14 DAY TRIAL // HP released four new desktop computers today, including one attractively-looking Spectre One featuring several design elements commonly seen in Apple’s iMac line, including the peripherals it ships with.
While many Apple fans will undoubtedly see the Spectre One as a blatant rip-off, the reality is that HP has come out with an all-in-one PC that looks original enough not to be considered an iMac clone.
The design, albeit similar, is more HP’s signature than it is Apple’s. The square-ish appearance, the location of the ports, the bulky stand – all of these elements (and others) give it a true PC feeling.
When viewed from the front, however, the black bezel and the peripherals make the whole array look like an Apple Cinema Display setup with a wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad. The trackpad is virtually identical to Apple’s. In fact, so is the aluminum keyboard.
"The clean look of an all-in-one PC and the ease of one-cord set-up are key reasons customers turn to HP," said James Mouton, senior vice president and general manager, Personal Computer Global Business Unit, HP.
"The SpectreONE design is art as well as a powerful entertainment hub. Across our rich line of all-in-ones, we continue to drive value and differentiation that have earned us sales of more than 5 million all-in-ones," Mouton added.
Still, the overall product does come with a lot of added benefits (including a ton of software) and enough design discrepancies to differentiate it from Apple’s solution. It’s an original knock-off, if you will.
The all-in-one is expected to be available in the United States in November starting at $1,299.
How do you like that? Trying to make a good quality design using good quality materials does add quite a bit to the price tag. That’s something worth thinking about the next time we compare Macs to PCs.
Disclaimer
This is a Personal Thoughts piece reflecting the author’s personal opinion on matters relating to Apple and / or the products associated with the Apple brand. This article should not be taken as the official stance of Softpedia on Apple-related matters.