Review HP Pavilion dm3t Laptop

The Pavilion dm3 is a CULV thin and light notebook series from HP that includes both the AMD-based dm3z and Intel-based dm3t. This notebook packs a 13.3-inch screen, optional integrated WWAN, an optional matching external optical drive, and a wide range of processor options. In this review, we take a look at the Pavilion dm3t powered by an Intel SU7300 CULV processor, and includes 3GB of DDR3 memory and Intel X4500 integrated graphics.

Our HP Pavilion dm3t Specifications:

• Intel Core 2 Duo CULV SU7300 (1.3GHz, 800MHz, 3MB)
• Windows 7 Premium (64-bit)
• 3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
• 320GB 5400rpm Seagate 5400.6 HDD
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD
• 13.3-inch LED-backlit WXGA Display
• External 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD/-RW/R) with Dual-Layer
• Atheros AR5009 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi , Bluetooth
• 6-cell Lithium-ion battery (57 WHr)
• Dimensions: 12.83 x 9.06 x 0.96 inches
• Weight: 4.17 pounds
• Price as configured: $939 (With 7200RPM drive instead of 5400RPM)

Build and Design
The HP Pavilion dm3t offers an attractive and durable brushed metal finish on its screen cover that resists smudges and scratches. The perimeter-trim is chromed plastic to accent the gunmetal-gray brushed finish that extends inside the notebook for the palmrest and keyboard surround. The screen trim is a glossy black, which blends in with the LCD when the screen is off. The bottom of the notebook is painted with a matte-black finish.

Build quality is above average with the brushed metal finish helping to give some strength to the top of the notebook. The screen only has some flex under moderate pressure and the cover protects the LCD from most impacts. The quality of the materials used is above average on most areas of the notebook; although the chromed plastic might be at risk to chipping over time if you are not careful with transporting it. The one area that stood out to us as needing improvement is the touchpad finish, which out of the box had some mild scuffing. HP uses a polished-matte finish that doesn't seem to hold up to mild abrasion as nicely as their older painted glossy touchpads. The bottom cover was a big surprise, since unlike other consumer notebooks that only use plastic bottom covers, HP goes all out with a durable alloy body that adds a nice look and feel when holding the notebook.

Users looking to upgrade their dm3-series notebook will find it easy to access user-serviceable components. The bottom has three compartments, one of which is the battery. The two that contain serviceable parts are clearly labeled with symbols showing what parts are underneath. One bay houses the hard drive and WWAN-slot while the other has the system memory and Wi-Fi card. Our model, which didn't include WWAN, still came with the slot soldered in place. No antennas were visible, but at least an upgrade would be possible down the road.

Screen and Speakers
The screen on the dm3-series is a 13.3-inch LED-backlit panel with above average color and contrast. Colors from the screen are bright and vibrant with a cooler or blue hue. Screen brightness is more the adequate for brightly lit rooms with a peak brightness measured at 212nit. We found screen brightness set at 70% was perfect for viewing indoors. Outdoor viewing with the glossy panel would only be possible in a shaded area away from sun glare. Viewing angles were average with colors starting to invert or wash out when the screen is tilted 15-20 degrees forward or back. Horizontal viewing angles were better with the screen staying visible to about 60-degrees off center where it started to dim noticeably.

The speakers on the dm3-series are lap-firing, located near the front edge of the palmrest. Sound quality is above average for a notebook this size with clear upper-midrange and high notes. Low frequency audio is still lacking, but it is hard to get this from even larger notebooks unless you have a dedicated subwoofer.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is an island-style variant that is very similar to the look and feel of most Apple MacBooks. The keys are painted with a semi-gloss black paint and feel very solid to the fingertips. The lettering is very bright and visible even in dark lighting. Key movement is precise with little wobble with side to side movement. Individual key presses are smooth and require very little pressure to fully trigger. If you like the look and feel of the Chiclet-style keyboards, you will be impressed with the Pavilion dm3t.

The touchpad is a glossy ALPS model with some support for multitouch gestures. The touchpad on average is responsive with very little lag. On a rare occasion the touchpad did become entirely unresponsive and required a reboot before it started to work again. It is unclear if this was a driver conflict or a problem with the touchpad itself. The touchpad buttons are easy to press with the side of your thumb and give off a small click when pressed. They have shallow feedback and require moderate pressure to activate.

Ports and Features
Port selection on the Pavilion dm3t was great with HP making use of nearly all usable space around the perimeter of the notebook. The system featured four USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and VGA-out, LAN, audio jacks and a Kensington Lock slot. Other features included a SDHC-card slot and wireless-on/off switch. One unique item on the dm3-series that caused a bit of confusion when it was first taken out of the box was the power button's location. It is located on the right side next to the wireless-on/off button as a small slider-switch.

Front: Power and disk-activity lights

Rear: Nothing

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5847031233357613617
Left: AC-Power, charge indicator light, LAN, VGA-out, HDMI-out, two USB 2.0 ports, SDHC-card reader, audio jacks.

Right: Power on/off switch, wireless on/off switch, two USB ports, Kensington Lock slot

Performance and Benchmarks
System performance was very good for a CULV-based system with its Intel SU7300 processor and Intel X4500 integrated graphics. Users considering this notebook can also configure it with a NVIDIA G105M dedicated graphics option. For normal system activities such as surfing the Web, listening to music, watching movies or using office productivity software, the system performed very well. At times, it seemed the slower 5400rpm drive may have been holding the system back slightly, but we only experienced those slowdowns during the initial installation of software. HD movie playback was fine with 720P content for both local video and online flash video, though 1080P content was hit or miss depending on the encoded bitrate. If you intend to watch a lot of HD movies on this system, it is highly recommended that you opt for the more powerful SP9300 processor, which includes NVIDIA G105M dedicated graphics. This will allow hardware video-decoding by the GPU and offload it from the processor.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark storage drive performance test:

We experienced a strange problem multiple times coming out of standby or hibernation where the screen would appear as if it had video card corruption. Rebooting the system resolved it each time. The common link among these incidents was the machine going into hibernation for the night. Since the system performed fine after a reboot, there is a good chance it was just a driver problem with the system.

Heat and Noise
Thermal performance of the Pavilion dm3t was exceptional even while under a heavy processor load. The metal chassis helped spread out the heat from most areas reducing hotspots and overall just gradually warming up the entire chassis. The hottest measured spot was only 97 degrees Fahrenheit, which was during the middle of our second 3DMark06 benchmark.

Fan noise was minimal on the dm3t even under the constant stress of benchmarking. Under a full load, the fan ran continuously but you could only hear that it was going if you were in a completely silent room and your head was close to the keyboard. Under normal use, the fan stayed off or operated at very slow speeds. If you are worried about loud cooling fans, the HP Pavilion dm3t is an excellent option.

Battery Life
Battery life on the HP Pavilion dm3t was pretty good for a CULV-based notebook with a 6-cell battery. In our tests with screen brightness reduced to 70%, wireless active and Windows set to a balanced profile, the dm3t stayed on for 6 hours and 30 minutes before automatically going into hibernation. At the time of this review, the only battery option for the dm3-series is a 57Wh 6-cell battery.

Conclusion
The HP Pavilion dm3t is a well built thin and light notebook offering a durable metal chassis and plenty of configuration options. Sold in both Intel and AMD variants the Pavilion dm3-series has models ranging from $529.99 for a base dm3z to $974.99 for a dm3t with dedicated graphics. While cosmetics are praised, we experienced some glitches that could have been related to driver conflicts with the touchpad and graphics when the system was brought out of hibernation. Aside from those problems, the system performed very well, even keeping its cool during our stress tests. Thermal performance was excellent with minimal effort from the internal cooling fan. Overall, if you are in the market for a new CULV-based notebook, the HP Pavilion dm3-series is worth checking out.

Pros:

• Great build quality
• Very good thermal performance
• Excellent keyboard

Cons:

• Touchpad design could have been better
• Some possible driver-related glitches

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support
Upgrade Capabilities
Usability
Design
Performance
Features
Price/Value Rating
* Ratings averaged to produce final score

From : http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=5639&review=hp+pavilion+dm3t

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Ligth Weigth by HP EliteBook 2540p

The EliteBook 2540p is the latest road-warrior ultraportable notebook from HP. The 2540p offers a 12.1-inch WXGA screen, Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, built-in optical drive with select configurations, and a plethora of storage options. In our review, we put the new EliteBook through its paces to see how it stacks up against the competition.

The 2540p starts at $1,099, though with our configurations, it tops out at $1,629.

Our HP EliteBook 2540p review unit features the following configuration:

• Intel Core i7-640LM 2.13GHz Dual-Core Processor (4MB Cache)
• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• 12.1-inch WXGA anti-glare (1280 x 800)
• Intel GMA HD integrated graphics
• 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2GB x 2GB)
• 250GB 5400rpm 1.8-inch SATA II
• DVD+/-RW optical drive
• Intel 6200AGN Wifi, gigabit Ethernet, modem and Bluetooth connectivity
• 6-Cell 62WHr battery
• Three-year warranty
• Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.10 inches (with 6-cell battery)
• Weight: 3.97 pounds with 6-cell battery

Build and Design
The HP EliteBook 2540p is billed as an ultraportable business notebook, therefore corporations - and many consumers - expect a high quality of materials, excellent features and an innovative design. HP's other EliteBook notebooks meet or exceed those expectations, but what about the smallest member of the EliteBook family?

The main body of the EliteBook 2540p is covered in the new "HP DuraCase" and "HP DuraFinish," which is essentially a hard plastic and strong magnesium alloy inner shell - similar its predecessor - and strengthened by a brushed aluminum outer shell that even resists scratching from steel wool. The base of the laptop feels very strong and would definitely survive bumps and bruises that other laptops might not. There is absolutely no flex in the solid keyboard. The underside of the notebook is also similarly rigid and strong with just a tiny amount of flex in the area immediately under the notebook's optical drive.

The outer shell of the screen casing is metal, but the inner screen bezel is plastic. Unlike the 15-inch EliteBook 8540p we previously reviewed, the display lid flexes slightly when significant pressure is applied to the center of the lid. But it's still much stronger than what we typically see on other high quality 12-inch business notebooks.

When HP says that the EliteBook 2540p was designed "to meet the military standards (MIL-STD 810F) for high/low temperatures and dust," they mean the notebook is built to withstand years of use and abuse.

With all this rugged durability built into the design, you have to expect a trade-off, which in this case is weight. Some 12-inch business class notebooks tip the scale at 3 pounds or less. The EliteBook 2540p has a starting weight of 3.38 pounds with a 6-cell battery, but the added durability more than makes up for a minor weight increase.

Finally, in the same way that the gray and black exterior and smooth design suits a professional environment, so do the internals. The EliteBook 2540p uses three simple plastic covers on the bottom of the notebook (each held in place with Phillips head screws) so the hard drive, wireless cards and RAM are easily accessible for fast upgrades. There is a fourth tiny expansion slot cover on the bottom of the notebook, which is for the dedicated Bluetooth card. The rest of the notebook interior is protected by Torx screws that should deter employees from messing around inside their work-issued notebooks.

Screen and Audio
The 2540p comes equipped with a 12.1-inch anti-glare widescreen with a typical WXGA resolution. At 1280 x 800 pixels, the display displays fine details without making things too small to work comfortably while on the move. Of course, the resolution might be limiting if you use the notebook as a mobile video and photo editing platform, but most people interested in a 12-inch notebook aren't editing high-resolution photos on the road.

When viewing the screen from straight ahead, colors are rich and contrast is excellent. Full-screen movies look quite good, with deep blacks and good viewing angles. Horizontal viewing angles are particularly impressive so you shouldn't have trouble showing a presentation to multiple people sitting at a desk. The vertical viewing angle from above starts to wash out at extreme angles and colors begin to invert from below, but most users won't view the screen from high above or far below.

The built-in speaker is above average with a good range of highs, middles and acceptable lows that don't sound "tinny" like most mono speakers. High volume settings are more than loud enough to fill a small office with sound for a presentation, but are still clear and not horribly distorted. The only negative about the speaker is its location.

The speaker is located on the bottom front edge of the notebook, so the sound isn't projected upward at the user when the EliteBook is used as a laptop. In fact, our staff usually refers to laptop speakers with this type of placement as "crotch speakers" because the speakers are directing sound to your lap and waist rather than your ears. If you're using the 2540p on your desk, this isn't much of a problem, but if you're a road warrior constantly working from your lap then you might be annoyed by the speaker placement.

The headphone jack on the 2540p works well with two different brands of earphones I used during the test. No static or other noise was noticed through the jack besides imperfections in the audio source itself.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard's layout is slightly different than what you might find on other HP consumer notebooks. The individual key presses are quiet without loud clicking sounds as you type. Keys are flatter and have a little less space in between them. The key spacing had to make room for the addition of the pointstick.

The EliteBook 2540p also includes the same keyboard light as the larger EliteBook notebooks. Press the tiny light bulb button above the screen and a small LED pops out and shines down on the keyboard. The light isn't very bright, but it's bright enough so that if you're on an airplane for example, you can still see the keyboard in the dark without annoying the person next to you.

Above the keyboard rests a series of touch-sensitive media buttons similar to other HP consumer notebooks. There is an Info, Wi-Fi Toggle, Presentation Mode and Mute touch buttons on the glossy strip. Additionally, next to the Mute button is a volume control slider that can be used by sliding your finger across that area. One nice addition on the 2540p is a touchpad disable button that allows you to turn it off and just use the pointstick for moving the mouse cursor.

The touchpad also features DuraFinish so that oils from your fingertip don't build up on the surface and make the touchpad look weathered after just a few months. The Synaptics touchpad was very responsive to my touch, and the two rubber mouse buttons are quiet and about the right size. There is also a secondary set of mouse buttons above the touchpad to work with the pointstick that comes with all 2540p notebooks. The pointstick is amazingly accurate and comfortable to use.

Ports and Features
The EliteBook 2540p offers an excellent port selection, but depending on the model configuration, your options can change. For example the model without a built-in optical drive has a 2.5-inch hard drive and an extra USB port.

Left side: AC-power input, modem jack, one USB 2.0 port, optical drive

Right side: ExpressCard/34 slot, SDHC-card reader, FireWire, headset jack, USB port, VGA-out, DisplayPort-out, docking connector, Kensington Lock slot

Rear side: Ethernet, six-cell battery, two USB 2.0 ports

Front side: There are no ports on the front, just indicator lights and the mono speaker located on the bottom.

Performance and Benchmarks
System performance was very good and above what you might expect to see compared to thin and light notebooks on the market right now. The HP EliteBook 2540p and Lenovo ThinkPad X201 are the smallest powerhouse notebooks available today. We used the ThinkPad X201s for comparison because it has the same Core i7-640LM processor. The faster X201 would be equivalent to the base model 2540p, which has the faster Core i5-540m processor and a 7200RPM 2.5-inch hard drive. Both models excel at offering desktop-level performance in every way except 3-D performance. The Intel GMA HD graphics is better than previous generations but still lags behind a dedicated graphics card.

The Core i7-640LM can easily decode 720P or 1080P video, play HD Flash and even encoded movies in iTunes. The only system performance complaint that we found was the rather slow 1.8-inch hard drive in configurations that come with an optical drive. The model we were sent for review used a Toshiba drive that peaked at just under 50MB/s. Users looking for higher levels of performance should probably go with the non-optical drive setup that lets you install a standard 2.5-inch drive or configure the system with a SSD.

wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

CrystalDiskMark storage drive performance test:

Heat and Noise
Under normal and even stressful operating conditions, the EliteBook 2540p kept cool and didn't become uncomfortably warm. The palmrest and most of the keyboard stayed just above room temperature, even under a stressful load, which is what we like to see on small notebooks. The bottom half of the notebook formed some hot spots near the exhaust vent, but only when the system was under stress.

Noise under a full processor load - heard only while running benchmarks - was just above what you might consider a whisper. Under normal activity, the system fan either turned off completely or stayed at a very slow speed.

Battery
The HP EliteBook 2540p offers very good battery life, but still fell short of what the Lenovo ThinkPad X201s offered with its 6-cell battery. In our battery test with the screen brightness reduced to 70%, Wi-Fi active and Windows 7 set to the balanced profile, the system stayed on for 6 hours and 1 minute. The ThinkPad X201s managed 7 hours and 13 minutes in the same test, and the primary difference is the lack of an onboard optical drive.

Battery life can also be extended using the "power saver" power profile in Windows 7 or with a 9-Cell (93WHr) battery.

Conclusion
The HP EliteBook 2540p easily ranks among the better 12-inch ultraportable business notebooks we've seen. It offers exceptional build quality and a well-crafted design on par with its main competitor, the ThinkPad X201, and offers a very similar parts configuration. In terms of beating the competition, the 2540p offers a built-in optical drive whereas the ThinkPad X201 doesn't. For some users this isn't generally a problem and the X201 managed to get higher battery life figures from the same hardware configuration sans optical drive even with a higher resolution screen.

When it comes down to which company makes a better business notebook, I think HP and Lenovo both offer exceptional products. Although in the end, it's about the look and feel you prefer. The HP EliteBook series offers a more refined brushed-metal appearance, while the ThinkPad line has a more rugged rubberized-paint old school-look. Overall, both notebooks deserve equal consideration if you're looking to buy a 12-inch business notebook.

Pros:

• Great build quality
• Good looks
• Excellent keyboard

Cons:

• Very costly to customize
• Slow 1.8-inch hard drive

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Review HP Envy 13

Last year, HP claimed to "redefine the premium notebook PC" when the company unveiled the new HP Envy 13. This 13-inch notebook offers high-performance, power-efficient processors, ATI switchable graphics, lightweight aluminum and magnesium construction, and features a bright screen with amazing color depth for exceptional picture viewing and video playback. On paper, the Envy 13 promises to be everything you want in a laptop. Keep reading to find out if this premium notebook is worth its premium price tag.

Our HP Envy 13 Specifications:

• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SL9600 (2.13GHz, 6M Cache, 1066 MHz FSB)
• 3GB DDR3 SDRAM (1066MHz)
• 250GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive
• 13.3-inch diagonal High Definition LED HP Radiance Infinity Widescreen Display (1366x768)
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 Graphics (512MB) with Intel X4500M integrated switchable graphics
• External Slot Blu-Ray ROM with SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer with 2 USB Ports
• Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
• Dimensions: 12.59"(W) x 8.46"(D) x 0.8"(H)
• Weight: 3.75 pounds (not including weight of AC adapter).
• 4-cell 41Wh battery
• One-year standard warranty
• MSRP: $1,924.99

Build and Design
The Envy 13 marks a significant design departure for HP. Gone is the glossy HP Imprint finish that was common to its Pavilion line, and plastic has given way to aluminum and magnesium alloy. The simple magnesium lid doesn't feature any kind of eye-catching design, but we appreciate the emphasis on function over form. This is one of the most durable lids we've seen on a 13-inch consumer notebook and should easily withstand any use and abuse from most owners. We applied significant force to make the lid flex, which means the screen should be well-protected inside your laptop bag or backpack.

Build quality remains very good thanks to a solid chassis and durable components throughout. The etched-metal palmrest provides an interesting combination of style and support. The magnesium palmrests don't flex like typical plastic palmrests and the etched pattern is a subtle way to add a splash of creativity to a typically boring area of the notebook. I suspect the recessed etching might collect dust and dirt over time, but the etching is shallow enough that you can probably clean it with a microfiber cloth.

People who like to upgrade their computers on their own by adding extra RAM, a new hard drive, or other aftermarket features will be in for a rude awakening with the Envy 13. HP built this notebook with an emphasis on the thin form factor and clean lines. There aren't easy-access panels on the bottom of the notebook or quick release tabs for the keyboard. Getting inside the Envy 13 isn't a task for the faint of heart. If you decide to upgrade it yourself, you'll need to remove four rubber feet from the bottom of the notebook in order to expose recessed screws, then remove the battery and several additonal screws before finally removing the entire bottom plate. Given the complexity of disassembly, you're probably better off purchasing upgrades when you buy the notebook rather than trying it on your own.

The ENVY 13 and 15 are packaged in new "green" yet stylish paper carton boxes using minimal ink. To further HP's environmentally-friendly goals, the only paperwork included in the packaging is a simplified setup poster. All additional documentation - from the user manual to the warranty guides - are contained on a SD card in the box. The power adapter, VGA display adapter and optional external Blu-ray drive fit neatly inside storage spaces beneath the notebook.

Screen and Speakers
The 13.3-inch "HP Radiance" display is roughly twice as bright as other notebook displays of the same size – 410 nit brightness – and this helps compensate for the glossy surface covering the screen. It also allows you to cleary see the screen even under direct sunlight. This LED-backlit display offers 82 percent color gamut (versus the standard 45-60 percent on other notebooks), so photos have more intense color saturation and video "pops" off the screen. Of course, if you're a photography enthusiast you might want to tone down the colors on this display since they are a bit too rich compared to natural colors. Viewing angles are average, though at first glance, the screen looks better since the intense color depth masks the typical signs of color shift and inversion at steep viewing angles.

The built-in stereo speakers carry the "Beats Audio by Dr. Dre" branding which suggests a premium listening experience. In our test lab, the results weren't as impressive as the "Beats" brand implies. The speakers produce clear sound with plenty of volume but bass is lacking and the overall sound quality is rather tinny; akin to listening to music from inside an aluminum can. Headphones are the best option to enjoy music and movies from the notebook. Another alternative is using the HDMI-out to pass digital audio to a home stereo.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The full-size island-style or "Chiclet" keyboard is a welcome change from HP's previous keyboards and provides excellent key spacing and support. Most of our editors agree that the 13-inch form-factor is a perfect compromise between size and user comfort when typing. Too small, and the palmrest won't support your wrists. Any bigger, and the notebook ceases to be travel-friendly. Key action is smooth and quiet with a mild click emitted when you fully press a key. Key wiggle is minimal and individual key depth or "throw" is perfect. We didn't notice any keyboard flex on the underlying support struicture even when we pressed forcefully on the keys. In short, the Envy 13 keyboard is among the best we've used on a 13-inch notebook.

The Envy 13 offers a large and spacious Synaptics touchpad with integrated touchpad buttons. HP calls this a "Clickpad" but that name feels odd to me. When it comes to size, this is one of the nicest touchpads I've used on a 13-inch notebook - with a few exceptions. If you are someone who rests your thumb on a touchpad button and moves the cursor with one of your other fingers, you will need to learn to use the touchpad in a completely different way. The cursor will often jump from one finger to another when the thumb is resting since the entire touchpad surface is being used. You can get past this dilemma by using one finger to move the cursor and then use the "tap to click" setting to click on icons. The touchpad is just too sensitive for two fingers.

Ports and Features
Port selection is disappointing on the Envy 13. You get a SD card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI out and a combo audio jack. This is simply depressing since most 11-inch notebooks offer more. Frankly, given the cost of the notebook and the amount of unused space around the edges, HP could at least add one more USB port as well as FireWire or eSATA. On a more positive note there are three large heat vents on the sides and back, so at least overheating shouldn't be a problem.

Performance and Benchmarks
System performance with the Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor is average and not particularly impressive considering the price. The dual-core processor is more than capable of handling multiple applications with minimal lag, but if you're going to pay almost $2,000 for a notebook, you want serious performance. The SL9600 underperforms against the older Core 2 Duo P8400 used in last year's 13-inch MacBook Pro. That said, the Envy 13 still offers noticeably faster application switching and file conversion than cheaper notebooks using the Intel CULV class processors.

The Envy 13's graphics solution is more interesting than the processor. The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 Graphics card with 512MB of dedicated memory and Intel X4500M integrated switchable graphics means the Envy 13 offers the best of both worlds: You get performance for HD video and gameplay and extreme battery life when on the road. HP set up the Envy 13 so that the ATI discrete graphics are always enabled when the power adapter is plugged in and the Intel integrated graphis are always used when it's running on battery power. You can switch these default graphics settings using the display menu in Windows, but we would have liked to see a keyboard shortcut to quickly force the laptop into discrete or intergrated graphics modes.

Wprime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

HDTune storage drive performance test:

Heat and Noise
System temperatures stayed within normal ranges with the dual-core processor. The hard drive cavity was noticeably warm, but the temperature wasn't uncomfortable. Noise levels were about average for a computer of this size, but the fan runs at a constant low hum even when the notebook is running on battery power. If you need absolute silence in your workspace then the Envy 13 might not be an attractive option. If you don't mind subtle white noise in your daily routine, then you might not even notice the fan when it's running on battery.

Battery Life
Battery life with the 41Wh Li-Ion battery and the L9600 processor is good for a 13-inch notebook running on integrated graphics. In our test with the screen brightness set to 70%, Windows 7 set to the "HP Recommended" power profile, and wireless active, the system stayed on for 6 hours and 55 minutes before going into standby mode. Power consumption during this test floated around 6 watts. When we plugged the external Blu-ray drive in, the battery life dropped to just under three hours while watching DVDs. HP also offers an optional second 6-cell battery "slice" that connects to the bottom of the Envy 13 and covers the entire bottom surface of the laptop. Although this essentially doubles the thickness of the notebook, HP claims it more than doubles the system's running time.

Conclusion
Without a doubt, the Envy 13 is among the most innovative consumer notebooks that HP has ever created. However, it still feels like HP engineers spent too much time and effort trying to make a "MacBook alternative" and missed the mark completely. Yes, the Envy 13 offers exceptional build quality, a fantastic keyboard, good battery life and a stylish design, but it lacks a number of ports and is more expensive than a 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The Envy 13 is a nice laptop, but few of our editors would rush to buy one for its starting price of $1,500. Here's some advice for HP and other PC manufacturers: If you want to make a MacBook subsitute, don't try to copy the MacBook. There are many PCs out there that are more compelling than Macs in terms of design, features, and price, so think outside the box - or, at least, outside the Apple.

Pros:

• Excellent build quality
• Great keyboard
• Cool "green" packaging

Cons:

• Expensive
• Overly sensitive touchpad
• Limited number of ports

Individual Ratings: *
Software & Support
Upgrade Capabilities
Usability
Design
Performance
Features
Price/Value Rating
* Ratings averaged to produce final score

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