HP Pavilion 790 Packs Processing Power into Old School Desktop Design

As the world’s largest PC maker, HP offers designs computer models for many types of customers. But one of its newest models, HP Pavilion 790 is designed for customers that don’t want to pay for all the bells and whistles, but want some extra processing power at an affordable price. The Pavilion 790 desktop delivers on that need with eighth-generation Intel Core processor and high-end graphics processors from Nvidia and AMD.  With plenty of ports and support for several terabytes of storage, the Windows 10-based HP Pavilion 790 should provide power and a long useful life at price that starts $649. This slide show will discuss why HP’s Pavilion 790 could appeal to anyone seeking power and value.

Although some customers are opting for all-in-one PC designs, the HP Pavilion 790 is a traditional desktop that comes with ports both on the front and back for easy access. The computer allows for ready access to certain components for do-it-yourselfers who want to swap out features. However, the device is on the bulkier side at 14 inches tall and 6 inches wide so it will take up a significant amount of desktop real estate. 

The computer ships with Intel’s eighth-generation Core i5 processor. According to HP, the machine will be fully capable of streaming premium content, handling virtual reality, and processing graphics-rick video games. However, those who want more power will be able to upgrade the chip to a six-core Intel Core i7 processor or a second-generation AMD Ryzen processor.

HP is giving its customers the option of running Nvidia or AMD graphics chips in the Pavilion 790. On the Nvidia side, users can bundle the GeForce GTX 1060 in the PC. Those who prefer AMD, however, can opt for the AMD Radeon RX 580. Either way, the GPUs should suffice for most uses.

A variety of storage options are available in HP’s Pavilion 790. Those who prefer hard disk drives only can configure the machine with up to 3TB of storage. Solid state drive-only configurations are available at up to 512GB of space. Dual storage that uses both solid state drives and hard disk drives pair those options together for 3.5TB of total storage.

HP was quick to note that RAM will play a major role in the broader HP Pavilion 790 experience. Out of the box, the PC will come with 8GB of memory on one of four slots inside the computer. However, HP is offering customers the option to upgrade to up to 64GB of RAM with four, 16GB chips. HP noted that the machine’s four-DIMM setup allows for users to swap those RAM cards for more capacity as needed.

HP said that its Pavilion 790 is designed for audio enthusiasts that don’t only want to use a computer’s built-in speakers. Instead, the machine can support 5.1-channel surround sound with an attached speaker setup. A feature called HP Audio Stream will allow users to connect mobile devices to the computer via Bluetooth to stream music through the computer’s speakers.

The sheer number of ports building into the HP Pavilion 790 might surprise some customers. The device has a staggering 11 USB ports across the front and back, including one USB Type-C that can be used to charge devices and transfer data. There are also HDMI out and DisplayPort ports to connect to add-on displays. Ports are also available for surround sound, HP said.

There are many other reasons to like the Pavilion 790. For instance, the device comes with virtual reality capabilities out of the box, so users can work with the latest games and apps that support this technology. For those who would prefer to go wireless this desktop supports 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 for connections to accessories. A basic wired keyboard and mouse also come with the computer.

Out of the box, HP’s machine has Windows 10 Home installed, which might be a non-starter for sophisticated users who will want to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. It’s also important to note that the computer will ship with a variety applications that users can implement at their discretion, including Dropbox, McAfee LiveSafe, and Wild Tangent Games. The company has even tossed in Netflix and a CyberLink Power Media Player for good measure.

HP said in a statement on April 11 that the Pavilion 790 will hit its online store on April 30. The company plans to make the Pavilion 790 available at other retail outlets on June 3. Pricing on the machine will start at $649, though selecting higher end CPU, graphics and storage options will send that price soaring.