Meet the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop 690
Most pre-built gaming desktops we see use a familiar formula: Intel CPU, Nvidia graphics card. That's why we were intrigued by the chance to test the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop 690, which makes use of AMD silicon on both scores: a Ryzen CPU and a Radeon GPU.
The Back View
It would be churlish to complain about the unfinished look of the case's metal posterior at this price. (Microphone, line-in, and line-out audio jacks dot the top left.)
Rear Panel Ports
You won't use the blocked-off video ports on the motherboard (this configuration has a dedicated graphics card, so they're disabled), but you will the Ethernet jack, two USB Type-A 2.0 ports, and four USB Type-A 3.0 ports. The video-outs for the RX 580 card are below those ports.
Ports Up Front
On the front panel you'll spot a power button, an audio combo jack, an SD card reader, two USB Type-A 3.0 ports, and a USB Type-C 3.1 port. That's as solid a collection of front-accessible ports as you can expect in a mainstream or budget PC.
A Case With a Half-Way View
Much of the interior is shrouded behind the hard drive mounting panel you can see here.
That Hollow Feeling
The case is mostly made of metal. However, the construction doesn't inspire confidence; the case materials are thin, and it feels hollow.
In Sum, Great for 1080 Play
Apart from its reliance on a hard drive instead of an SSD, the Pavilion Gaming Desktop 690-0020 crosses out almost everything else that you might want on a budget gaming PC wishlist.