This IMAX-certified 2-in-1 convertible laptop is applicable and has decent show but doesn’t interruption immoderate ground.
HP's Envy x360 enactment has been shipping astir the satellite for astir a decade. Launched backmost successful 2014, the laptop bid keeps radical coming backmost for much acknowledgment to its somewhat sleek design, robust show and the added bonus of a convertible tablet mode - each portion having an affordable terms point.
However, the latest bid (officially called 15-fh0010na) is unsocial successful that it carries the moniker of "the world's archetypal IMAX Enhanced Certified PC". According to HP, this means the laptop has respective features approved by the high-tech theatre company, specified arsenic an expanded facet ratio and theatrical sound, which uses DTS:X technology dependable to present much immersive spatial audio.
So, however does this instrumentality fare arsenic a dedicated idiosyncratic machine oregon adjacent a desktop replacement? Here's my afloat review.
HP Envy x360 15.6 (2023)
The HP Envy x360 is simply a dependable laptop suitable for the everyday. It's comfy to bash astatine for extended periods, and it feels robust capable to withstand the knocks of regular life. However, it lacks distinctive features, looks a spot generic, and the IMAX certification does little than you'd hope. It offers bully worth for wealth but is conscionable a small spot dull.
Pros
- Robust performance
- Converts into tablet mode
- Impressive all-day battery
- Good worth for money
Cons
- Cumbersome and boring design
- Limited Full HD display
- Misleading and pointless IMAX certification
Pricing, specs and availability options
HP's website lists a fig of antithetic diagnostic options for the 15-inch, 2023 mentation of the Envy x360.
The exemplary I'm investigating present is the much expensive, powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U, with 16GB of RAM and 1TB retention for $1,239.99/£999. There is besides different cheaper option, which is an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U-powered offering - successful the US, this comes with 16GB RAM and a prime of 256GB/512GB/1TB of RAM, starting from $949. In the UK, it is simply a fixed configuration of 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD for £799.
Compared to Apple devices, that's beauteous bully worth - particularly because, astatine the clip of writing, each of the supra prices were considerably cheaper by astatine slightest a mates of 100 dollars. That meant the exemplary tested present was really coming successful astatine $840 - redeeming $400 disconnected of RRP.
The Cupertino firm's cheapest 15-inch MacBook Air offering, which boasts lone 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, volition acceptable you backmost £1,399/$1,299. Admittedly, the Envy x360 doesn't look anyplace adjacent arsenic nice, but Apple's lightweight laptop is much astir sacrificing higher specs for a svelt plan (1.5kg, 11.5mm heavy versus the x360's 1.79kg and 18.3mm thickness), truthful it's a trade-off. Still, it's bully to get an thought of what's disposable successful a akin terms range.
HP Envy x360 15.6 (2023)
Operating System Windows 11 Home
CPU AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (up to 4.5 GHz max boost clock, 16 MB L3 cache, 6 cores, 12 threads)
GPU AMD Radeon (integrated)
RAM 8GB LPDDR4x-4266 MHz RAM
Storage 512GB SSD
Battery 4-cell, 55 Wh Li-ion polymer
Display (Size, Resolution) 15.6 inches, afloat HD (1920 x 1080p)
Ports 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A (3.2), 3.5mm audio in/out
Dimensions 357 x 228 x 18mm
Weight 1.79kg
Card Reader 1x SD paper slot
Audio Dual speakers
Design
A well-specced shapeshifter
For a 15-inch laptop, the Envy x360 doesn't interruption immoderate crushed - particularly erstwhile it comes to size, value and design. With a mostly boxy consciousness that's been softened a small by immoderate beauteous juvenile-looking rounded edges, it by nary means carries the entreaty of sleeker devices connected the market, similar the aforementioned 15-inch Macbook Air.
Still, the Envy x360 isn't an disfigured instrumentality by immoderate means. Its aluminium chassis feels solid, similar it would instrumentality a bully beating, and touts a slick sandblasted, anodised decorativeness successful a "Nightfall Black" colourway, which really looks much similar a gunmetal colour erstwhile successful earthy light.
The Envy x360's 1.79kg value doesn't consciousness arsenic dense arsenic it sounds for a 13- and 14-inch device, that would beryllium mode excessively weighty. But here, it feels evenly distributed and tin adjacent beryllium held comfortably successful 1 manus (although not for long).
During my clip utilizing the Envy x360 (around a month), it's proven to beryllium precise robust - adjacent aft being transported astir the world. I've taken it with maine connected trips to New York and Madrid, and it's survived without incurring immoderate dents oregon large scratches. I should astir apt mention, however, that immoderate of the paintwork has started to assistance connected 1 of the corners, contempt my taking bully attraction of it and transporting it astir successful a cushioned transportation case.
One of this laptop's standout features is its quality to person from a modular L-shape laptop into a tablet acknowledgment to a 360-degree hinge, which is wherever it gets its name. This allows the surface to fold backmost connected itself and each the mode around, which works good - the hinges effortlessly pivoting erstwhile needed without collapsing erstwhile unattended.
In tablet mode, it's arsenic bulky and awkward feeling successful the hands arsenic you'd expect, but this isn't a plan diagnostic that looks to regenerate your modular tablet. HP's extremity present is to connection users an easier mode to either presumption the surface erstwhile watching video contented oregon usage the included rechargeable MPP2.0 Tilt Pen stylus for drawing, designing oregon taking handwritten integer notes.
As for the keyboard, the Envy x360's keys are surely connected the ample size, but this works good since there's plentifulness of abstraction for them connected this 15-inch device. There's nary numeric pad, though - not that they're often utilized these days anyway. Feedback during typing is close and sharp, with plentifulness of travel. It besides has backlighting, which is simply a bully interaction (quite literally) - particularly for a instrumentality that mightiness spot it utilized for late-night boxset bingeing.
The large happening astir utilizing a larger 15-inch laptop implicit a much travel-friendly 13-inch enactment is that you usually get a afloat suite of connectivity. The Enxy x360 is nary exception.
It boasts an HDMI larboard for connecting an outer show and 2 USB-C ports that treble arsenic Display Ports for video output. There are 2 USB-A (3.2) ports for older peripherals, a 3.5mm audio connector and an SD paper scholar for quicker information transportation betwixt gadgets similar SLR cameras. Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E are besides connected committee to grip each the wireless stuff.
IMAX certification falls flat
One of the Envy x360's biggest letdowns is the display. With a sizeable 15.6-inch touchscreen existent estate, I was expecting thing amended than a disappointedly modular Full HD solution of 1920 x 1080 - particularly considering that this is an "IMAX-certified" device.
So, what does this IMAX certification mean exactly? Even aft utilizing the laptop for the champion portion of a month, I'm inactive not sure. HP's property merchandise says it volition connection "a caller and seamless mode for consumers to acquisition IMAX prime picture, sound, and premium integer content".
This, the steadfast says, is down to an exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio connected prime movies and sequences, an IMAX theatrical dependable "mixii", which uses a peculiar variant of DTS:X exertion to present "heart-pounding immersive sound, rendering clear, rich, and dynamic spatial audio for the astir engaging listening acquisition connected speakers oregon headphones".
It seems similar a spot of a gimmick to maine due to the fact that movie-watching connected the HP Envy x360 doesn't consciousness immoderate antithetic from that of immoderate different laptop I've tested recently. What's more, there's nary IMAX app oregon notation of the certification wrong immoderate of the laptop's included software, nor is determination a sticker connected the chassis. How americium I expected to get this IMAX experience? It's rather tricky to spot what makes this laptop worthy of an IMAX certification.
Despite immoderate flimsy pixelation astir text, the 1080p solution is perfectly good for moving on, but with a stamp of support from a institution that's each astir epic high-quality contented experiences, I thought this mightiness astatine slightest beryllium a 2K surface truthful movies look sharper and much engaging. It's rather ironic that an IMAX-certified laptop really lone has a Full HD display.
While the 15-inch sheet has IPS technology, which offers wider viewing angles, truthful it's amended for movie watching, the constituent of this is benignant of mislaid present since the modular solution show isn't large for consuming video contented on, anyway.
Nevertheless, everything other connected the surface works arsenic it should. Touch, for example, is responsive, and Word docs are displayed cleanly, for the astir part. Although astatine lone 250 nits, the show isn't arsenic agleam arsenic immoderate of its OLED rivals, truthful I wouldn't urge it for usage successful ace bright, sunny environments. Outside use, for example? Forget astir it.
On the positive side, the Envy x360 does a bully occupation of preventing irritating reflections of light. While the surface is glossy, its sheet isn't super-reflective, truthful that it won't bounce airy close into your eyes.
The show is accompanied by a 5MP webcam, which doesn't connection the champion prime video, I person to admit, but it'll bash good for the unusual video call. As for the built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers, they execute mode amended than I was expecting. While their plan means they deficiency a spot successful bass, they are capable to nutrient a truly decent dependable that's some louder and richer than the accustomed bladed and harsh audio you get successful slimmer laptops.
Performance and artillery
A beauteous coagulated showing
The HP Envy x360 exemplary that I reviewed is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U CPU - a departure from the emblematic Intel chips - alongside 16GB of LPDDR4 representation and integrated AMD Radeon graphics.
In a GeekBench 6 test, the Envy x360 scored 1160 for single-core show and 5451 for multi-core, which is beauteous acold down higher specced machines, similar the Asus Zenbook 15 OLED. On the different hand, this Asus laptop is simply a fewer 100 dollars pricier than the Envy x360. Clearly, you get what you wage for.
HP Envy x360 | $1,100 | 1,160 | 5,451 |
Asus Zenbook 15 OLED | $1,300 | 1,992 | 9,134 |
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | $1,249 | 2,050 | 6,700 |
The Envy x360 mightiness not person the almighty Nvidia graphics, but the integrated AMD Radeon GPU is competent capable for astir tasks; arsenic agelong arsenic you're not readying to bash immoderate graphically intensive gaming, it should clasp up conscionable fine.
Stats aside, erstwhile it came to regular needs, the Envy x360 laptop was capable to negociate astir things I threw astatine it with ease. Take multitasking, for instance, which makes it a breeze. Intensive applications are casual to churn through, and it provides everything you request for mundane tasks.
What was peculiarly awesome astir the Envy x360, though, is however quiescent it remained passim use. Even erstwhile moving much aggravated applications, you tin hardly perceive it portion tapping away, which is simply a bonus for those who get distracted easily.
While utilizing the instrumentality implicit agelong periods, I recovered it does get a small lukewarm to the touch, particularly erstwhile throwing much demanding applications astatine it, but it's thing worthy worrying about. Generally, I recovered the laptop met each of my regular needs effortlessly and handled Windows 11 exceptionally well, with zero lag erstwhile moving from 1 exertion to the next.
So what astir artillery life? HP claims the Envy x360's 55Wh Li-ion polymer artillery tin tally for "up to 12 hours and 30 minutes" per charge. However, immoderate laptop idiosyncratic volition cognize that a manufacturer's projected artillery beingness is ne'er a certainty. During day-to-day use, I recovered the laptop lasted astir 11 hours, which is inactive capable for a afloat day's work. This included a premix of wide web browsing, video watching, papers typing, and the similar - each connected afloat brightness.
A diagnostic I truly enjoyed was the laptop's accelerated complaint capability, which tops up the laptop to astir 50 per cent successful conscionable 30 minutes - a lifesaver erstwhile you're connected the go.
Verdict
There's nary denying that the HP Envy x360 is simply a reliable laptop, offering the specs needed to powerfulness you done an mean time of bureau enactment oregon contented consumption. It's comfy to benignant connected for prolonged periods and feels sturdy capable to withstand a bully sound present and there.
However, there's not a batch that stands retired astir this device. It's cumbersome and generic looking. While the IMAX certification was a promising prospect, it didn't truly magnitude to overmuch successful the extremity - and doesn't alteration the information that the surface is simply a disappointing resolution.
With tenable pricing and regular income making it cheaper still, you're inactive getting a robust spot of kit for your money. It volition grip the astir communal tasks you propulsion astatine it easy and has the artillery beingness to backmost it up - conscionable don't expect to beryllium blown away.
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