Sarah Tew/CNET
It’s not significantly low cost, or significantly quick, or significantly mild or significantly… something. But the HP Envy 17 is a classy on a regular basis workhorse laptop computer that I like with a big, 17-inch display that provides it a bit of further productiveness oomph for distant work or college. You find yourself paying further for a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX330 graphics processor that you do not really want, which bumps it out of “good deal” territory, but it surely’s definitely nonetheless a very good laptop computer for the cash.
LikeSleek-looking and properly constructedGood keyboard, albeit with poorly positioned energy button
Don’t Like4K display could be very reflectiveCould use one other USB-C connection or two
Now that I haven’t got to schlep a laptop computer between residence and the workplace, I’ve grow to be fairly a fan of 17-inch fashions. If you are working or distant education with only a single laptop computer display, then choosing 17 inches may help fairly a bit. Even if you cannot successfully quantify the benefits — you possibly can match three extra worksheet columns on the display! — for some purpose the marginally larger display goes an extended approach to making it really feel much less cramped. Prices for the Envy 17 vary from round $1,000 to $1,800, relying upon the configuration, although it is hardly an option-fest. All fashions incorporate a quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor and Nvidia GeForce MX330 graphics; you possibly can select between the 1,920×1,080-pixel FHD or 3,840×2,160 UHD shows (an additional $290), from 8GB to 32GB of reminiscence (an additional $50 to bump to 12GB or 16GB and $220 to leap to 32GB from 16GB) or a handful of storage configurations beginning at 512GB SSD plus 32GB Optane (to speed up it) and topping off at 1TB SSD.
To me, the $1,100 setup, which is the bottom configuration however with 16GB reminiscence as a substitute of 8GB, is the very best worth if you are going to go together with the Envy; if you happen to’re so budget-constrained that you could solely afford the 8GB and nonetheless need an HP, then I recommend you think about dropping all the way down to the generic HP Laptop 17. It’s not as fairly and is slower, but it surely will also be had for properly underneath $1,000. You could wish to take into consideration options, as properly, similar to a Dell Inspiron 17 3000. HP Envy 17 (2020)
Price as reviewed
$1,350 (roughly)
Display dimension/decision
17.2-inch 3,840×2,160 pixels
PC CPU
Intel Core i7-1065G7
PC Memory
16GB 3,200 MHz DDR4
Graphics
2GB Nvidia GeForce MX330
Storage
512GB SSD, SD card slot
Ports
1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 1x HDMI, 1x audio
Networking
Intel AX201 WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0
Operating system
Microsoft Windows Home (1909)
Weight
6.0 kilos (2.7 kg)
FHD on a 17-inch display is okay. I like 4K, however you do not really want it on a 17-inch display — until you wish to cram extra onto it, which is the most important purpose to get the 17-inch over a 15-inch. In different phrases, FHD, 4K or every other decision shows the identical quantity of content material on all screens, it is simply larger on bigger screens as a result of it is unfold out over a bigger space. If you might have imaginative and prescient points, it may well assist when every thing is greater, although.The Envy 17’s configuration decisions within the UK are completely different — the closest choice to our take a look at configuration is the FHD touchscreen mannequin for £1,150 — and it appears like HP Australia would not consider in an Envy 17.
Ultimately, it comes all the way down to the truth that you are paying a premium for the Nvidia GeForce MX330 graphics processor, but it surely’s not a lot quicker than the built-in Iris Plus graphics within the Intel chip and it is lots slower than stepping as much as an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650. The one place its 2GB of graphics reminiscence could show you how to is to offer light-weight however immensely widespread video games like Fortnite a small increase. The Envy 17 has a skinny profile, but it surely nonetheless weighs a not-insubstantial 6 kilos (2.7 kg).
Sarah Tew/CNET
While I’d love one other USB-C connection (or 12), one is fairly typical for this class of laptops. It in any other case has a high-quality choice of connectors, together with HDMI and three USB-A, plus an SD card slot. The touchpad and keyboard really feel fairly good, and there is a standalone fingerprint sensor between the appropriate alt key and left arrow, a wise location that gives a useless zone between the 2, stopping unintended keystrokes.The audio system sound fairly good, so long as you tweak it within the B&O utility. The HP Optimized setting is blecch. Webcam video appears fairly typical — noisy in low mild and hotspots on my face in respectable mild, however nothing past Zoom’s capability to course of into passability — and also you undoubtedly wish to maintain the noise cancellation on for the built-in mic array.I discovered the 4K display too reflective; high-quality on predominantly shiny screens, usually with white backgrounds, however annoying for darkish screens, say, watching moody motion pictures and exhibits, even in dim circumstances.Possibly the worst placement of the facility button I’ve seen to this point.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Because it would not attempt to be ultrathin or ultralight, the Envy does handle to eke higher efficiency out of the identical processor than the LG Gram 17, however that trade-off goes the opposite manner on the subject of battery life. It did handle to final a decent 7.5 hours on our streaming video take a look at, although.If you are serious about going 17 inches together with your subsequent laptop computer, you could possibly do lots worse than the HP Envy 17 and might need to analysis a bit to do higher. But you will most likely be pleased sufficient if you happen to cease wanting proper right here.Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Geekbench 5 (single-core)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Geekbench 5 (Vulkan)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Cinebench R20 CPU (multicore)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Video playback battery drain take a look at (Streaming)
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency (in minutes)
System configurations
LG Gram 17 (2020)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1903) 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3.2GHz; 128MB (devoted) Intel Iris Graphics; 512GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga C940 (15-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-9750H; 16GB DDR4 RAM 2,667MHz; 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q design; 512GB SSD
HP Envy 17 (2020)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (1909) 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-1065G7; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 3.2GHz; Nvidia GeForce MX330; 512GB SSD