GADGET GIZMO REVIEW .................HP Envy 17

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW

HP Envy 17

PRICE 1,14,990
SPECIFICATIONS 17.3-inch full HD touchscreen, Intel Core i7 (4th gen), 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Nvidia GeForce GT750M, built-in Leap Motion, 4 x USB 3.0, HDMI, Windows 8.1, 3.4kg Great Build quality, fantastic performance with top notch hardware, built-in Leap motion, loud audio output Reflective display, hard to press trackpad buttons, battery life
HP is the first to integrate Leap Motion technology into one of their laptops: the Envy 17. For those unaware, Leap Motion is a 3D motion detection sensor that lets you control your computer using your hands and fingers. It uses two cameras and three LEDs for detection of hand movements.
Keeping up with the Envy series design, the Envy 17 features an allmetal chassis and looks gorgeous. It has a full-size backlit keyboard, which is great for typing. The large multi-touch trackpad is very responsive to the touch, but we felt that the buttons were slightly hard to press.
Alongside the trackpad is the integrated Leap Motion sensor. It can be activated/deactivated with a keyboard shortcut when required and HP preloads a bunch of games and apps that work with the sensor. You also get a preloaded, dedicated App store for more Leap Motion apps. It'll be a few days till you get the hang of the system, but it works great — we got over 90% gesture accuracy after just a couple of days.
As expected from a gaming laptop, the Envy 17 offers fantastic performance. The 17-inch full HD touchscreen offers great viewing angles and great touch response. We only wish it was less reflective. Call of Duty: Ghosts, BioShock Infinite and Need for Speed Rivals ran in full HD resolution (maximum graphics) without any issues. The speakers are loud and great for gaming as well as multimedia. However, the sub 3 hour battery life is a letdown.
Not only is the Envy 17 the first one to integrate Leap Motion, it is also one of the cheapest 17-inch gaming laptops and the first one to come with Nvidia GeForce GT 750M with 4GB graphics memory. It's highly recommended for anyone looking for the very latest.

KARAN BAJAJ