EmailBest Reviewed
Ultraportable Laptops
- Best ultraportable laptop Lenovo ThinkPad T400s *Est. $1600
- Ultra-thin ultraportable laptop Lenovo ThinkPad X301 *Est. $1890
- General-use ultraportable laptop HP Envy 13 *Est. $1700
- Best value ultraportable laptop Asus UL80Vt-A1 *Est. $850
- Best tablet PC Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet (Multi-Touch) *Est. $1700
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General-use ultraportable laptop
- Stylish
- Lightweight
- Impressive 13-inch display
- Good all-around performance, even for casual gaming
- Expensive
- Horrible trackpad
- No integrated optical drive
For those looking for a stylish, attention-getting ultraportable laptop, the HP Envy 13 fits the bill -- as long as you're willing to part with some serious cash. The 13-inch HP Envy 13 attracts a number of comparisons to Apple's MacBook Pros, thanks to a brushed-aluminum finish, glossy display and multi-touch trackpad. The base model includes a 250 GB hard drive, 3 GB of RAM and a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Reviewers are impressed with the sleek design, and they say the display is gorgeous, with good clarity even at different viewing angles. Even better, the HP Envy 13 is one of the few ultraportables that gets good marks for casual gaming and multimedia use.
There are some downsides, including a hefty price tag and the lack of an optical drive (external DVD or Blu-ray drives are available as options). However, reviewers are most displeased with the trackpad, which they say is truly awful. It is frustrating to use and requires too much precision to be very user-friendly. Battery life is only average, but an optional extended-life battery (*Est. $125) appears to be a worthy upgrade, with one tester getting a remarkable 14.5 hours between charges. For those on a budget, the Asus UL80Vt-A1 (*Est. $850 and up) also gets good reviews. It may not be as stylish, but it includes an integrated optical drive and costs significantly less.
A number of credible reviewers test the HP Envy 13, including CNET, Laptop Magazine and PCMag.com. These sources are known for their detailed and balanced reviews, and each rates the HP Envy 13 -- making it easy to see how this laptop compares to the competition. Gizmodo.com, Engadget.com and CrunchGear.com offer shorter reviews.
ASUS UL80Vt-A1 14-Inch Thin and Light Black Laptop - 11.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)
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Our Sources
1. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Michael Prospero at Laptop Magazine praises the performance and style of the HP Envy 13. However, he cites some flaws -- price, low battery life (without the optional extended-life battery), and, worst of all, the touchpad -- which keep the Envy 13 from being the "ultimate" ultraportable laptop.
Review: HP Envy 13, Michael Prospero, Sept. 30, 2009
The HP Envy 13 impresses Cisco Cheng at PCMag.com with its incredible battery life -- as long as you upgrade to the optional extended-life battery. Cheng gets over 14 hours of battery life in his tests, but he thinks the HP Envy 13 will be more compelling when the price comes down.
Review: HP Envy 13, Cisco Cheng, Sept. 30, 2009
3. CNET
CNET gives the HP Envy 13 a very good overall rating, and Dan Ackerman thinks it's a compelling choice "if price is no object." Ackerman also has issues with the trackpad, but praises the high-resolution display.
Review: HP Envy 13, Dan Ackerman, Sept. 29, 2009
4. Engadget.com
While he doesn't rate the HP Envy 13, Paul Miller at Engadget.com says "hardware wise it's one of our favorite laptops ever." However, he describes the trackpad as "horrible" and "abysmal," which lowers his overall impression of the laptop.
Review: HP Envy 13 Review, Paul Miller, Oct. 5, 2009
5. Gizmodo.com
Joanna Stern at Gizmodo.com thinks the HP Envy 13 would be a tough competitor against Apple's MacBook Pro line if it weren't so expensive. She also loathes the trackpad, but adds that "Those lusting after a premium Windows 7 machine will find the Envy 13 to be one of the best out there."
Review: HP Envy 13 Review: The MacBook Imitated, Not Duplicated, Joanna Stern, Sept. 30, 2009
John Biggs at CrunchGear.com says the trackpad is the biggest problem with the HP Envy 13, but he has good impressions overall. "If you're looking for a stylish, fairly powerful notebook with enough horses to run Win7, this is one of the better models out there," he says.
Review: Review: HP Envy 13, John Biggs, Oct. 2, 2009
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Lenovo Thinkpad X200 12.1-Inch Black Laptop - Up to 6.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows XP Pro)
from Amazon.com New: $1,099.99 $795.00 In Stock.
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