HP ENVY 17 3D Laptop Review

3D is larger than life with a chic desktop features like an Intel Core i7 processor, strong ATI graphics, a 3D-capable, full HD display, and a Blu-ray player. It starts at $1,599 and costs $1,649 when configured.


Design

The HP Envy 3D follows the minimalist yet sophisticated looks, quite similar to the smaller Envy 14, consists of a rock-sturdy taupe chassis made of magnesium and aluminum. Between the machine's durable feel and details such as quiet keys, the Envy 17 3D gives you a king-size feeling.

Envy 17 3D weighs about 7.5 pounds which is quite reasonable for a notebook It has a maximum height of 1.5 inches, the Envy 17 3D is thicker than most of its counterparts and competitors including Apple's 17-inch Mac Book Pro, with 0.98 inches thickness.

Keyboard & Touchpad

It has a Chiclet-style keyboard and number pad which stretches up to 16-inch chassis. Keys are really soft, easy on your fingers and don't make noise while you type. The Envy 17 3D has a large 4.2 x 2.5-inch touchpad which doubles as a clickable button.

Display and Sound

The non-3D notebook of this series has a BrightView Infinity display, with a 1600 x 900 resolution having standard view angles, and a color gamut of 60 percent. And, the 3D comes with a higher-resolution, Ultra Bright View Infinity display, with 1920 x 1080 full HD resolutions, wide view angles, and a 72-percent color gamut. The notebook has ATI's Eyefinity multi-display technology, so that the user can connect up to three external monitors, with one attached with the help of mini Display Port.

Blu-Rays are amazingly detailed and offer a comfortable experience while viewing even from sideways. The Envy 17 3D's speakers, are powered by Beats audio technology which enables clear and crisp sounds.

Ports

It include HDMI, mini Display Port output, VGA and three USB ports with Ethernet jack and two jacks for headphones which can be used as microphone connector. The notebook has a 5-in-1 memory card reader too. The Envy 17 3D's TrueVision Webcam can have a maximum resolution of 1200 x 800, the images and videos are crisp with excellent sounds and strong microphone to pick up lower sounds and sounds in the background quite clearly.

3D Experience

The HP Envy 17 3D uses ATI's active-shutter technology for rich 3D experience. The 3D glasses are quite light in weight and comfortable to wear for a long period of time. It costs around 99$ when purchased from HP official website.

3D Gaming

TriDef Ignition application has to be used always for opening up various games and applications on the system which can be frustrating at times.

Battery Life and Wi-Fi

Battery life doesn't live up to the expectations. Battery lasted only for 1 hour and 15 minutes which is half of the battery power of other notebooks in this category.

Verdict

Overall, the Envy 17 3D is quite expensive than most notebooks in the same category, but is a cool, fast and fun 3D notebook.
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