Review: HP Envy 4 Ultrabook

Just like a tablet, the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is thin and light.

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With tablets currently dominating the market, it would not be unfair to say laptops may soon become exhibitions in museums. Two weeks with the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook convinced me that yes, tablets are here to stay, but as far as I can see, there isn't much that separates them from Ultrabooks.

I think HP designed this device for those who can't make a choice between a tablet PC and a mainstream notebook.

Just like a tablet, the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is thin and light. In fact, at just 19.8mm and under 1.75kg, the computer is slim and light enough to take anywhere. This makes it compete with the likes of the ultra-light Mac Book Air.

The Envy 4's chassis is very attractive. It has a flat, aluminium cover with rounded edges and a small silver HP logo in the lower left corner.

Upon opening it, the Envy 4 does not disappoint, especially if one takes a closer look at the keyboard and screen. First, the keyboard deck sports an imposing black colour and also has back-lighting capabilities, which can be turned on and off depending on the user's needs.

It features a standard QWERTY keyboard, and keys with curved corners making typing effortless.

Another feature worth mentioning is the Envy 4's track pad, which offers enough room to play around with when using the device. The track pad is smooth and responsive when manipulating the cursor. It also supports multi-touch gestures, which are fairly smooth, and has a small box in the upper left corner that can be double-tapped to toggle the track pad on and off.

The material used on the Ultrabook's top is a letdown. Though it looks attractive, it is not so friendly when used with sweaty hands. You have to make sure your hands are absolutely dry hands before touching the device to avoid fingerprints.

The HP Envy 4 Ultrabook features Microsoft's Windows 8; a third generation Intel Core-i5 dual-core processor; and boasts Beats Audio speakers.

Now to the screen, which, I am sure, is one of the biggest selling points. The 14-inch screen packs a resolution of 1 366 x 768 pixels. This reasonably sharp display makes it perfect for watching videos or Web browsing.

As a Hip Hop fan, my curiosity got the better of me upon noticing the Beats by Dr Dre logo on cover of the Ultrabook. The sound system did not disappoint at all, so a big thumps up to HP from me for partnering with Beats by Dr Dre.

Thanks to built-in Beats Audio, dual speakers and a subwoofer, one can watch movies or play music without needing to amplify the sound system. However, this may not be enough for some.

I particularly enjoyed gaming on this device. With the high resolution screen and rich sound blowing me away.

Inside the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is Intel's Core i3-2367M clocked at 1.4GHz, backed by 6GB of RAM. This makes the device's performance well up to standard. I had no problem multi-tasking, which is one of the Envy 4's biggest selling points for me.

Opening programs and windows is quick and easy and it handled multiple open tabs and high-definition video playback without problem.

The battery life of the Ultrabook is also something worth mentioning. According to HP, the machine can go up to nine hours without recharging. However, when in full use, it clocked about half of this. Which is not what they say it can do, but isn't bad either. Users can conserve battery life by manipulating brightness, or turning off WiFi and Bluetooth.

HP's CoolSense technology automatically adjusts the Ultrabook's temperature based on usage and surrounding conditions. The device also boasts HP's ProtectSmart, which protects data in the event of an accidental bump.

Users can connect to this device in multiple ways. There are three USB ports (two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0), plus an HDMI-out, Ethernet, an SD card slot, and a Kensington lock slot.

However, putting two USBs next to each other proved a little bit of a challenge. HP could have done a better job spacing these out. It also has separate microphone and headphone jacks, unlike other Ultrabooks, which typically have a combined jack.

The Envy 4 retails for R8 699, which, I'm sure, is quite pricey for the local market. However, the price is reasonable considering what the device offers.

To sum up, the HP Envy 4 Ultrabook is a cool and sleek device; handy for those who are on the go. Those looking for something between a mainstream laptop and a tablet should definitely consider the Envy 4.