Otaku Gadgets

We have all heard the saying ‘All that glitters is not gold’. In the world of geeks, cool and sleek looking computers are almost synonymous with Macs. Windows has traditionally been known as the clumsy and untidy cousin of Macintosh among tech savvy people. However, things are slowly changing with time and Windows based PCs have shed their non-glamorous and dull looks in the last few years. However, it is not every day that you come across laptops or PCs that resemble Macs. HP has recently launched a new laptop named Envy 13 that may give the viewers the illusion of seeing a Mac Book on first glance. Of course, the laptop has got more than style and oomph to its credit.

The HP Envy 13 has pretty impressive hardware under its hood that would suffice for the needs of enthusiast users. It is powered by a Intel C2D SL9600 CPU that runs at 2.13GHz. To complement the processing power of the CPU, HP has equipped the laptop with a discrete GPU based on Radeon HD 4330 chip and 3GB RAM. Its metallic body gives it a sleek look and also ensures longevity. At 3.1 pounds, it is not exactly lightweight but this is not on the heavier side either.

The laptop incorporates an Instant On Linux based shell that lets the users access the media and web in a few seconds. It is one of the few laptops in the market that ship with the flagship OS of Microsoft- Windows 7. The insta-boot option is a boon for those users who hate waiting for the OS to boot. As usual with HP laptops, the Envy 13 features a glossy and backlit LED screen. It supports HD video and the default resolution of 1366 x 768 can be upgraded to 1600 x 900. The color reproduction is fairly good.

Like most of the laptops in the market, the on-board audio of Envy 13 is, at best, average. To get the feel of the embedded Beats audio, the users will require a headphone. The keyboard on this laptop is a joy to use and the feedback is good. As far as connectivity option is concerned, this laptop would not let you down. It has HDMI port for connecting to larger external displays. But this model does not include any legacy VGA or wired Ethernet ports. However, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are present. To maintain the slim profile HP has done away with the internal optical drive. The users have the option to buy external DVD burners though.

The laptop’s Radeon HD 4330 graphics can not match the performance of a dedicated graphics card, but for casual gaming it is more than adequate. It is also possible to change the graphics mode to the on-board graphics. The battery life is decent and it can be increased with a slice battery offered as an option by HP. As one can expect, stellar looks and beefy performance comes at a price. The Envy 13 costs a little more than an entry level Mac-book. However, for people with deep pockets this is an ideal device.