Video: Voodoo floats 13.3-inch Envy 133 into the Air

Oh my. First you're slicing cake with the MacBook Air, then you're looking to steal its market share. Lenovo, you can't afford to be too smug either. Voodoo's $2,099, carbon fiber Envy 133 isn't a gaming rig. It is, however, a 13.3-inch ultra-portable with LED-backlit display, 1,280 x 800 resolution, Intel GMA X3100 graphics, 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 processor, HDMI, 2x USB (1 doubles as eSATA) and hard disk or SSD option. It also features an instant-on Voodoo IOS mode that lets you surf the web, chat, look at photos, and make Skype calls without booting into Windows. Impressed yet? Well what if we told you that the power brick (and it's definitely a brick!) doubles as a WiFi access point? Check the preview just beyond the read link, or full video explanation after the break.

Gallery: Voodoo Envy 133

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[crassrock @ Jun 10th 2008 4:24AM]

better then air

but $1,500+ more then the wind :(

[barricade @ Jun 10th 2008 5:22AM]

not.

[darkstar @ Jun 10th 2008 8:03AM]

i agree. $2000 or more for a gaming laptop is fine. but this aint one.
with what it has, this thing is still $1000 overpriced.

[OneLove @ Jun 10th 2008 12:35PM]

He's explaining why he has to screw you.

[JerkfacedFed @ Jun 10th 2008 7:18PM]

way too expensive. i hate apple, but its seriously cheaper to buy the air, throw out your osx cd, buy windows and then install it. and intel integrated graphics = shit. never ever again will i buy an intel graphics chip.

[peekinde @ Jun 18th 2008 12:39PM]

anyone else see the hooker in the reflection? voodoo is baller

[Silvio @ Jun 19th 2008 10:30AM]

It has Splashtop. Splashtop is based in Linux. It's well worth any money.

[RichardBronosky @ Jun 21st 2008 10:41PM]

Very interesting. I, however, would challenge there patent of putting the Ethernet port on the power brick (depending on the exact wording). Years ago I came up with the idea of putting a full assortment of ports on the power brick, and offered it to the public domain free of licensing. How could this be achieved? With a single fiber optic strand in the power cable. Isn't fiber optic hardware expensive? No, not anymore. Every DVD player, stereo receiver, and Mac are being made with optical audio ports. (Macs have optical in and out hidden in the headphone and mic jacks.) Scientists have sent data in excess of 9 Terabit per second over fiber optics... I think that will be enough bandwidth for everything for a long while. This could also lead to a solution superior to Green Plug. Not only could you create universal power supplies be cause of the bidirectional nature of the connection. The power brick could server as a universal docking station. I didn't want any money when I invented this. I just wanted someone to make it available for the good of the industry.

[inQ @ Jun 10th 2008 4:24AM]

Is that it?

I was hoping for a serious kick-ass gaming machine, the kind of thing voodoo was known for in times gone by.

With HP behind them voodoo could have created one hell of a gaming laptop.

[dhytspam @ Jun 10th 2008 4:49AM]

They did say it's the start of a new line in the department. So a performance type version shouldn't be too far hopefully. They are Voodoo ofc.

[Ethan @ Jun 10th 2008 5:24AM]

Who says they're not going to?

[GenBanks @ Jun 10th 2008 5:26AM]

I wouldn't dream of buying a gaming laptop right now, since we're basically at the end of the line of the last gen of graphics chip. If you spend 2 or 3 K on an uber gaming laptop right now, the most you could get (as far as I know) would probably be SLi'd 8800gtx's... I'd rather wait for the mobile revisions of the GTX 200 series, ATI 4870's and whatever Intel has got cooking and buy a laptop with graphics at the beginning of its life cycle.

[Hellios @ Jun 10th 2008 4:28AM]

Looks nice, but I don't really see how it can cost twice as much as the Macbook or the XPS m1330.


Also can somebody please kill whoever chose that font for the keyboard.

[j_g_puff @ Jun 10th 2008 5:08AM]

It does look pretty nice, but it doesn't change the fact that laptops are for people too weak to carry desktops. I wouldn't be seen dead with one - I've got to maintain my hard-man image.

[Blaine Oliver @ Jun 10th 2008 5:16AM]

I would love to see you carry my case, its so frickin heavy you wouldnt get two feet, Its not ever moved from where it was built.

[j_g_puff @ Jun 10th 2008 5:29AM]

@Blaine (or Oliver. How come you have two first names?)

You should see my muscles. I can benchpress an HP Pavilion HDX.

[JET @ Jun 10th 2008 7:50AM]

That person has even invented a brand new "CRTL" key. How can you type correct when even the keyboardmanufacturers can't? *confused*

[Adrian Williams @ Jun 10th 2008 4:36AM]

No optical drive

[skyshard @ Jun 10th 2008 4:39AM]

comes with one free though

External ODD - An ID-coordinated external optical drive is included with every Voodoo Envy 133.

[THJ @ Jun 10th 2008 10:40AM]

I can't wait until I can just hold a CD/DVD/BR disc in front of the in-bezel webcam, spin it with my finger, and watch a movie. WHEN ARE TEH COMPUTER MAKERS GOING TO LERN!!!

[dhytspam @ Jun 10th 2008 4:37AM]

It's got some pretty sound ideas there and I read Rahul's column in CPC every issue. Gd luck with this.

[WeeManFoo @ Jun 10th 2008 4:42AM]

I really like this direction. Finally, an extremely well built laptop with Windows that IMO is better looking than the Macbook Air. I can't wait to see their other notebooks with this new design.

[Alejandro @ Jun 12th 2008 5:52PM]

@WeeManFoo:

"better looking than the MacBook Air"????

This thing is cool. It's good looking enough... but it's NOT better looking than the MBA. I wouldn't buy either of them, but I have eyes. The carbon fiber on the Voodoo is attractive,I'll give you that. But in terms of DESIGN? MBA trumps it.

None of them is a serious machine...

Oh, BTW.... nice way to keep the bulk down on the notebook: Peddle it with a 1lb power brick!!! And somehow convince people that it is the ethernet jack / wifi.

[ijaz @ Jun 10th 2008 4:42AM]

cool. lets see how this turns out.

[Juaquin @ Jun 10th 2008 4:43AM]

Not bad at all. Maybe not something most people would be willing to pay, but if you have the cash and are in the market it's certainly worth the price. Instant-on, wifi integrated into the power, HDMI, Expresscard, eSata, removable battery - you won't find any of that in other light laptops. It could use a little more performance but he did hint to the upcoming hybrid graphics.

[devnul3 @ Jun 11th 2008 6:02PM]

no expresscard slot or hdmi in any other light laptop huh. did you do any fact checking before you submitted this...?
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1330?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&~oid=us~en~29~xpsnb_m1330_anav1~~

[Rufus White @ Jun 10th 2008 4:43AM]

If this thing has a firewire port, I think I've just found my next DJing laptop :)

Fus

[wickedpheonix @ Jun 10th 2008 9:02AM]

he said it has an expresscard slot, so you should be able to add firewire no problem.

[THJ @ Jun 10th 2008 10:42AM]

You are trying to play Britney Spears... Cancel or Allow?

[Deed @ Jun 10th 2008 2:54PM]

And, of course, "Allow" is greyed out.

[rcast1986 @ Jun 22nd 2008 11:47AM]

...But why wouldn't you *want* it to be grayed out?

[wako @ Jun 10th 2008 4:46AM]

chalk it up as another system by voodoo that I wont ever be able to afford even if i sold 2 arms and 2 legs =P

[j_g_puff @ Jun 10th 2008 6:52AM]

Try selling your torso. They generally fetch a lot more than limbs.

[tekdroid @ Jun 10th 2008 4:51AM]

the prices people are (apparently willing) to pay for these things make the mind boggle. To me it's a case of severely diminishing returns beyond $700 in the notebook market (for my needs).

*eSATA powered by the USB... intriguing? eSATA is always nice to see, especially in notebooks.
*ambient light sensor. Nice to see.
*removable battery. Only way to go. Batt life?
*flush trackpad (I actually prefer non-flush but i can understand size constraints)
*tactile keyboard (IBM feel). Sounds good.
*ethernet in (sizeable) power brick. Meh.
*"quick boot OS" (dislike bootup voodoo 'logo' but nice feature)
*hyphothetical production cost without HP involvement (5k, lol, debatable)
*"happy with Vista" .. hrm :)

Gloss, extremely ugly.
Squarish design with no rounded edges: dislike this.
Less USB ports, optical...not nice for my uses, understandable under the circumstances.

All in all, you pay a lot for thin, is the message, I think.
I couldn't live with a gloss device like this with the harsh edges or the lack of ports onboard. But this isn't targeted at me, that's for sure.

[GenBanks @ Jun 10th 2008 5:31AM]

It's definitely very bling bling, not to everyone's liking :D But then again, that's pretty much what Voodoo stands for.

[wickedpheonix @ Jun 10th 2008 9:05AM]

yeah, if I wasn't waiting until this december for a tablet, two things would have to happen:

1) Battery life needs to be good (greater than 5 hours)
2) Matte screen option (hate glossy, can't see shit unless you're in a dark room and you can see it on the video)

If both of those were true I would pick one up in an instant for college, that is VERY competitive and the Voodoo name is supreme.

[CosterMonger @ Jun 10th 2008 10:24AM]

damn consumers and their glossy screens, looks great when it's off but even the video has shown you can't see $#!%.

when will someone give me something that is entirely matte so I don't have to slide over the slew of my own hand grease, or for that matter: make a keyboard compartment that I can eject and wash in the dishwasher.

[jak0b @ Jun 10th 2008 6:49AM]

wow it looks really nice! .. but it must gather fingerprints and scratches like hell!!!

maybe it should come with something like invisible shield? - has anyone tried that? - how did it turn out?

[Mobius_1 @ Jun 10th 2008 4:57AM]

AND it won't cut you! That is a nice looking laptop

[eddie_nutritious @ Jun 10th 2008 4:59AM]

Please forgive me if I'm totally out to lunch and not comparing apples to apples, but can't you get something like a Sony Vaio SZ with an integrated optical drive and more power in a very similar form factor for less money? Plus the fact that you won't be hunting around to try and get service/parts on a Sony versus a Voodoo.

This is a cool design, but it doesn't seem that innovative. It's certainly no Macbook Air, and the Vaio SZ has had the same chassis design for quite some time and it still compares favorably. I could be wrong though.

[mexican_dragons @ Jun 10th 2008 5:03AM]

your right, its better than the air

[Hamidxa @ Jun 10th 2008 5:07AM]

It's hard to find a laptop that's not better than the Air.
The Air is simply for people who dont know any better, Mac users in other words.

[Barricade @ Jun 10th 2008 5:27AM]

Hamid: If "not knowing any better" means using and enjoying a vastly superior product line, then cheers--I'm proud to not know any better.

Back on topic (sadly something lacking here among the anti-mac sentiment), this does seem to be a great, if not overpriced offering. I agree with the user above that this could be a great DJ solution.

[nikster @ Jun 10th 2008 9:47PM]

Yes, you are wrong. The SZ has the same size screen but is not an ultra portable. Compare the SZ with a MacBook if you must - that's more the category it's in.

The Envy is really the first notebook that can be considered a direct competitor to the Air in terms of features and size. It's a great attempt and compares very favorably in most aspects - kudos to Voodoo. I am really thrilled about it. Unsurprisingly though, it also makes many of the same design compromises as the Air - external DVD, external ethernet, few ports, and so on. TANSTAAFL.
I am hoping this will speed up the development of the MBA rev. 2 - an eSata port would be much appreciated.

[Peev @ Jun 10th 2008 5:00AM]

On this page: http://blog.laptopmag.com/tag/voodoo-envy-133
On this image: http://blog.laptopmag.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/envy-133-keyboard.jpg

There is a typo in the ctrl key, or may be a new button - crtl? :)

[dhytspam @ Jun 10th 2008 5:17AM]

well spotted, wonder if they know :p

[Atanas Boev @ Jun 10th 2008 7:31AM]

... and something which looks like a "caps loch" key. Maybe a tribute to Nessy :)

[mexican_dragons @ Jun 10th 2008 5:00AM]

this is thinner than the air... only 0.7inches thick (1.79cm) the air is 0.76inches thick (1.94cm) apple need to change their marketing quick, i feel some good old all american law suits coming on...

[cdn @ Jun 10th 2008 5:27AM]

I actually love the keyboard font!

But I do wanna see the next carbon-fiber 15.4" gaming system with THAT design!! :D

[boortix @ Jun 10th 2008 5:20AM]

Anyone else notice the control key says CRTL instead of CTRL ?