HP has revealed the details of this year’s additions to its mid-range (and generally quite good value) Envy line. This year, the company is all in on webcams, fan blades, and… IMAX?
Yeah, I’m not quite sure either. HP claims that its new HP Envy x360 15 (well, 15.6 inches, to be precise), available later this month for a starting price of $949.99, is the first “IMAX Enhanced certified PC”. IMAX Enhanced is a home theater certification program that’s been kicking around for a few years, but it’s generally applied to like, TVs and projectors and stuff. Now it’s on a laptop, I guess!
See? IMAX. In the flesh.
Image: HP
Similarly to something like Intel’s Evo program, devices that want IMAX Enhanced certification have to meet various different standards, but the main one is that they have the ability to display IMAX-shot content in an extended aspect ratio. At launch, this will be available for “select movies and sequences”. Support will start with Disney Plus (which is where all the Marvel stuff is, so, fine) with more features on the way.
The device will also support an “IMAX theatrical sound mix” to “deliver a unique and exclusive fully immersive spatial audio experience, preserving full dynamic range at reference level”. Sure, why not?
This one is the 17.
Image: HP
Superhero stuff aside, the new Envy devices (including a 14 incher that’s available now for $849.99 and a 17.3 inch model coming in May for $1,149.99) have 5-megapixel cameras across the line. HP claims that this camera, with its physical shutter and Windows Hello support, will make for a “significantly better camera” than last year’s Envy devices delivered.
The thing I’m actually most excited about is that a new fan design will also debut here, with 25 percent thinner blades, 58 percent more blades, and nine percent increased airflow. More airflow is good! You can never have too much airflow. That’s what I always say.
In case you were wondering about chips, all three of these models will come with 13th-Gen Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Xe graphics. The 15 and 17 can also be equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 mobile GPU.
Oh, and the 15-inch version also has an AMD Ryzen 7000 model with Radeon integrated graphics. Intriguing! I hope they send me that one to review.