HP Envy x360 13
HP GIVES ITS SLIMLINE 2-IN-1 LAPTOP AN AMD UPGRADE.
CHIP MAKER AMD is on a roll at the moment, having recently announced its new third-gen Ryzen CPUs. But that’s a desktop processor. What of its mobile offerings?
Enter the HP Envy x360 13 2-in-1 convertible. It’s not an entirely new laptop. Indeed, we’ve seen it before last year. But it has been upgraded with AMD’s latest 3000-series APU. The previous version of the Envy x360 13 made do with the AMD Ryzen 2000 series chip and didn’t entirely blow us away with either its outright performance or battery life.
Question is, has AMD upped its game with its new mobile processor? If so, what was already a very appealing and nicely engineered 2-in-1 13-inch laptop will step up another level and offer an intriguing alternative to the obvious Intel-powered options, including the Lenovo Yoga 920. What’s more, with AMD’s Vega graphics integrated into its mobile CPUs, dare we dream a bit of light gaming capability has been thrown into the equation?
DESIGN
With its anodised all-aluminium chassis, the HP Envy x360 13 does a pretty passable impression of a true high-end 2-in-1 portable.
In terms of build, the HP Envy x360 13 (2019) feels solid and sturdy with little to no flex in the chassis. The same goes for its 360-degree hinge, allowing for conversion into tablet mode. You get the sense it’s been engineered to last.
With slim bezels on two out of three sides of the display, the HP Envy x360 13 is reasonably compact, too. However, the Envy’s bottom bezel makes for a hefty old chin. It’s most noticeable in table mode, even if it’s an issue shared with most 2-in-1 convertibles. The recent trend for near
all-screen laptops has yet to trickle down to the 2-in-1 segment.
Subjectively, the HP Envy x360 13 also feels at least as slim and sleek as the likes of, say, the Lenovo Yoga 920, despite the fact that the official numbers say otherwise. That said, it’s still just thick enough to offer a pair of full-size USB Type-A ports in 3.1 spec.
SOUND AND VISION
Speaking of those Bang & Olufsen speakers, their performance is pretty disappointing. The likes of a 12-inch Macbook, which is a thinner and lighter device, knocks out not only more volume but also much better definition. Not all tie ins with audio specialists, it seems, truly deliver.
As for the HP Envy x360’s 13-inch touch screen, it’s about as good as you could reasonably expect at this price point. Thanks to IPS technology, colors are accurate and the viewing angles of the panel itself are excellent, while maximum brightness levels are good though not stellar and the Gorilla Glass cover does introduce some reflections.
The native 1,920 by 1,080 resolution is a limiting factor in terms of outright detail and font sharpness. But it’s still a pleasing display and a higher resolution panel would have an impact in terms of both price and battery life.
PERFORMANCE & BATTERY LIFE
In terms of pure CPU performance, the new AMD Ryzen 5 3500U doesn’t really move the game on. Its performance doesn’t set new standards for a low-voltage quad-core processor. In fact, Intel’s latest 8th generation Core chips have the edge.
That’s probably because this new mobile chip from AMD – known as an APU because it includes integrated graphics – is actually based on the original Zen CPU architecture (Zen+ if you’re being really picky), not the second generation Zen design recently announced as part of the new AMD Ryzen 3000 series desktop family. That’s rather confusing given the 3000 series branding of this mobile processor.
Nor does the Ryzen 5 3500U shake things up from a graphics perspective. Despite AMD’s reputation for high quality graphics technology, it’s barely any quicker than Intel’s integrated graphics.
There’s better news when it comes to battery life, however. By racking up over nine hours in our movie playback test, this new AMD variant of the HP Envy x360 13 gets a lot closer to the Intel-powered competition.
Admittedly, some 2-in-1s like the Lenovo Yoga C930 will do over 13 hours in the same test. But then they’re typically also more expensive. You pays your money and you takes your choice, in other words.
VERDICT
Thanks to a price that’s currently pretty punchy, the HP Envy x360 13 is a compelling proposition. The chassis has a premium feel and the 2-in-1 element works well even if the screen’s large chin bezel ensures you never forget it’s not a true tablet.
The performance of the new AMD Ryzen APU may not be anything special, but it’s competitive with the Intel quad-core alternative, especially given the price point. The same goes for battery life. It’s not as good as more expensive Intel-powered systems. But then it costs less. And if nine hours of video playback is good enough for you, why pay more?
Similarly, the HP Envy x360’s 13-inch 1080p screen is another element that falls into the ‘good enough given the price point’ column. Some might prefer a high resolution panel, but that’s not hugely realistic without paying considerably more.
All told, the HP Envy x360 13’s is all about offering a value proposition without making you feel like you cheaped out. If you fancy that premium feel but only want to pay mid-tier money, you should put the HP Envy x360 13 on your shortlist.
WITH ITS ANODISED ALLALUMINIUM CHASSIS, THE HP ENVY X360 13 DOES A PRETTY PASSABLE IMPRESSION OF A TRUE HIGH-END 2-IN-1 PORTABLE.