HP Envy 15? i7 meets 4830+15" screen!

Ok, and I am saying that you can probably customize these 'hard to reach areas' when you configure your machine to prevent you from having to access them yourself... whats your point?

 

engadget has an unboxing of the envy 13. it says core 2 duo so i guess thats an option. it also says the track pad is horrible. but thats no big deal i dont use those anyway. the optical drive looks kinda small and has 2 extra usb slots. wow that screen is reflective

 

Ouch, a starting price tag of $1600 with a Core 2 Duo? Eeeeesh. Lets hope that is a P9700 or something and the cost to the i7 is under $200, or this becomes a futile endeavor.

 

The Envy 13 uses the CULV C2Ds, probably the SU9600, not any of the P or T series.

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/hp-envy-13/4505-3121_7-33771086.html?tag=mncol;txt

Here's a link on a review of the envy 13. Build quality seems to be positive which hopefully translates over to its bigger brother.

--> here's another http://gizmodo.com/5370592/hp-envy-13-review-the-macbook-imitated-not-duplicated

 

THe Envy 13 uses not CULV, it uses LV, like the MBA, those maxing at 2.13GHz C2D, those are on the Envy 13. CULV is for DM3 and DM1.

 

I think its next to impossibly to give easy access to all 4 slots, even if they tried. It would just make the laptop thicker. That said, I'd grateful there is the possibility of 4 slots.

 

Hmm, price is the biggest bummer for me. As well as no ethernet port, really?

 

They included so many extras - guess it needs them to be functional, and to justify the high-ish price.

 

Official, it comes with a quad-core processor.

http://h30429.www3.hp.com/index.jsp?fr_story=4d3d9764e05cf4f3e082db577145f64fa623c9e3&rf=bm

Wait, did you guys already know this?

Either way, this could be bad. This could mean the base price is 1800 with the quad-core. Then the upgrade to an i7 could rocket the price over $2000.
Let's hope that isn't the case.

 

I dont think so - part of the reason i7 is there, is for the energy efficiency, C2Q would just overheat more; they could have 2 different motherboard for i7 and C2Q, but it just doesn't make sense.

http://www.hp.com/united-states/personal_again/press/envy_pr.pdf

 

Yeah, we know that the Envy 15 will have a quad core (thats what i7 refers to in the name of the thread).

The previous few posts were off topic about the Envy 13, which won't have quad cores and will use dual core CPU's instead.

Thats not bad I suppose... If thats on hardcore draining, you can probably squeeze 4 hours (even 5?) out of it on light usage. So, the slice will have some work to do in order to push it up to the claimed '18 hours'...

 

By quad-core, I meant like quad core non i7, sorry about that.

Either, way about this i7, I'm not an expert on the details of the i7, how exactly does it simulate 8 cores? That's what they said on this video of the hp rendering a motorcycle. That seems very interesting since I'm going to be doing some rendering work.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5362670#post5362670

 

Well, Core 2 Quad mobile CPUs and Core i7 mobile chips have different socket, due to major difference in architecture - meaning they are pin incompatible. You cannot just stick a C2Q into i7 equipped Envy 15, its not possible.

As for 8 cores, it's not correct. There are 4 physical cores, but 8 threads present in i7 mobility chips. Hyperthreading is used in these chips - a technology, where a single core CPU with HTT enabled is treated by the OS as two logical processors instead - While only one core is physically present, the OS could sees two virtual processors, and shares the workload between them. Basically allowing more efficient simultaneous multithreading performance on given number of physical cores, used to improve performance of parallelisation of tasks.

 

Well, according to the Gizmodo review (under the INTERNAL POWER section) of the Envy 13, the external Blu-ray optical drive is available for $250. The CNET review (near the bottom of the first page) says that the external drive options include a standard DVD burner for $100 and blu ray player/DVD burder is $250 as well.

In the same INTERNAL POWER section, in the Gizmodo review, just a bit further down, the review also states:

In the CNET review 2nd page, also states the battery slice is optional:

So, according to these reviews, the battery slice and ODD are not included which contradicts what Engadget's leaked HP winter catalog says.

 

I like how it sas on the DV6 "latest AMD and Intel technologies" so we might see i7 and Phenom II on these

 

man this thing is going to be expensive i was hoping to keep it under $2500 but it looks like it will be hard

 

The ethernet port is built into the power supply, as was the way with the Envy line up when Voodoo was not owned by HP. The theory going that if you are using the ethernet, you are most likely going to be near a power supply. You plug your ethernet cable into the power brick and it converts it to a wireless signal for your notebook. Pretty cool if you ask me, although slower than a gigabit ethernet connection.

 

Oh, if that's the case nvm, I take back what I said, that is pretty sweet and a good way to conserve port space.

 

And avoid wires. But speed being not as good should have been fixed by now...its been quite some time now

 

ok now where's the 15 unboxing?

 

You're thinking in terms of internet access; in terms of accessing a home or work network it will not be as fast as a gigabit ethernet connection unless they are running an additional connection actually through the power cable. However, I'm sure I read somewhere that it converts it to a wireless signal.

The real downside is that the power brick is much larger than many others.

 

I guess it does have a big power brick, but it does look better than other power bricks. And it only adds a 1/3 of an inch, which makes it still thinner than most laptops of this status.

 

Does anyone have a picture of this power brick. I have been looking online and cant seem to find one.

 

I think he was mistaking 'power brick' for the battery slice.

The power brick is the AC Adapter box on the power cable, which is probably a little oversized due to housing the ethernet port. Its not the same thing as the battery slice.

 

i saw one in one of the pictures of the demo model but it had the voodoo symbol on it so i dont think that is the one that will come with the actual envy

 

Oh, I just call any additional batteries power bricks, guess I've called it the wrong thing all my life. Battery slice it is then. I learned something new today

 

Hm, not much of an unboxing but LaptopMag has a review up.

 

I want full temps on this laptop. How warm/hot is it? That worries me since I read the first-impressions.

 

After reading the review of the envy 13, I'm going to have to pass. I can understand paying a higher price for a fancy laptop, but, personally, if I'm going to be shelling out close to $2000US, it should be a solid performer in every category.

From the review:
- Looks: Great
- Screen: Great
- Performance: Great
- Battery Life: Below average (4 hours without slice?!?!)
- Speakers: So so
- Weight : Great
- Touchpad: Not so great (tempermental)

The part that kills me is the battery life. The 4 hours tested is a far-cry from the 7 hours quoted by HP, and really quite poor for any new laptop.

If this laptop was $400 cheaper, I would be willing to overlook these flaws, but as it stands, I can get a similarly performing/sized studio 14z for half the cost, and get a second battery for added mobility.

If the Envy 15 runs cool, quiet, and lasts a good deal of time away from the socket (a requirement of mine), then I'll consider it above the Envy 13. However, I feel that this may be woefully optimistic.

Read the review here (thanks to Red_Dragon for pointing it out):
http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/hp-envy-13.aspx?page=1

}:^)~

 

I think most other reviews are getting 4-5 hours at least with the internal battery. That is not bad given the weight. PC Magazine did get 14 hours and 36 minutes with the extra battery slice. I think the 4 hours is fine given one has the option of using the extra battery slice.

HP may have a dilemma here in justifying the price. The laptop really competes against the MacBook Air rather than the Pro. It adds a better screen and graphics performance in comparison to the Air, but it is also 0.7 pounds heavier and not less expensive. The $1799 Air offers a solid state drive while the Envy does not. I think they will need to start offering a solid state drive in their base configuration or they will need to either drop the price or get faster processors in there (i.e. Arrandale). At the moment it it a little expensive for what they are offering.

 

Ah, thanks for the hint on the PC Magazine review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2353541,00.asp

With the slice, the battery life seems to be epic (as you stated 14h 36m in their tests)!

Now I'm waffling, as this was the major stumbling block to my decision. It would seem that they're likely running this in an aggressive powersaving mode in comparison to the Laptopmag website review. Some simple math (probably incorrect) would mean that the 4-cell is responsible for 5h47m of this, and the slice for 8h48m (summing to 14h36m). This is far more acceptable, than the 4h19m laptopmag got in 'balanced mode' with the 4-cell, and 6h04m for the slice (summing to 10h23m).

I wish the test criteria was detailed a little more!

Considering the performance and the great battery life, I would be willing to purchase this laptop, even given the $1800 price tag. It looks beautiful and seems as though it is well built. With the battery life, it exceeds all of my expectations for my required features.

I'm going to stay tuned for additional reviews.

}:^)~

 

Just want to remind you that when the Macbook Air first came out it had a rediculous price for what it was offering too, remember? Also, a SSD in the revised macbook cost almost $3000 when it was first updated..(if my site is right, just did a quick google search )
( http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...ences-between-macbook-air-configurations.html)

Given time HP will drop their prices, but since it is their newest and greatest thing of course they have to hike the prices up a bit. So just wait and see I guess...

 

i dont think the 13 offers anything to justify its price. the 15 on the other hand could be well worth it assuming those things we are worrying about are not problems like heat and noisy fan.

 

The nature of my work is programming and non-intensive web surfing while on the road, so I tend not to draw a lot of power. A rated 10-14h is enough for a full day (or two) of strictly mobile work. I can safely leave the power adapter in my flat. I may play a game or two while on the road, but I tend to do that at home.

Why would I pay $1800? For the overall experience. Considering the amount of time I spend on my laptop, I would gladly pay the extra money to enjoy the time to a greater degree. This means having something pleasant to look at and comfortable to touch. This includes not being distracted by noise, not feeling uncomfortable by heat, not having to perform hacks to use it in a particular way, and not needing to search for an outlet for my 'mobile' computer!

I suspect that my requirements are rather personal, but having used a few different laptops for average of ~10h per day over the last year, I have come to appreciate the overall package, rather than just the specs. Don't get me wrong, performance is good to a point, and I want to know that my machine can handle most of the tasks that I'll realistically throw at it, but only to a point. Beyond that point, other factors become more important.

I was largely tempted to buy a MBP, but the inaccessible battery is a deal-breaker. Given a re-evaluation of the battery life, I think that the Envy 13 is better suited to my purposes. It scores high in all the areas that count to me. It is wonderfully mobile, performs well, and is well built.

I've also been tempted by the dell studio 14z, but have been turned off by the 'official owners thread' on this board. It's more filled with gripes and problems than praise. I would gladly pay a $400 premium alone, not to have to struggle to have my purchase perform at satisfactory levels (despite being technical enough to take care of them). I would rather spend my time on other things.

This is why the Envy 13 is really in a class of its own and well worth the money.

Don't mind me, I'm excited!

}:^)~

 

The difference now is that the HP has the Macbook Air to compete with. The Mac had nothing comparable in the price/performance area to compete with when it came out. I realize the early Mac prices were not sustainable. I like the HP. They just need to add a few features because at $1799 the Mac looks to be a little better deal.

 

Eh, silly me. The Laptop mag's battery life test is detailed here:
http://www.laptopmag.com/about/how-we-test-notebooks.aspx?page=3#laptopfiletransfer

Basically a loop of 60 sites visited at 33secs/site, monitor at 40%, in power saving mode.

This seems like a fair test, though, I'm not sure how accurate it would be compared to real-life casual surf usage.

I think, a better test, would be to mimick and loop an actual 2 hour web session that of somebody surfing.

}:^)~

 

well i didnt mean it wouldnt work for you everybody has different needs. the thing that i like about the 13 is that it doesnt take thin to the extreme that it looses decent power. but to me it does offer anything to justify the price and definately not over the 15. but hey if the 13 works for you its all good

 

Haha.. Actually, my post wasn't a reply to yours as I started writing it before you posted!

But yeah, different strokes for different folks. If I were looking for a desktop replacement and mobility was a smaller concern, I wouldn't even consider the 13, and would look much more closely at the 15.

Also, some people wouldn't put such a high premium on looks, build, and mobility, and would consider other less-expensive options. For me, it does everything right (assuming good battery life w/o the slice), and is justified in the price. Knowing that I'm going to spend a *large* portion of my life on this machine over the next year, it's worth spending more for a all-around solid notebook.

But you're right, it can't be said for everyone.

For this class of machine, the only competition that I can see is the MBP, and the non-swappable battery compounded with mediocre battery life kills it for me. If anyone knows of any other comparable machines, I would love to hear about them, so that I can check them out!


}:^)~

 

Too funny!!! Check the pic (BIOS name). I just pulled this from Dell download page.

Whoever the ODM is for the Envy 15 must be the same for Dell's new Latitude Z 600, or should I say, the Envy 16. lol

 

Envy 16 lol!

 

Nice one. The Latitude Z could simply be an HP reject.

However, all these models run the Phoenix BIOS and I believe Compal is the ODM.

 

I don't think the price justifies the specs. HP, made this halfway between a netbook and a notebook, and it was caught somewhere in the awkward middle by putting that pricetag on it.

A Sony Z I think is even a better deal. It has less battery life with a 9-cell than the hp gets with the slice, but with its standard battery it gets more life than the hp with its standard battery. It also has an integrated ODD, way better port connectivity, no clunky adapters needed. The Z also has a stronger processor and comparable graphics card. All this for about $100 dollars more, and thats only if you you put in a 7200rpm 320GB, it would be around the base price of the envy if you took that out.

A base price of 1700 for the envy maybe would have been justifiable if the graphics card was a 4650.

EDIT: I'm talking about the Envy 13, should have mentioned that.

 

But the Z is a 13" laptop, so really not a competitor to the Envy 15. The Z looks really nice, but they need to make one with the 16.4" screen on the FW.

 

I was talking about the Envy 13, if it sounded like I was talking about the 15 inch, my bad.

 

Has anyone heard when we will be able to start customizing these systems (Envy 13 and 15 specifically) online? I understand not being able to ship until later in October cause of Windows 7 but why hasn't HP let us spec out the system we want and then get it ready for preorder? My birthday is in November and I was planning on getting an Envy 15!

 

I know I tried their 'reservation' number a few days ago and still no luck on getting much info other than the release date, which will pretty much coincide with windows 7 like you said.

 

why arent there any reviews of the 15 yet?

 

The Sony Z looks like a nice machine, but I still favour the Envy 13 above it primarily for aesthetic, performance, and mobility.

1) I think the Envy 13 looks far nicer, even though the Z is quite slick. Also, the Envy 13 is thinner than the Z by quite a large margin (0.8 compared to 1.3).

2) Although the Z can be configured with a faster CPU, it's 3D chipset is weak compared to the Envy 13's. I feel, that the performance edge goes to the Envy 13, due to it's good all around performance (the 4330 performs well).
* edit: after checking out the performance of the GeForce 9300m GS, I should not have called it weak. For many game test the 9300m GS performs around the same as the 4330! Thus the Z is the superior all-around performer.

3) Both computers are light, but the slice takes the Envy 13 into another galaxy of mobility. 14h away from a plug is no joke! I could literally skip charging for an evening and have juice left over for the next day. This can be accomplished with the Z or most other laptops (unfortunately not the MBP), but the envy includes the convenience of not needing to swap batteries which means that I don't even need to *think* about my battery life.

As a laptop, the Envy 13 does everything I need it to do extremely well, which makes it well worth the premium. I've not seen its equal.

This is all opinion, of course.

}:^)~