HP Envy 14 Analysis
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ReportThe HP Envy 14 is one of the best laptops I've had in a long time. Created from an aluminum design (also following the concept of "unibody" presented by the Macbook Pro - and this is not the only similarity that we find throughout the analysis), and designs carved throughout the entire laptop, it is hard not to admire the look of the Envy.
Fortunately, as we will see throughout the review, HP has been concerned more than just the appearance, giving us a pretty solid laptop, where it is viewed.
Specifications
- Processor: Core i5 450 m. 2.4 Ghz
- OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
- RAM: 4GBs
- Display: 14.5 "1600 × 900 Resolution
- Video card: ATI Mobility Radeon 5650, Intel GMA HD
- Disk: 500 GB
- Reader: DVD + / - RW, slot
Design
I asked several friends about the looks of the Envy. And as mentioned in the above paragraphs, many were very impressed by the way, and equipment design. Some also commented in 80% of the cases, however, was: "looks like yours." And mine? It's a Unibody Macbook Pro
And the HP Envy 14 has more than a certain similarity to the Macbook Pro as I mentioned, has a similar manufacturing process, as Envy is made from a single piece of aluminum (unibody), which gives greater resistance to the laptop. It also has an illuminated keyboard, a touchpad without buttons (which surprisingly works very well, something rare in notebooks with Windows), a rear logo that glows.
But do not worry, Apple haters, despite having some similarities, the HP Envy 14 is highlighted and clearly different, thanks to a different key, and elegant designs carved on aluminum, that adorns the back. Of course, it has many more USB ports than the Mac, giving it greater connectivity options and has certain similarities that were discovered also by non-Mac users.
CPU and RAM
Here's what interest us. After seeing the specs, it is clear that the Envy 14 is no turtle. The I5 flew on almost all common tasks. 4 GB is the "sweet spot" of RAM for Windows 7 too: enough to run multiple heavy applications without sacrificing the system memory, and fortunately, is the amount that comes default on the Envy.
With 4 GB, you probably will not have to upgrade the memory in a long time. Unfortunately it is the only laptop with a i5core I had at the time of the test, but the speed difference compared to my Macbook Pro (a Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, Windows natively loading) was quite remarkable.
Of course, there is still a difference with desktop processors, but even with a desktop PC with a i7 920 Core (overclocked to 3.6 Ghz), except for tasks like video rendering, there was a noticeable difference with the Envy 14. In fact, I'm still impressed by the great difference a i5 facing vs the Core 2 Duo. Definitely feel the speed.
Video Card
And together with the processor and RAM, we have a pretty good card for gaming. HP has included two: Intel GMA HD when we are doing common tasks (to save battery.) But when you entered a heavy graphically rich application (especially games), that's where the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 with 1GB of dedicated video memory, goes to work. With that video card I had no problem with current games like Left 4 Dead 2, Starcraft 2. Other older games like Borderlands and Batman: Arkham Asylum ran well. In fact, I think all the games I could test with my Steam account were always above 40 frames per second in native resolution, according to Fraps.
Personally, however, I would have preferred to see one of the nVidia mobile cards (such as 330M), because there are more applications that can use the GPU to work (such as Premiere, which uses it to render video), that applications that make the same on an ATI card. I have understood, however, that due to legal problems (which seem to have been resolved last week), you can not take the same i3/i5 Core from an nVidia card with an Intel board. So having just an nVidia card would have been detrimental to battery life.
Screen
The 14.5 " screen also stands out clearly against the other, though perhaps by first impression. HP has put terrible Windows 7 Home Premium skins, but this is discussed in the Software section.
After that first bad impression with the horrific wallpaper (which was probably created for another resolution and simply stretched to the Envy) and Win7skin, however, the picture quality is really noticeable when you return to the default Windows theme. The colors are crisp, and the resolution is even higher than most 15 " monitors.
In the world of laptops, 14 " screens usually come with 1280 x 800 (or 1366 × 768) resolution, while the 15" screens, use 1440 × 900. the Envy 14 goes further, giving us a 16:9 resolution with 1600 x 900 pixels. This higher density of pixels makes the screen look sharper, but also forces us to strain your eyes to read small fonts.
HP also makes mention of using an HP Radiance Infinity LED panel, which for us mortals, it means that we have a greater range of colors than most monitors, which in turn also results in brighter colors to our eyes. As in almost all parts of the laptop, note that HP has been concerned for bringing quality parts, and the screen is one of them.
Battery
The battery life is extended when we are using the integrated video card (Power Saver mode), reaching approximately 4:30 hours. Using only the ATI card, shortens the battery life by one hour.
The interesting thing is that in the Envy you can buy a secondary battery (which works in conjunction with the original), and can significantly extend the duration. Perfect for those who spend hours away from an outlet.
The weight of the laptop is fairly standard for notebooks of this size, about 2.5 kg, so you will not have problems mobilizing.
Other
I really liked the trackpad. One of my biggest gripes with most laptops with Windows, is that none include a usable trackpad. In the Macbook Pro, I can be sailing or working quietly without a mouse (until you start a job that requires more precision, such as editing video or working in Photoshop. Where a mouse is required.) The Touchpad of the Envy, however, is quite comprehensive and accurate. I had some problems with right click (the trackpad has no buttons, only two divisions that shows where the buttons should be), but after a few hours to get used to it, seemed to work pretty well.
Unfortunately, the Envy 14 does not include a Blu Ray drive(which exists in the 17-inch version). However, we have a DVD drive type "slot" that allows us to burn dual-layer DVDs. The number of ports included in the Envy are also a welcome.
We have 2 USB ports, a port that serves as eSATA / USB, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort output (a rare thing), Ethernet, two headphone outputs (of which can be used as a microphone). No DVI output (and VGA), so have to get an adapter if you plan to use external monitor that does not have an HDMI port (or mini DisplayPort)
It also includes Beats Audio system that gives a superior sound to many of the laptops available. But is really impressive when you connect a pair of quality headphones, or configure it with our Home Theater.
Software
Regarding software, there is not much to say. It is, after all, Windows 7, which we all know. The only thing that bothered me is that HP has used a skin (or skin for Windows 7) that simply was not to my taste. The same with the wallpaper that appears the first time we started Windows.
Fortunately, it's a minor complaint, because in two or three clicks you can return to the original Windows 7 default theme (or even install custom themes). A dilemma that plagues Windows laptops always, is the amount of garbage software that includes trial versions of programs that you will not use, demos and more. The Envy, fortunately, is spared by default (though there are some programs you want to delete) it does not overload the system tray. PC Decrapifier is still a need.
The Envy brings an excellent Synaptics touchpad with new drivers that add gestures that, yes, are quite similar to those of the Macbook and touchpad. That is, if we move two fingers across the trackpad, can go up or down the page, and other custom gestures. This, together with the excellent trackpad included, is enough to help ourselves from the need to carry around a mouse.
Beyond Windows 7, HP includes a "mini-OS" or operating system that starts within 3-5 seconds after the machine turned on. From here, we can, for example, open a browser to access web pages, open Skype to make a video call, or even set up chat and email accounts. It works pretty well, but never found much meaning to these operating systems, perhaps because they usually never turn off the laptop completely, but leave it in sleep mode. However, it is good to know that is if we have the laptop turned off and only want to check our email for 5 minutes, without having to wait the 30-40 it takes for Windows 7.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is not much bad to say about the HP Envy 14 and is to be noted that HP has been involved and has taken the time to review each of the components included, to give us the best possible Windows experience .
And in fact, laptops / notebooks I've tested this year, the Envy 14 has been my favorite. If you can find at a good price in your respective countries (HP USA sells them for about $ 999 - $ 1499, depending on configuration), is a laptop that you may want to consider.
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