HP ENVY 13-D002NA

£649 inc VAT • hp.com/uk

Laptops such as the 12in MacBook and Dell XPS 13 are pretty portable, but you’ll struggle to find a computer with a decent-sized screen that’s more portable than the HP Envy 13. It’s incredibly slim and light, and doesn’t cost the earth either. It’s like a MacBook Air, but with more up-to-date hardware. Surprisingly enough, it has power too, using the same dual-core Intel Core i7 CPU you’ll find in larger, pricier systems. Only battery life holds this otherwisedelightful laptop back. And even that isn’t too bad.

Price

For an expensive-looking and feeling laptop, the entry price for the Envy 13 is not too intimidating. Prices start at £649 for the version with an Intel Core i5 CPU and 1080p screen. If you can take the very reasonable bump up to £729, you can get a 4K resolution screen and an Intel Core i7 CPU. Not bad for an extra £80, right?

Our review unit sits between the two, with an Intel Core i7 CPU and a 1080p display. This specification gets you the performance hit without the battery drain tax of a 4K display. Make you sure you consider these when choosing a laptop.

Design

The Envy 13 is a sensationally petite little laptop, particularly for the price. The superstars in this area are the Apple MacBook, which is very expensive and somewhat impractical, and the Asus UX305, which is a true portable star.

HP has managed to put a bit more of a stamp of distinct visual personality on this laptop than the Asus, though. This ultra-light system offers a mix of officiousness and cuteness: an unusual combo. What tells you this is an HP machine is that ultra-big, ultra-rounded touchpad, a staple of the company’s most luxurious lifestyle laptops. It’s ultimately a very sensible, fluff-free machine, though. The hinge doesn’t limbo-lean back any further than normal (around 130 degrees), and it doesn’t have a touchscreen.

The frame is full aluminium, getting you the sort of feel that a few years ago you’d have paid at least £1,000 for. There’s a little bit of flex to the shell, in particular the little strip beneath the touchpad, that tells you it’s not tremendously thick metal, though.

Build Features Performance

Value