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MagyarHP Envy 15 x360 Convertible (Core i5-6200U) Review
For the original German review, see here.
HP's Envy 15 x360 is a convertible that is equipped with a 360-degree rotatable display. We had tested a Broadwell model from the series only a few weeks ago. The device was not particularly impressive. A viewing angle dependent TN screen and a sluggish hard drive ruined the impression considerably. Our current review sample features a Skylake processor, and it can serve with a viewing angle stable IPS panel and solid-state drive. Our report reveals whether this is enough to make up for the sister model's poor impression.
The Envy does not have many rivals since there are not many 15.6-inch convertibles that feature a dedicated graphics core on the market. For example, we would name Lenovo's. Conventional 15.6-inch laptops, such as Lenovo's Z51-70 and Acer's Aspire V3-574G as competition.
Since both Envy 15 models that we have tested are identical in build, we will not go into details about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers. The relevant information can be found in the review of the HP Envy 15-w000ng x360.
Display
The Envy is equipped with a 15.6-inch touchscreen with a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The screen's contrast of 800:1 is good. However, the panel is too dark. A rate of 204.7 cd/m² could still be acceptable in the low-cost sector, but not in a 1000 Euros (~$1061) device. A brightness rate of 300 cd/m² would be more appropriate here.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 80 %
Center on Battery: 208 cd/m²
Contrast: 800:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.97 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.37 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.32% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.97% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.34
The color reproduction in delivery state is average. The DeltaE 2000 shift is 6.97 (target range: DeltaE less than 3). Calibrating the screen should improve this rate. The screen does not exhibit a bluish tint.
Thanks to the viewing angle stable IPS panel, the Envy's screen can be legible from every position. However, the device is not suitable for outdoor use. The screen's low brightness and glossy surface have a negative impact here.
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17942 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | ||
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 24 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 32 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 67 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 37 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 38 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 36 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 47 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms). | ||
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 IPS, 1920x1080 | HP Envy 15-w000ng x360 TN-LED, 1366x768 | Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 IPS, 1920x1080 | Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 IPS, 1920x1080 | Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 TN LED, 1920x1080 | Lenovo Z51-70 TN LED, 1920x1080 | Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA IPS, 1920x1080 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -10% | -2% | 49% | -1% | -2% | -0% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 39.97 | 35.87 -10% | 39.31 -2% | 64.3 61% | 39.56 -1% | 39.33 -2% | 39.83 0% |
| sRGB Coverage | 59.8 | 54 -10% | 58.8 -2% | 83.3 39% | 59.2 -1% | 58.9 -2% | 59.5 -1% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 41.32 | 37.06 -10% | 40.65 -2% | 60.9 47% | 40.89 -1% | 40.65 -2% | 41.21 0% |
| Response Times | |||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 37 ? | ||||||
| Response Time Black / White * | 28 ? | ||||||
| PWM Frequency | |||||||
| Screen | -39% | 6% | 37% | -24% | -22% | -7% | |
| Brightness middle | 208 | 183 -12% | 274 32% | 353 70% | 218 5% | 229 10% | 257 24% |
| Brightness | 205 | 196 -4% | 240 17% | 335 63% | 206 0% | 214 4% | 247 20% |
| Brightness Distribution | 80 | 82 3% | 73 -9% | 88 10% | 89 11% | 85 6% | 84 5% |
| Black Level * | 0.26 | 0.51 -96% | 0.27 -4% | 0.31 -19% | 0.46 -77% | 0.45 -73% | 0.45 -73% |
| Contrast | 800 | 359 -55% | 1015 27% | 1139 42% | 474 -41% | 509 -36% | 571 -29% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 6.97 | 12.45 -79% | 7.51 -8% | 4.59 34% | 11.08 -59% | 10.51 -51% | 7.36 -6% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 7.37 | 13.81 -87% | 7.43 -1% | 3.73 49% | 11.72 -59% | 11.32 -54% | 7.82 -6% |
| Gamma | 2.34 94% | 2.33 94% | 2.37 93% | 2.42 91% | 2.48 89% | 2.47 89% | 2.4 92% |
| CCT | 6823 95% | 16998 38% | 6670 97% | 6268 104% | 13526 48% | 12795 51% | 6939 94% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 38 | 34 -11% | 37 -3% | 55 45% | 37.8 -1% | 38 0% | 38 0% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 59 | 54 -8% | 59 0% | 83 41% | 59.3 1% | 59 0% | 59.2 0% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -25% /
-32% | 2% /
4% | 43% /
40% | -13% /
-19% | -12% /
-17% | -4% /
-6% |
* ... smaller is better
Performance
HP's Envy 15 x360 belongs to the 15.6-inch convertibles. The 360-degree rotatable display allows different modes of use. The laptop has more than enough computing power for everyday use, and can render games smoothly. Our review sample carries a price tag of approximately 1000 Euros (~$1061). The Broadwell model of the Envy that we tested costs around 800 Euros (~$849). We could not discover any other configurations.
Processor
The Envy 15 is powered by a Core i5-6200U (Skylake) dual-core processor. This mid-range processor is a good choice for an all-round device such as the Envy. The available computing power should be more than sufficient for most users. The processor clocks at a base speed of 2.3 GHz that can be boosted to 2.7 GHz (both cores) or 2.8 GHz (one core only). The Turbo is utilized in both AC and battery mode. We tested a Broadwell sister model of the Envy a few weeks ago that features the former generation CPU of the one installed here - the Core i5-5200U processor. Therefore, a direct comparison would make sense here. The Skylake model achieved up to 13% better results in our performed CPU tests. The improvements of the Skylake architecture and the slightly higher work speeds are noticed here.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| HP Envy 15-w000ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| HP Envy 15-w000ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
The combination of a fast solid-state drive and a potent Core i5 processor ensures a fast-running system. We did not encounter any problems. Accordingly, the PCMark benchmark results are good. Lenovo's Z51-70 scores better than the Envy because it is equipped with a Radeon graphics core. The PCMark 8 benchmark in particular benefits from AMD GPUs. Increasing the Envy's system performance is not possible.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3200 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3801 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4154 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70 | |
| Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA | |
Storage Device & Memory Card Reader
A solid-state drive in an M.2 format with a capacity of 256 GB serves as the system drive. Roughly, 200 GB is available for the user. The rest of the storage is reserved for the Windows installation and the recovery partition. The SSD's transfer rates are good.
The memory card reader in the Envy achieves a maximum transfer rate of 88 MB/s when copying large data blocks. Copying 250 JPG images (approx. 5 MB each) is performed with approximately 68.4 MB/s. This makes the memory card reader one of the fastest models of its kind. As always, we used our reference SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) for testing the transfer rates.
Graphics Card
The Skylake model of the Envy 15 also features a GeForce 930M GPU. It is a mid-range model that supports DirectX 12. The graphics core operates at speeds of up to 941 MHz. The scores in the 3DMark benchmarks correspond to the GPU's performance. The 930 GPU only marginally outperforms its GeForce 830M precursor. The results are very close. Both cores are based on Nvidia's Maxwell architecture. However, the GeForce 830M core clocks at a much higher speed (1150 MHz vs. 941 MHz). Consequently, it might be believed that the 930M core should lag far behind its precursor. The GeForce 930M compensates this speed disadvantage with a larger Shader count (384 vs. 256).
The GeForce graphics core together with Intel's HD Graphics 520 GPU create a graphics switching solution (Optimus). Nvidia's core takes care of performance-driven applications, such as computer games. Intel's GPU is responsible for routine and battery mode. The cores are switched automatically; the user does not have to intervene.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 2270 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 48190 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 6077 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1294 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| HP Envy 15-w000ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70 | |
| Acer Aspire V3-574G-59MA | |
Gaming Performance
The Envy can render many games smoothly in the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) using low to medium quality settings. Games with low hardware requirements allow even more. The screen's full resolution is at most possible in single tracks. Very performance-driven games, such as "Batman: Arkham Knight" and "The Witcher 3" will never achieve sufficiently high frame rates. Overall, the gaming performance could be better considering that HP asks almost 1000 Euros (~$1061) for its Envy. "Conventional", 15.6-inch laptops equipped with a GeForce GTX 950M core, such as Acer's Aspire VN7-571G, cost that much.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| Diablo III (2012) | 138.4 | 93.1 | 73.3 | 44.9 |
| Tomb Raider (2013) | 123.2 | 58 | 33.4 | 15.6 |
| Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) | 40.2 | 33.8 | 17.6 | |
| Watch Dogs (2014) | 40.4 | 25.8 | 7.9 | 4.8 |
| Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) | 48.2 | 29.3 | 11 | 7.5 |
| Sims 4 (2014) | 184.5 | 90.1 | 40.1 | 33.9 |
| The Evil Within (2014) | 40.2 | 29.3 | 15.9 | |
| The Crew (2014) | 34.7 | 26.4 | 17.8 | 7.5 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 27 | 16.7 | 9 | 6.9 |
| Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) | 26 | 21 | 10 | 5 |
| Metal Gear Solid V (2015) | 60 | 40.5 | 16.4 | 11.7 |
| Mad Max (2015) | 34.5 | 16.4 | 15.4 | |
| World of Warships (2015) | 102.6 | 75.3 | 34.7 | 21.7 |
| FIFA 16 (2015) | 99.7 | 57.8 | 36.4 | |
| Anno 2205 (2015) | 40.6 | 22.3 | 9.7 | 4.8 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015) | 46.7 | 29.2 | 13.1 | 9.7 |
| Fallout 4 (2015) | 32.3 | 19.8 | 11.1 | 9.2 |
| Star Wars Battlefront (2015) | 46.2 | 28.5 | 12.8 | 11.2 |
| Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015) | 21.8 | 17.3 | 9.6 | 4.3 |
| Sims 4 | |
| 1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| The Witcher 3 | |
| 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| HP Envy 15-w000ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70 | |
| 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| World of Warships | |
| 1366x768 Low Preset AF:Trilinear (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset AF:Trilinear (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| FIFA 16 | |
| 1280x720 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| 1366x768 High Preset AA:2x MS (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Mad Max - 1366x768 Normal Preset AF:2x (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70 | |
| Metal Gear Solid V | |
| 1024x768 Low / Off (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
| 1366x768 Medium / Off (sort by value) | |
| HP Envy 15-w103ng x360 | |
| Lenovo Flex 2 Pro-15 | |
| Dell Latitude 15 3550-0123 | |
| Lenovo Z51-70-80K6 | |
Emissions
System Noise
The Envy's fan runs continuously at a low speed while idling. Disabling "Fan always on" in the BIOS options does not change that. However, the fan is only audible in silent environments, and it is not heard in normal ambient noise. Naturally, this changes under load. The noise level increased up to 46 dB(A) in the stress test. This level is not reached immediately. The fan needs quite some time before speeding up. The fan does not speed up as soon as a computer game is played. For example, we rarely heard the fan while performing our gaming benchmarks.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 32.9 / 32.9 / 32.9 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 37 / 46 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance) | ||
Temperature
The laptop performed our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery mode. Both the CPU (2.7 GHz) as well as the GPU (941 MHz) clocked consistently at their maximum Turbo speeds. The Envy heated up moderately at most. 40 degrees Celsius (~104 degrees Fahrenheit) was exceeded on only two measuring points. The laptop does not get more than lukewarm during routine use. There are no differences between the Skylake and Broadwell Envy in terms of temperature development.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.9 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.1 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.2 °C / 79.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+1.9 °C / 3.4 F).
Energy Management
Power Consumption
Both Envy models are identical while idling and present virtually the same power consumption rates. However, it must be kept in mind that the Skylake Envy features a higher resolution screen. Consequently, the Skylake Envy has higher load power consumption. The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts. Overall, the Envy's power requirement is on the expected level of the hardware platform installed.
Note: We used a new measuring instrument to determine the power consumption of the Skylake Envy. Therefore, the results of both Envy models are not directly comparable.
| Off / Standby | 0.3 / 0.6 Watt |
| Idle | 4.15 / 8.2 / 8.2 Watt |
| Load |
34.6 / 48 Watt |
   
| |
Battery Runtime
We simulated the load required for opening websites in the real world Wi-Fi test. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The Envy achieved a runtime of 6:38 hours, which is on par with its Broadwell sister model.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The new Skylake processor leads to a higher computing performance without reducing the battery life. The somewhat higher power consumption compared with the Broadwell Envy is a result of the higher resolution screen and our new measuring instrument. The Envy benefits significantly from the solid-state drive. Overall, the system operates smoothly and fast. There is an obvious difference compared to the Broadwell Envy that is slowed down by a sluggish hard drive. HP has also upgraded the screen. The TN panel installed in the Broadwell Envy has made way for a viewing angle stable IPS screen. The device's low temperatures and conservative fan management should also be mentioned.
Overall, the changes that HP has made in hardware give the Envy a clearly more finished touch, and it can be confidently recommended for buying.
However, our current review sample also has its shortcomings. The Envy is still shipped with only one-year warranty - too short for a 1000 Euros (~$1061) device. 70 Euros (~$74) would have to be invested in an upgrade to two years. Unfortunately, HP has also installed a dark screen in our current review sample. We expect more from a 1000 Euros (~$1061) laptop. The rate should definitely be around 300 cd/m².
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
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11/19/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck
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