HP’s refreshed ENVY 13 is easily one of the most portable notebooks on the market today. It is no slouch in terms of performance either; sporting a sixth generation Intel Core processor coupled with a high performance SSD. We took a closer look at the notebook to see if the machine is all that it promises to be.
At first glance, the HP ENVY 13 looks a little unusual; especially with the device left open. The elevated lift hinge is unique among notebooks, as it raises the back of the laptop and angles the keyboard. HP says that this is to provide users with a more comfortable typing experience, while also improving air circulation for cooling.
The HP ENVY 13 measures in at just a hair under 13mm, which is thinner than the MacBook Air. An impressive feat, although the difference is effectively a rounding error at this point. This form factor makes the ENVY 13 easy to transport as it will be able to fit into just about any bag or backpack. At worst, the size makes it as easy to carry about as a tablet.
Shaving milimetres off the ENVY 13 also makes it incredibly light. Weight starts at 1.275kg, and increases slightly as the hardware power is cranked up. HP doesn’t quite say how much heavier it can get, but we imagine that it cannot be that much. Especially considering that processors generally weigh the same and additional RAM doesn’t add that much mass.
Speaking of hardware, the ENVY 13 is available in a choice between a sixth generation Intel Core i5-6200U and a Core i7-6500U processor. The Core i5 is paired with 4GB LDDR3 RAM, while the Core i7 ships with 8GB LDDR3 RAM; both options are equipped with Intel HD Graphics 520. Storage is provided by an M.2 solid state drive with either 128GB or 256GB of space.
It’s not all just about what’s under the hood. The ENVY 13 offers a QHD+ IPS display with a resolution of 3200 x 1800. This screen is combined with dual speakers and audio tuned by Bang & Olufsen for a more immersive media consumption.
Despite cramming all this technology into a single machine, HP has still managed to include three USB 3.0 ports, a full sizes HDMI port and an SD card reader on the ENVY 13. It’s a lot of connectivity options for a machine that is barely thicker than the ports themselves. The battery life somehow doesn’t suffer either, as the ENVY 13 will last for up to 10 hours of continuous use on a single charge.
There is also some amount of biometric technology as well on the ENVY 13 with the inclusion of a fingerprint reader. This is to enable Windows Hello, which allows users to sign into their machines without the need for a password. Windows Hello was introduced with Windows 10, and allows users to replace regular passwords with more secure biometric authentication. Not every computer is equipped with the hardware necessary to use this feature, and it will be interesting to see how much traction it will gain on an extra portable notebook.
As far as ultra portable devices go, the HP ENVY 13 is precisely what it says on the box. A compact machine with plenty of battery power for people who move about a lot. It’s a workhorse, but one that brings just the right amount of style for the owner to avoid looking like a boring accountant.
The HP ENVY 13 is currently already available in Malaysia at a starting price of RM3,699. Is it worth buying? Let’s say you won’t be disappointed if you decide to choose this ultra portable machine over everything else on the market.
*Disclosure: this is a sponsored article.
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