Design Poll - Envy vs. Mac

So which design do you like better? We are talking purely aesthetics.

 

From my viewpoint the Macbook Pro have superior aesthetic qualities. They look slightly more industrial, especially compared to the Envy series flower designs. However I have to admit I never have used an Envy in person, just looked.

 

For me I'm going to say it's a tie. I think each has their own distinct style. I like the simplistic design of the MBP. The Envy however has the etched pattern which I think is pretty rad along with a more techy type look.

 

I prefer the fit and finish of the MBP unibodies, but the Envy is barely in second place. It honestly is a very, very good imitation.

 

I'll say the MacBooks look better, I'm more of a minimalistic person and they fit that very well.

That said, in the end it doesn't matter because it comes down to what's inside in the end, figured that out with what I have now.

 

Are you looking to for a new laptop Blaze-Senpai? I think the Envy 17 looks like the perfect successor to your HDX18. Just sayin'

 

While I don't really like Apple at all I have to hand it to them for the design of the macbooks, I really dig the aesthetics of them. Then again thats kind of what they do best isnt it? Make things look pretty, then feed you lies and sell you overpriced pieces of hardware.

I'd say in terms of design I dig the Envy a bit more, bn I think I'm one of the few that actually likes the flowers haha. And I just like the darker hues of aluminum they used. But, then again I'm biased.

 

A little harsh, no?

 

I'd say no. Apple's business practices are pretty ridiculous. But thats a bit off topic, no?

If the Envy's came in black I think they'd look 10x better

 

Thinkpad!!
Oh wait sorry wrong thread

^A black envy would be totally awesome

 

They look the same to me.

 

Not a fan of the floral design.

Take a closer look.

http://www.markstechnologynews.com/...ptops-get-unwrapped-1/hp-envy-15-live-top.jpg

Comes off very flowery when the light hits it from different angles, in my opinion.

 

My point was, aesthetically appealing, they look the same. Since the poll was about aesthetic appeal and not physical dimensions........

I guess it could be worse.

 

Not really a fan of the Macbook Pro's angular and blocky design.

Also not much of a fan of the HP Envy's floral design, but I much prefer the clamshell design.

Its pretty much a tie.

 

I'd say pretty close tie too, although I am leaning towards the Envy.
I do not like the "Hi, I'm a metal plate" look of the MBP.

The floral is a little meh on the envy, but it gives it character at least.

 

I think that while the Envy 15 looks great, the MBP is a little better. I do like the magnesium of the Envy, it's obscenely stiff. Hold it from a corner with the screen open and no sag whatsoever. Even my Lenovo T60p would sag just a tad when doing this.

 

we shouldn't judge things that we haven't actually seen in real life. Camera lights lie

but with respect to older Envys, I think Macs look better. thats just me though

 

I think the Envy is a step forward in the right direction for HP in terms of design, but they haven't quite nailed it.

I'm curious as to how many of the folks who voted have worked with a 2009/2010 MBP and the Envy side by side. I'm also very interested in whether there are any "Beats" edition owners out there who can weigh in on this thread. I have not seen one in the real world and the only video footage of the Beats I could find online was either very dark and hard to make out the details or issued by the HP marketing dept.

I don't understand how anyone can say that they look "the same," or that the Envy is an imitation of the MBP, which I have heard from some. I don't know if it's the lighting or the silver coloring, the PR pics for the Envy line do look slightly like the MBP, but if you view them both side by side in the real world, there is no possible way you would confuse the Envy for any current or past Apple product. It just doesn't have the same DNA. There is perhaps some slight influence in the form factor, but it is an entirely different concept. The Envy is not unibody, it's several different pieces assembled together in a way that cannot be mistaken for unibody. Also, the "magnesium alloy," or whatever it is that was used on the surfaces is a dark brown color, not the brushed silver aluminum of the MBP which is perhaps what you are seeing in the lighting of the PR pics for the Envy. If you look at them both in the real world, they have very little in common, except for the island style keypad and the fact that the trackpads do not have any buttons.

The MBP is a very different look from the Envy, minimalist with clean lines and surfaces. the lid gently clicks when you close it and when you hold it in your hands it feels like something very sturdy and perfectly assembled together. It makes you wonder how it is that the MBP contains an optical drive but it is still thinner and sleeker than the Envy. The Macbook Air is in another class entirely.

On three different Envy 15s that we have purchased (one of them returned), we have noticed that the area where the surface of the chassis around the keyboard is connected to the side panels on the Envy is consistently not symmetrically assembled. Either the left, right, front or back edge is slightly more indented or flush with the edge of the side panels and a tiny gap between the two sections is visible on one or more of the edges. The fact that the side panels are a different color than the top of the chassis makes this a bit more noticeable.

The lid of the Envy is noticeably thicker than the MBP lid (perhaps this is necessary for the 1080p resolution), and tapered in a way that makes a hard angle, striking an awkward contrast with the rounded corners and the round bulge of the side panels. Also when you close the lid, it would be nice if it made some sort of clicking sound.

The brown magnesium color of the metal surfaces was an interesting choice, and with the mottled pattern of dots, it evokes a slight steampunk or industrial vibe that is quite unique among laptops. However the floral pattern visible on the lid was a very strange choice. I don't think it fits at all with the darker, industrial motif. Also the special function keys on the left side of the keyboard need to go.

Ultimately, although I personally prefer the minimalist MBP design, it is overall a pleasant experience to touch and behold the Envy models and a great improvement in the design area compared with any other Windows laptop I have worked with. The magnesium chassis gives it a very unique look and feel. It certainly doesn't feel like a cheap plastic toy, or an alien spaceship made out of lego blocks, which is the sensation I get when checking out some of the gaming-centric laptops on the market. I commend HP for their efforts and hope to see more Windows laptops manufacturers taking into account the importance consumers place on design. It's not just about the best specs for the cheapest price. When you spend thousands of dollars for a product, you want something that you enjoy looking at and holding in your hands every day. Would you buy a car that was the fastest model on the market with the best mileage if it was as ugly as the Pontiac Aztek? ;-)

If I understand correctly, Toshiba will be releasing a new laptop later this year with a similar focus on design and form factor, but with quite different results, perhaps the thinnest high resolution lid for any laptop to date.

 

One thing to note is that when using a Macbook Pro, the edge of the unibody is actually pretty sharp.. I think this was an attempt by HP to eliminate that. By raising the surface slightly above the edge, it isn't as pointy.. but I guess they didn't get it perfect. The edginess is one reason I can't use a MBP

 

as a former macbook pro 13 and macbook air owner, i think my Beats Limited Edition is nicer looking.

 

I've owned a 2009 macbook pro for 6 months and a Envy15 gen2 for about 3 weeks, I used them side by side on the same desk until I returned the Envy15.

The Envy looks better. The mbp has better build quality, but the Envy looks better.

 

Yea results might be a little skewed, if people haven't actually physically had hands on with both of the laptops. Most people have seen a MBP, not so much an Envy.

 

And man, if an Envy came in black , that would officially be the coolest looking laptop ever. Would be so sick.

 

my envy is black. i actually wax the exterior shell b/c it has a clear coat finish.

 

Little skewed is an understatement considering it's posted in the HP forum. But it's still fun.

 

As others have said, it's a matter of personal taste.

For me..

Macbook Pro > Pavilion dvx (brushed aluminum) > Envy

 

It does come in black, in the Beats edition, but I haven't had a chance to see one up close yet.

 

envy for me

the envy is really famboyant.

the macbookpro design look really safe when compare to the envy.

 

MBP wins hands down. I have used both, held them both in my hands. I am a serious person, and I want a serious computer, that means NO FLOWER PRINT ON MY COMPUTER. And even if you don't think the print design on the envy15 looks like flowers, it still looks cutsie/girly goofy on an otherwise very sleek, serious looking machine.
The other problem(s) with the envy 15 design is that with the lid shut, the top part (lid/screen) and the bottom part(base) are completely different colors. The base is a dark colored brownish metal, while the lid is a much lighter almost yellowish khaki metal color. So it looks like someone frankensteined it together with the top of one laptop and the bottom of the other. Same problem too with the plastic bezel. It just doesn't match and go well with the otherwise all metal aluminum body; it looks cheap and ugly. The bezel should be the same material/color as the rest of the machine, just like the matte macbook pro's have for their bezel. Besides that the design on the envy is really good and if they just fixed those problems I would rate it way above the macbook pro. I think the darker metal of the envy in general looks much better than the lighter color on the macbook pro's.

Oh, and I second what the other guy said about the new pavillion laptops or whatever ones hp has coming with the brushed metal lids. Those look wayyy better than the floral print on the envies

 

Macbook looks way better, i hate that etched crap all over the envy. BUT mac's are toys, unfortunately.

 

not a fan of the floral, which is why i went black.

 

MacBook Pro looks better. Consistent lines, flow, materials, presentation.

But they both look good. Can't go wrong either way.

 

envy!

my friends have mpb and mba.
I must say that they are not my style.
just like I hate the design of iphone but I like the shape of iphone 4th.

 

I should have added "black anodized aluminum". The beats edition is glossed over and has that beats logo on it which I do not like.

 

I also hate the design of the current iPhones. The design of the leaked iPhone I like.

 

I must agree with that. However, the face of the current iPhone series are sufficiently simplistic in my opinion.