subject: The HP Envy 14 – a solid laptop by anyone's standards [print this page] HP have certainly not thrown away their design book with the Envy 14, as it shares most of its looks and build quality with other Envy models. It features an aluminium body with an etched pattern and a nice backlit HP logo, adding a touch of bling to what is otherwise a standard yet elegant design. HP have gone for a refined look with their entire Envy range, and have managed to produce a computer that would not look out of place in any environment (hp battery).
With up to an Intel Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and switchable graphics capabilities, the Envy 14 is certainly no slug when it comes to performance. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 is paired with an Intel GMA HD, but unlike Nvidia's Optimus it requires manual switching which is frankly a pain in the rear end. It performs really well though, and has even been tested as faster than its Envy 15 brother.
The 14.5 inch Radiance Infinity screen comes with a native resolution of 1600 x 900, making it ideal for use as a multi-media laptop. The sound design is also fairly well thought out, although you certainly aren't going to annoy the neighbours too much with the usual tinny laptop bass response. It is clear and accurate however, and definitely a step up from the majority of laptop audio.
The Envy 14 comes with an optical drive, which makes it a little thicker than its Envy 13 baby brother, but this is easy to accept when you consider the advantages on offer. What is a little harder to swallow is that the Envy 14 is actually heavier than the Envy 15, coming in at 5.4 pounds vs 5.2. It also gets rather hot in places, a rather unwelcome feature that it seems to share with other Envy laptops[hp laptop battery].
The HP Envy 14 comes with a standard island keyboard and has a nice uniform feel, and the new backlit keyboard is a very welcome new feature. The touchpad is also pretty cool, with integrated mouse buttons and multitouch gesture support. The new optical drive is a DVD-RW, and can be found on the left side of the laptop next to the usual USB and media ports.
Battery life is one thing that plagued the Envy 17, and the Envy 14 doesn't fair much better in this regard. While far from disgraceful at almost 4 1/2 hours in moderate use, it is still nowhere near as long-lasting as much of its competition. If there is one thing that lets the HP Envy 14 down this is it.
The Envy 14 is a solid machine that can be configured in a number of ways. While the starting price is only $999 for the basic specs, it is important to note that this only includes an Intel Core i3 processor and a smaller resolution[HP Pavilion dv2000 Series battery].
The HP Envy 14 a solid laptop by anyone's standards
