Envy 13 is this a good buy or what would you do?

okay so im looking at a
HP ENVY 13 1366 x 768
Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 2.13 GHz
5 GB DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM SODIMM Memory
160GB SSD
4 Cell Lithium Ion Polymer Battery

for around 900$ when all said and done what do you guys think?>

or i can get the envy 13
with high res(1600 x 900)screen but only Duo SU9600 1.60GHz cpu for same price same specs

 

Depends on what your using it for... do you need a machine for business use? School? Play? all three?? Also do you need it for the small form factor? With this said you might get better results in the what to buy section... But if it was up to me buying just thoughs two machines I would go with the faster cpu due to the fact that the cpu will not be interchangeable

 

I think you should hold out for a better deal on a better spec'd version with the 1600 res screen personally. Many say it's the best screen of all the envys. For $900 i think you could get a top notch 13 if you wait for one but i know how hard waiting is when you are ready to buy. good luck choosing and update us.

 

This really will depend on what you are using it for. If you aren't using any powerful applications, why not go for the better screen. As for the price, its really hard to tell. There aren't very many envy 13's left around, most stores did close out sales on them quite awhile ago with some killer prices. To me, the prices people are currently charging are outrageous for a core 2 duo. But, if you really like the build of the laptop, then it might be worth the price to you.

 

I have an Envy 13 (and now 14 ) with the 1366 x 768 & 1.86Ghz cpu and, in all honesty, it's an amazing machine. I went for something that would be fast enough for mild gaming (Planst Vs Zombies), web surfing and word processing. The screen was the brightest there (PC World) on that day with the best keyboard.

Additionally, with the slice and tweaks, you can really get fantastic battery life. 1366x768 isn't at all bad on a screen of this size and seeing as most web pages have borders to the left and right, again, it's not a big deal. Sure, if you do want to see more or maybe even have two documents open side by side, go for the higher res but I don't think you'd miss it once you see the quality of the screen....

.... it really is something else. the compact size and that quality have meant that I've owned the 13 longer than any other machine before. Sure, I now have an Envy 14 but I still can't let it go. (Side by side, the 13 does have better colour quality than the 14)

As people have stated above, it all depends on what you want to do with it. Slower CPU but higher res... You can't exactly run demanding games at that higher res...


P.s. Like the model above, I fitted an intel 160Gb SSD and additional 4Gb SoDimm (5Gb). Not for the faint of heart! Entire motherboard out job to update that memory.

 

I think I know where you're seeing these prices as I just purchased an E13 1600p screen, 5GB RAM, 160GB SSD, L9400 CPU from the same seller .

To put it simply it's the best machine I've ever purchased and if i were you I'd go for the 1600x900 screen. It's spectacular.

 

Get the 1600 x 900, it is exceptional!

But the seller's post looks a bit dodge. First it says 1600 x 900 (that's cool), but then further down it says 1366 x 768 (a bit inconsistent).

 

It's not dodge - they're two different machines.

That's the reason for his post.

 

E13 is probably still one of the best ultraportables out there. Even with "lower" grade 768p screen will still be one of the brightest screen you'll ever see. However, $900 is a little steep for the 768p and ssd. for $900 you should be getting ssd and 900p screen. I got mine for $750 with ssd and 768p about two months ago.

 

for around 750 i can get
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo SL9600 (2.13GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066Mhz FSB)
5GB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm)
160GB (Solid State Drive) Flash Module
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 4330 Graphics (HDMI port included)
File sharing with iPAQs and cameras via 2-in-1 digital media card reader
Built-in webcam
Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
13.1" diagonal High Definition LED HP Radiance Infinity Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)

do you think its a good deal?
comes with 90 day warrenty also as its a "new" Manufacturer refurbished

also it has to be shipped from usa to canada so might hit a duty fee

 

Why not get an envy 14 that is upgraded in every way that still has some warranty left for sound that price. Why in the world would anyone spend that much on a computer that was discontinued over a year ago. if the 13 doesn't have the 1600x900 screen I don't see why anyone would want these outdated things.

 

(I had an Envy 14) The core i5 envy suffers from fan problems, EVEN after a major tweaking. Although you do have very valid points, the Envy 13 is a very, very nice machine, very portable and easy to carry 'even' with the Slice battery. The 14 with slice is a monster. Plus the Envy 13 has a slightly better screen (in my opinion after seeing both side by side).

All in all, the 13 is a fantastic machine.

 

the envy 14 is quite a but bigger than the 13 but that is a good point ill start looking for a envy 14

 

Is it used or new?

 

I'm looking at switching to an Envy 13 from my VGN Vaio Z. I realized I dont need all the processing power and most of the time I just use the laptop for basic browsing and checking emails.

The thing I'm mostly worried about is transition back from a 1600x900 screen to a 1366x768. I've been trying to find an Envy 13 with a 1600x900 screen on Ebay or anywhere else and have had no luck.

 

These are both little jewels and you can't go wrong with either. Is your concern that you are getting too little battery life from the Z due to it's "processing power" and that the Envy would run much longer on a charge? If you're patient, you will find an E13 with 1600 X900 resolution, but I would think one in good condition, especially with the slice battery (without which the battery life is pretty abysmal), would cost you $600-$800. Can you really sell the Z for much more than that? Again, you can't go wrong either way, but the Z (which itself is older tech) will run more sophisticated software in the future that will make the E13 choke.