HP Announces New Laptops for 2009

by Jerry Jackson

If you're planning to purchase a new laptop after Microsoft releases Windows 7 in October, you now have several new reasons to choose something with an HP logo on the lid. We spent some hands-on time with the newest HP notebooks to give you a first look at what's coming soon to a store near you.

Of course, when I say "coming soon" what I meant to say was, "coming as soon as Windows 7 launches in October." All of the new HP laptops I'll be showing you below will ship with Windows 7 ... so you can't get your hands on these just yet.

HP Envy 13

The newest 13-inch premium consumer notebook from HP promises to provide the ideal balance of durability, mobility and design. Coming in at just 0.8-inch thin and 3.74 pounds, we're inclined to believe HP's marketing on this one.

The Envy 13 is connected to the HP VoodooPC Envy 133 in more ways than just the name. The new Envy 13 includes switchable ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 discrete graphics that deliver high performance when you need it or reduced power consumption when you want as much battery life as possible. Speaking of the battery, the Envy 13 offers an ultra-high capacity battery slice that extends battery life for up to 18 hours! Part of that impressive battery life comes from the use of the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor SL9400 running at 1.86GHz.

As impressive as that sounds, the most striking feature of the Envy 13 has to be the new "HP Radiance Display" that delivers vivid color quality & exceptional brightness thanks to an improved color gamut (82%) and a brightness rating of 410nits. "Beats Audio" also gives the Envy some reasonably impressive speakers for a 13-inch laptop. You might not feel the need to use your earphones with this notebook.

In addition to these key features, the Envy 13 includes HP QuickWeb (essentially a custom version of Linux) which allows users to access the Internet, music, photos, videos in seconds, even when the notebook is shut down. The Envy 13 starts at $1,699.

HP Envy 15

The 15-inch Envy 15 is the big brother to the Envy 13 and offers some impressive performance for such a compact notebook (just 1-inch thin and 5.18 pounds). HP constructed the chassis out of a combination of aluminum and magnesium alloy to give the Envy 15 a durable feeling and keep it as light weight as possible. Inside, you'll find space for two hard drives or high performance SSDs, an Intel Core i7 mobile processor and up to 16GB (that's NOT a typo) of 1066MHz DDR3 system memory.

The laser-etched chassis and high-resolution LED backlit display help keep this notebook attractive to the eye ... though your wallet might not find this laptop too appealing. The Envy 15 starts at $1,799.

HP ProBook 5310m

HP took some criticism earlier this year with the release of the ProBook line of business notebooks. These budget-priced laptops were designed to offer small and medium business owners a more affordable alternative to the HP EliteBook line of business notebooks. The HP ProBook 5310m proves HP is paying attention to the critics. The 13-inch ProBook 5310m features a metal chassis similar to the EliteBook line but the notebook itself remains less than 1 inch thick and only 3.7 pounds in weight.

The ProBook 5310m will offer an Intel Core Duo SP9300 processor and up to 7 hours of battery life. Just like the Envy 13 and Envy 15, the ProBook includes HP QuickWeb, allowing users to access the Internet, music, photos, videos in seconds, even when the notebook is shut down. The ProBook 5310m starts at $699.

HP Pavilion dm3

The newest member of the popular Pavilion family, the Pavilion dm3 boasts an attractive HD BrightView 13.3-inch diagonal LED screen and your choice of AMD or Intel processors and discrete graphics to meet some pretty demanding performance needs. Think of the Pavilion dm3 like a slightly larger Envy 13 ... without the jaw-dropping price tag.

The lightweight aluminum design keeps the notebook down to just 4.2 pounds and the profile is less than an inch thick thanks to the lack of an optical drive. HP claims the Pavilion dm3 will offer 10 hours of battery life, and we're eager to put those claims to the test. The dm3 starts at $549.

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HP Mini 110 by STUDIO TORD BOONTJE

This new netbook is essentially a minor refresh of the current 10-inch Mini netbook from HP. The biggest difference isn't inside ... this time you really can judge a netbook by its cover. HP was the first laptop manufacturer to produce lid designs that were printed inside multiple layers of plastics. The "HP Imprint" technology has since been copied by several other companies, but the new Mini 110 is the first laptop to feature a three-dimensional surface known as HP Imprint 3D. It's hard to describe what the lid looks like, but it's essentially multiple layers of fully transparent and partially transparent plastic that create a sense of depth and texture to the design on the lid.

HP worked with designer Tord Boontje to create a unique flora design that weaves delicately around endangered animals and unravels onto the palm rest and touchpad. HP will even offer a range of matching accessories that are covered in the same HP Imprint 3D design.

The Mini 110 comes with a clean desktop as well as a Stardock MyColors custom theme, screen saver, icons and 15 wallpapers designed by Tord Boontje. The Mini 110 starts at $399.

HP Mini 311

The last addition to the HP mobile family is an updated Mini with an 11-inch screen the new HP Mini 311 offers everything that the last generation of HP Mini "companion PCs" delivered ... with a bigger screen and Nvidia ION graphics.

Thanks to ION, the Mini 311 is capable of playing back 1080p high-definition video with smooth playback ... something Atom-based netbook with Intel graphics can't do. As an additional value for Mini owners, HP includes "Syncables" software to help you update files on the go and sync effortlessly with your primary PC. The Mini 311 starts at $399.

There isn't much more to talk about with the Mini 311, so here is a quick look at the technical specs:

• Intel Atom Processor N270(3)
• Genuine Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3
• 11.6” Diagonal HD LED(8) BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)
• NVIDIA ION LE for Windows XP with up to 319MB total graphics memory
• 1024MB DDR3 System Memory (1 Dimm)
• 160GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)(7)
• HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone
• 802.11b/g WLAN(10a)
• 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery
• 1-Year Free Hardware Technical Support

Stay tuned to NotebookReview.com for more details and full reviews of all these notebooks!

 

Right after I bought dv3t. Why this always happen to me?!!!!

 

HP envies Apple. That's for sure.

The ProBook looks nice, especially at that price point. Reminds me of a thinner Dell Latitude.

 

Is it just me or does that Envy look like a Macbook

 

Cool. Those Envy series look exactly like the unibody MacBooks. It will be interesting to see how Apple's sales are affected...

 

Holy Battery Life!! 18 hours....however i'll believe it when i see it.

HP has alot of impressive laptops. I'd buy a Envy 15.

 

Good specs for the Envy 15. BTW, you didn't mention it uses a HD4830 GPU, because it does.

What else is good is that can hold up to 16GB of RAM, which is what I really, really need for my work and a Core i7 for my rendering needs. I never thought I would say this, but for me I reached to a stage where 8GB is - somewhat still not enough for my intensive photoshopping work.

 

Is the HD4330 better than the ION gpu? If so this could be a better system than the MBA as it has the same SL cpu, more ports and possibly a better gpu.

Is me or does it look there is a Beats By Dr Dre logo on the 15in Envy on the right side of the machine?

 

hmm.. Will Envy 15 also have a battery slice option as well? I also hope that I can configure the machine to have core i7 but w/ integrated graphics. would be a great vmware/number crunching workstation, esp w/ 16GB of ram.

 

Is that a backlit keyboard on the DM3? I wonder what GPU would it use...

 

Envy 15 doesn't sound like it has switchable graphics since it takes the extended battery to hit 7 hours...

 

I was expecting them to announce an 11" CULV notebook like the Dell 11Z and Acer 1410/1810. At least it does have ION and for $400, the same price as most netbooks, kick that GMA 950 out of here for good!

Now to get a 11" notebook with CULV and ION for less than $550.

 

I like the Envy. It looks nice.

 

Looking at those ProBook photos, I hope y'all washed your hands after leaving the press briefing.

 

I guess I skipped it but the for the specs it say it has beats audio, I don't see the logo on the 13in but I do see in on the 15in model.

 

seen it before from hp, so yes, i believe them. so far the numbers they stated where all achievable.

i love the envy 15 with i7, 16gb ram, 2 intel ssds 160gb each in raid0.. and when i would have it, and open it for djing or so at a gig, people would come and say "looks just like an apple macbook" and i would say yes, but it performs a bit different

 

"In addition to these key features, the Envy 13 includes HP QuickWeb (essentially a custom version of Linux) which allows users to access the Internet, music, photos, videos in seconds, even when the notebook is shut down."

I wasn't aware one could use a notebook while it's shut down...... And I see this notebook has a "wide array of ports."

*snickers*

 

You know, I really like the new MacBook Pro's colour scheme. Wait, hold on...there's something missing here that I just can't put a finger on. Weird.

 

Can the Ion LE chipset to CUDA and OpenCL?

not interested if it can't, i hate deliberately crippled hardware.

 

That Envy looks like a................................................................To be continued..........

the 4330 is a decent low end card though. Much better then the HD 3200 lol

 

About time Hp. Seriously. I hope the new pavilions indeed looked promising..

I wonder if there will be a refresh in the HDX line though.. maybe something like having a non infinity display option... :-/

 

I think they all look great (even if the envys look like Macs), especially the probook!

 

anyone know if this:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/15/hp-ms200-all-in-one-barely-putters-past-nettop-status-saves-fac/

uses Congo or the old X1250 chipset?

 

me want me want!

 

As Voodoo is being folded into the HP brand, HDX may be discontinued as the Envy platform is expected to represent the premium gaming and boutique laptop range for HP.

 

Not true, it has a black touchpad and HP logo on it

The Envy screen sounds intriguing, that's bright enough to use outdoors.

 

1699,- for a 13" with those specs seems very high. That's more than a Sony Z or Macbook Pro.

HP DM1 is already in the price lists here. Config with Celeron Dual Core SU2300 2GB and 250GB Win 7 will be priced around $500.

 

Screen resolutions? Is it just me, or does my T400s seem overpriced compared to these new models?

 

As much as I want to, I just won't be able to believe the HP Envy 15 will have a Mobility 4830 until the notebook starts ending up in people's hands.

1366x768 for the Envy 13 and 15 and 1920x1080 just for the 15.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2352822,00.asp

 

The probook looks promising.

What's the difference between Core 2 Duo and Core Duo ???
(like the processor in the envy and the one in the probook)

 

ION LE is the ION/MCP79 chipset without DX10 support. Everything else is the same.

 

I love the looks and power this laptop will possess. I'm kind of annoyed about not being able to switch between integrated graphics and the card, but not a deal breaker.

Am I the only one who thinks that it was dumb of HP to omit the optical drive, especially in a machine that can easily do HD? The press release stated that there will be an option of a USB blu ray drive (for an extra price no doubt) but why not include in on the system? The only reason I can fathom is that they wouldnt be able to keep the machine around 1 inch thick.

Also, am I missing the HDMI port on the Envy 15 or is it not there at all?

 

Yes, the removal of the optical drive allows the inclusion of dual hard disks (RAIDed) and a cooling system capable of supporting the i7 CPU. Basically, this is a good trade off as optical drives are worthless when you can have hardware RAID support and an i7 CPU in a 1" thick body.

 

The Envy 15 looks quite hot, wonder if it will have good cooling though. Since every thin powerful laptop I've seen has pretty bad cooling

 

Any word on the pricing of the USB optical drive or if it will come with they laptop? Seems like they run kind of expensive. If HP does bundle this with the laptop though, consider me SOLD!

 

Great laptops! I'm going to buy a new laptop in November and I really hope the HP Envy 15 is available by then.
It looks very good but I need to find out a little more about the specifications before I decide to purchase it.

 

Can't they make any better looking laptops than that???
Looks like some mac with a different T-shirt, almost makes me throw-up.

 

You do not have to buy an HP USB optical drive. You can use any other USB optical drives. Why is it so important? If anything, I'd like to see all 2010 laptops get rid of an optical drive if they could include dual hard drives, better cooling, bigger batteries and a slimmer profile. I'd trade the near obsolete optical drive for the additional features.

This is really good-looking. You have to see it in person to appreciate it. The unibody Macbooks are one of the best designed consumer laptops and I think it's a great thing that PC companies are finally appreciating these design innovations. However, I believe there is too much "reinterpretation" of Apple industrial design here. HP needs to be more creative and pushing the envelope. This should have been released BEFORE Apple's Macbooks. However, they almost never thought about it until Apple does it.

 

Sorry if you misunderstood, I didn't mean that I have to buy a HP USB optical drive. I just wanted to know if they announced the pricing to see if it was competitive with what other vendors are offering for USB blu ray drives. I personally dont believe that optical drives are in any danger of being obsolete so long as our "broadband" internet is as poor as it is and that people still like to have some sort of physical media to use (my mother for example... ). Eventually though, it will go away just like every other media though I dont see this happening for several years.

That, and I have to much content on CD, DVD and Blu Ray to fully rip to all digital... So an optical drive is necessary to me, but doesnt have to be built in, as long as I have access to it.

 

Thank God there is still Sony...otherwise soon every PC and Apple is going to look like the same, just like when we were in 1984.

 

Glad we fully agree here chrixx

Wow, this laptops look extremely appealing!
At Kevin, do you happen to know the GPU onboard the Envy 15 and the DM3? Most likely to be ATI, but any word on those? Perhaps a 4200HD IGP? or 5000HD series? Anything?

How about resolutions and aspect ratio? 16:10 or the 16:9?

 

If the Envy 15 is using an i7 it's not going to have an IGP.

Gizmodo and other sites are reporting a Mobility 4830 (40-nm GPU) in the Envy 15.

 

i7 or i5???
i7 would be so cool, but i think the integrated graphic controllet will have to wait.

 

The Mini 311 is the most important release here. $399 for a netbook with ION and an 11.6" LED HD screen, nice!

The Envy's look very macbook-like, which isn't a bad thing, and the inclusion of the 4830 in the 15" is great. I wouldn't have traded the disk drive for a 2nd HDD though. Disk drives are still unarguably useful for users like myself.

 

I like them! though HP badge kind of ruins it... Apple got too lazy lately, this will make them work harder!

 

Well, I dont really use the OD Bay, and I can say, that I will gladly give up OD Bay for a dual HDD in RAID, even more for a dual SSD in RAID.

 

So ATI4330 vs nvidia 9400, which is a better gpu? Since the 13in spec/size wise looks like a mba competitor.

 

ATI 4330 is slightly better, but both are not very powerful (less than 3000 3dmarks 06).

 

And in the E15? What GPU?

 

Nobody knows yet Serg.

People are saying it will be the ATI 4830.