Analyzed: HP Envy 4

Here is one of HP's next generation ultrabooks. If you have read our previous reviews, we absolutely LOVED the HP Envy 14 Spectre. HP's newest offering, the Envy 4 has some really big shoes to fill as far as we are concerned.

The Envy 4 is offered in four variants, two of which have Intel's i3 1.4GHz processor and the other two which have the i5 1.7GHz processor. 4GB DD3 RAM is standard on all models but you can bump it up to a maximum of 16GB. You also get a 14" diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit display on them at a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. What this laptop makes up for in lack of resolution it makes up for in its fantastic 2GB AMD Radeon HD 7670M video card. It really makes a world of a difference if you compare it to the base Envy 4 version that comes with the built in Intel HD Graphics 3000 card. Gaming and movies look absolutely great on the Envy 4 and the experience is further amplified with the Beats Audio speakers. A 500GB hard drive is also standard on all machines but we wish the option to replace it with a SSD was available. You do get the choice of Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for your operating system.

One of the nice features of the HP ultrabooks is the CoolSense technology. If you are one of those people who like to keep your machine on your lap while working this will come in real handy. We wouldn't recommend doing it for extended periods of time but for a short duration, the CoolSense works. The built in HD webcam is nothing out of the blue and gets the job done. Battery life is very very good and you should be able to pull about 8 hours on a single charge. And you get all this in a very sleek brushed metal (and affordable) package that weighs a shade under 4lbs. Performance is definitely a lot better with the Envy 4 beating the Spectre in cold starts, restarts and waking up from sleep mode.

So, does the Envy 4 beat the Envy 14 Spectre? Honestly, we wanted to stick with the Spectre, but from a performance stand point the Envy 4 beats it in every way. The Envy 14 Spectre wasn't just a loaded machine, it had a cool factor going on with simple touches like the big volume knob and the Radiance backlit keyboard which senses your approach and gradually lights up every row. The only gripes we had with the Spectre were the lack of a dedicated graphics card and the price. HP has definitely addressed those two issues with the Envy 4. We are pretty certain sales figures for the new generation Envy will be stronger than before.

The HP Envy 4 is currently on sale in India at a starting price (depending on the spec) of around Rs. 43,000 (~$800) which by the way is a lot lower than the HP Envy Spectre.

Our Rating: 

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Earth to Sony. Earth to Sony.

Quite recently we reviewed Sony's Vaio Z and we absolutely loved it. We also said how we love Sony because of products such as these. And now they go and pull a (excuse the language) dumb shit move. What's the move you say? Introducing the T11 and T13 ultrabooks in their current form. They are being slated for release in the European markets first before heading West but one has to really question this move by Sony. Here is the reason why. Let's take a look at the specs of said ultrabooks:

1. 11.6" or 13.3" display at a maximum resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels
2. Intel Core i3 processor (the Sandy Bridge version which is going to be out of date in a couple of months now that Ivy Bridge is out)
3. 512GB SSD or 500GB regular hard drive
4. Integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 card
5. 1.3MP webcam
6. 4GB RAM expandable to 8GB
7. 2 USB ports, 1 HDMI port, VGA port, memory stick/SD card slot

Ok, on paper the specs look good. So what's the problem? Well, for one, the T11 and T13 are going to be out of date within days of the launch because the next generation processors (Ivy Bridge) from Intel are already out in the market. And they are a lot better than the existing ones. Second, Sony already makes the Vaio Z laptop... which is LIGHTER than the T series. And it's not even an ultrabook! The T series weighs in at 1.6kgs (~3.5lbs) while the Vaio Z weighs a paltry 2.5lbs! Granted it is expensive, but it shows Sony has the expertise to build good quality and compact structures. So why not use that expertise when you are introducing a new product in the market? Third, it is being offered with Intel's i3 processor when other brands have versions with either the i5 or i7 processors. It seems to us Sony released these products just so they can say, look we have ultrabooks too. Not a good move. Don't be too surprised if this turns out to be a flop. What would have been smarter move would have been for Sony to delay the launch, update the specs and design and then release a greatest hits version if you will, to the masses. We know they can do it.

So Sony, what gives?

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Analyzed: Acer Aspire S3

Continuing with our review of the Ultrabooks currently in the market, we now turn our attention to the Acer Aspire S3. Right off the bat the first thing that catches you eye is how thin this ultrabook is. At 0.5" the Aspire S3 is the thinnest ultrabook that we have tested. And weighing in at 3lbs, it is feather light as well. There is a flip side to being so thin and light though... when you hold the S3, it feels very fragile.

The model we tested came with the Intel i5 dual core 1.6GHz processor, 4GB RAM (that cannot be expanded further), 320GB hard drive with a 20GB SSD for those quick starts, 13.3" LED screen at a display resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, a memory and SD card slot, 2 USB ports, 1 HDMI port and a 1.3MP webcam. These are pretty standard for an ultrabook. The battery life on the model we tested net almost 8 hours on a single charge and this is on the high end from all the different machines we have tested thus far.

We felt the display could have been a lot better (a common theme with a lot of the Ultrabooks we have tested) especially considering the amount of pixelation we noticed while watching movies on the Aspire S3. It got very annoying after a while especially knowing the in built speakers are actually quite good (not HP Envy 14 Spectre good but still). The trackpad also hit a good note and was very smooth and easy to use. We did not notice the mouse pointer jumping issue that many other ultrabooks have. The fact that you can't increase the RAM size is a little bit of a downer considering the fact that other ultrabooks are pushing the limits at 6 and 8GB these days. Still, for day to day use, we feel the specs are sufficient. If you are looking to use your machine for any memory intensive tasks (like video/image editing, coding etc.), you are better off looking for another model or brand of ultrabook. Overall, the Acer Aspire S3 would qualify as a mediocre ultrabook by our standards.

The Acer Aspire S3 is currently on sale in India for about Rs. 49,000 (~$980).

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Analyzed: Samsung Series 5 ULTRA

Samsung hasn't exactly been known for their laptops. But considering their success in the electronics division it was only a matter of time before they got their feet wet in the laptop department. They have been around for a while, but it looks like their design philosophy from the smartphone/TV division has finally spilled over on to their notebooks as well. 

We tested out the 13.3" Samsung Series 5 ULTRA (there is also a 14" version) and it was pretty loaded for an Ultrabook. Our version came with a 1.6GHz Intel i5 processor, 1TB storage (the most we have seen in an ultrabook) with 16GB ExpressCache (for those ultra fast boot times), 1GB AMD Radeon graphics card, 1.3MP webcam, optical disc drive and 6GB RAM (upgradable to 8GB) in a package that weighs under 4lbs. You also get 3 USB ports, 1 VGA port, 1 HDMI port and a 4 in 1 multi card slot for your memory cards. Not bad if you ask us. From a looks perspective, as with all the Samsung products in the market, the Series 5 ULTRA is sleek and well packaged. The sophisticatedly simple and refined exterior is a cool metallic aluminum, while the underside is made with fiber glass that’s light but resistant to wear and damage.

We felt the display resolution could have been better. Despite having a dedicated 1GB AM Radeon graphics card, the maximum resolution is pegged at 1366 x 768 pixels. We watched a couple of HD movies on the laptop and were impressed with the darkness of the black colors and how vivid the other colors looked on screen. The same held true for a couple of games we tested out on the Series 5. Using the Mac style trackpad is also easy and we didn't notice any trailing issues that we have noticed with other brands of Ultrabooks. Multi-tasking doesn't choke the machine too much considering the amount of RAM that is included, but we did notice significant slowdown in the performance while trying to do some rendering in Photoshop and other activities at the same time. Not surprising considering how much RAM gets used up when trying to render. The chiclet styled keyboard is very easy to use and is water proof as well (which we love - we've ruined more than one keyboard before by spilling drinks on them... by mistake of course)!

One of the best features of the Samsung Series 5 ULTRA is its price. You get all the goodies mentioned above for Rs. 53,900 (~$1,078) in India. That's great considering the other Ultrabooks we have tested cost about Rs. 18,000 (~$360) more! It is definitely the lowest priced Ultrabook around these parts. For what you get for the price, we think the Samsung Series 5 ULTRA is a steal!

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Analyzed: Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook

We got kind of confused as to which gadget we were about to test these past couple of days! The reason? We got the Sony Vaio Z and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook at the same time! That's not something that happens quite often. The reason we were confused is because of the finish. One has a matte finish while the other has a brushed graphite finish. Close your eyes and hold them, and you probably won't be able to tell the difference. The other similarities are the webcam, both have a 1.3MP camera, a 256GB solid state drive and... yeah that's it.

From a usability perspective, the U300s is light, thin and easy to lug around. Carrying it around is a non-issue issue since it tips the scales at a little under 3lbs. You get 4GB RAM, an Intel i5 1.6GHz processor (that can be boosted to 2.3GHz), a Macbook type touchpad (which is quite annoying since they included... or tried to include the whole 2 finger, 3 finger slide type functionality that Macs have), 2 USB ports, an HDMI port and... a lack of an Ethernet port. This was a mystery to us. Yes Wi-Fi is all around but what if you were some place where you didn't have access to Wi-Fi and needed to use the Web. You will be sorely disappointed. The 13.3" display with a resolution of a mere 1366 x 768 pixels will further disappoint you especially considering the options that are available in other Ultrabooks these days. Still, you'll be able to carry out your day to day activities without a hitch. Point to note though: try to watch videos and you will definitely notice some trailing. It is common with most Notebooks and Ultrabooks but considering the fact that there are options out there where this does not occur, it will still bother you. The same goes for playing processor intensive games as well.

To say this machine is minimalist would actually make sense since you don't get any peripheral devices or even the very annoying from the factory software. That in itself is a big plus. And from a pricing perspective, the U300s is smack in the middle of the Windows 7 loaded Ultrabooks currently out in the market. 

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is currently on sale in India for Rs. 70,499 (~$1,410).

If you are trying to make up your mind, why not check out our reviews of the other Ultrabooks in the market.

You can also see how the U300s is made below.

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Analyzed: HP Envy 14 Spectre

Just when we thought HP dropped the near perfect laptop on our laps in the HP Envy 15, they come out with another stunning piece of machinery, the HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook. For the first time you get to use such an extensive use of the scratch resistant gorilla glass not just on the screen, but on the casing of the machine itself. The palm rest, lid and the HP ImagePad (read: track pad) are all covered in the special glass. They also managed to very cleverly fit a 14" screen in the body of a 13.3" notebook. How's that for being creative?

The Envy 14 Spectre pushes the definition of an Ultrabook with its weight (a little under 4 lbs or 1.8 kgs) and display size. But we don't care. The display resolution is 1600 x 900 pixels (and it is gorgeous), you can either get it with 4 or 8 GB  RAM, and a 128 GB or 256 GB SSD. Standard features include the very suave HP Radiance backlit keyboard which senses your approach and gradually lights up every row, a Beats Audio system with 2 high-performance speakers and subwoofer (if you read our earlier review on the Envy 15 - this is probably the best system available on a notebook), a mini DisplayPort, a USB 3.0 port, an HD webcam and a microphone-in/headphone stereo-out jack combo. Also included is the old school volume knob similar to the Envy 15. You also get a battery than will last you the better part of 9 hours (this is currently the best in the market), complete versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements software and 2 free years of Norton Internet Security 2012. We just wish for the price (which is not cheap and is our only gripe), HP gave the option of a separate dedicated GPU (video card) instead of integrating it with the core processor.

If the prior versions of the Envy are any indication, it would seem we have an absolute winner on our hands. Looks like Apple (with the MacBook line) finally has worthy opponents in HP and Dell (with the XPS 13 Ultrabook). It will be interesting to see the next iteration of Apple's notebooks especially considering their new retina technology display that was introduced in the new iPad.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook goes on sale in India on April 10, 2012 with a starting price of Rs. 99,999 (~$2000). And just FYI, it starts off in the US at $1,400. That makes us sad :(

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Analyzed: HP Folio 13 Ultrabook

We have been playing around with quite a few Ultrabooks that are currently in the market, and the HP Folio 13 is one of the most economical versions out there. But don't think HP has skimped on the goodies just to keep the price low. Despite its industrial looking design much like the HP EliteBook, it is packed with enough fire power to get the job done.

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Analyzed: Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

Let's face it. Apple has had the best looking notebooks out there for a while now. Every non-Apple laptop user we have come across has told us the same story, they wish the Windows laptops looked as good as the Macs. Dell tried to bridge that gap with the Adamo series, but they priced themselves out of the market. No one was willing to pay over $2K for a Windows laptop. It looks like they took all their lessons learned with the Adamo fiasco and put it into the XPS 13 Ultrabook. 

Right out of the box it's clear Dell is trying to make a statement with the new XPS 13. We are suckers for carbon fiber and Dell's judicious use of the material at the bottom of the laptop just makes it look damn good. It is pretty light too and comes in at just under 3 lbs. So in the looks department, the XPS 13 is a winner. Let us see how it stacks up in the usability and performance departments.

The XPS 13 comes with the 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM and a 128GB or 256GB SSD (solid state hard drive) and we found it to be more than sufficient for general computing activities. It was quite responsive navigating through Windows, surfing the web, playing videos and listening to music. The speakers were also quite good considering it is an Ultrabook. You definitely won't need to carry your mini-speakers around. What was disappointing was the display. There is only one option and the maximum resolution is 1366 x 768 and we feel Dell dropped the ball here (in addition to leaving out a memory card reader). For a machine that looks as good as this with the performance to boot, they really should have bumped up the resolution. In comparison the Mac Book Air comes with 1440 x 900 and the Asus Zenbook UX31 comes with a fantastic 1600 x 900 display. It is unclear why Dell held back but the cost is probably the reason. New features like a Mac type trackpad have also been introduced and we would like to say that it works well but at times it felt like it had a mind of its own. Battery life was also respectable and we got close to 6 hours on a complete charge.

All things considered, the Dell XPS 13 is a good deal in the sub-$1000 range. There is definitely room for improvement but for now it is probably the best looking Windows Ultrabook out there (we also love the look of the Acer Aspire S3).

The pricing for the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook in India was just announced. It will be available at Dell exclusive stores, large format retail stores and partners nationwide at a starting price of Rs. 79,900 excluding taxes. This puts it in the same league as the HP Folio (starting at Rs. 69,990) and Mac Book Air (starting at Rs. 65,500). 

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