HP adds 'sleekbooks' to updated Envy family
HP has introduced new models to its Envy ultrabook line-up at an event in Shanghai, including a new range-topping Spectre device and AMD-based 'sleekbooks'.
The company announced the new additions to its Envy ultrabook family on Wednesday, as well as introducing its first AMD-based devices in the "thin and light" range.
The Envy SpectreXT (pictured above) picks up from its predecessor as HP's highest specified consumer ultrabook and comes with the next generation Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor, 13.3-inch HD display and a 128GB solid state drive (SSD), but can be configured to include a 256GB SSD. HP's claimed battery life is "up to" eight hours.
Design-wise, the SpectreXT falls firmly within the ultrabook category, measuring just 14.5mm thick and weighing in at just under 1.4KG. However, it distinguishes itself from other competitors in the market by offering a wider array of ports, including gigabit ethernet, USB 3.0, SD card slot and HDMI options.
HP is also hoping that pre-installed full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements will help it stand out from the ultrabook crowd. It also comes with a phone-based concierge service, two years free Norton Internet Security and Intel Identity Protection.
There is also a more business-focused version of the SpectreXT, called the SpectreXT Pro which adds a Trusted Protection Module into the mix for extra security and the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional operating system.
An HP spokeswoman told ZDNet UK that the device would be arriving at the end of June with a starting price of £899.
As well as introducing the revamped Spectre devices, HP also introduced new additions to its Envy range, including its first 'sleekbooks' — essentially an ultrabook-like device with an AMD processor. The devices come with 14-inch and 15.6-inch display options and are marketed as the Envy4 and Envy6 respectively, depending on the screen size.
The Envy4 ultrabook can be configured to use Intel's "latest generation" Core i3 or i5 processor and comes with a 14-inch HD display, 500GB hard drive and an optional 32GB mSATA SSD which can be used for caching, rather than data storage, for a faster boot and system resume response. It comes with 4GB of RAM by default. It also includes Intel integrated graphics as standard, but can be configured to include a discrete AMD graphics card.
The 'sleekbook' Envy4 includes many of the same specs as the Intel version but swaps the processor for an AMD APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) and uses a dedicated AMD graphics card by default.
HP said that the 14-inch Envy4, regardless of whether it uses an AMD or Intel processor, will provide up to 9 hours of battery life. The Envy4 is scheduled to arrive in the UK in July, and is priced from £649 for the Intel-based version and from £549 for the AMD option.
The Envy6 shares many of its key specs with its smaller screened sibling and comes with either an Intel or AMD processor and the choice of integrated or discrete graphics but adds a 15.6-inch display in place of the 14-inch, however this does come at the cost of one hour less stated battery life than the smaller version.
The Envy6 is also scheduled to arrive from July but UK pricing details were not available at the time of writing.