HP Envy 13 laptop Review - a full hands-on

HP's Envy range is the company's range-topping brand, looking to take on Apple's MacBook Pro, Dell's Adamo and Sony's high-end VAIO models. The Envy 13 is the smallest model in the range, and we’re the first publication in the UK to get a full look at a review sample.

The 13.3-inch screen offers incredible colour reproduction, with warm whites and deep blacks that make photographs and films come to life. It's also very sharp, with more than enough space to multi-task. That said, the edge-to-edge glossy coating won't appeal to all users - it looks good, but it's simply too reflective to use in direct sunlight.

You'll be able to switch between an integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD chipset and a dedicated ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics card, ideally offering the best compromise between power and battery life. In practice, however, we found battery life lasted for just 152 minutes, severely limiting portability.

If you do need all-day use, you'll be able to purchase an additional battery slice, which HP claims offers up to 16 hours away from a power point. We’ve not had the chance to put it to the test yet, but keep an eye out here for full benchmark results.  Using the ATi graphics card, the Envy does at least offer a surprising amount of 3D power, with older games and multimedia tasks dispatched with ease.

The keyboard is one of the best we've seen to feature an isolated style - the keys stick up through individual holes in the chassis as they do on the latest Sony and Apple models - but they feature a longer travel here. As such, it's very comfortable to use for long periods of use. The keys also move with a reassuring click, and the quality is excellent.

The touchpad is one of the largest we've seen on a laptop, and it's easy to navigate the operating system using it.  We're not fans of the integrated mouse buttons though - they may increase the size of the touchpad itself, but they also require an overly firm press to register.

The quality of this laptop sets it apart from nearly every other Windows-based laptop currently on the market, and has a lot more in common with Apple's MacBook Pro range than just the curved design. It's very thin - at 21mm in depth - and the aluminium chassis offers incredible strength. The lid is also finished in aluminium, offering a premium feel. Despite the use of a dedicated graphics card, we found it remained relatively cool to the touch.

The inclusion of just two USB ports will put off some users, and there’s also no built-in optical drive. An external DVD rewriter is included as standard though, and it also features two extra USB ports, which is a nice touch. A memory card lets you easily transfer files between this and other digital devices, and Bluetooth is also built-in for wireless connections. 802.11n Wi-Fi lets you join home and office networks, with a plug-in adapter that offers an Ethernet port.

With amazing quality and a neat design, there’s a lot to like about the Envy 13, but there’s no getting away from the high price. The finish and design is eerily similar to Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Pro, so that it costs more than 50 per cent more is inexcusable.