Think of HP's Envy notebook line like a Formula1 car – they serve as test beds for new technologies. And the latest racers out the gate are the new 14 and 17 Envy laptops.
Let's get the real quick speeds and feeds out of the way, before going any further.
HP Envy 14. 14.5-inch screen, 5.25 pounds, Intel Core i3, i5, i7 CPUs, ATI Mobility Radeon 5650 GPU with 1GB GDDR3 RAM and BEATS audio.
HP Envy 17. 17.3-inch screen, 7.25 pounds, VGA, HDMI & Mini DisplayPort video outs, Intel Core i3, i5, i7 CPUs, ATI Mobility Radeon 5850 GPU with 1GB GDDR5 RAM and BEATS audio.
Stacy Wolff, Director of Notebook Product Design and Notebook Global Business Unity for HP's Personal Systems Group, spent a few minutes telling me about what his team learned from developing the Envy 13 and 15 and some of the features going into the new machines
According to Stacy, "The Envy is meant to deliver a premium experience. It should feel like you're holding something substantial in your hands." Stacy says that they are also listening to what people have to say. HP reads tech reviews like anyone else, they pay close attention to what customers are saying and they look on the store shelves. With the Envy laptop line, Stacy goes on to say that...
People loved the materials. The metal, machined cases stood out and made the last line of Envy line eye-catching.
People want an optical drive in Envys. Personally, I'm weaning myself off optical media, but feedback says that people wanted an integrated optical drive (which the Envy 13 lacked). Don't worry, these new laptops both add slot-loading drives while maintaining a slim profile. (1.09-inches thick on the Envy 14).
People want backlit keys in a premium machine. Whether you're typing in a dimly lit cafe or on a late-night flight, being able to see the keys is, well, key. That feature is on-board with the new Envy machines.
People grooved to the BEATS audio. The sound system really made a difference and now the Envy 17 comes with a subwoofer.
People don't want to spend small fortunes. Sure, I enjoy rolling up hundred dollar bills and lighting them on fire as much as the next guy, but for the most part, I'd prefer to save a couple bucks. The nicest surprise with these Envy machines is that they have reasonable prices -- the Envy 14 starts at $999 while the more powerful big brother, the Envy 17, starts at $1399.
Hang on a sec. While you're digesting the prices, consider that the Envy 17 is capable three-screen gaming...I mean applications! Yeah, I know, the Envy 17 can be a beastly machine and can handle all sorts of multimedia chores or whatever else you can throw at it. But playing a game like this. On a laptop. Oh, just click the “play” button, already -- it's sick.
More efficient port layout. If you put all jacks and ports in the same area, it may look good aesthetically, but it could block other ports. All it takes is one oversized USB dongle and you're covering the neighboring inputs. The new Envy laptops divide the ports on the left and right sides more evenly.
An Improved ClickPad. With the new notebooks, there is a more clearly defined button zone and an active touch zone that also supports gestures. (Thank you!)
Keeping it cool. The dimensions of the notebooks increase slightly -- 1.5mm, to be precise. That buys the Envy better insulation, heat shields and venting. The perforations in the bottom allow for the better airflow control. And the Battery slice for the Envy 14 has little grooves to dissipate heat. Something that you've got to keep in mind, you try pushing a high-end CPU, it's bound to give off some heat.
You can see the redesign results in this short video I took during HP's demo day in San Francisco.
Remember how I said at the top of the story that some of the Envy's innovations will find their way into the HP Pavilion laptop line? Stay tuned. In a few, I'll tell you more about what is happening next for the mainstream machines.
As always, we want to hear what you're thinking – and I'll try to comment where I can. So, feel free to chime in on the forums, follow us on the Twitter, face us in the Facebook or catch some of the latest videos that HP posts on YouTube!
