HP Voodoo Envy 133 business ultraportable debuts |
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By NotebookReview.com contributor
01 Jul 2008 | NotebookReview.com |
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This article originally appeared on NotebookReview.com.
HP, in response to Apple's release of the MacBook Air, has offered users it's own lightweight version, the Voodoo Envy 133. Weighing in at just under 3.4lbs and measuring 0.70" inch thin, the Voodoo Envy 133 is sure to cause many to add it to the lsit of considerations.
Recently in Germany, Voodoo by HP released the new thin and light Envy 133, offering up a bit more competition to notebooks such as the Lenovo X300 and Apple MacBook Air. This new ultraportable notebook holds nothing back as it goes head to head with the competition, with a full range of features that almost every business user will be sure to love.
Custom design
This is an aspect you don't really find on a business notebook. Most business notebooks usually fall into the dull and boring category, leaving the fancy custom paint jobs to the consumer notebooks. The Envy changes this trend, offering buyers a carbon fiber chassis in a microweave design in black, or a huge palette of classic Voodoo Allure paint jobs. You can also pick from a wide range of laser engraving options to give your notebook even more style to stand out from the bunch.
Speed and performance
Voodoo stuck the 1.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 processor in the Envy 133, which offers business users a good amount of crunching power for most business tasks. It won't smoke through games, but it will be more friendly on battery power.
Small size and light weight
The Envy 133 starts at as little as 3.373lbs, with a chassis that measures 0.70" thin, 9.04" deep and 12.65" wide with the SSD and battery. Just a tad heavier than both the MacBook Air and X300 but only by a fraction of a pound.
LED backlit display
The Envy 133 offers an LED backlit LCD just like the Macbook Air and X300. This seems to be an ongoing trend with new notebooks, since it usually gives you a brighter screen while also being more friendly on the battery.
Optical drive
Going the route of the Macbook Air, HP is offering an external optical drive on the Envy 133. Given the weight is already up over the X300 which has an internal optical drive, where does the extra slack come in?
Ports and features
Not to be outdone by either the MacBook Air or X300, the Envy 133 offers a wide range of ports, some of which you don't generally find on business notebooks. These include 2 USB ports, 1 HDMI, and 1 eSATA (shared with one USB port). The Envy also features a user-replaceable battery, which boasts up to 3.45 hours of battery life.
A few unique features also show up on the Envy 133. These include the following:
- Ambient light sensor to adjust the screen backlight depending on the light in a given room setting
- Backlit Keyboard
- Touchpad Proximity sensor to disable the touchpad while typing to prevent any mouse wandering
With a starting price of $2,099, the Voodoo envy 133 is priced right in the middle between the Lenovo X300 at $2,700 and the MacBook Air starting at $1,800. It will be interesting to see how well this notebook performs once we have a chance to get our hands on it. One thing is for sure with this business notebook, you won't be "that business guy" at the airport with a ThinkPad if you have this in tow.
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