HiGame

. That’s not the same as declaring the market dead, but tablets, two-in-ones, and smartphones were all seen as driving the future of computing. Looking back, 2014 may be the year that killed such statements, thanks to a wide range of new and interesting PCs from multiple manufacturers.

Here’s our list of the most innovative work done in the PC space this year, both in total systems and at the component level in several cases — as well as a few dishonorable mentions. Note that “innovative” doesn’t always mean practical — some of these systems are fairly specialized, but they still display a willingness to think outside the box.

HP’s Sprout reinvents PC control

HP’s Sprout is a computer system that eschews conventional keyboards and control mechanisms in favor of a 20-point touchpad that ships with the system and functions as a control grid. Laser projected keyboards have been on the market for a while, but no major manufacturer has attempted to build a PC that meshed virtual hardware and objective reality in quite the same way.



The Sprout doesn’t just offer a projected keyboard — it includes an Intel Realsense camera, a 14.6MP camera, and an LED desk lamp. An integrated stylus is also provided, and the system is designed to facilitate image and object scanning, data manipulation, and exploration in ways that conventional PCs haven’t previously attempted. Whether or not the system will sell is another question, but it’s expected to be front-and-center at HP’s CES show in a few weeks’ time.


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