Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

RATING : 8.5 / 10

Pros Sleek design

Effectively works as a desktop

Great typing experience

Cons Could use a video port

Expensive

Fans get loud in quiet rooms

When I tested an early version of HP's Eliteboard G1a — a keyboard that has all of the guts of a desktop PC shoved inside of it — I was intrigued. Now, after spending time with a finalized version of the device, I'm convinced it's a sign that computers will become totally unrecognizable in the next few years. But there's a reason HP isn't selling the EliteBoard as a consumer device: In its current form, and with its existing $1,499 starting price, it mainly exists to satisfy a bored IT manager's curiosity. It's not meant for you. But wouldn't it be cool if it was?

Looking at the EliteBoard gave me flashbacks to the early days of PCs, back when the Commodore 64 was essentially just a massive keyboard box you connected to your TV.…