Laptop webcams have largely been horrible for years. But now that video conferencing is becoming a way of life for many computer users, HP is making the upgraded cameras in this year’s HP Envy laptops a key selling point.
The new HP Envy x360 13.3″, HP Envy x360 15.6″, HP Envy 16, and HP Envy 17.3″ laptops all feature HP True Vision 5MP IR cameras with support for features including auto-framing, dynamic voice leveling, and AI-enhanced noise reduction. The new HP Envy laptops are available today for $850 and up.
HP Envy x360 13.3″
This convertible notebook has a starting price of $900 for a model with an Intel Core i5-1230U processor, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of solid state storage, and a 1920 x 1200 pixel IPS LCD touchscreen display.
But HP will also offer models with up to a 2880 x 1800 pixel OLED display, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.
The notebook features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a microSD card reader, a headset jack, and a 66.5 Wh battery. It supports WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, comes with a 65 watt USB Type-C charger, and includes a pressure-sensitive pen for writing or drawing on the screen.
HP says it’s also designed the notebook to be quiet. While it has an active cooling system, the fans are designed to generate less than 22 dBa of sound on battery power or 33 dBA in Performance mode while plugged in.
The HP Envy x360 13.3″ is the smallest of HP’s new Envy series notebooks, measuring 11.75″ x 8.46″ x 0.63″ and weighing 2.95 pounds.
One thing to keep in mind about this model though, is that in order to keep the notebook slim, HP opted to solder the RAM to the motherboard, which means that the memory is not user upgradeable. If you want more than 8GB of memory, you’re going to need to pay for it when you purchase the laptop.
HP Envy x360 15.6″
This convertible notebook is available for $850 and up if you opt for a model with an AMD Ryzen 5000U series processor or $900 and up if you choose a configuration with a 12th-gen Intel Core processor.
AMD models are available with a choice of 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD or OLED touchscreen displays, 8GB to 16GB of DDR4-3200 memory, 256GB to 1TB of solid state storage, and a choice of AMD Ryzen 5 5625U or Ryzen 7 5825U processors.
These AMD-powered laptops have two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10gbps) Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1 and headset jacks and support for Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E, depending on the model.
Intel versions have similar memory and storage options, and a similar set of ports, except the two USB-C ports have Thunderbolt 4 capabilities with support for 40 Gbps data transfer speeds.
HP offers Intel processor options including Core i5-1235U, Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1255P, and Core i7-1260P, and some models are available with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 graphics.
The HP Envy x360 15.6″ laptop with Intel inside is available with 1920 x 1080 pixel LCD or OLED display options, or an optional 2560 x 1440 pixel 120 Hz LCD display.
HP says the starting weight for models with an Intel processor is 3.75 pounds, while AMD models are a tiny bit heavier, starting at 3.78 pounds.
Both versions of the laptop feature dual speakers, 51 Wh batteries. 65W USB Type-C power adapters, and HP active pens.
dual speakers
HP Envy 16 laptop
This 5.1 pound notebook has a 16 inch high-res display, support for up to an Intel Core i9-12900H processor, and up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or Intel ARC A370M discrete graphics.
The laptop supports up to 32GB of user-upgradeable DDR5-4800 memory and up to 2GB of solid state storage (there are two M.2 slots, which makes storage upgrades reasonably simple as well).
Display options include a 2560 x 1600 pixel 120 Hz IPS LCD or a 2840 x 2400 pixel OLED display panel.
Other features include quad speakers, two Thunderbolt ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, an SD card reader, a headset jack, and support for Bluetooth 5.2 and either WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E.
The laptop has an 83 Wh battery and comes with either a 150W or 200W power adapter, depending on the configuration.
Prices start at $1400.
HP Envy 17 laptop
This notebook sells for $1099 and up, supports up to an Intel Core i7-1260P processor and optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 graphics, and up to 32GB of user-replaceable memory and 1TB of solid state storage.
The laptop’s 17.3 inch display is available with either a 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS LCD or 3840 x 2160 pixel OLED panel, and aside from the fact that this model has three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports instead of two, the selection of ports is pretty similar to the 16 inch version.
One surprising difference? This laptop has just a 55 Wh battery.
While a larger battery would certainly add a bit of weight to this 5.5 pound notebook, it would also probably come in handy when using a notebook with such a large screen.
I have the Envy x360 13″ from last year. From what I see the fingerprint reader is out, right-Crtl is back, the chin seems a tad larger and so is the top bezel. The barrel-DC is now a second thunderbolt port, that’s nice, although I liked the option, the round DC connector can turn while plugged in and I think is more roboust, as far as charging goes. I have the Ryzen 7 4700U version and it is also very quiet in every day operation, the fan rarely ever spins up, but when I run games on it it can be pretty loud. I had to buy the stylus separately, would have liked stronger magnets to keep is on the display. I think it’s the same pen though. I would also have liked to be able to set the timeout for the keyboard backlight, as far as I know it’s hard-coded. I’m interested in the next AMD version based on the RDNA2 stuff, but seeing how I just got this it’s a couple of years off.