It’s a hell of a time to be launching a new product, but HP is doing just that with today’s announcement of its new HP Envy 17 laptop.
HP is launching a new version of its veteran laptop model just as more people are working from home. The company is targeting creators — who may produce anything from streams to funny videos — because these people need more powerful machines if they’re stuck working at home.
The laptop has options for an up to 4K UHD display and an 86% screen-to-body ratio. The device is smaller than the previous generation Envy 17, and the 17-inch screen size makes it still a good tool for multi-tasking.
The machine uses 10th gen Intel Core processors (the base is a Core i7-1065G7 running at 1.3GHz), up to Nvidia MX330 graphics, up to 32GB DD4 main memory, and storage options that include up to 1TB 7200 rpm SATA hard disk and 16GB PCIe NVMe Intel Optane flash memory or up to 1TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD.
June 5th: The AI Audit in NYC
Join us next week in NYC to engage with top executive leaders, delving into strategies for auditing AI models to ensure fairness, optimal performance, and ethical compliance across diverse organizations. Secure your attendance for this exclusive invite-only event.
Mike Nash, chief technologist for personal systems at HP, said in a press briefing that millennials in particular consider creativity and expressing themselves to be paramount. HP said that 50% of creative professionals work with 3D technology for their jobs so having powerful 3D graphics on the go is a must.
Above: HP Envy 17 has built-in privacy features.
“Even before everything that happened with COVID-19, creative jobs were the No. 1 on the list of jobs that were becoming remote working opportunities,” Nash said. “This is becoming obviously even more true.”
The new laptop also promises quick access to your content on the cloud with Wi-Fi 6 and up to 10.5 hours of battery life (based on the MM14 benchmark). The device has an all-in-one keyboard, which features function keys for the mute mic, camera shutter, fingerprint reader, power button, and HP Command Center. And it offers Alexa and Cortana voice services.
HP has also put a premium on security in recognition that working from home carries additional risks. The laptop has an “unhackable” camera shutter for privacy and a dedicated microphone mute button. You can also turn on the privacy screen so people viewing from the side can’t see what you’re looking at.
The machine has a 17.3-inch diagonal FHD IPS WLED-backlit multitouch-enabled edge-to-edge glass display. The base model has 12GB DDR4-3200 SDRAM, 512GB Intel SSD storage, and 32GB Intel Optane memory.
The laptop starts at $1,250 a BestBuy.com, and Nash said the products are hitting shelves — or virtual shelves — late this month and in May.
