Check out the Dell Store on CNETHP Envy 13
Manufacturer: HP Part number: NS845AV
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- HP's upscale Envy 13 looks and feels like an expensive status symbol, with performance and features that impress us--but its high price makes it a tough sell over the similar-looking MacBook Pro.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Best Computer retailer website five years running |  | In stock Includes Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/03/2009 |
CNET editors' review
HP Envy 13 price range: $1,699.99
- Reviewed by: Dan Ackerman
- Reviewed on: 09/29/2009
- Released on: 10/18/2009
The good: Slick, modern design; big touch pad; bright display; premium support services.
The bad: Very expensive; heavier than it looks; no backlit keyboard; limited ports and connections.
The bottom line: HP's upscale Envy 13 looks and feels like an expensive status symbol, with performance and features that impress us--but its high price makes it a tough sell over the similar-looking MacBook Pro.
Even a cursory glance will tell you the HP Envy 13 is a very nicely made premium 13-inch laptop. It's a solid slab of aluminum and magnesium, etched with interesting visual details, and filled with capable components, such as a dual-core low-voltage Intel CPU and discrete ATI graphics.
It's also clearly a shot across the bow of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, even if Hewlett-Packard leaves that challenge unstated. The edge-to-edge glass over the display and oversize multitouch touch pad all add to a Mac-like look and feel. Unfortunately, the Envy 13 is priced more comparably with ultrathin systems such as the Dell Adamo or even Apple's MacBook Air, starting at $1,699 (our test unit was $1,799, or $2,149 if you include the external Blu-ray drive and secondary battery).
With a better display (1,600x900-pixel resolution), newer CPU, and more options--the Envy 13 certainly makes a compelling case against the $1,199 13-inch MacBook Pro, but the $500-and-up price difference makes it a tough sell. That said, if price is no object, this is a great mix of power and portability, and sure to attract envious (no pun intended) stares in coffee shops and airport lounges.
| Price as reviewed / Starting price | $2,149 / $1,699 |
| Processor | 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
| Memory | 3GB, 1,066MHz DDR2 |
| Hard drive | 250GB 5,400rpm |
| Chipset | Quanta 307B |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 |
| Dimensions (WD) | 12.6x8.5 inches |
| Height | 0.8 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 15.4 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 3.8 / 4.5 pounds |
| Category | Thin and light |
While the Envy originated as part of HP's premium Voodoo line, that Voodoo branding is now gone, leaving this a pure HP-labeled product. Indeed, compared to some of the more outre Voodoo designs, the Envy 13 has more of a traditional HP look and feel, although significantly spruced up. The aluminum body, with a magnesium base, is reasonably slim, and the anonymous gunmetal gray lid contrasts nicely with a semirandom pattern of imprinted dots on the wrist rest.
The entire package feels a bit heavier than it looks, and when you add the secondary slice battery, which is a thin flat battery that clips onto the entire bottom surface, it's positively bricklike at 5.2 pounds. Still, unlike some of the thinner 13-inch models we've seen, the Envy 13 feels extremely solid and like it could withstand a lot of abuse.
The system interior is sparse, with a sunken keyboard made up of widely spaced, flat-topped keys and a single power button. There are no quick-launch or media control keys, but the row of Function keys now has their media control and other attributes as their primary mapping, with the actual F4, F5, and so on, tasks requiring you to hold down the Fn key at the same time. Vital keys such as the Backspace, Tab, and Shift buttons are thankfully full size, and the only real keyboard compromise we noted was small up and down arrow keys. The keys have a solid feel and a pleasant matte finish that made them comfortable to use. However, we did miss the backlit keyboard--quickly becoming a standard feature on many even-slightly upscale laptops.
Its oversize touch pad is a welcome addition--it's our primary laptop navigation method, so it's a shame so many laptops keep them small and hard to use. This version has the left and right mouse buttons built right in at the bottom edge, with the lower corners of the touch pad clicking down when pressed. Touch the upper left corner for a few seconds and the entire touch pad deactivates when you're using an external mouse. However, because the touch pad is physically combined with the buttons, the entire thing had a bit of a floating feel to it--and tapping anywhere on the pad produced a tiny bit of movement and a barely audible clacking sound.
Some of its multitouch gestures also bothered us. Using two fingers to scroll up and down long Web pages and documents was frustrating, because unlike the MacBook, this touch pad requires your two fingers to be almost exactly lined up on the horizontal plane to register the gesture. When you bring your hand in from its usual position on the left or right, your first two fingers will naturally fall on a slight diagonal, which the touch pad won't register as a scrolling gesture. We had to unnaturally contort our hands to come straight at the pad--as one might do in a demo video for how use a multitouch touch pad. This seems like an easy enough firmware fix, and something HP should consider doing before the Envy 13's October 18 launch.
The 13.3-inch wide-screen LED display offers a 1,600x900-pixel native resolution, which is higher than you'd find on a comparable MacBook Pro (a lower 1,366x768-pixel screen will also be available).
The screen was one of the system's highlights, with impressive brightness and excellent off-axis viewing angles. Audio was also excellent, with special bass-boosting software provided by Beats Audio, and sounded especially good through headphones.
| HP Envy 13 | Average for category [thin-and-light] | |
| Video | HDMI | VGA plus HDMI or DisplayPort |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, single headphone/microphone jack | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | 2 USB 2.0, SD card reader | 3 USB 2.0, SD card reader |
| Expansion | None | ExpressCard/54 |
| Networking | Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, | Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN |
| Optical drive | External Blu-ray | DVD burner |
For a laptop, while svelte, it is not extraordinarily thin or light. We were also surprised to find only two USB ports and no internal optical drive. External drive options include a standard DVD burner for $100 or a Blu-ray/DVD drive for $250. However, no built-in mobile broadband option is offered, so a USB dongle would take up one of the available USB ports.
For a laptop with a 2.13GHz SL9600 low-voltage Intel CPU, the Envy 13 performed admirably, coming close to matching the performance of Apple's 13-inch MacBook. An ultrathin system like Dell's Adamo, which uses an older U9300 processor, was much slower, highlighting the importance of finding the right balance between performance and power management. In anecdotal use, we found the Envy 13 to be quick and responsive, and it likely benefited from skipping Windows Vista in preference of Windows 7.
The 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics are entry level, as far as dedicated graphics solutions go, but technically it is more powerful than the integrated Nvidia GeForce 9400 graphics found in the 13-inch MacBook Pro. At 1,280x800 pixels, we got a very playable 31.5 frames per second in Unreal Tournament 3. It's not going to be a gaming monster, but for casual gaming, it should get you through some World of Warcraft sessions while waiting at the airport gate. The discrete GPU can also be switched off in favor of integrated graphics, or set to automatically switch off when running on battery power.
The HP Envy 13 ran for 2 hours and 59 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, using the included battery. Our battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use. While the 13-inch MacBook Pro nearly doubles that, this falls within our general 3-hour minimum preference. Unlike Apple's laptops, this battery is removable and replicable.
We also received an optional second battery, called a slice battery, that is large, thin, and covers the entire bottom surface of the laptop. We're still testing this additional battery and will update the battery life results when they are available, but in an initial run, it added between four and five hours to the system's running time. Note that we're running the system with the discrete graphics chip enabled, and turning it off will provide additional power savings.
HP includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base and driver downloads, and Envy owners get a dedicated support number to call, manned by, "Envy product experts." Online support chat is also available, and, according to HP, e-mails to its tech support team should be answered within one hour.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Find out more about how we test laptops.
HP Envy 13
Windows 7 Professional (64-bit); 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600; 3,072MB DDR3 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330; 250GB Toshiba 5400rpm
Dell Adamo
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64-bit); 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U9300; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz; 779MB (Shared) Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD; 128GB Samsung SSD
Apple MacBook - Summer 2009 -Core 2 Duo 13.3 inch - 2.13GHz
OS X 10.5.7 Leopard; Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13GHz; 2,048MB DDR3 SDRAM 800MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9400M; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Toshiba Satellite U505-S2940
Windows Vista Home Edition SP1; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P7350; 4,096MB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz; 128MB (Shared) Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD; 400GB Toshiba 5,400rpm
Apple MacBook Pro -Summer 2009-Core 2 Duo 13.3 inch - 2.26GHz
OS X 10.5.7 Leopard; Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz; 2,048MB DDR3 SDRAM 1,066MHz; 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9400M; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
User reviews
-
-
A PERFECT WINDOW 7 LAUNCH
by windooor7 on September 30, 2009
Pros: it set new standards o ten neglected by pc makers
Cons: HP has history of overpricing stuff .true cost is 200cpu, 60 memory ,50 hdd, 150 motherboard with gpu on board. plus the case 350 ,plus hp logo 50 ,total about 900
they need to stop making 200 percent profit untill they get everyone on board.Summary: HP does not compromise on price,dont wait for them to cut prices ,if you really want it, its a good machine go get it.. its the most powerful ,beautiful ...
Summary: HP does not compromise on price,dont wait for them to cut prices ,if you really want it, its a good machine go get it.. its the most powerful ,beautiful windows laptop yet. i love hp ,im still waiting fro them to give us an iphone killer they did it before with hp ipaq 6945,they can do it again. focus on storage if you do.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Awesome PC notebook
by GripR on November 2, 2009
Pros: Aluminum, Magnesium and Carbon Fiber construction, Fast processor, long battery life, dedicated graphics and HD screen. A model of what all PC's should be.
Cons: Way too expensive
Summary: I have not bitten the bullet to buy it because of the price tag, but I've been doing research and from what I found, there are great features with ...
Summary: I have not bitten the bullet to buy it because of the price tag, but I've been doing research and from what I found, there are great features with this laptop. 15 hours of battery life with the extended slim battery! The HD screen is amazing, beautiful colors and very sharp. I was told Dreamworks had helped develop that screen. Pretty cool, don't know if it's true, but pretty cool if it is. Having no backlit keys at this price point bothered me, but then I found out that HP didn't include backlit keys because it would add extra weight and use more energy, so the keys are actually painted with a glow paint. Supposedly the letters on the keys glow when in the dark... Another cool feature I like about this laptop is that you can switch from dedicated graphics to integrated graphics to save battery power. I'm still on the wall about paying this much for a 13" but for a couple hundred more I could get the 15" which has even better features and performance.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
poor, poor, poor
by in2b8me on November 30, 2009
Pros: none, light but expensive, stylish but expensive, poor performance and expensive
Cons: poor. Overpriced, WIll get a mac book.
Summary: Windows is terrible. Windows 7 is a throwback to XP packaged as something new. Can you say HP tax?
Summary: Windows is terrible. Windows 7 is a throwback to XP packaged as something new. Can you say HP tax?
-
The Highest resolutions in the market yet, HP beat Mac!
by n3og3o on November 30, 2009
Pros: Amazing resolutions!
Envy 13 --> got 1600x900 resolutions (where Mac MBP 13" only at (1280x800)
Envy 15' --> got 1920x1080 resolution (where on Mac MBP 15" only at (1440x900)
but Mac MBP 17" only had (1920x1200)Cons: Its Expensive!
okay design.Summary: I got both HP envy 13" & 15". Honestly, the design is okay, i still like my older MBP (MacBook Pro) with alunimum keyboard
However, the first thing that made ...Summary: I got both HP envy 13" & 15". Honestly, the design is okay, i still like my older MBP (MacBook Pro) with alunimum keyboard
However, the first thing that made me notice something different about this laptop is detail on the screens. I was captivated by its resolutions!! Its amazingly crispy clear!
Imagine MBP 17" its resolution put into HP 15". it would be extreme clear & detail. I'm a graphic designer, so i'm picky on this particular detail (^_^)
I dont have to say that much, go and look for yourself on the store. Look at its resolutions, it will blow you away.
HP had me at 15" with (1920x1080). Period! Hope this will help other make decision (^_^) -
No better combination of size, speed, and quality
by xbryan on November 27, 2009
Pros: Excellent discreet graphics, high quality materials throughout, amazing screen, great build quality, clever slice battery, large trackpad, slick design
Cons: Expensive, no backlit keyboard
Summary: Really the only major downside to the Envy 13 is the price. I looked at probably every laptop in the 13-14" range, and this one is the best combination of ...
Summary: Really the only major downside to the Envy 13 is the price. I looked at probably every laptop in the 13-14" range, and this one is the best combination of portability, performance, and build quality. It is easily as well made as a MacBook Pro, probably the only PC laptop that can claim that.
I needed a PC, not a Mac, and didn't want to buy and install Windows under BootCamp, so that eliminated the MBP for me. But I really didn't make much of a sacrifice. I do miss not having a backlit keyboard, but the keyboard is otherwise excellent. Other than that, the Envy 13 is smaller, thinner, lighter, has a better screen, better GPU, better battery life, and better sound quality output than the MBP 13.
The lack of an internal DVD player is a non-issue for me. You'll need a dongle for wired ethernet (included), and a dongle for VGA out (need to buy), and there are only 2 USB ports, but again, those are non-issues for me (other than the dongle for wired ethernet, the MBP has the same limitations). The brownish tinted aluminum-magnesium alloy case is very attractive, unique, and is fingerprint and scratch resistant. The machine feels like it is build to last, unlike most PC laptops.
So far, I am incredibly impressed by the Envy 13, and happy I spent the extra money to get one. -
Superior Build Quality, A Beautiful Laptop
by TechColumnist on November 5, 2009
Pros: Very Light, Unbelievable Screen Colors + Brightness, Long Battery Life, Switchable Graphics, Instant On OS
Cons: No Backlit Keyboard,
Summary: It's been extremely hard to find a laptop that is extremely light and thin (this thing is less than 8/10ths of an inch thick) that has long battery ...
Summary: It's been extremely hard to find a laptop that is extremely light and thin (this thing is less than 8/10ths of an inch thick) that has long battery life (this one is lasting me about 11 hours with the battery slice) and that also carries in it top of the line DDR3 RAM, Dedicated Graphics, and a Screen Resolution that makes graphic designers drool over this 13incher (1600x900). This machine is built rugged and solid with a sophisticated look and luxury feel.
-
MacBook Pro Rip off - Why?
by marconiusrex24 on September 30, 2009
Pros: Decent looking for a Windows portable box...but looks too much like the Apple MBP.
What a MacBook Pro rip off. I mean come on HP! Can't you design anything original?Cons: The price is comparable to the MBP while the performance characteristics are inferior. Why not get the Real Deal. You will be using the best operating system available - Snow Leopard plus you can still run your Windows 7 on Bootcamp!
Summary: Not worth considering IMHO
Summary: Not worth considering IMHO
1 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
knock off of mac book pro
by wakic on October 26, 2009
Pros: all copied but it has multi touch mouse and slim feel
Cons: knock off and its weaker and more exxxxppensive
0 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
terrible. just terrible
by joeyh09 on October 24, 2009
Pros: looks like a macbook
Cons: its not a macbook.
Summary: i just bought it for kicks... well im not very impressed with it or the dre beets version compared to either my 13 inch mbp or my 15 inch mbp. ...
Summary: i just bought it for kicks... well im not very impressed with it or the dre beets version compared to either my 13 inch mbp or my 15 inch mbp. it is by far a rip off and just plain horrible. i would not recomend this product to anyone. i would recomend a macbook pro or a newer sony pc....
0 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: HP
- Part number: NS845AV
- Bottom Line: HP's upscale Envy 13 looks and feels like an expensive status symbol, with performance and features that impress us--but its high price makes it a tough sell over the similar-looking MacBook Pro.
General
- Recommended Use Home use
- Width 12.6 in
- Depth 8.5 in
- Height 0.8 in
- Weight 3.8 lbs
- Notebook type Ultraportable (Under 4 lbs.)
- Wireless capabilities Bluetooth
Processor
- Processor Intel Core 2 Duo 2.13 GHz
- Multi-Core processor technology Dual-Core
RAM
- Installed Size 3072 MB
- Technology DDR II SDRAM - 1066 MHz
Storage
- Hard Drive 250 GB - 5400 rpm
- Hard drive type Standard
Optical Storage
- Type 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Display
- Display Type 15.4 in TFT
Video
- Graphics Processor / Vendor ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330
Networking
- Networking 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Data link protocol Bluetooth 2.0, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n
- Networking standards Bluetooth 2.0, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Sustainability
- Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 4.5
Manufacturer info
- HP
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse HP products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.hp.com
- Address:
3000 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1185
