Envy 14 vs Envy 15. Help me decide please !!

So I have the following two laptop choices:

Envy 15 - factory refurbished
Intel Core i5-520M
4GB DDR3 Memory
320GB 7200RPM
1920x1080 Ultra Brightview
ATI Mobility Radeon HD5830
6 cell battery
$895

Envy 14 - new
Intel(R) Core i5-520M
4GB DDR3 Memory
320GB 7200RPM
1600x900 HP Radiance Infinity LED Display
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650
8 cell battery
$1350

Since I'm from Spain, the shipping for the envy 15 would be $80 and $200 for the 14 plus the import duties (around 22%).

Actually I'm leaning more towards the 15 since I'd get more for less money but I'm concerned about the battery life and screen quality plus the fact that it is a refurb and I dont know what condition refurbished electronics are usually in (never bought refurbs before)

Any help will be greatly appreciated !

Edit: does anyone know if the charger is compatible with european voltage and frequencies?

 

I would go for the Envy 15 if it was 2nd generation. The battery probably will not last very long, I could guess somewhere in the 1:30-2:00 hour area. And I know there are adapters for European outlets.

 

Yes, the charger is compatible with European voltage and frequencies.

The Radiance display is better than the Brightview.

About HP refurb: HP Renew Program - Why buy remanufactured?

Thing with HP refrub is that you only get a 90 warranty. But you can purchase the HP Care Pack which will extend your warranty up to three years.

 

The two big reasons why I'm seriously considering the Envy 15 over the 14 is:

1. Choice of a matte screen (hate glossy)
2. 1080p resolution panel

I have stopped equipping optical drives in my desktop PC's for years now, so i know i won't need one in my notebook either. I actually prefer not to have one, so another plus for the 15.

 

The 5830 blows the 5650 of the envy 14 out of the water.
One thing to consider.
But overall, the envy 14 has much better thought put into it (lid can be opened with one hand without the other hand holding it down. ) , better heat issues, better keyboard (no shifted keys) and etc.

I owned both. Returned the 15 2nd gen. 1150 NR model if you wanted to know for the envy 15

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll be buying the 15 since it's $671 cheaper (tax included)
Another question I have is how much does the acadapter weight? I've read somewhere that it was around 700gr, and that's a lot !

 

I have owned bought laptops.

My Envy 15 was with i7, hd ( also refurbished and much cheaper )
My Envy 14 is with i5, ssd

The 15 produced 40-50c plus idling, alot of heat.
The 14 produce around 30c idling

14 feels better. And for transporting around its a better choice for me. But final, the heat issue made me choose Envy 14

 

I also own both and love them both in their own way.

E14 pros - cooler, backlit keyboard, better keyboard layout, great battery life, dvd slot loader (I dont like them but lots do, I put another HDD in mine)
E15 pros - quieter, far batter gfx performance and overclocking.

I would say the screens are on a par, the E14 has better colours but the E15 with ultrabright is slightly brighter and 1080p.

Battery life isnt bad on the E15 either, I get 2.5 to 3 hrs.

The specs of both laptops are in my sig

 

May I know what was the cost of the refurbished unit? I'm thinking that $895 for a refurbished laptop is way too cheap especially since hp sells them at $1100+ on their page. Also, did the laptop come in the original casing?

Edit: it seems it was at $1100 before but they lowered it

 

Where'd you get an adapter to put an HDD in the ODD bay? I'm possibly interested.

 

are you saying that the build quality of the envy 14 is better? can anyone else corroborate this?

 

I'm also going through the same decision but the main killer here is battery life since I plan to use it for school so I have some questions hopefully some body can answer.

From what I've gathered, the E15 is slightly lighter than the E14 and the build quality/feel are mostly comparable. The only thing that bugs me now is they shortchanged the E15 with only the 430m and 520m.

-Is the 5830 that much better than the 5650 in the E14?
-Is swapping the SSD in OD bay on the E14 pretty straightforward?
-What are actual battery life reports on each? FWIR, E14=4-5hrs whereas E15=2-3 max?
-What about with the Slice battery? Are there heat+fan issues with the E15+slice as I've read with the E14?
-How does the matte screen compare on the E15 given that it's not Brightview?
-Any other personal comments on the usage of either?