After our
mixed feelings on the HP Envy 13, we were excited but also a little bit scared to see the 13's big brother, the
Envy 15. It's running a Core i7 processor clocked at 1.6GHz, and has 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830 discrete graphics fronted by a 1920 x 1080 15.6-inch display despite the fact that it doesn't have a built-in disc drive. Luckily there's an external Blu-ray packed into the box (that's a $225 option on top of the $1,800 base price), but most games and apps these days are available via download anyway, so it's not that big of knock on your power-user cred. The unboxing experience is actually identical to that of the Envy 13 (quite elegant), and we were happy to see that when we fired up the laptop the trackpad seemed better configured than that of the pre-update Envy 13 we reviewed. We were less enthused to see that the IE comes pre-installed with HP
and Norton toolbars -- pretty janky for a premium machine -- but luckily we rarely have to see the ugly sight of IE more than once on a new machine. For the most part this is just an Envy 13 bigged up, and that's nothing to complain about.
posted Nov 10th 2009 4:21PM
For that much $, they should never ever include crap like Norton toolbar.
Everyone should reformat their computers when they first get them. Still pretty lame that at $1800 the end user get this crap on their machine.
@Will, you mean everyone should reformat their *Windows* computers when they first get them.
lol@ Will.
You're part of about .001% of the population that reformats a computer before using it.
I personally can't stand this practice. $1800, and a ton of shitware on it. I'll take the MBP instead, kthxbai.
No. Even on a MBP. Reformat and put Windows 7 on it. While its still an underpowered computer at least it has an OS that isn't limited.
If you want the inferior graphics, screen, and processor of the Macbook Pro, then go for it.
Inferior? Haha
How the hell is the screen of a MBP inferior to this? Are you high?
girls girls.. lets all get along now
@Streetfights:
1440x900 is why the MacBook Pro screen sucks. Once you use WSXGA+ or WUXGA (offered on every high end Windows machine), the Apple is positively claustrophobic.
Calm down people; life is too short for a fanboy-enraged aneurysm.
Calm down. I thought he was saying to buy a MBP and put windows on it... regardless I have played around with this laptop before and it is "OK" . It doesn't feel as solid as the MBP (not saying it's bad...) and the plasticy keyboard is pretty lame for this price. All that said, the screen is pretty impressive. In the end, for me, (taking into consideration my hands-on experience) I would get the MBP WITH Windows 7 because it's cheaper and, for what I will be doing (some video/music editing, browsing, slightly above average gaming) the spec bump will be negligible and I will be happier with the construction.
(PS- I am waiting a year and a half to buy my next laptop as I will be receiving "surplus" college scholarship monies that I can use for a computer. So I am offering strictly opinion here.)
The problem with these OEM computers is that even if you reformat and re-install Windows, they include all their crap on the OS disk you get, if you even get one, or its automatically placed on any recovery media you make from within Windows. Therefore, even after a fresh install, all that crap is sitting there waiting to screw with your experience. The only way to get around this is to download clean install media from the net. This is a hassle that no consumer should have to put up with.
You forget this is HP we're talking about. They make amazing premium notebooks, but they are also known for insane amounts of bloatware. My HP HDX 16t had this same problem. It used about 1.5 GB of RAM idle with their Windows Vista OEM image installed. Now that I have a clean Windows 7 install on it, it uses around 600 MB of RAM idle with all my start up programs (basically Digsby and Windows Live Messenger). I assume a clean installation of Vista would have taken around that much as well without all of HP's bloatware.
I agree. If Apple offered a 1440x900 screen in their 13", or (at least) a 1680x1050 screen in their 15.4", I would have one by now. Even with OS X's Expose, it just feels too constricted. I love the 12" 1400x1050 screen on my tablet.
Bad model name. Whats there to envy about?
Well this is obviously an impressive package but it's still wrong to call the MacBook Pro an underpowered computer, for it's size it's very powerful
The screen res is very nice spec wise, but i'm actually wondering if it's that great in reality. Cause right now i'm standing in front of a 23" monitor with the same resolution and can't help to feel that on a 15" laptop this would stress my eyes a bit. I'll probably have to take a look at this in store.
Once you see one of these close up you realize what shoddy materials and workmanship went into it. It looks and feels like ass and oh by the way the trackpad flat out doesn't work. Nice job HP.
Once you see on of these trolls close up you realize what shoddy jokes and anecdotes they put into each post. It's a pain in the ass to read and by the way they never get upranked. Nice job troll.
Looks nice
It does look nice. Why can't we just leave it at that? This story is catching as much heat as if it actually were about an Apple product.
It seriously looks like a Macbook Pro especially the shot with the black hinge at the back. It looks very nice though and has an HP touch to it. I noticed that near the battery, there's another panel, is it for the RAM?
They try so hard yet fail so much. For that much money I would much rather just buy a MBP...
I really want to see some company rise up and challenge Apple, this day has yet to come and may be a long ways off.
You shame the good name of Carroll!
The biggest turnoff for a mbp is the screen resolution. I work in IT and have been using some Sony Vaio Z series laptops, the 13" 1600x900 x-black screen is a joy to behold, great contrast, pure whites and really great sharpness. I'd get one with 7 over a mbp any day of the week.
You ever seen a magnesium fire?
Do you know the temperatures to start a magnesium fire with pieces that aren't shaven off a stick? No. OK tnks for playing, bye bye.
Actually, yes, you can light a solid block of magnesium. Take an old engine block (we've done this with old chainsaws or even a VW block) and toss it in a bed of really hot coals, and it will eventually catch. Provides quite a bit of illumination...
I would really like it, if it wasn't shamelessly trying to look like you know what. Even though it's more powerful, if you are seen in public with one of these, normal people will just assume you're to poor to afford the real thing, and bought yourself a knockoff. HP should try to set their own trends instead of taking design inspiration from you know who.
So Steve Jobs has turned into Lord Vol...I mean "he-who-must-not-be-named"?
The good news is I don't buy my computer based on people's perceptions around me. If I was that shallow I would still be using a Mac. No I buy my computer based on my needs, not the bling on the outside of the damn case.
"normal people will just assume you're to poor to afford the real thing, and bought yourself a knockoff."
Explain to me again why I give a fuck what people think of my laptop.
Insecurity kills.
U=2Cool!
Seriously? Who gives a rats ass what people think of my laptop? As long it it gets the job done screw them. Look Poor? It's an HP! HP Sells way more Laptops than Apple Does.
Not Pulling that out of my Ass:
http://www.itexaminer.com/apples-laptop-market-share-falls.aspx
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINN2718916120090428?rpc=44
@John Doe..: If you really believed in that statement, you wouldn't single out Macs and infer that only shallow simpletons use it. I use a Mac because it can run Final Cut Pro and the durability of a computer matters to me thank you very much.
@bootareen
He's not saying that everyone who uses a Mac is "shallow simpleton", just that a Mac doesn't fit his needs at all so him having one would make him shallow and in it only for the "Hey look, I have a Mac too" factor. Though let's be honest, there are a lot of people who have a Mac for no other reason than because they think everyone else has one and that they "look pretty". Not saying all Mac users are that way, I know quite a few that aren't, but you'd have to be a fool to think that there's nobody who has a Mac for those reasons. Don't believe me? Look at any college campus and you'll see I'm right.
@Roman
Look, I'm pro-Mac and even I'm down ranking you for being a prat. No one is going to be looking at your PC in public and thinking less of you for having an HP. It's a relatively low probability that anyone looking at said HP knows what a Mac is, let alone considers it to be better. Frankly, no one gives a flying fuck about this STUPID discussion outside of the likes of Engadget.
I was a mouse click away from buying this with the 25% Bing Cash Back deal on opening day.. I barely decided not to pull the trigger. Still undecided as to whether that was the right move or not.
Look at one up close first. Decide if you want a working trackpad. You can do a lot better for your money than this.
@k0
Hot Hardware just got done reviewing a new Core i7 laptop. Check it out. Looks to be quite a bit faster than about any C2D machine.
http://hothardware.com/Articles/Asus-G51j-Gaming-Notebook-Review/
Yawn.
Typing this from an MSI GT725-075us (now discontinued). I've got:
- 2.53ghz Core 2 Duo [turbo to 2.98] (+900mhz; I haven't seen benchmarks on the i7, but I questions its efficiency vs. higher-clocked processors. The quad cores aren't going to do much for gaming.)
- Blu-Ray built in
- 1920x1200, 17" screen
- Radeon 4850 (512mb, but, and again I haven't seen benchmarks, likely still faster - the 4850 is by many accounts still the fastest, non-broken (4870 what?) mobile graphics card on the market)
Oh, and it's $1600. And no heavy or thicker than my old Inspiron E1505.
Yawn.
Wake me up when they come out with something that can -actually- tear my existing laptop apart. Yes, I get the market for the Envy, but the 15 is wholly unimpressive. Either be a thin-and-light, or be a gaming machine: this hybrid probably has zero battery. And costs too much.
What a rip-off of the plastic MacBook; Magnetic latch, Ram accessible through the battery trap, Almost identical keyboard, similare packaging.
I for that price, I much prefer all metal notebook. Let see how long it will took to HP for copying the Unibody design.
what next from HP? an imac copy with no slot-load drive?
WTF?
Have I seen right?
It has air vents on the front side, the one facing the user? Will it blow hot air into the user's face?
What kind of crappy design is that?
Maybe those are intakes? Regardless, you're not using your computer in a very ergonomic fashion if those would blow air into your face.
Thats what it looks like to me? who knows?
Pretty sure those are speaker grills, as the air intake is on the bottem and there are more grills between the keyboard and the screen.
Do you put your face at the very front of your palm rest? That's interesting. Do people laugh at you? Maybe that's why. Can you upload a video of yourself using a laptop?
Can't wait for the review. I really need a new laptop and this looks like its the one.
Here's your review:
*Nice looking machine, but a shameless knockoff of Apple's design.
*Decently spec'd, but not for the price.
*Crappy trackpad.
*Crappy battery.
*Kewl skin!!!! Yay lolz
*HP rep slaps a "kick me" sticker on your back as you leave the store.
*???
*PROFIT
.....seriously though, pull cock from mouth.