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Technical information
Brand HP
Operating System Windows 10
CPU manufacturer Intel
Screen size13.3 Inches
Computer memory size 8 GB
Hard disk size 512 GB
Processor count 4
Graphics Chipset BrandI ntel
Series HP ENVY Laptop
CPU model Core i5
About this item
Fingerprint Reader - Keep it confidential. Security for your peace of mind. Log on quickly and securely with the fingerprint reader
Camera Shutter and Microphone Mute Button - Keep it confidential. Use the unhackable camera shutter to ensure your privacy and the dedicated microphone mute button to keep your conversations private
Privacy Screen - Protection from visual hacking at the touch of a button with HP Sure View, an integrated privacy screen solution
FHD Micro-Edge Touch Display - With a 4-sided, micro-edge display there is now more viewable screen space. The touch display takes workflow efficiency to a new level
Footprint and screen-to-body-ratio (STBR) - Minimalist design - narrow bezel on 4-sides with 88%+ screen-to-body-ratio (STBR). 13 Inch display almost within 11 Inch footprint
Pros
The finish is described as natural silver aluminium, whilst being sandblasted and anodized in an all metal chassis. It really is stunning. Slightly heavier than expected which may be subliminal, expect a 1920x1080 full HD IPS screen, which is touch sensitive and a fingerprint magnet, but exceptionally bright at 1000 nits. Charging can reach 50% in thirty minutes, and advertised battery life of 10.25 hours is achievable, as long as you use the battery saving technology, limit brightness, and let go of bluetooth and location respectively. Sound quality is impressive, although not superb, as speaker placement might be questionned by some. The speakers are positioned under the left and right lower contours, either side of the trackpad, so airflow matters. You will need two hands to prise the screen open, as the hinge has been redesigned to a central affair which is relatively firm. At the time of writing, the hinge, which was something of an achilles heel in previous models, is holding strong (note since added below). The fingerprint sensor is fine also, and the quick release buttons for the camera and volume controls work really well. Connectivity comes in the form of a micro sd card reader, two USB type A connectors, a headphone socket and a thunderbolt C port. To be honest, it's a superb purchase, but compromises have been made. The camera quality is a little raw but still functional, and the graphics card/video memory rarely get you beyond first base. Although you will be able to play more dated games like Alan Wake, or the remastered Gears of War, as long as the titles aren't overly next gen and you tweak the settings as you need to. Two quick points which may be of interest: (a) there is a full temperature vent opposite the hinge, which will likely push hot air up the screen; and (b) HP have introduced software which almost allows for a silent fan, as long as you take the hit on processing power (screenshot attached for those looking for the HP Command Center, which is where you apply the necessary tweaks). I did have a few issues initially with the cursor repositioning itself whilst typing, although that appears to be a Windows 10/trackpad fault, so go through the bespoke settings as carefully as you can when setting up, and you'll get there. For those wanting to upgrade their hardware following the transition to home working, this is heavily recommended but do consider the different models carefully. I picked up the entry level version for £850.00 across five instalments, but one or two may need the additional horsepower so do your homework (said politely). And I've included a screenprint for HP's proprietry software, which makes finding information about your warranty, updating your bios, and optimising everything something of a breeze. Don't expect perfection, but you will probably be a little bit proud of what you've purchased, unless you change your ultrabooks on the fly and don't tolerate compromise in any context. I think they achieved a sensible balance, personally, and Wifi reach is the strongest I've had on any device, period.......
Note 1 - the left hinge failed after 4.5 months, but the manufacturer has agreed a warranty repair with courier collection and return, although I may use it as a desktop replacement going forward as it's still a great PC (the hinges on each side are likely screwed vertically into a plastic base, which may not be strong enough to support the weight/torque involved - presumably there's a reason they didn't adopt metal foundations, and just bury the issue permanently?
Note 2 - if the fan is a concern for you, press F12 to gain fast access to the differing thermal profiles, and choose the last option which renders the fan minimal, barely audible and generally silent.
Cons
I recently purchased the 13.3" version of this laptop, and two 15.6" models - all had faults straight out of the box.
Thankfully, Amazon's customer service is second to none, and I have been able to return all 3 for a refund.
HP Envy 13-ba0010na 13.3-Inch (price at time of purchase £1049.99):
This was returned because the backlight on the 'S' key did not function correctly (the attached photo doesn't really capture just how dim the key was compared to all the others). While this may seem like a minor issue, this was a brand new laptop with a RRP of around £1150. It shouldn't have passed quality control.
It's worth noting that the 13.3" display has a VERY narrow viewing angle. This is due to HP's 'Sure View' privacy screen, which is essentially passive and therefore is 'on' all the time - pressing the button to 'activate' it merely dims the screen a little. Not really a problem for me, but worth a mention for anyone considering this model, especially if you intend to use it to watch movies, etc. with more than one person. The 15.6" has a much better display and wide viewing angle. However...
HP Envy 15-ep0011na 15.6-inch (price at time of purchase £1499.99):
The first one I bought had distorted audio coming out of the right speaker. This was apparent the moment it was switched on for the first time - Cortana's voice was crackling (even at medium volume). Once the initial Windows setup was complete, I checked the audio output at various levels, checked the drivers were up to date, the audio settings, headphone output, etc., and this confirmed that the right speaker was indeed faulty.
Another 'quirk' I noticed was that the backlight on the 'R' key was twice as bright as all the other keys on the keyboard.
Additionally, the laptop had a problem with USB 3.0 devices - namely that it wouldn't recognise them unless used with a USB 2.0 cable, which completely defeats the object. As I intended to return this immediately for a replacement, I didn't spend much time looking into this - and thought it may just be a configuration issue. However...
The replacement 15.6" laptop arrived a couple of days later and exhibited the same USB issue - no recognition of USB 3.0 devices unless connected with a USB 2.0 cable, and VERY SLOW transfer speed via both USB 'A' ports.
After much Googling, checking the drivers, switching the adaptors off an on again, and so on, I contacted HP support who talked me through several things including resetting the BIOS and (finally) running a hardware test on the USB ports. The conclusion from this was that (surprise!) the ports were faulty. Either I was incredibly unlucky to get two 15.6" laptops with exactly the same hardware fault, or this is an issue with this particular model (the USB ports on the 13.3" model worked perfectly, and data transfer speeds were 10 times faster than on the 15.6") .
Finally, in addition to my USB woes, the touchpad on this last one was a little loose and 'clicked' when you lifted your finger off it - no matter how little pressure you put on it. Minor, but quite annoying for a £1500 device. Oh, and did I mention that the left speaker (while not as bad as the right one on the previous purchase) also had some distortion when playing audio?
You may get lucky and find that everything works as it should, but after 3 out of 3 having faults, I'm not prepared to try a 4th time.
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