14 DAY TRIAL // While some PC suppliers like to gradually offer newer products, in order to preserve consumer interest, HP seems to be somewhat more aggressive, in that it has the habit of updating its entire product portfolio on the same day. This is exactly what the company did, as it released new desktops, laptops and netbooks for a variety of consumer segments, in its quest to reigning supreme on the worldwide PC market.
The two notebooks that HP unveiled are known as the Envy 14 and Envy 17 and have configurations based on a combination of Intel processors and AMD graphics. They also seek to bring a high aesthetic value to the list of assets, as any high-end laptop would.
The Envy 14, priced at $1,000, has a “precision-crafted design” and a screen size of 14.5 inches, as it could be gleamed from its very name. The HD Radiance display, according to the company, enables an image quality up to 59 percent brighter than what standard LCDs can allow. Basically, the Envy 14 seeks to be one of the thinnest and lightest quad-core laptops worldwide.
The Envy 17 is, as one would expect from the name, larger and stronger than its sibling. It has up to 2TB of storage space and support for the ATI Eyefinity technology, among other things. Of course, this also warrants a higher starting price, namely of $1,400.
The exact specs of the two are not completely detailed, but some similarities, at least, are disclosed. Besides the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5830 graphics card and optional WWAN/3G, the machines come with mini DisplayPort connectors, a slot-loading optical drive, an HP TrueVision HD webcam and the Beats Audio technology, meant to enhance the sound experience when playing music. The Envy 17 even further optimizes sound quality through its Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer.
“With these new designs, we offer customers a broad portfolio of notebook PCs […] that are innovative on the outside and the inside,” Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP, said. “Each notebook provides a unique experience for the customer and allows customers to express their personality.”