HP Envy 14 SB: Beats or Regular?

Alright, I have a few quick questions:
I'm looking to buy refreshed Envy 14, but I'm split between the normal one and the beats edition. Can anyone tell me from experience or a video about fingerprints on the beats? Also, would the chrome on the sides be prone to flaking? How about the keyboard, does it attract fingerprints?

Overall, which would you suggest? I dont care about the beats logo and I like the black.

Thanks a ton,
Alex

 

There is no more chrome around the keyboard, now it is the same metal that makes the lid of the beats edition. The keyboard and around the keyboard attract no fingerprints at all; they are rubberized. The bottom of the beats edition also has some kind of thin rubber coated plastic feel that also doesnt leave fingerprints. The lid however does leave fingerprints easily; in my case, when taking it out of the sleeve and handling it. However, NO WHERE near fingerprints on a black plastic lid.

And I would definitly recommend the beats edition, it is just awesome. I got it to avoid the flowery pattern and the fact that when I had the dv6tse (which had etching on the body), it attracted dust and dirt.

The fingerprints are hard to catch on my phone!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_153006.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_153133.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_152926.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_152856.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_152812.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h303/ahmadh1/IMG_20110531_152750.jpg

 

Alright, thanks for the advice.

 

I had both. In a perfect world I could have the Beats edition with Radiance. I instead took the normal with Radiance. However, I grew to really like the normal as the black took way too many fingerprints for my liking and I did not like the matte that was on the inside. If it was all around metal it would have been much better.

 

Alright, but what do you mean by "all around metal"? I know that the bottom is plastic, but is the beats any different from the regular in the amount of metal in the casing?

Those photos are great! I didn't realize how well the red keyboard stood out, and the fingerprints aren't too worrying.

 

The beats edition has metal all around but around the keyboard and touchpad, the metal is rubberized and has soft feel to it. And ofcourse the bottom is some type of plastic.

 

OK, that locks in my decision. Thanks for all your help.

 

I'm pretty sure the bottom's magnesium.

 

Yeah the envy, at least the regular envy is all metal

 

I am judging from the battery cover which is the same material as the entire bottom. It is either plastic or really thin metal. and it has rubber feel.

 

I find it incredibly difficult to believe the bottom of either Envy is not plastic. It certainly feels and looks like it.

 

That is what I am saying. Judging from the battery cover, its really flimsey to be metal.

edit: someone put a magnet on the battery cover away from the laptop

 

It's very flimsy. I actually broke a small piece of it once when unscrewing the one on my old Envy. After handling the memory and battery covers, I would need serious convincing that this stuff is metal. And I cannot understand why HP would deliberately make the metal feel and look just like the plastic on the bottom of all the other laptops. Several reviews have noted there is plastic on the bottom of the Envy, and that is what I believe.