HP's new Envy laptops include the first IMAX Enhanced PC
You can also expect new CPUs, sleeker screen designs and upgraded webcams.
HP is once again revamping its Envy laptop line, but this time it's more about who the company is working with than the raw specs. The headliner, the Envy x360 15.6-inch convertible, is billed as the first IMAX Enhanced-certified PC. Buy the version with an OLED screen (only 1080p, oddly enough) and you can watch Disney+ movies in the taller ratio with DTS:X spatial audio. There are also promises of exclusive remastered HDR content, although we wouldn't buy a computer just to revisit movies.
There are other reasons to consider HP's latest models, of course. Both the 15.6-inch and new 14-inch Envy x360 have improved screen-to-body ratios, the latest processors (13th-gen Intel Core for either, and AMD's Ryzen for the 15.6-inch) and upgraded webcams with manual privacy shutters and auto lock/wake features that secure your machine while you're away. The larger two-in-one also has the option of GeForce RTX 3050 graphics versus the RTX 2050 in the older model (sorry, no RTX 4050 here) and wrings out up to 15 hours of battery life versus 10 for its predecessor. The two x360s top out at 16GB of RAM.
The lone conventional laptop update, the Envy 17.3-inch (pictured at middle), shares the camera, 13th-gen Core and available RTX 3050 graphics of the x360 15.6-inch. You only get an extra half-hour of battery life (nine total). but the 32GB RAM ceiling and optional 4K LCD should help if you're juggling heavy-duty apps.
The Envy x360 14-inch is shipping now with a starting price of $850. Its 15.6-inch counterpart arrives before the end of April with a $950 entry point. You'll have to wait until May to get Envy 17, which starts at $1,150. These aren't radical revisions, but the IMAX-certified laptop may be worth considering if you just have to watch the latest Marvel movies in the best-possible quality — so long as you don't need 4K, at least.