Sunday, May 15, 2011

Cost & Specification of HP Envy 3D 17

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Owners Envy, or owners pride?

The 17-inch, 3D-ready Envy is HPs answer to the Alienware threat. While large, and heavy, the Envy is attractive, and imbued with liberal doses of metal. The inside also has metal, and is satin-finished, not glossy – a relief, although the display is reflection prone. The keypad is well spaced out and the keys nice, the trackpad is reasonably sensitive, though for gaming, you’d be daft no to consider a mouse.

3D support is at hand, and glasses are bundled, and it works well on the bundled demo content with good colour, and depth being salient highlights, unlike some 3D TVs we’ve seen that fail. However, we couldn’t get 3D working on the games.

Hardcore gamers will want to get more than 27.16 fps in Crysis Warhead (1280x1024,no AA), though at 51.6 fps in Call Of Pripyat at identical settings in DX11 mode, Certainly it’s more than up for most popular online games like World Of Warcraft and Counterstrike. Note that the HD 5850 gets very hot, with temperatures crossing 90 degrees when gaming, particularly if the venting holes are blocked, if it were to be used on a soft surface.

The price tag of Rs 93,550 plus taxes is a high one to pay even for a gaming setup that boasts of 3D viewing. While the Envy isn’t exactly great value for money, or the best performing notebook out there, it is the cheapest 3D-capable notebook at the moment.