Customer Ratings & Reviews

The other processor would be better but okay for media use

I was attracted to this computer by it's looks and size. It has an abundance of programs preloaded programs which makes it very functional. I'm a windows 8 user and this has windows 10. Not too difficult a transition.

I found the HP Pavilion Wave Desktop to be a reliable desktop that can serve in many capacities. The setup of the unit was user friendly and only took a few minutes. The usual customary information such as location, time zone, and stored user information if you have access to the Windows environment. The following are the pros and cons of the unit: PROS: *The unit operates on an I3 processor which in my opinion does really well. While I know it’s not the fastest on the market; however, this processor serves the purpose quite well. Startup times are really quick. Also, it has 1 TB (terabyte) of hard drive space which is ample enough to pull over all needed files, music, pictures, and whatever documents one needs to pull over. I personally pulled over documents and pictures from an external hard drive from both my old Toshiba and Lenovo laptops with ease and I must say I still have ample space available. Also, the 8 gigabytes of memory is more than enough to sustain most people’s needs. *Cloud support-HP is offering 25GB of cloud services for 1 year compliments of Dropbox, an application that I truly love and have on every PC, tablet and phones in my home. I was able to access Dropbox with ease. *Sound-The wave has wonderful sound thanks to the internal speakers manufactured by Bang & Olufsen who has a long history of producing acoustic perfection. I watched a few YouTube videos while thoroughly enjoying the sound from the speakers. I thought since the sound is within the hard drive system it wouldn’t be quality; however, to my surprise and delight it is! Also, I listened to some songs and again the sound was impeccable! *Internet Connectivity-I connected to the internet without any problems. Currently, I have 2 routers that provide internet connectivity Orbi and Linksys and both integrate and connect well with this unit. *Ports-The wave has 3 USB 3.0 ports along with 1 USB C port, which is a port that is fast gaining ground into markets here in the US. I have several things I use via USB port connection; as a result, I love knowing I have extra ports available when I need usage of them. *Keyboard/Mouse Combo: Included with the Wave’s hard drive is a paired keyboard/mouse combo. As with any new mouse, I had to get adjusted to the tactile feel of the keyboard and the keys which are pretty compact as a result, typing takes some adjusting to. The mouse can be a bit glitchy at times but it’s not frequent enough thus far to conclude it’s problematic. *Aesthetics- I found the triangular prism shape of the wave to be aesthetically pleasing! I commend HP for the innovation in manufacturing a product that houses so many key components to main elements needed to run a computer. Also, I am pleased that the unit doesn’t consume a lot of space. The wave can set within any area of the home and it wouldn’t stick out as an eye sore. CONS: *The only disappointment that I have is the fact that the Micro Soft Office programs are offered on a trial basis for 30 days. This program is truly a staple and most need at least Word if not all the programs for various usages. Computer manufactures used to offer these programs for a 1-year subscription; however, this seems to be rare. One can conclude that this very well maybe a thing of the past. I feel what individuals and families pay for computers this software package should still be included as an appreciation for their hard earned dollars. I highly recommend this unit to anyone who maybe a student, homemaker, business entrepreneur, down to any walk of life. I commend HP for manufacturing a product that reduces space in the home areas yet affords ample internal space along with other tangibles at budget-friendly pricing. I think this desktop will serve anyone’s primary needs for several years to come!

I love it. I only wish I had bought two of them, as it was discontinued shortly after the purchase...

This Desktop is a nice alternative to an all in one. Looks good on top of my workspace and requires little room. Wish it had a disk drive but other than that the function and aesthetics are excellent.

The only thing not crazy about this computer it's the wireless keyboard the timing it's not good and sometimes you have to press the key a few times to get anything in the screen

This is a very nice looking computer to use for a home entertainment PC. If you're looking for gaming, you should be able to determine if these specs will work for you, so I'll focus on the home entertainment aspect. Design: This is a very nice and unique design for a PC. I think being triangular in shape is a bit of a novelty, with no real purpose added other than technically being a bit smaller than a square, but when it comes to horizontal shelf-space, it's the same. The speaker fabric looks very nice and feels quite durable. Connectivity: They definitely thought ahead in the necessary peripherals. When you buy a desktop PC, you expect that there will be a keyboard and mouse. They considered that this is likely to be on a shelf next to a TV, so they give you a wireless keyboard and mouse which automatically pair with the PC. No wires stretching from the shelf, no USB dongle taking up a port. As for plugs, there are 3 regular USB ports (one on the front) and one type C. Definitely enough to connect any wireless controllers you may want to use for games. There is also an SD card slot in case you want to pull the card from a camera rather than plugging the camera in. For output, there is one HDMI, and one DisplayPort. I'm not certain what the DisplayPort plug would be good for, as every TV I've ever seen just has HDMI, and every computer monitor has HDMI and/or legacy monitor input. It would have been better to have 2 HDMI, but this configuration may work for some. Speakers: It is nice that there is a speaker, but don't expect to use it to drive all of your media. Just using it with a couple of YouTube videos, you can hear some distortion. Software: This is where the machine feels a bit confused. It is set up like a regular desktop PC running Windows 10. However, Microsoft removed the Windows Media Center software somewhere between Windows 8 and 10, so there is no simple interface to use from further away (like sitting on a couch). You are left to your own devices to find a media center software which you like, though many are built to optimally run on Linux rather than Windows. At least HP didn't load a lot of bloat-ware on here for you to remove. Windows 10 also doesn't have a great record with locally stored media. I have other Windows desktops, and when playing music they are prone to freezing for 10-60 seconds at a time, making the mp3 skip like a scratched CD without having the option of taking out the disk. Just a constant repeating split-second that you can't stop unless your volume control is external to the PC. Keep this in mind. Streaming seems OK, but local playback may be an issue. Initial set-up took only 5 minutes. Missing: The main thing I find missing is a DVD/BluRay drive. This is meant to be a home entertainment PC, but it doesn't have any input for traditional media. You are left to find an external drive that you think might also look nice on the shelf. All in all, this is a great PC for display purposes, a compact PC for space purposes, and a regular PC that you'll have to put effort in to if you actually want to use for the intended purpose of home entertainment.

Very great product. The sound is amazing it even sounds like a Boss product. The only thing I don't like it's the windows platform that makes it look like a tablet.

I got the boys chrome books last year but they weren't able to play minecraft or basic games on it. This is a great price for a desktop for a little something extra.

This computer is for my wife and she only use Office, accountant software and Web Browsing. No to much multitask and a I3 works great. If you need more power try the next model which is a I5. Very nice computer with an OK sound. ( could be better)

I love that this is so compact. Rather than hiding my tower under the desk it sits handsomely on top. But it's pretty slow, and while I at first loved the built in receiver for the wireless mouse and keyboard it's tricky. They are sluggish at times and if I've got something plugged into the USB port they are even slower, or won't move until I move whatever's in the port. Overall I like this little computer. With the few changes it would rate a 5 in my book.

I wanted a computer that looked different from the usual tower/desktop and this one fills that mission. I do wish HP could have added a CD/DVD drive but this is not a big deal, I will just purchase an external drive instead.

I searched online, and youtube for reviews before purchasing this. I like the audio speakers - the sound is very good. At least better than most desktops it range. I like the shape too! Great.Perfect with a Hp IPS monitor.

I had a friend that purchased one and said they really liked it. I was in need of an updated pic, so I caught this on sale. Had worked great for what I want to do with it....and its small, modern design is great!

Easy to install. Perfect for our needs and what we need the computer to do. We use it for my work, doing kids homework, playing games, playing games for relaxation,and searching information on the internet.

I love this computer, it really cleans up the desk by eliminating a lot of wires. Only draw back is need an external disc drive.

I would highly recommend this computer. It opens up web pages very quickly I am totally impressed. Great space saver as well.

Great computer! If size/space is an issue this is the computer for you. Tower and speaker all in one. Card reader, usb, etc. all in the unit. Have purchased a second one for a family member.

It appears that HP has taken a concept from another manufacturer – a small computer tower whose internal components are arranged vertically in a cylinder – and provided it in a more affordable configuration. That’s HP’s Pavilion Wave. It’s not a big, clunky box you’d want to stash under your desk, but more like a stereo speaker (complete with fabric cover) that you are happy to have out in plain view. I believe that was HP’s thinking for the Pavilion Wave – to provide a very functional computer in a compact, attractive package. (The first time my husband came into the room to see it, he asked, “Where’s the new computer?”) My experience with the Pavilion Wave suggests that users will find it very easy to set up, and that they can expect it to handle complex office functions with speed and ease. Even though I am using the lower range configuration for this computer (8MB of RAM, Intel Core i3 processor), I find the Pavilion Wave very responsive when opening and using programs, and it has no problem downloading and using the very large image files that are part of my work. I am a graphics designer and do my design work on iOS computers. However, sometimes my clients need things in Publisher, which isn’t available for iOS. So, the first thing I did with the Pavilion Wave is connect it to my Wi-Fi – couldn’t have been faster or easier. Next, I installed Office 365 on it and connected it to my Dropbox account (again, fast and easy to do). Now, all the graphics I create on my iOS devices are immediately available for use on the Pavilion Wave. That means I can create complex Word and Publisher documents on the Pavilion Wave using the very large image files created on my iOS device, moving seamlessly between the two. That makes me and my clients very happy. My previous PC towers have produced enough noise and heat to be annoying. Haven’t had either problem with the Pavilion Wave. The only sound I have heard is the quiet rumblings of the hard drive. And, although all computers produce heat, this one uses a series of vents and pipes that take advantage of the “heat rises” principle to transfer heat up and out the unit’s top, instead of using fans to blow it out sideways. I plan to keep the Pavilion Wave in my office, but I have tried it out in other locations. Its small size and speaker-like appearance go well beside our den TV, where it can function as part of a home theater capable of 4K video. I also have used it to play music while I work. The unit was designed around its audio system, a Bang & Olufsen speaker that projects sound upward to reflect off the underside of the unit’s top and go in all directions. Although it won’t replace a high end sound system, it sounds very good to me, and it is built in, not a separately purchased add-on. Also built in are dual microphones that work well for hearing Cortana voice commands and talking on Skype. HP says these are noise-cancelling microphones designed to grab your voice even when you are not right next to the Wave’s tower. I haven’t tested that theory yet, but when I used the Pavilion Wave to Skype, my listener said it didn’t have any of the annoying sound gaps or volume changes that can occur. If your focus is power gaming or you like to tinker around with the inside of your computer, look at something else. But, if what you want is a highly functional, very versatile computer with the bonus feature that it will look good in your den as well as have a small footprint in your office, the HP Pavilion Wave is worth serious consideration.

The processor is a little slow, the wireless keyboard and mice are not very good.