HP has unveiled two new stylish Windows 7 laptops for the music fiend out there – the Envy 15 and 17.
The two new models are redesigns of the current Envy laptop range, redesigned and improved for 2011 and 2012.
The first thing that will probably strike you about the new Envy laptops is their similarities with Apple’s Macbook Pro range. In our eyes, the laptops look almost too similar, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Apple files yet another lawsuit for this. Nevertheless, these are some powerful and very sleek looking notebooks for those who prefer Windows to Mac and have a budget in mind.
Stylish, familiar design
The new Envy laptops feature a unibody-style brushed aluminium chassis and a neat black chiclet keyboard which has backlighting for easy use in dark conditions. What we really like about the design is the neat red border that runs around the keyboard – doesn’t it look nice? The lid is finished in matte black, while the screen bezel is a glossy black featuring both HP and Beats Audio logos.
The red branding brings your attention to that fact that HP has included Beats Audio technology in these laptops for superior sound. The same branding continues to the right of the keyboard with an analog volume dial which sports the familiar red ‘b’ for Beats logo. The same logo is also on the front edge of the laptop, next to a subtle speaker grille which covers one of the two uprated Beats speakers in the laptop.
The two models come in screen sizes of 15.6-inches and 17.3-inches, and HP has really gone all-out on the screen tech. The screen panels are ‘Radiance Infinity’ models, which HP says will be much brighter and clearer than most laptop screens on the market today. The Envy 17 has a Full HD screen as standard, though the smaller Envy 15 comes with a lower-spec screen. Fortunately you can choose to upgrade the screen to an IPS (In-Plane Switching) display for superior HD quality.
Impressive Specs
Being the crème-de-la- crème of HP’s laptop range, the internal specifications are pretty fantastic. The Envy 15 packs a whopping 6GB of RAM, an Intel i5-2430M processor, 500GB 7,200RPM Hard Drive plus AMD dedicated graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory.
The base-level Envy 17 packs the same specs, though you can spec out a model with more storage, faster processor and RAM for more pennies.
Both laptops feature the signature Beats Audio which means 6 channel surround sound and deeper bass thanks to a subwoofer (yes, a subwoofer, in a laptop!).
HP claims that you’ll get a very respectable 9 hours of battery life from the Envy 15, and 9.5 hours from the Envy 17. Pretty impressive given the raw power under the hood.
You’ll be able to pick up one of the new HP Envy laptops from December 7th, just in time for Christmas. The base-level Envy 15 will set you back $1100 while the entry Envy 17 will cost $1250. We’re still awaiting on UK prices for these beauties, but we expect HP to undercut the price of Apple’s 13-inch Macbook Pro (£999).
Do you like the look of HP’s new Envy laptops, or are you a fuming Apple fanboy who thinks the design is just too similar?
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.