HP Envy x360 15 (2021) overview: A huge convertible that ticks the factual bins

The HP Envy x360 15 is one thing of an weird and wonderful duck within the computer computer world. You don’t look a variety of 15-gallop laptops with touchscreens that flip into pill mode, presumably thanks to the performance and weight compromises. Laptops of this size furthermore on the general include discrete graphics cards, whereas most Envy x360 15 variants attain no longer.

Composed, the Envy x360 15 manages to protect its have. Its $1,000 list label is low-price given its specs. Despite the indisputable truth that the convertible effect isn’t of noteworthy ardour, the Envy x360 15 is mute price brooding about as a enticing 15-gallop computer computer in this label vary.

This overview is fragment of our ongoing roundup of the most efficient laptops. Traipse there for data on competing units and how we examined them.

There’s one caveat: At the time this overview posted, the on hand Envy x360 15 units provided a level to with a most brightness of 250 nits. The camouflage within the one we examined has a most brightness of 400 nits. As an instance, this identical mannequin that’s $990 at Finest Steal has the dimmer point to. Blame the pandemic for offer and shipping concerns. Any Envy x360 15 you expend must feature in regards to the identical in any other case, however you would are attempting to sit up for the brighter camouflage when you’re employed outdoors or in sparkling indoor stipulations.

Tech specs

Our HP Envy x360 15 overview unit, which lists for $1,000 on HP.com (when on hand), involves the following specs:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700U
• Reminiscence: 16GB DDR4-3200
• Storage: 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
• Display camouflage: 15.6-gallop 1080p touchscreen (400 nits’ most brightness)
• Webcam: 720p 
• Fingerprint reader
• Connectivity, left aspect: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (SuperSpeed 10Gbps), USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (SuperSpeed 5Gbps), headphone jack, HDMI 2.0
• Connectivity, factual aspect: Vitality adapter, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (SuperSpeed 5Gbps), SD card reader
• Dimensions: 14.13 x 8.98 x 0.72 inches
• Weight: 4.11 kilos (4.71 with vitality brick)

Jared Newman / IDG

Like many varied HP laptops, the Envy x360 15 is extremely configurable. There are variations with as little as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and with the 250-nit and 400-nit point to alternatives, as great above. Intel variants are on hand as wisely, alongside side ones with Nvidia GeForce MX450 graphics.

Some units furthermore have devoted amount pads—our unit does no longer—and HP continues to promote units with AMD’s Ryzen 4000-sequence CPUs. (Sign, on the opposite hand, that the 5700U CPU reviewed right here makes use of AMD’s older Zen 2 structure.) Pay extra-stop attention to the configuration you’re procuring, as the tech specs and corresponding ride can vary.

Jared Newman / IDG

One constant: Your total laptops have gigantic port decisions, alongside side two excessive-flee USB-A ports, USB-C, HDMI 2.0, and a beefy-sized SD card slot. HP’s inclusion of a 65W barrel charger is a bit disappointing provided that right here’s mute a quite mild-weight PC, however the computer computer does settle for a label by process of its sole USB-C port when you carry your have charger.

Create and point to

As compared with HP’s excessive-stay Spectre sequence, Envy laptops are inclined to be extra reserved in their designs. There’s no “gem-slit” pattern or gold neat, however you mute gather a sturdy aluminum chassis and edge-to-edge point to glass. Our unit got right here in dismal grey, though HP furthermore sells variations in silver and faded gold.

At 4.11 kilos, the Envy is severely heavier and bulkier than convertible laptops with 13- or 14-gallop shows, and it won’t match easily into runt-to-medium streak baggage. That procedure or no longer you will deserve to imagine long and laborious about whether the extra camouflage true estate is price the sacrifice in portability.

Jared Newman / IDG

The point to has its united statesand downs. All Envy x360 units include 1920×1080 resolution shows, with out a alternatives for 1440p or 4K. You’ll gape the pixilation on that 15-gallop panel extra than that it is likely you’ll on laptops with smaller shows. The point to touts 100-p.c sRGB color gamut toughen, on the opposite hand, and the tip brightness of 400 nits on our unit is most efficient enough to protect legible outdoors on a sunny day. 

Keyboard and trackpad

Typing is a pleasure on the HP Envy x360’s backlit keyboard. The keys give off a delightful tactile bump, and they actuate even when you hit factual the nook of a key with your fingernail. That procedure you won’t flee into typing mistakes by no longer hitting a key at ineffective heart. It’s no longer a truly mute typing ride, though: Whereas the foremost keys are still, the spacebar and backspace keys are on the clicky aspect.

Again, point to that our overview unit has no numerical pad, so the keyboard is centered with speakers on either aspect. Excel pros would per chance well are attempting to judge out the alternate keyboard, however the effect on our unit is a ways better for day to day writing, and southpaws can even goal worship its centered trackpad.

Jared Newman / IDG

HP must furthermore gather some credit score for stretching its trackpad to blueprint stop assist of the 15-gallop computer computer’s huge footprint. Whereas the clicking mechanism has the identical affliction as most Dwelling windows laptops attain—it will get more sturdy to click attain the tip edge—that turns into less of a self-discipline when you would have extra surface self-discipline to click on within the main reputation. The trackpad furthermore has a orderly-gentle surface and helps Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad method, akin to three-finger swipes to mutter the desktop or the multitasking menu.

Webcam, security, audio

Now we gather to the fragment of the overview that’s quite noteworthy the identical all over all better-stay Dwelling windows laptops. Middling 720p webcam? Take a look at. Fingerprint reader? Take a look at. Privateness shutter for the camera? Take a look at.

Yes, the HP Envy x360 15 has all of those issues, though it’s price noting the reveal procedure HP implements its privateness method: As a replace of a shutter that you bodily disappear over the camera, the Envy x360 15 keyboard has convenient extinguish swap keys for each and every the camera and the microphone. Hitting the faded does in actuality throw up a visible duvet over the webcam, whereas the latter portions to an easy method to still your self on Zoom calls. Each and every keys furthermore have indicator lights to prevent unintended muting.

Jared Newman / IDG

As for audio, the Envy x360’s speakers pack a reliable punch, though they don’t sound in particular crisp and also you won’t gape a huge bass response. The computer computer’s dual microphones are extra of a standout, producing loud and clear audio for videoconferencing.

A bloatware disclaimer

Whereas preloaded tool is a passe fragment of the Dwelling windows computer computer ride, HP mute deserves some scorn for having extra stressful bloatware than most. After setup, you’re bombarded with stressful notifications, alongside side a nag to make use of Dropbox and an strive to alter your default search engine. McAfee antivirus is pre-loaded, however merely uninstalling the core program doesn’t take the general firm’s tool–you would have to take a separate Internet Consultant program to protect the firm from scanning your downloads. The firm furthermore appears so that you might per chance per chance add its have bookmarks to Microsoft Edge.

All these annoyances can even goal furthermore be removed, in spite of the total lot, however they effect an in any other case comely computer computer feel decidedly user-opposed out of the gate. HP must actually blueprint stop into consideration scaling relieve about a of these items.

Efficiency

AMD will not be any bit participant within the HP Envy x360 15 ride. In our overview unit, the Ryzen 7 5700U CPU turned in impressive benchmark ratings for productiveness, and the built-in Radeon graphics can tackle some mild-weight 3D gaming.

In PCMark 10, which simulates a unfold of productiveness initiatives, the Envy x360 15 maintained a minute edge over several laptops with Intel’s 11th-gen Core i7 processors, with a procure of 5,337. Interestingly, the Envy x360 posted a subpar procure within the “Video Improving” part of this benchmark—3,577, versus 4,769 for HP’s Intel-powered Spectre x360. Other benchmarks that discover appear to avoid wasting this instruct advent computer computer’s status.

Jared Newman / IDG

The Envy x360 15 made remarkably instant work of encoding a huge video file the utilization of the free HandBrake utility. It got the job carried out in 26 minutes and 15 seconds, extra than 10 minutes sooner than in an identical style geared up laptops with Intel Core i7 processors. Ryzen’s eight-core processor must effect it wisely-suited for video encoding, and the greater chassis presents it extra room to disperse heat throughout heavy workloads when when compared with 13- or 14-gallop laptops. Sign that HP furthermore involves air vents alongside the Envy x360 15’s relieve edge, which keeps the computer computer from blowing too noteworthy hot air onto your lap.

Jared Newman / IDG

If HandBrake is a marathon, Cinebench is a stir, a burst of CPU process that we take a look at in each and each-threaded mode, which shows the wants of most mainstream capabilities, and multi-threaded mode, which resembles the demands of extra intensive capabilities akin to video editing. To its credit score, the computer computer’s multi-threaded procure used to be wisely previous that of any Intel-powered computer computer. Single-threaded performance fell relieve to the heart of the pack.

Jared Newman / IDG

For gaming, machines with Intel Xe graphics retain an edge over the Envy x360’s built-in Radeon, as you would also look in 3DMark’s Time Behold take a look at. Even so, HP’s computer computer can eke out some gaming in a pinch when you put together your expectations. Fortnite ran at a gentle 60 frames per 2nd for me at 1080p with medium graphics settings. To my surprise, Hideo Kojima’s post-apocalyptic head-day out Loss of life Stranding used to be factual barely playable at 720p on low settings.

Jared Newman / IDG

Upright don’t inquire stellar battery life. The HP Envy x360 15 lasted for 10 hours and 5 minutes in our looping video rundown take a look at. That’s no longer inappropriate for a 15-gallop computer computer, however you would also look from our comparison chart how smaller laptops are inclined to closing longer, even with identical battery sizes. (Each and every the Envy x360 15 and the Envy 14 have effect capacities of roughly 51Whr, yet the smaller computer computer lasted 5 hours longer.)

Jared Newman / IDG

All this adds as a lot as a solid price for a 15-gallop computer computer, in particular when you factor within the 16GB of RAM and 512GB of solid instruct storage as reviewed. The HP Envy x360 15 performs wisely, has a enticing effect, and involves each and every a huge keyboard and a pleasing array of ports. The convertible touchscreen is factual icing, even supposing it adds a little bit bulk.

• HP Envy x360 15 (2021) ecu0097nr

  Ryzen shines in this plus-sized convertible computer computer, though the larger camouflage has its downsides.

  Professionals

  • Huge performance for the money
  • Slick, understated aluminum effect
  • Broad amount of ports

  Cons

  • Bloatware is stressful
  • No point to alternatives elevated than 1080p
  • Realistic battery life