*new* Envy Spectre XT Thread

As I could not find a specific thread for the soon-to-be-launched HP Envy Spectre XT, I decided to create one.

I think this is going to be one of the most desired ultrabooks of the market. I was convinced to buy ASUS UX31, then I was getting disappointed by the several complains about the crap keyboard, trackpad and SSD speeds. Then Spectre XT was announced, and BINGO! It was love at the first sight!

What you guys think about the spec's? I consider the low screen resolution the most considerable drawback, but I can live with it. Probably it was the only way to keep the price tag below 1000 bucks.

 

There it comes the specs:

HP Envy Spectre XT
Starts at $999.99; available on June 8

Operating system: Windows 7 Premium (64-bit)
Display: 13.3-inches (1366 x 768 resolution)
CPU: Available with third-generation Intel Core processors
Memory: 4GB 1600MHz DDR3
Storage: 128GB (up to 256GB) SSD
Input devices: Backlit Keyboard and HP Imagepad
Connectivity: 802.11a/g/n, 2x2 WLAN, Bluetooth, Intel Wireless Display
Ports include: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 (1), HDMI
Dimensions: 327 x 221 x 14.5 mm
Weight: 3.07 lbs.
Battery life: up to eight hours
Included software: two-year subscription to Norton Internet Security, full versions of Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements 10
Beats Audio with quad speakers
HP CoolSense technology
HP TrueVision HD Webcam
One-year subscription to Absolute Data Protect
Concierge phone line dedicated exclusively to HP ENVY Spectre owners

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-...vailable-envy-13-spectre-xt-announced-24.html

 

So no discrete GPU option available for the Envy 13 Spectre?

 

What are the odds of a higher-res panel for an extra fee? I'm eagerly waiting for this one to come out, but the low-res panel makes me hesitant. Optional discrete GPU would also be awesome, but might be a stretch.

 

I'd say slim to none.

HP has never released any 13" laptop with high res display, and the 14" with 1600x900 display suffered from a lot of supply chain issues.

If you want 1920x1080, I'd recommend waiting for the Envy 15-32XX, or possibly the dv6t/dv6z.

 

Poop. I don't need super high 1080p, but 1600*900 really oughta be standard on 13" and above these days. The main things I do on the go are word process, internet, movies, editing photos, and would like to be able to run my 3D modeling stuff, and all of those benefit from as much real estate as you can give them.

 

you can order the xt today with a ship date 6/22/12

 

Hey guys, do not forget that this is an Ivy Bridge laptop, with HD4000 graphics, which makes discrete GPU totally unnecessary for an light ultrabook...
HD 4000 vs HD 3000 - Ivy Bridge Tested - Neowin Forums

 

Hi dude, yeah, I know about this thread but too many other laptops together and almost no discussion about XT, so I created this special one for this very important release!

By the way, the pre-order started today, at 999 USD, with no items customizable HP ENVY Spectre XT Ultrabook 13t-2000 | HP® Official Store

 

Some options are customizable in my browser (Google Chrome) - max RAM is 4GB however, and only 1366x768 display.


- 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3317U Processor + Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
Included in price

- 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3517U Processor + Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
+$100.00

- 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3667U Processor + Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
+$225.00

======

- 128GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)
Included in price

- 256GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)
+$300.00

=====

 

Ship June 22? Why such a delay? Wouldn't they have a whole bunch of these ready to go for their big launch?

 

Ordered with every bell and whistle. Can't wait to get it.

 

You totally can't search very well dude, I already created a thread for this laptop awhile ago:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-envy-hdx/663295-hp-envy-13-spectre-xt.html

 

From what I saw of that thread it diverged into a lot of discussion about an entirely different computer. I did notice that you bumped your thread back up though. Maybe it'll take off again.

 

Anyone notice the ENVY 14 Spectre has now disappeared from HP's site? Odd, I thought the ENVY XT would live along side that. Maybe sales were horrible, or maybe they're waiting to update it with Ivy Bridge before putting it up for sale again.

**EDIT**

Never mind, I was just suffering from a broken link on HP.com, looks like they've updated the ENVY 14 and it now has Ivy Bridge available as well.

 

Am I the only one who ordered this computer?

dang. Thought there would be more enthusiasts.

 

The other thread does not have much about the ENVY Spectre XT (ENVY 13-2XXX). It could be due to the fact that the ENVY 4 and ENVY 6 received a lot more attention early on (since they were the first ones to be released)...

 

Haha, that's kind of because there wasn't a lot left to talk about the Spectre XT, until it was released. We hashed out the vast majority of the specs through a little research.

 

I think the screen resolution and the upcoming release of other ultrabooks (Zenbook Prime, and now the Acer S7) affected the interest in this machine.

 

I was all set to go, but yeah, hearing that there's a metric ton of Ultrabooks about to be announced makes me want to wait. My ideal machine is super slim with good battery life, Ivy Bridge, 1080p screen, and switchable Kepler Nvidia GPU, so I guess I will wait and see.

 

I will be the lone purchaser then haha. No time to wait for me.

 

Woohoo, Good morning email with build confirmation! yes yes yes

Anyone gone through the custom build pre-order process before?

Do they ever release any earlier than the build date?

Would it have come sooner if I hadnt done a custom build?

My current computer is a hefty 8560W. This will be my first computer that I couldnt use like a brick to murder someone. rofl

 

Ewww 768p.

Just returned an HP dv6tqe, was considering this, but no option of 1080p or at leats 900p? Come on!

 

Sorry dude, but the search engine of the forum doesn't work at all, and your post wasn't in the first 3 pages that I've searched.


Well at least the laptop was released!! The screen is a big deception though. For me it is not a dealbreaker, we have a lot that Zenbook does not have (backlit keyboard, Ivy Bridge, full size ports, HD camera...) for the very same price. I dont consider any other laptop out of the price range, so Zenbook Prime with its 1400 bucks is totally out of discussion. Lets compare 999 bucks notebooks only.

I am in Germany and I can't wait for the start of the selling!!

 

You can't preorder it right now?

I did mine yesterday. Though optioned out I was over $1800... Did pick up the free xbox 360 though.

Order summary
Item description Product # Qty. Unit Price Your extended price
HP bd530s 6X External Slim Blu-ray Disc Combo
This product is covered by the standard HP warranty
Support for this product is provided by HP Customer Care
The HP Home & Home Office Store will accept returns or exchanges for this product up to 21 days after delivery
QC257AA#ABA 1 $137.99 $117.29
HP ENVY Spectre XT customizable Notebook PC
• Genuine Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
• 4GB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm)
• 256GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)
• 720p HD video streaming webcam supports Skype
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• 13.3" diagonal HD BrightView LED- backlit Display (1366 x 768)
• Microsoft(R) Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word/Excel(R) only, No PowerPoint(R)/Outlook(R)
• 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery - Up to 8.0 hours of battery life +++
• HP HDMI to VGA Display Adapter
• FREE 2-year Norton Internet Security subscription (a $99 value). Pre-installed.
• Backlit Keyboard
• Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 10
• 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3667U Processor + Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
• Included 2 Year Warranty
• No Internal DVD or CD Drive
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
Estimated ship date: June 22, 2012
This product is covered by the standard HP warranty
Support for this product is provided by HP Customer Care
The HP Home & Home Office Store will accept returns or exchanges for this product up to 21 days after delivery
A9D34AV 1 $1,607.99 $1,408.00
Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim Gaming Console with 4GB Flash Memory
Support for this product is provided by the manufacturer
The HP Home & Home Office Store will accept returns or exchanges for this product up to 21 days after delivery
DJ5477 1 $199.97 $199.97
Summary of discounts for order H122971994
Instant discounts you received:
$20.70 Save an additional 15% off select HP accessories with PC purchase
$199.99 Coupon
Estimated ship date:
Your customized HP ENVY Spectre XT customizable Notebook PC will be built by June 22, 2012
Order subtotal
Shipping
( Standard 5-7 Business Days )
IA Tax
$1,725.26
FREE
$103.52
Grand total $1,828.78

 

No, it is not available for pre order yet... But they show the price starting from 999 Euro... Damn US machine is cheaper...

Ouch... how could you reach 1800 US$? I dont understand the list you placed, the xbox is included in this price?

 

I upgraded to the larger SSD 256GB, Windows 7 premium, Added an external Blueray player, a slim charger that weighs less, and upgraded to the i7-3667U.

The xbox canceled out price wise with a coupon.

 

I'll have to check out that XBox deal. That might be the ticket I was looking for.

 

Free is good. code is XBOX360

To work you have to place the xbox into your cart first. If it is not in there it gives an invalid coupon code thing.

 

No discrete graphics is a no go, even with the new IB chip. I would have considered with an AMD quad core though

 

It is definitely not a gaming machine. It will make a very good light-weight business laptop.

 

Nope, not the ticket I'm looking for. Free XBox360 can't be combined with the EPP/military discount, nor the $50 coupon I received in my email this morning.

You can, on the other hand, combine the $50 coupon with the EPP/military discount.

So it's either full price + free XBox360, or a $99 discount (which also saves you some tax, I believe, since I think you also have to pay extra tax on the XBox).

 

BTW, the EPP/military discount + $50 off coupon drops the base model price to $909.99 + Tax (Free 5-7 day business shipping). If I weren't trying to upgrade from a Core i5 (SB)/ 4GB RAM/128GB SSD laptop already, that would be my buy.

 

Recommend Google Search:

"Spectre XT" + site:forum.notebookreview.com

 

Hello all, anybody know if this notebook or new Envy 4 is upgradable? I want to add 8GB of Ram and 256 SSD. Thanks

 

I ordered this with the 256 SSD, I don't know if it is upgradable yet or not but crossing my fingers

 

Anyone think this laptop can run Star Wars the old republic at the native resolution with the i7 Ivy Bridge HD 4000? Thanks

 

Is anyone concerned that the MAX memory is 4G?

Also, is the battery internal? I have a concern with internal batteries. Historically, I've gotten about 2 years out of a laptop battery?

 

Well, I believe that the "max" memory is probably 8GB, like (I believe) the HP Folio is. You'd have to probably open it up (if that's possible with the Spectre XT) to swap out the single 4GB DIMM with an 8GB DIMM. A little annoying that it only runs single channel.

Also annoying that the configuration only allows you to purchase 4GB...

 

Yes it should run on low(ish) settings.
I run it on my Dell XPS 13 and it is playable in low settings. The HD 4000 is supposed to be much better than the HD 3000 so you should be good to go.

 

I ask for some general evaluation of the system as soon as somebody receive their machines... I think they will start shipping in 22nd right? Here in Germany still not available to buy though...

 

yeaahh Spectre XT it is appearing at the german HP online shop!!
HP Spectre XT Ultrabookâ„¢ 13-2000eg - HP Store Deutschland

Delivery in 1 to 2 weeks... looks it will ship earlier than US hp store!! But I will wait for the first unboxing reviews... but I'm almost sure this will be my next laptop!!

 

I have also been keeping a eye on the Spectre XT, but considering it is $999, why not go for the zenbook prime which has a better screen (1080P to be exact) and will only be costing an extra $100? Right now on amazon the price for the prime is $1118 which a day or two ago used to be $1150, thats because not every retailer has it yet, so expect the price of that to drop well below $1100, maybe $1049 even? Adoroma has it for $1029.

So clearly guys help me out here don't you agree and see that the Spectre XT is far inferior for what another $30 - $100 can get you?

 

I agree with you. But here in Germany the Zenbook Prime is costing around 1400 Euro. I am looking carefully to the UX32, second generation of Zenbook. It is a little thicker than UX31, 1080p IPS matte screen (with amazing contrast ratio), Ivy Bridge i7, discrete nVidea graphics for 1100 Euro. RAM is user upgradable up to 10 Gb. The downside is the HDD is hybrid (500Gb + 32 SSD). But it seems to be also user upgradable.

The upside of Spectre XT is the 128 SSD, the nice design, and 100 Euro less. Probably it is quicker in normal use than UX32 due to the SSD. Tough decision...

For the ones that wanna know more UX32 here comes a very complete review, but consider the unit tested is a core i5: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Asus-Zenbook-UX32VD-Ultrabook.75591.0.html

 

Notification of Ship Delay

» My order status | » My account | » Customer service

Dear .,

Thank you for choosing HP. We understand you are anticipating receipt of your new HP ENVY Spectre XT customizable Notebook PC and therefore are contacting you with an update on the build of your customized PC. Due to an unplanned delay in the production process, we will be unable to ship your customized order as originally planned.

We now expect to complete your order on or before a revised ship date of 7/6/2012 . At shipment, we will email you a shipping notification with your carrier tracking number. You can then track your shipment online to obtain the estimated delivery date.

We do not anticipate further delays and will notify you through email should that change. Also, every 24 hours we will update your customized order’s latest status online. Unless you notify us otherwise, we assume you agree to this shipment delay and want your custom order. If this delay requires you to cancel your order, we ask you to contact one of our Specialists on chat for assistance or reply to this e-mail message. You can also call us at 1-888-476-3988, option #3, between 7 A.M. and 2 A.M. Eastern Time.

If you choose to cancel your order, it may take up to 2 business days for HP to confirm the cancellation and release your refund. Once we release your refund, the credit to your credit card or other payment method will be posted based on your bank’s processing time which is usually 3-5 business days.

We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused and thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,
Customer Service
HP Home & Home Office Store

 

You know the cruddy thing is waiting until it is 3 days late shipping to go oh by the way we're not shipping it out for weeks sucker.

This would have been a deal breaker for me when I ordered this in May.

 

Wow, that sucks dude... will you keep your order??

 

I did, I am doing a lot of traveling and don't have time to screw around with this right now.

What sucks is flying with this 10 plus pound brick 8560w workstation.

I should have had a 3 pound dream by now

 

The Spectre XT has arrived!

I must be the only excited owner in this whole forum haha