze whether HP fixed core flaws or repeated past mistakes. The appeal is clear: no separate tower, included peripherals, and clean aesthetics for cafes or compact offices. Yet performance remains the critical question most buyers overlook until it's too late.

Inside the 2023 Refresh: Specs and Build

HP's exterior changes are immediately noticeable. The new matte black finish replaces glossy white, though our testing revealed the plastic feels equally lightweight and prone to fingerprints. The 23.8-inch display (up from 21.5 inches) offers adequate 1080p brightness for direct viewing, but color shifts dramatically off-angle. Connectivity sees minor tweaks: a USB-A and audio jack moved to the left side, while HDMI and Gigabit Ethernet stay on the back.

The keyboard and mouse remain basic wired models—functional but unchanged for years. HP includes a laptop-style power brick, a puzzling choice for a desktop that limits placement flexibility. Opening the unit confirms minimal internal upgrades beyond the switch to AMD's Ryzen 3 3250U processor. This dual-core chip, while generations old, theoretically outperforms previous Intel Celeron models. However, industry benchmarks from PassMark show it trails modern quad-core CPUs by 40-60% in multi-threaded tasks.

Real-World Performance Tests

Daily usability reveals the Ryzen 3's limitations. Basic web browsing feels tolerable with 1-2 tabs, but loading our content-rich homepage took 8 seconds versus 3 seconds on a $600 laptop. Multitasking exposes greater weakness: launching Excel while streaming YouTube caused noticeable stutter. Cinebench R23 scores (679 single-core/1793 multi-core) confirm this isn't for intensive workloads.

Gaming performance proved particularly concerning. At 720p low settings, CS:GO averaged 27 FPS—technically playable but with constant hitches during firefights. Demanding titles like Forza Horizon 5 failed to launch after 20-minute load attempts. While no one buys this for gaming, these results signal struggles with modern web apps and video calls.

Where it succeeds is media playback. The dual speakers deliver clear dialogue, and the system handled 4K YouTube without dropping frames—a significant improvement over prior models. Windows Hello facial recognition worked despite the mediocre 720p webcam, though setup took multiple attempts in moderate light.

Value Verdict and Smart Alternatives

At $500-$600, this HP occupies a difficult niche. Our testing shows it's finally usable for email, documents, and streaming—unlike its truly terrible predecessor. However, three critical issues remain:

1. The dual-core Ryzen 3 bottlenecks even moderate multitasking
2. Non-upgradeable RAM (8GB soldered) limits future viability
3. Competing mini-PCs like the Beelink SER5 offer superior Ryzen 5 performance at lower prices

If space constraints demand an all-in-one, consider doubling your budget for models with quad-core CPUs. Otherwise, a $350 mini-PC plus 24-inch monitor provides better longevity. As one IT procurement manager noted, "We stopped deploying these after seeing 37% higher replacement rates versus compact towers."

Toolkit: Buyer Action Plan

1. Assess your workload: If you regularly use Zoom + Chrome + Office simultaneously, avoid this configuration.
2. Check current pricing: Track discounts at Best Buy; we've seen $100 temporary drops making it more reasonable.
3. Explore refurbs: Dell OptiPlex all-in-ones with 10th-gen i5 CPUs often appear near this price point certified refurbished.

Recommended upgrades:

• Crucial MX500 SSD ($45/500GB): Replaces the slow base storage if upgradable
• Anker 7-Port USB Hub ($25): Compensates for limited ports
• Logitech MK270 Wireless Combo ($30): Ditch the included keyboard/mouse

Final Thoughts: Who Should Actually Buy This?

HP deserves credit for fixing the worst flaws—this isn't the "unusable disaster" of 2021. The Ryzen 3 enables basic tasks, and the design suits kiosks or secondary displays. But at $600, it's hard to recommend when alternatives offer 50% more performance.

If you proceed, manage expectations: this is strictly for single-app workflows like digital signage, point-of-sale systems, or light web browsing. For others, the value equation still doesn't add up.

What's your minimum performance threshold for a daily-use PC? Share your deal-breakers below!