Netbook Review: HP Envy 15

The HP Envy netbook costs a lot but it also has a lot to offer.

WHEN it comes to performance on the go, there are very few netbooks that can deliver the power needed to run heavy-duty applications.

The HP Envy 15 is one of the few exceptions to the rule. It is a ­powerhouse that has an impressive hardware specification that outclasses most other netbooks.

It’s got the looks

The Envy is a great looking machine with a nice curved body made of bonded aluminium and magnesium. It has really cool looking laser etched patterns on the entire lid and part of the palm rest on the inside.

A LOOKER: The Envy’s lid is adorned with fine
patterns that enhance its aesthetics.

The netbook bears a strong resemblance to the Apple Macbook Pro models as it has a similar glossy screen and chiclet keyboard.

Big as it is, the Envy is relatively slim, measuring just an inch thick, a feat it achieves by leaving out the optical drive.

However, the premium netbook is on the heavy side — it weighs 2.34kg so it isn’t the ideal netbook to bring along on every trip.

Around the sides, the Envy has two USB inputs as well as an eSata combo port that also doubles up as a third USB port for hooking up additional devices.

There is also an Ethernet port, an SD card reader and a HDMI out.

The features

The Envy’s large 15.6in widescreen has a full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080-pixels which is a lot of screen space — it almost feels like you are using a desktop PC.

We were quite impressed at how sharp and crisp everything appeared on screen from regular text to high definition videos.

The screen is amazingly bright and is visible even under bright sunlight.

However, colour shifts occur if viewed from extreme angles but it isn’t very bad. One downside though is the screen is too reflective and it is distracting at times.

The Envy has two stereo speakers above the keyboard. The speakers can be pretty loud when turned up all the way but still maintain very clear audio quality. It’s good for both music and movies.

The keyboard feels very nice and spacious, and the keys themselves feel nice to type on.

LARGE: The Envy features a large keyboard
and a multitouch enabled trackpad.

It has a few extra buttons along the sides that act as shortcuts to commonly used applications such as e-mail and web browser.

For a premium netbook it is a shame that it doesn’t have a backlit keyboard which is handy when typing in the dark.

The Envy also has a large multitouch trackpad which is great for controlling the cursor. Like most other multitouch trackpads it supports gesture commands so you can use two-fingers to scroll and pinch to zoom in or out.

The Envy comes with an external Blu-ray combo drive which is handy when you want to watch HD movies on the go.

The drive doesn’t require external power and has two additional USB ports.

Performance

When we powered up the Envy for the first time, we were quite surprised to find that it wasn’t Windows that booted up but rather HP’s instant-on QuickWeb operating system.

It is a simple Linux pre-boot environment that hosts a few simple applications that will allow you to browse the web, check e-mail, listen to music and even make a Skype call.

It’s a nice feature to have when you are in a hurry to surf the Web or listen to music but it is unbearably sluggish when browsing photos.

Without a doubt it is better to fully boot the netbook into Windows 7 from the get go. As mentioned before the Envy is a powerful PC with Intel’s top-of-the-line Core i7 processor (1.73GHz) and has 8GB RAM.

It’s great for multitasking as you can easily run Photoshop while web browsing on Firefox and playing a HD video.

And together with the ATI Radeon 4830 graphics chip, the netbook has enough firepower to handle even games.

We tried playing Left 4 Dead 2 and it looked really good with the graphics set on high. The Envy managed to keep a consistent frame rate without any hint of slow down even when there were dozens of zombies on screen at once.

For a real challenge, we installed Far Cry 2 to push the netbook to its limits. We ran the built- in benchmark and the netbook scored 15fps on the highest setting at 1080p resolution.

The game ran better when the graphics was set on high but on a lower 720p resolution.

However, one major drawback is the amount of heat the Envy generates when in use. It gets so hot that it is uncomfortable to place on your lap or even place your hands on the palm rest.

In terms of battery life, the power hungry Envy’s consumes a standard six-cell battery very quickly.

After a full charge, the battery lasted barely an hour when we played a Blu-ray movie. The netbook also didn’t fare too well when it came to just surfing as it lasted only 1.5 hours.

You can’t really get serious work done on the go with the netbook unless are you willing to lug a power adaptor.

To extend the Envy’s battery life, HP included an additional nine-cell battery pack that conveniently attaches to the underside of the netbook.

While it significantly improves the Envy’s battery performance by a few hours, it comes at a cost of making the netbook more bulky and heavy.

Conclusion

The HP Envy 15 is a classy netbook that has a lot going for it.

It is a multimedia powerhouse that’s great for running all sorts of applications, watching movies, surfing and even playing games. Plus, its stereo speakers are pretty good as it delivers crisp, clear tunes.

However, the Envy isn’t very portable and the battery life suffers due to its demanding processor and graphics chip. But the biggest issue with the netbook is the amount of heat it generates.

Also, the Envy is a very expensive piece of hardware that costs as much as two to three mid-range netbooks.

Still, you are getting a lot with the price tag: A powerful Core i7 ­processor, dedicated graphics chip, an external Blu-ray combo drive and even an extra nine-cell battery.

All in all, the HP Envy isn’t a netbook that’s designed for everyone — but if you can afford it, you’ll be pleased with what you get.

Pros: Great performance; nice speakers; large trackpad.

Cons: Heavy; runs very hot; battery life could be better.

Premium netbook

Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-Q820M quad-core processor (1.73GHz)
MEMORY: 8GB DDR3 RAM
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 4830 graphics chip with 1GB RAM
DISPLAY: 15.6in LCD with LED backlight (1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution)
STORAGE: 500GB hard drive
CONNECTIVITY: WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth
I/O PORTS: Two USB 2.0 ports, 1 combo USB/eSata port, HDMI out, 3.5mm headphone jack
OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
OTHER FEATURES: SD card reader, webcam, external blu-ray combo drive
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 380 x 243 x 26mm
WEIGHT: 2.34kg (with standard six-cell battery)