HP released SEVEN different types of all-in-one desktops today -- do consumers really need that many options?
All-in-one desktops seem to be growing more and more popular -- look no further than the number of different manufacturers releasing all-in-ones. Today, HP announced 7 different types of all-in-ones. SEVEN!
(This doesn't even account for all the various configurations and custom builds available for each specific type of model. We're looking at dozens and dozens of permutations.)
Yes, there's something to be said for giving consumers choices in the market. But is this many options really necessary? Does this actually help or hurt consumers?
I'm not so sure about the number of choices, but I know I've been holding off on recommending all-in-ones to my clients until there were models with Intel sandy bridge CPUs in them. Everything so far has been a little anemic.
I don't see the problem being that there's seven different computers to choose from. I see the problem being that HP decided to make them seven distinct models instead of just offering two or three models with a couple of configurations.
So basically I think there was a better way to present these computers, but I'm always a fan of choice.
I like having choice, but the amount of products here is insane. I'm a bit overwhelmed by the number of choices they have here and I can't imagine how the buying process will be for people who are not computer nerds like us gdgt folk.
I think it's great for people who want options, but it's terrible for your regular consumers. It might confuse people a little too much. Like having 87 different versions of windows 7.
Seriously though... that's way more information than I want to sort through. They could have at least named the models something that hints at their intended functionalities.
Compared to the tame offerings that Apple purveys, releasing seven totally different computers definitely does seem like overkill. However, it does seem like mainstream computer makers (Dell, HP, Asus) tend to do this sort of thing in an effort to make sure they have the entire market covered - they don't want price to be an object.
Having said that, it feels like they could have done two designs and then melded these seven computers as configurations of those designs.
This also may just be a fountain of releases that were supposed to be staggered - they got caught up in the whole WebOS conundrum and were released all at once.
In the end, I feel like this will probably hurt the mainstream consumer (even though it might help their wallet) because when they go to the HP landing page, they're going to have to try to decipher the difference between all of these and then decide what permutation of their final choice they actually want. In a case like this, I think Apple has it right, less is more.
Hah, I knew people would raise Apple as a comparison. There's something to be said for editing oneself and putting more resources behind fewer offerings though, right?
Key takeaway: "But Apple produces 10 pixel-perfect prototypes for each feature. They compete — and are winnowed down to three, then one, resulting in a highly evolved winner. Because Apple knows the more you compete inside, the less you'll have to compete outside."
It seems obvious, and I wish more companies would do this. You can still have a wide variety of prices with fewer units. I'd argue that it seems like a huge waste of money for HP to keep seven different production lines tooled up for all of these various all-in-ones, when only a few might do really well. Then again... this is HP, and we're all intimately familiar with their management decisions as of late.
While they may have released 7 models, I'm sure they will be 200 variants of each model. I think HP has always been on the more annoying end of this. I know that every manufacture does this but Acer & HP are notoriously bad with this; at least will dell you have the option to use a service tag to quickly find a specific model when looking for drivers.
All-in-ones make sense as the family hub computer. I don't really see the need for so many models. Honestly, the average consumer will see this list, get confused, then go buy an iMac.
I thought HP was pulling out of the consumer PC market? 7 seems like too many for any company, but especially for one that has decided that there is only money in enterprise and printers.
The way I see it, the more the merrier. I like having lots of options instead of being limited to one or two models. Additionally, it also gives HP the opportunity to see what people want. They're releasing space saving models, elite models, and mainstream models so everyone has an option. So, I don't think this is bad at all.
I would imagine this is because you're into tech. If you're a Mom trying to a buy a computer for her family and you're hit with seven different choices that have even more choices at the next step, you might be taken aback and think it might be easier just to click on "27-inch iMac".
Agreed. I LOVE having options, the more customization and options the better. But I do see where you're coming from with the family thing. In that respect, it's bad, but if it was just me I'm totally okay with it.
