HP Envy x360 Review: A Versatile 2-in-1 Laptop
The HP Envy x360 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop designed for creators and professionals who need power, portability, and flexibility. Its convertible design, strong performance, and stunning display make it ideal for both work and entertainment.
HP Envy x360: A Comprehensive Review
Convertible laptops have grown in popularity for their flexibility, allowing users to switch between traditional laptop use and tablet mode. The HP Envy x360 stands out as a top choice in the 2-in-1 laptop market, offering a seamless blend of performance, portability, and design. Whether you’re a professional, creative, or student, the Envy x360 caters to a variety of needs with its 360-degree hinge, touchscreen display, and powerful AMD Ryzen or Intel Core processors.
In this review, we will explore the key aspects of the HP Envy x360, including its design, performance, battery life, display quality, and more. We’ll also provide insights into where to purchase the HP Envy x360 and compare it to other models in its class.
Design and Build Quality: Stylish, Portable, and Flexible
The HP Envy x360 shines when it comes to design. Its sleek, convertible design is both attractive and practical, with a sturdy 360-degree hinge that allows the laptop to transition between different modes, including laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes. This flexibility makes it ideal for users who need a device that can adapt to various work scenarios, from presentations to note-taking to watching videos.
Aluminum Build for a Premium Look and Feel
The Envy x360 features an aluminum chassis, giving it a premium look and feel. The dark ash silver or natural silver finish (depending on the model) adds a touch of sophistication, while the lightweight design ensures that the laptop is easy to carry. Weighing around 4 pounds (depending on the configuration), it strikes a balance between portability and sturdiness, making it suitable for users who are always on the go.
Convertible Flexibility with 360-Degree Hinge
The highlight of the HP Envy x360 is its 360-degree hinge, which allows the laptop to convert into different modes. The hinge feels sturdy and smooth, making it easy to transition between laptop mode (for typing and productivity) and tablet mode (for drawing, reading, or browsing). The tent and stand modes are particularly useful for presentations, video calls, or watching movies, providing multiple viewing angles for different tasks.
Backlit Keyboard for Comfortable Typing
The backlit keyboard is well-designed, offering a comfortable typing experience. The keys have decent travel and tactile feedback, ensuring that typing for extended periods is comfortable. The backlighting is adjustable, making it easy to work in low-light environments. Whether you’re writing reports, answering emails, or working on creative projects, the keyboard is responsive and pleasant to use.
Large Trackpad for Easy Navigation
The Envy x360 features a large precision trackpad that supports multi-touch gestures, such as pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scrolling, and three-finger swipes for multitasking. The trackpad is smooth and responsive, making it easy to navigate through applications or browse the web without any noticeable lag.
Portability Without Sacrificing Durability
Despite its convertible design and large screen, the HP Envy x360 is portable enough to carry around daily. The aluminum body gives it the durability to handle the rigors of travel, while the lightweight design makes it easy to slip into a backpack or briefcase. Whether you’re commuting to work, heading to a café, or traveling, the Envy x360 is designed to keep up with your lifestyle.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to similar 2-in-1 laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C940 or Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, the HP Envy x360 stands out for its combination of premium design and affordability. While some competitors may offer slightly thinner designs, the Envy x360 strikes a good balance between form, function, and price, making it an attractive option for users who need a versatile 2-in-1 device.
Display Quality: Stunning Visuals with a Responsive Touchscreen
The HP Envy x360 is equipped with a 13.3-inch or 15.6-inch Full HD touchscreen display (depending on the model), offering sharp visuals and excellent color reproduction. The touchscreen display adds an extra layer of interactivity, making it easy to navigate, draw, or take notes directly on the screen. Whether you’re working, watching movies, or browsing the web, the display delivers vibrant colors and crisp detail.
Full HD IPS Display for Wide Viewing Angles
The Envy x360 features an IPS panel, which ensures wide viewing angles and consistent color accuracy from different perspectives. This is particularly useful when collaborating with others or viewing the screen from various angles in tent or stand mode. The 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution provides sharp visuals, making it ideal for everything from document editing to media consumption.
Optional 4K OLED Display for Enhanced Clarity
For users who need higher resolution, certain configurations of the HP Envy x360 offer a 4K OLED display. This upgrade delivers deeper blacks, richer colors, and enhanced contrast, making it perfect for creative professionals who need accurate color representation for tasks like photo editing, graphic design, or video editing. The 4K OLED option brings an ultra-sharp viewing experience that rivals some of the best displays in the laptop market.
Touchscreen Responsiveness for Drawing and Note-Taking
The touchscreen on the HP Envy x360 is highly responsive, making it a great choice for creative professionals who need a device for drawing or sketching. The laptop supports HP’s active pen, which allows for pressure-sensitive drawing, ideal for artists and designers. The touchscreen also makes note-taking and marking up documents more intuitive, especially in tablet mode.
Anti-Glare Coating for Better Usability in Bright Environments
The display is equipped with an anti-glare coating, reducing reflections and making it easier to use in brightly lit environments. Whether you’re working near a window or outdoors, the anti-glare screen ensures that you won’t be distracted by reflections, allowing you to focus on your work.
Color Accuracy for Creative Work
The Envy x360 offers impressive color accuracy, covering a significant portion of the sRGB color spectrum. This makes it suitable for light creative work such as photo editing, digital art, and video production. While it may not offer the same level of color accuracy as professional-grade monitors, it performs well for casual creatives and professionals who need an all-in-one solution.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to other 2-in-1 laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 or the Lenovo Yoga C940, the HP Envy x360 holds its own in terms of display quality. The Full HD IPS display offers vibrant visuals, and the option to upgrade to a 4K OLED display gives users even more flexibility. Whether you’re a creative professional or a student, the display on the Envy x360 is more than capable of handling your tasks.
Performance: Strong Performance for Work and Entertainment
The HP Envy x360 is available in a variety of configurations, offering both AMD Ryzen and Intel Core processors, allowing users to choose the right balance of power and efficiency for their needs. Paired with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB SSD storage, the Envy x360 provides enough performance to handle everyday tasks, creative work, and even light gaming.
AMD Ryzen and Intel Core Options
The HP Envy x360 is available with either AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 processors or Intel Core i5 or i7 processors. Both configurations deliver strong performance for productivity, multitasking, and creative work. The AMD Ryzen models are particularly well-suited for users who need strong multi-core performance, making them ideal for tasks like video editing, rendering, and coding. The Intel Core models, on the other hand, offer slightly better single-core performance, making them great for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and casual gaming.
8GB or 16GB of RAM for Multitasking
With either 8GB or 16GB of RAM, the HP Envy x360 excels at multitasking. Whether you’re running multiple applications, editing large files, or browsing with multiple tabs open, the laptop delivers smooth and responsive performance. For power users who run demanding applications, the 16GB RAM configuration provides more headroom for heavy multitasking and creative workflows.
1TB SSD for Fast Storage
The 1TB SSD offers fast boot times, quick file access, and plenty of storage for large files, such as media projects, applications, and documents. The SSD ensures that the laptop remains responsive even when working with large datasets or high-resolution images, making it a great choice for users who need fast, reliable storage.
Integrated Graphics for Light Gaming
While the HP Envy x360 is not designed for high-end gaming, it can handle casual gaming thanks to its integrated Intel Iris Xe or AMD Radeon Vega graphics. Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Rocket League run smoothly at medium settings, making the Envy x360 suitable for users who enjoy light gaming during their downtime.
Real-World Performance
In real-world use, the HP Envy x360 performs well across a wide range of tasks. Whether you’re editing photos, working on presentations, or streaming videos, the laptop shows no signs of slowing down. The AMD Ryzen models, in particular, excel at multi-core tasks, making them ideal for users who work with creative software like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, or Premiere Pro.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to similar 2-in-1 laptops like the Lenovo Yoga C940 or Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, the HP Envy x360 offers comparable performance. The inclusion of both AMD Ryzen and Intel Core options allows users to choose the best configuration for their needs, making it a versatile choice for both professionals and casual users.
Battery Life: All-Day Power for Work and Play
One of the most impressive aspects of the HP Envy x360 is its battery life. Depending on the configuration and usage, the laptop can last up to 13 hours on a single charge. This makes it a great choice for users who need a laptop that can keep up with long workdays, whether you’re attending meetings, working from home, or studying.
Battery Performance for Everyday Use
In typical use, such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, the HP Envy x360 delivers around 10-12 hours of battery life. This makes it more than capable of lasting through a full day of work or study. For more demanding tasks, such as video editing or gaming, the battery life may decrease to around 7-8 hours, but this is still impressive for a convertible laptop.
Fast Charging for Quick Power Boosts
The HP Envy x360 supports fast charging, allowing users to charge the battery up to 50% in just 30 minutes. This is particularly useful for users who are always on the go and need a quick power boost during breaks. Even if you forget to charge your laptop overnight, a short charging session in the morning can give you enough power to get through several hours of work.
Optimizing Battery Life
To extend battery life, users can enable battery saver mode, reduce screen brightness, and close unused applications. These small adjustments can help maximize battery life, making the HP Envy x360 even more convenient for users who spend long hours working remotely or traveling.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to other 2-in-1 laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 or the Lenovo Yoga C940, the HP Envy x360 offers competitive battery life. Its combination of long battery life and fast charging makes it a great choice for users who need a laptop that can last all day without being tethered to a charger.
Connectivity and Ports: Plenty of Options for Professionals and Creatives
The HP Envy x360 is equipped with a range of ports, making it versatile for users who need to connect to external devices. It includes:
- Two USB-A ports
- One USB-C port (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4)
- HDMI output
- MicroSD card reader
- 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
This variety of ports ensures that users can connect to everything from external displays to USB drives, making it a great choice for both professionals and creatives.
USB-C for Fast Data Transfers and Charging
The inclusion of a USB-C port with Power Delivery allows users to charge the laptop or transfer data quickly. The DisplayPort 1.4 capability also makes it easy to connect the laptop to external 4K monitors, making it a versatile option for professionals who need to expand their workspace.
HDMI Output for External Displays
The HDMI output allows users to connect the laptop to external monitors or projectors, making it ideal for presentations, video editing, or working on a larger screen. Whether you’re in a meeting or working from home, the HDMI port ensures easy connectivity with external displays.
MicroSD Card Reader for Media Transfer
For photographers and videographers, the inclusion of a microSD card reader is a valuable addition. It allows for easy transfer of photos and videos directly to the laptop, making it convenient for users who work with media files frequently.
Comparison with Competitors
Compared to similar laptops like the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 or the Lenovo Yoga C940, the HP Envy x360 offers a more comprehensive selection of ports. The inclusion of both USB-A and USB-C, along with HDMI and a microSD card reader, makes it a versatile choice for users who need to connect to a variety of devices without relying on dongles.
Audio and Webcam: Enhanced for Remote Work and Entertainment
The HP Envy x360 features Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers, providing clear and immersive sound for both work and entertainment. Whether you’re streaming movies, listening to music, or participating in video calls, the speakers deliver high-quality audio with good clarity and volume.
720p HD Webcam for Video Conferencing
The built-in 720p HD webcam delivers clear video quality for video calls and virtual meetings. The HP Privacy Camera Shutter provides added security, allowing users to physically cover the webcam when it’s not in use, ensuring privacy and peace of mind during remote work.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to similar 2-in-1 laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 or Lenovo Yoga C940, the HP Envy x360 offers competitive audio quality and webcam performance. The inclusion of Bang & Olufsen speakers and a privacy camera shutter makes it an excellent choice for users who need a laptop that’s ready for both work and entertainment.
Software and Features: Windows 11 with Added Security
The HP Envy x360 comes pre-installed with Windows 11, offering a refreshed and user-friendly interface with productivity features like Snap Layouts and enhanced virtual desktops. The operating system is designed to make multitasking easier and more intuitive, providing users with the tools they need to stay organized and productive.
Windows Hello for Secure Login
The HP Envy x360 includes Windows Hello, allowing users to log in using facial recognition or fingerprint scanning. This provides a fast and secure way to unlock the laptop, ensuring that only authorized users can access it.
Where to Buy the HP Envy x360
The HP Envy x360 is available from several major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and HP’s official website. Prices typically range from $800 to $1,300, depending on the configuration and any promotions.
- Amazon: Known for fast shipping and competitive pricing, Amazon often has discounts on the Envy x360 during sales events like Prime Day or Black Friday.
- Best Buy: Provides in-store pickup and financing options, allowing customers to purchase the HP Envy x360 in person or online.
- Newegg: Often offers tech deals and promotions, making it a good option for users looking to save money on their purchase.
- HP Official Website: Buying directly from HP allows for customization options and often includes extended warranties or bundled accessories.
It’s recommended to check each retailer for current promotions, as deals are often available during holiday sales or back-to-school events.
A Versatile and Powerful 2-in-1 for Creators and Professionals
The HP Envy x360 is a versatile and powerful 2-in-1 laptop that offers strong performance, a premium design, and excellent battery life. Whether you’re a creative professional, a student, or someone who needs a flexible device for both work and entertainment, the Envy x360 delivers the features and functionality needed to stay productive.
Its convertible design, touchscreen display, and performance options make it a top choice for users who want a laptop that can adapt to various tasks and environments. Available at major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg, the HP Envy x360 offers great value for those looking for a high-quality 2-in-1 laptop.