HP Envy 4 Ultrabook Review

 

The HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is definitely one of the most coveted ultraportable laptop today. It is different from its other competitors in the market. It has features that stand out from the crowd and its price is definitely a big attraction. The unit runs on high-end processors but a price comparable to low-end categories. The device carries the good reputation of the company as far as design is concerned.

 

Design

 

Instead of the usual skinny look, the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook appears to be bigger and thicker compared with the other ultrabooks in the market. However, do not be deceived by the heavier-looking and thicker looking body. It is only 0.78 inch thick with 14 inches screen and weight of a little less than 4 pounds. It has a flat, brushed aluminum cover and a red soft, rubberized bottom for an appealing contrast. The keyboard deck has a black aluminum finish while the glossy screen has a plastic bezel. The speakers are found above full size and backlit keyboard. There is also smooth trackpad that supports multi-touch gestures.

 

Features

 

• Intel i5-3317U processor 3rd Generation

• 4 GB RAM

• 2 hard drives: 500 GB HDD and 32 GB SSD

• 14 inch LED backlit screen

• 1366 x 768 pixel resolution

• Built-in Wi-Fi

• Bluetooth 4.0

• Windows 7 Home Premium

• Three USB ( two USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0)

• HDMI-out

• Ethernet

• SD card slot

• Kensington lock slot

 

Pros

This model of HP Ultrabook has a solid performance. It starts up in 19 seconds which is pretty quick for this category. Another unique feature of the device is the separate microphone and headphone jacks. HP produces an excellent sound because of the incorporated Beats Audio enhancement software. Overall, it gives a good price/performance ratio.

 

Cons

HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is not an attraction when it comes to its graphics performance. It has no discrete graphics card and thus, its ability to handle game is limited. The screen is bright but it is not good enough for outdoor use.The battery life is not sustained as promised in the manual. Tests show around 3 to 4 hours difference in the battery performance. The soft-touch, too flat and shallow keys are not very comfortable to type on and this can be annoying for users with heavy typing jobs. The trackpad shares the same problem. Both are pretty to look at but they are not friendly. The cursor movement is not precise and it can be frustrating. Lastly, the CoolSense Technology does not work well since the surface temperature is above average. The cooling system even emits an annoying sound that constantly turns on and off during use.

 

Conclusion

HP Envy 4 Ultrabook gives a solid performance, nice audio and unique separate microphone and headphone jacks. Although there are also weaknesses noted in reviews like the poor screen, uncomfortable keyboard and trackpad and low battery life, the device is still a good choice especially if you wish to have a stylish and sexy ultrabook. Overall, this is a quality above average considering its price point.