Why it matters: More always before, PCs have get disquisitional devices for a huge variety of people. The requirements for new PCs have also evolved, peculiarly when information technology comes to communication and collaboration. Thankfully, many PC vendors take taken these trends to center, and starting this fall nosotros'll be seeing some of the first new machines that were designed post-pandemic. Toss in the fact that these new PCs were crafted with Windows xi in mind, there'southward a lot to wait forward to.

Kicking things off, HP and Microsoft accept debuted a range of artistic new PC designs, which highlight that despite the historic period of the category, innovation in the PC world is even so alive and well.

HP unveiled PCs in several dissimilar form factors -- from a tablet to a two-in-one convertible to a huge, widescreen all-in-one -- every bit well equally new monitors and software tools. The software is designed to make the PC communication experience better across these new PCs and to extend its capabilities to multiple screens.

The HP eleven-inch Tablet PC offers a highly portable, inexpensive ($599 with a keyboard, $499 without) choice for people looking for a lightweight, impact-capable device with a high-resolution (13 MP) rotating photographic camera, detachable keyboard, and congenital-in kickstand that supports both landscape and portrait modes. The idea is to offer a Windows 11 option to those looking for a modern tablet blueprint.

In the convertible infinite, HP's new Spectre x360 xvi-inch builds on the company'south line of 2-in-1 designs with a bigger, college resolution (3K+) display, 5 MP camera with IR back up for Windows Hello, and the latest Intel Evo platform powered past an 11th-gen Core i7 and an optional RTX 3050 discrete GPU. Other cutting-edge technologies include two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports (plus USB-A, HDMI, and headphones), integrated Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth v.2 wireless, and 32 GB of Intel Optane Memory.

The latest Spectre x360, which starts at $i,639, is built with both recycled aluminum and plastic and includes HP's new Tilt Pen and Protective Sleeve in the box. On the software side, the company'due south new GlamCam app adjusts the light sensitivity of the congenital-in photographic camera and offers "dazzler" filters that tin can improve your appearance on video calls, regardless of the environment in which you make them.

For many people who are now comfortable working from home, desktop PCs take taken on new relevance and importance during the pandemic, peculiarly if they're connected to large displays. Addressing both of those issues, HP'due south Envy 34 AIO PC starts at $one,999 and incorporates a big 34" ultrawide 5K display and offers both Intel's top-of-the-line 11th-gen Core i9 CPUs along with an selection for Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3080 GPU.

The default configuration includes a Cadre i7 and the GeForce RTX 1650 with Max-Q for space and power savings. Equally a long-time user of big, ultrawide displays, I tin heartily verify that once y'all've tried one of these, there is no going back. Interestingly, Envy 34 too comes with a detachable, magnetic 16 MP camera that you lot can easily connect anywhere on the monitor.

HP also unveiled a new standalone 34" curved monitor, the M34d priced at $529, and a new 32" 4K HDR monitor called the U32 (and priced at $499) that can be connected to these and whatsoever other existing PCs. In addition, on the software side, HP bundled the Duet for HP awarding, which lets you lot extend your screen across other nearby devices, with the Tablet 11.

As expected, Microsoft has also refreshed a large portion of its Surface product line this calendar week and made a very notable and powerful addition in the form of the Surface Studio Laptop, a new blueprint that evolves the Surface Laptop with a convertible screen design that's like to the Surface Studio desktop PC.

On the low-terminate, the latest version of the Surface Become 3 ($399) ups the processor to a 10th-gen Intel Pentium and offers a Cadre i3 option, making it a more viable option for those who want a lightweight Windows eleven machine with reasonable operation. The company also reduced the price on the 4G LTE modem-equipped version to $499, making information technology one of the to the lowest degree expensive cellular-equipped tablets/PCs on the market.

In another pricing move, Microsoft is offer a version of the Qualcomm-powered Surface Pro X for $899, just it'southward a Wi-Fi merely version. As a large laic in the value of cellular-equipped PCs -- and seeing mobile broadband connectivity as one of the big advantages of the Arm-powered Qualcomm chip-equipped versions of Surface -- I have to acknowledge to scratching my head a bit on this one. Nonetheless, Microsoft bodacious me that customers interested in Arm-powered Surfaces are asking for this option, so I'll requite them the benefit of the incertitude.

Unfortunately, the latest Surface Pro 10 has no changes or enhancements to that Qualcomm processor -- we'll manifestly accept to wait until next year for improvements there.

The Surface Pro 8 and related peripherals include several important enhancements this fourth dimension around. Notably, the screen has grown to 13", reducing the bezel around the display in the process, and the screen refresh rate has been bumped upwardly to 120 Hz for super smooth scrolling.

The CPUs sees an upgrade to 11th-gen Core fries and (at last!) Microsoft has added two Thunderbolt 4-equipped USB-C ports. The pattern has more of the look and experience of the Surface Pro X, and, chiefly, the new Surface Pro 8, which starts at $one,099, gets the cool keyboard blueprint with the integrated pen storage (and charging) that Microsoft starting time debuted on the Surface Pro X.

Speaking of which, the new Surface Pro 8 keyboards characteristic a stiffer, still more than lightweight design, thank you to the use of carbon fiber. The new $129 Surface Slim Pen ii that fits into the keyboard features haptic feedback, thanks in part to a new custom Microsoft G6 chip, and a more pointed design, which are supposed to give a truer pen-on-paper-similar feel.

The real star of the prove (at least on the PC side -- the latest Surface Duo two phone is also a big step up) is the Surface Laptop Studio, which starts at $1,699. Quite frankly, this looks to exist the Surface device I've always wanted, and I look it to go a new fan favorite.

Information technology starts out with a powerful fix of performance and connectivity specs. The traditional-looking laptop design has a large 14.4", 120 Hz refresh rate, two,400 ten 1,600-pixel resolution display, a very large haptic touchpad, two built-in Thunderbolt 4-equipped USB-C ports, 11th-gen Core CPUs, AI-powered smart camera, and optional Nvidia discrete graphics (the RTX 3050 Ti for consumers and the equivalently-powered Quadro A2000 for enterprise). In improver, there'southward a magnetic spot under the front lip of the machine's design that lets you store and accuse the Slim Pen two.

What makes the Surface Laptop Studio stand up out is the new convertible screen that you can pull forward into two master positions or modes (in addition to normal Laptop fashion). Pulling it all the fashion forrad and sliding it down gives you the full-screen tablet experience you've come to expect from Surface devices via what Microsoft is calling Studio Mode. In the eye is a new Stage Style with a slanted screen that lets you easily eat content similar streaming video, participate in video calls, give presentations, etc.

As with about Surface designs, Microsoft has thought through important usability details for this new blueprint every bit well. First, at that place'south a magnetic lock for the screen just beyond the keyboard that lets you easily put the Laptop Studio into (and out of) Stage fashion. Second, yous can also flip the screen over in that way (or in Laptop Way) to let you present to others in forepart of you. While extended hands-on feel will be the existent test here, it certainly looks to be a great new way to get more value and productivity out of your PC.

All told, these new HP and Microsoft designs are swell examples of the ongoing innovation that continues to occur in this nearly 40-year-old product category. By leveraging some of the new capabilities congenital into Windows 11, such as Snap windows amid others, the new designs bring more experiences to the PC right at a fourth dimension when they are most needed.

Bob O'Donnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Enquiry, LLC a applied science consulting business firm that provides strategic consulting and market inquiry services to the applied science manufacture and professional financial community. You lot tin can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech.