This laptop arrived and then went completely lifeless after two days. Had to send it to HP for repair. HP support was easy to work with but I was without the brand new laptop for a few weeks. It ended up needing a new motherboard.. so that was unfortunate.Now that I've been using it for a while, here's the scoop. I wanted a simple windows laptop for work mainly because I don't like the way Office runs on a mac Office and the mac appear to dislike each other. My preference is still my mac :) (Note I ordered it in October so it came with Windows 7.)
Things I like:
-it's lightweight
-has a backlit keyboard that's also nice to type on having it be backlit is an extremely great feature
-the black and red casing is attractive and has a smooth feel
-the screen is glossy, but it still looks fine/nice
-it's pretty fast (i know, it's "slower" than the newer processors, but i3 is still fast)
-plenty of hard drive space
-4G of RAM is better than 2G
-the trackpad is just ok (allows for two finger scrolling, pinching, etc coming from a mac, I'm glad to have this)
-there are dedicated volume and screen brightness buttons on the keyboard
-beats audio sound is pretty good
-bluetooth is convenient for connecting to the smartphone, pairing with a bluetooth speaker, adding a mouse
-battery life is above average
Things I don't like:
-the fan seems to run a lot even with coolsense .. it's not "loud", but you will notice it in a quiet setting.. this is just something you have to accept with a windows laptop
-of course there's bloatware but you can remove some of it
Things to know:
-no DVD/CD drive
In the end, this is a good deal on a decent laptop with a hefty hard drive, 4G of RAM, backlit keyboard, lightweight, etc. I was also looking at the Vizio 14inch, but decided on this one since it had a backlit keyboard (and the Vizio had a lot of complaints about the keyboard and trackpad). If you just need a regular laptop, you'll probably be content with this model.
Word to the wise it does NOT ship in an amazon box so everyone will know you have a new HP laptop once it's delivered to you and left outside. You may want to opt for "this is a gift" at check out.
This is my first Vine review for a higher end technology product. This machine is $749.00 so I will give it the best review I can. When I compare it to my current laptop, I'll be comparing it to a Dell Inspiron N7010 (google it if you're interested). My Dell has its issues but has served me well since December, 2010. I bought it from a shopping channel for about $949.00. It came with a lot of extra software and is a 17.3" widescreen. I currently use Windows 8, consumer edition. One nice thing was the free addition of Office 2010, Student/Teacher edition. Not the testing/preview, the FULL edition. I still scratch my head as to WHY manufacturers put the trial (another name for it) edition of Office on computers. Just charge a little more and put at least the Student/Teacher edition. That's another debate for another time.
Pros: I'm including packaging, shipping, and carrier: The Whole Kit and Caboodle!
* Minimal packaging creates less carbon foot printing. The getting started is about an 11x17 sheet, front and back. You take it out, plug it in, hook up to wireless and you're off. If you can't do that, email me and I'll tutor you via the `net..lol. Seriously, it's very easy.
* USB 3.0...yes! I'm surprised it isn't color coded but it's there. Now I can use the portable drive I accidentally bought. (OK..you can use a 3.0 on a 2.0 port...I know technology pretty well. ' )
* Keyboard....very nice (especially if you like working in the dark with the lighting of it); the feel of the keys is wonderful-comfortable, easy to press, the spacing is perfect!
* Temperature-wise, it is one of the 'coolest' I've ever come across. No overheating!
* The battery life is nice but NOWHERE near the 8 hours they brag about. Having been an owner of laptops for many years and of many different manufacturers, this is very common. Always decrease the amount of battery life a company boasts about. Even Apple!
* It is much lighter, obviously, than my Dell. Not nearly as light as I thought it would be but a good weight for students.
* As mentioned in my intro, I use a 17.3 inch laptop. I was worried about 'moving down' to a 14 inch. (I also use a Macbook pro that's 13 inches but not enough to be used to the smaller size.) It wasn't that bad. I plan on creating a class/eduators website and plan to use this laptop as the primary laptop that holds the software and files.
Cons: I'm including packaging, shipping, and carrier: The Whole Kit and Caboodle here too!
* Amazon did NOT package it so that the laptop wouldn't slide around. Shame on Amazon!
* My laptop had been opened before. MAYBE it was because it was a Vine laptop, I don't know as I've never received a higher-end piece of technology before. I will presume that yours will be sealed by H-P.
* UPS left mine by my front door, on a rainy day. No signature required. Way to go! (This surprised me. I'm surprised Amazon didn't require a signature. They might with yours.)
* TRIAL version of Norton. Either give me the software for a YEAR or don't bother putting anything on there. (I'm not a big fan of Norton anyway so I vote for the latter.)
* Even though the lid is NOT glossy, it still loves your body oils. ' I will be getting a skin for it very soon like I have for my Dell.
* I love the keyboard...except for the backspace key. It's making a clunking sound and doesn't respond well. Maybe it's messed up on this laptop only.
* It boasts sound quality and it has the right to do so. In addition it has built-in bluetooth-a feature Mac always has bragging rights to. My issue was a Vulcan bluetooth-enabled speaker. I could pair it but never could get the music to play through it without using the cable. What's the use of having a bluetooth speaker if I'm still tethered with a cable?? Nonetheless, the sound is OUTSTANDING with the two put together!
* The power cable is NOT flush with the laptop-it sticks out. This gets me nervous with the possibility of it breaking. Bad thinking on HP's side of things.
* The touch pad...ahhhhh, the touch pad. Tricky little sucker. I'm used to this style of touchpad but I have to say that this one doesn't fully cooperate. There are times when I click on the lower left side but the laptop doesn't respond appropriately. The same is true for the right side. The hand gestures are nice. If you're used to a mac, you'll fit right in.
* There are only 3 USB ports. Because there is no optical drive, I feel it needs even more USB ports. At minimum 4, maybe 5 or 6. Yes...it would interfere with weight and size...possibly....but 3 isn't enough for this reviewer!
* Though this isn't really a con because I knew it going in...I MISS HAVING A dvd/cd rom/drive! Yes, there are many items that can be downloaded. Yes, there are many items that can NOT be downloaded. It's a simple solution: purchase an external one. The good news is you control whether you get a high end (blue ray) or low end (CD burner).
Overall it's a good laptop that I've pretty much used ever since I got it. I still get irritated with the touchpad and backspace key but I believe the backspace key is an issue with my laptop only and the touchpad, well, it will just take time to get used to.
Buy HP Envy 4-1010us Sleekbook 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Now
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program UPDATE 27 NOV 2012: I've upgraded this from 4 to 5 stars after three weeks plus of use, primarily because of its "HP Imagepad" (the touchpad) which is very large and very responsive once you get used to Windows 8 this touchpad works VERY well. I've compared this laptop to the similar HP Pavilion 14-b010us 14-Inch Laptop Sleekbook which has a different, VERY deficient Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad (smaller, less responsive). The "HP Imagepad" equipped laptops should be preferred equipment if you're going to be using Windows 8.ORIGINAL REVIEW:
If you need an optical drive included in your laptop, DON'T GET THIS SPECIFIC PRODUCT (HP Envy 4-1010us Sleekbook). At this time, the specs on Amazon for this includes a "checklist" which explicitly says "Built-in-Blu Ray player" and "Built-in CD/DVD burner" which is not true. I think HP might be getting the specifications for other higher-end and pricier Ultrabook laptops in this line mixed up. On the bright side, it looked like this didn't have a backlit keyboard, but it does. Some sloppy quality control on the marketing end, but not the fault of the laptop. Do your homework on the specs before buying.
The software (Windows 8, etc.)
My HP Envy Sleekbook shipped with Windows 8 which I've never used before. When I ordered this the specs indicated it would ship with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit more sloppy marketing description. I have a hard time divorcing a review of the laptop from the operating system, but that's almost impossible. My personal nature is that I hate every new interface, mostly because I've become familiar with my current one (which was new and hated at one time). So regarding Windows 8 on this machine: from what I can tell there's nothing about this laptop that is anathema to Windows 8, but the trackpad could be a problem for some. Windows 8 is obviously designed for a touch screen (e.g., tablet) and the Sleekbook does not have one. Most of the interface issues/confusion I've had have to do with using the trackpad which is physically fine but it's been confusing and I'm working things out. As a piece of hardware it appears to be sensitive enough and does what it's supposed to do. I'm just not sure what it's supposed to do all the time and keep opening up new apps, screens, and menus by accident. Enough about Windows 8.
This Sleekbook comes with lots of bloatware pre-installed which I despise, but I've found that's pretty universal for computers with pre-installed operating systems. I hate it, but I can't downgrade it (I'd rather downgrade the entire industry sometimes). I also recognize that some of that bloatware I probably would install. I just deal with it.
Installation of the system does require a wireless or wired network connection.
The hardware (laptop)
Mine is a nice looking black top, red bottom. The brushed metal cover will immediately pick up smudges, but that's not a big deal (just want to note it). The backlit keyboard is very bright, and there is an always lit "backlit keyboard key" that's nice for toggling backlighting on and off.
The screen's large and sharp and serves nicely for watching media. Speakers are better than what you'd expect for built-in laptop speakers, but they're still just that laptop speakers. The keyboard is, um, serviceable? Keyboards are like operating systems you have to get used to new ones. I have no real complaints at this time.
My favorite feature is the "CoolSense" technology. I have no idea how they do it, but it only seems to get "slightly warm" on the bottom even after a couple of hours of use. This is the first laptop I've had that I can prop up on my stomach and chest in bed and not feel like I'm getting burned. The weight is also much lighter than most laptops, but still heavier than almost all netbooks.
Overall, I find this "nifty" because it really does what it purports to do, and the lightness and coolness are definitely noticeable. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for being an excellent product, but have reluctantly knocked off a star for the confusing description of features (I know, that's not really about the laptop, but it gives me pause).
I will update this review if durability issues crop up. Most of the other things I don't like are purely about the software, but I can't see subtracting a star for something that's new to me (Windows 8).
Read Best Reviews of HP Envy 4-1010us Sleekbook 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Here
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program The horrible: this shipped with Windows 8 instead of the advertised Windows 7. After a few months of use, I have found no reason to enjoy Windows 8 and it has affected my view of the laptop overall. Perhaps that isn't fair, but there is no way to separate them. It's a shame that HP chose to do that.The bad: the touchpad isn't centered with the space bar. That's fine if this is the only computer you use and you get used to it. With two other laptops in the family, though, this "difference" becomes noticeable. It is large and works well, but it would be better centered on the "typing" part of the keyboard rather than the case. (That was the first thing my son noticed about this, too.)
The good: this is unbelievably lightweight and handy to carry around. It is quite fast, it looks nice and works well.
I use it far, far less than I would if it had come with Windows 7.
Five stars for the computer itself. Minus at least one star for the unadvertised Windows 8.
(Of course, HP has pre-installed Norton stuff which is annoying, not free and always a pain to get rid of.)
Want HP Envy 4-1010us Sleekbook 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Discount?
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This review is from: HP Envy 4-1010us Sleekbook 14-Inch Laptop (Black) (Personal Computers)Customer review from the Amazon Vine(tm) Program
UPDATE: Nov 16, 2012
After a couple months use, we've noticed the speakers for this computer are not holding up as well as they should. We've notice some degradation in sound. Based on this newest finding I've downgraded the rating.
UPDATE AUGUST 10: HP has continued to offer customer support as when the computer was returned HP enclosed a special telephone number for technical assistance. Later a customer service rep called to confirm the computer was operating well. The rep then inquired about closing the case and we agreed to do so.
As to the computer: It runs smoothly and is very light. The two things I would have liked to seen offered with this computer include:
1. The ability to open the battery case to replace a non-functioning battery. The HP Envy computer has to be returned to HP for battery replacement as you can not do this yourself.
2. An optical drive bay. There is no installed CD or DVD drive included with this laptop. I'm sure this was done to help decrease weight and size.
Original Review:
I've barely used the HP Envy 4-1010us laptop as it arrived late yesterday afternoon. Today, I used the computer briefly and the battery then quit. I called HP tech support and the support I received was courteous and outstanding. I will have to return the laptop as HP will have to open up the computer to install the battery. HP has courteously arranged to have a box sent, made sure I had a tracking and case number, and was very professional when dealing with this problem.
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