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HP Envy 13-ad006ng (i7-7500U, MX150) Laptop Review

HP XPS 13 for gaming. A compact 13.3-inch Ultrabook with GeForce MX150 graphics and a metal chassis? Sounds like a solid concept. In our comprehensive review update we'll try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the HP Envy 13 with MX150 and Core i7-7500U.

For the original German review, please click here.

HP attacks the venerable Dell XPS 13 on several fronts at once. First, the company offers high-end and very premium Ultrabooks in form of the Spectre x360 13 and the Spectre 13, which both just received hardware updates and now sport 8th-generation Core i CPUs. Secondly, HP sells the Envy 13, which is decidedly upscale as well and at the same time a more "traditional" Ultrabook design. Back in August we reviewed one of the available configurations - a less expensive version with  Core i5-7200U and 128 GB SSD. This time around, we are taking a look at the Envy 13 with  Core i7-7500U and 256 GB SSD. The  most important difference is the Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU, which makes the Ultrabook suitable for occasional gaming as well. 

The segment is hotly contested and consequently attracts many manufacturers. The most prominent competitor is of course the Dell XPS 13, but there are others, like the Lenovo IdeaPad 710s Plus (we haven't had a chance to review the successor to the IdeaPad 720s yet), the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13 or the Asus ZenBook UX310UA.

Since the exterior of the Envy 13 with GeForce MX150 mirrors that of the Envy 13 without MX150 and the configuration is very similar as well, we'll skip the sections dealing with connectivity, the chassis, and the input devices.

At the time of writing, HP US offers the Envy 13 with Core i7-8550U, 256 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM and 13.3-inch Full HD display for $850. The 4K display option costs $150 extra.

HP Envy 13-ad006ng (Envy 13-ad Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7500U 2 x 2.7 - 3.5 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1671 MHz, RAM: 1252 MHz, 381.99, Optimus
Memory
7.9 GB 
, DDR3L-1866, Dual-Channel, soldered on
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, BOE070E, IPS LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK, 256 GB 
, PCIe NVMe M.2 2280 SSD
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5mm Audio-Kombo-Port, Card Reader: micro SD
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14 x 305 x 216 ( = 0.55 x 12.01 x 8.5 in)
Battery
51 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Keyboard: 6-row chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, DropBox, HP JumpStar Apps, HP Support Assistant, HP Sure Connect, McAfee LiveSafe, Microsoft Office Trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.3 kg ( = 45.86 oz / 2.87 pounds), Power Supply: 295 g ( = 10.41 oz / 0.65 pounds)
Price
1199 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

323 mm / 12.7 in 223 mm / 8.78 in 18.35 mm / 0.722 in 1.4 kg2.98 lbs309.6 mm / 12.2 in 210.9 mm / 8.3 in 14.8 mm / 0.583 in 1.3 kg2.82 lbs307 mm / 12.1 in 214 mm / 8.43 in 14 mm / 0.551 in 1.1 kg2.43 lbs305 mm / 12 in 216 mm / 8.5 in 14 mm / 0.551 in 1.3 kg2.87 lbs304 mm / 12 in 201 mm / 7.91 in 15 mm / 0.591 in 1.3 kg2.88 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
 
159 MB/s +121%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
72 MB/s
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
 
68.1 MB/s -5%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
 
190.6 MB/s +138%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
 
88 MB/s +10%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80 MB/s
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
682 MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
614 MBit/s -10%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
538 MBit/s -21%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
618 MBit/s +13%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
608 MBit/s +11%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
547 MBit/s

Display

Subpixel array Envy 13
Subpixel array Envy 13
Very minor backlight bleeding
Very minor backlight bleeding

At a first glance, it seems that the review notebook is equipped with the same panel as the Envy 13-ad065nr, since it also features a glossy 13.3-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels just like the latter notebook. There's one difference though: the display of the Envy we are reviewing today is protected by a glass panel, whereas the Envy 13-ad065nr features a traditional construction without a glass layer. The panel itself is different as well, as it is sourced from BOE and not LG. There are no other display choices in Germany, but HP's US page also mentions a 4K IPS panel as an alternative.

The difference between the two panels isn't really that significant. The LG panel in the ad065nr is slightly brighter, but its contrast is lower and the brightness distribution isn't that great. The response time of the BOE panel is slower and the PWM frequency is - at 1000 Hz for all brightness levels of less than 90 % - worse as well, although that might not bother most users. The LG panel has a PWM frequency of over 10200 MHz, which definitely shouldn't cause any issues. The BOE display has more noticeable backlight bleeding, but all things considered, it's still extremely minor.

Neither Envy 13 display does well when compared to other notebooks, as all of the competitors feature significantly brighter panels.

268
cd/m²
278
cd/m²
274
cd/m²
260
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE070E tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 281 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 263.6 cd/m² Minimum: 16 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 281 cd/m²
Contrast: 1222:1 (Black: 0.23 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.83 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 6.63 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
86% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
56% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.85
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
BOE070E, , 1920x1080, 13.3"
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
LG Philips LGD0576, , 1920x1080, 13.3"
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i5
Sharp SHP1449 LQ133M1, , 1920x1080, 13.3"
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
LG Philips LP133WF4-SPB1 (LGD04EF), , 1920x1080, 13.3"
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
AU Optronics AUO272D, , 1920x1080, 13.3"
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
Samsung LTN133HL09-M01, , 1920x1080, 13.3"
Display
-3%
-21%
-3%
-8%
6%
Display P3 Coverage
66.8
65.5
-2%
48.94
-27%
65.3
-2%
64.2
-4%
66
-1%
sRGB Coverage
86.3
83.8
-3%
73.3
-15%
82.9
-4%
65.3
-24%
95.5
11%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.1
61.3
-3%
50.5
-20%
60.6
-4%
65.3
3%
67.8
7%
Response Times
331%
14%
8%
-11%
-27%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
48 ?(23, 25)
28 ?(14, 14)
42%
32.8 ?(16, 16.8)
32%
45 ?(12, 33)
6%
40 ?(12, 28)
17%
49 ?(20, 29)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
32 ?(17, 15)
22.4 ?(12.4, 10)
30%
33.2 ?(10.8, 22.4)
-4%
29 ?(6, 23)
9%
22 ?(5, 17)
31%
27 ?(8, 19)
16%
PWM Frequency
1000 ?(90)
10200 ?(100)
920%
200 ?(20)
-80%
50 ?(30)
-95%
Screen
-4%
4%
4%
6%
18%
Brightness middle
281
290
3%
351.2
25%
343
22%
358
27%
347
23%
Brightness
264
270
2%
325
23%
306
16%
347
31%
334
27%
Brightness Distribution
83
78
-6%
89
7%
81
-2%
87
5%
80
-4%
Black Level *
0.23
0.32
-39%
0.195
15%
0.3
-30%
0.26
-13%
0.27
-17%
Contrast
1222
906
-26%
1801
47%
1143
-6%
1377
13%
1285
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.83
4.8
1%
7.4
-53%
4.73
2%
5.22
-8%
3.29
32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.89
11.2
-26%
9.08
-2%
9.05
-2%
9.19
-3%
4.69
47%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.63
2.8
58%
6.71
-1%
3.29
50%
6.69
-1%
3.62
45%
Gamma
1.85 119%
2.19 100%
2.74 80%
2.36 93%
2.35 94%
2.23 99%
CCT
6794 96%
6382 102%
7222 90%
6437 101%
6745 96%
7307 89%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
56
54.9
-2%
50.48
-10%
54
-4%
59
5%
62
11%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
86
83.5
-3%
73.31
-15%
83
-3%
91
6%
95
10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
108% / 59%
-1% / 0%
3% / 3%
-4% / 0%
-1% / 7%

* ... smaller is better

ColorChecker (before calibration)
ColorChecker (before calibration)
Saturation (before calibration)
Saturation (before calibration)
Graylevels (before calibration)
Graylevels (before calibration)

The combination of the fairly low black value (0.23) and decent brightness results in a good contrast ratio of 1222:1. Black actually looks like blacks and the colors are nicely saturated. The resolution of 1920 x 1080 on the 13.3-inch panel translates to a pixel density of 166 ppi, which means that the sharpness is very good - subjectively as well. Unfortunately, we couldn't calibrate the display. As shipped, the panel has a very slight greenish cast.

Inexpensive panels normally offer less than 70 % coverage of the sRGB color space; good panels exceed 90 %. The BOE display is decent here with 86 %, although it can't reproduce all the colors needed for professional photo editing. Still, the performance is quite a bit better than what we are used to from true bargain IPS displays. 

sRGB: 86 %
sRGB: 86 %
AdobeRGB: 56 %
AdobeRGB: 56 %
Outdoor (cloudy)
Outdoor (cloudy)

Although the brightness of 260 cd/m² is sufficient for outdoor use in the shade, the glossy display still impacts the experience in a negative fashion. To overpower the reflections better, we'd like to see an average brightness of over 30cd/m² - something a few of the competitors do offer. Another option would be a matte display, which unfortunately isn't available. 

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
32 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 15 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 84 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
48 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23 ms rise
↘ 25 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 81 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 1000 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 1000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 1000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

Viewing angles stability for IPS displays is generally great. The Envy is no exception here, although we noticed a bluish cast at very shallow angles - most likely an artifact of the IPS glow effect. Normal daily use remains unaffected, however.

Viewing angles Envy 13
Viewing angles Envy 13

Performance

To potential buyers, the sheer number of Envy 13 offerings can be quite confusing. First, it's necessary to differentiate between the different models: there's an older version with the letters "ab" in the model number (for example ab005ng) - which uses a different chassis - as well as a newer version designated by "ad". For the latter, it doesn't matter if the notebook is equipped with a Kaby Lake processor (like our review notebook) or one of the Kaby Lake "refresh" CPUs. At the time of writing, there are two models with the new CPUs Core i5-8250U and i7-8550U.

There are quite a few models with the older processors, although there are actual only two choices with either the Core i5-7200U or the Core i7-7500U. Most versions included Intel GPUs, but a few come with the Nvidia GeForce MX150. SSDs can either be 256 or 512 GB in size; the 8 GB of RAM across the current lineup is soldered on. One additional difference: some configurations come in silver, while others are offered in gold like the review notebook.

HWiNFO
HWiNFO
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
GPU-Z Intel HD Graphics 620
GPU-Z Intel HD Graphics 620
LatencyMon
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Core i7-7500U is the second-fasted ULV dual-core CPU with a TDP of 15 W in Intel's lineup and is outperformed only by the more expensive Core i7-7600U. We have to note that's only true if we look at the now outdated Kaby Lake generation, since the significantly faster successor to the i7-7500U - the Intel Core i7-8550U - is already available. For comparisons between this and other CPUs, please take a look at our benchmark table. 

Theoretically, the two cores (4 threads with Hyperthreading) can operate at a maximum clock speed of 3.5 GHz.The CPU does indeed reach the highest Turbo speed - but not for that long, as the Multi-Thread portion of the Cinebench R15 shows. The reason is a built-in TDP limitation: for about one minute, the CPU is allowed to draw about 19 W, but then TDP threshold becomes active and the cores drop to 3.1 GHz. This behavior is also the reason why the first iteration of the Cinebench R15 Multi-Thread loop test ends up with a higher score than the subsequent ones: the temporary performance boost is only available at the beginning.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The results are quite good, but not perfect. The Envy's Core i7-7500U scores 376 points when running the Cinebench-R15 Multi-Thread test. The notebook thus does well when compared to competitors with dual-core Kaby Lake CPUs; the new XPS 13 with Core i7-8550U is in a different league altogether as far as performance is concerned.

There's no noticeable drop in performance when the notebook is running on battery.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Intel Core i7-8550U
167 Points +15%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Intel Core i7-7500U
146 Points +1%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
145 Points
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
Intel Core i5-7200U
125 Points -14%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
Intel Core i5-6200U
118 Points -19%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
Intel Core i7-7500U
110 Points -24%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Intel Core i7-8550U
603 Points +71%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
Intel Core i7-7500U
353 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Intel Core i7-7500U
346 Points -2%
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
Intel Core i5-7200U
314 Points -11%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
Intel Core i5-6200U
294 Points -17%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
Intel Core i7-7500U
293 Points -17%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
81.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
353 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
145 Points
Help

System Performance

Es expected for such a well-equipped notebook, the Envy 13 performs impressively and without any delays. There's no stuttering even under heavy load and the PCMark test results are top notch.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN)
3980 Points +5%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
GeForce MX150, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
3773 Points
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006
3760 Points 0%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3432 Points -9%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3147 Points -17%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
3144 Points -17%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN)
4990 Points +2%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
GeForce MX150, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
4900 Points
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006
4669 Points -5%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4436 Points -9%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
4274 Points -13%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4184 Points -15%
PCMark 10 - Score
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
GeForce MX150, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
3282 Points
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006
3273 Points 0%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3773 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4900 points
PCMark 10 Score
3282 points
Help

Storage Devices

Our review Ultrabook is equipped with a Toshiba SSD with a very long model name and a capacity of 256 GB. The M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD is much faster than SATA III SSDs like the 128 GB example we encountered in the Envy 13-ad065nr. The Toshiba SSD isn't the fastest of its kind, however: Samsung's PM961 is significantly faster.

To get a better idea about how the Toshiba SSD compares to others, we recommend a look at our SSD benchmark list.

HP Envy 13-ad006ng
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN)
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
193%
40%
14%
Read Seq
1019
1577
55%
1209
19%
489.4
-52%
Write Seq
195.4
1472
653%
314
61%
431.6
121%
Read 512
735
1165
59%
356.7
-51%
Write 512
172.3
1244
622%
389.1
126%
Read 4k
34.5
54.8
59%
43.4
26%
26.68
-23%
Write 4k
109.4
121.5
11%
153.4
40%
88.7
-19%
Read 4k QD32
494.6
407.5
-18%
487.6
-1%
246.3
-50%
Write 4k QD32
161.3
321.4
99%
312.2
94%
251.5
56%
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-26%
12%
Write 4K
155.7
57.5
-63%
121.5
-22%
Read 4K
26.5
29.34
11%
24.92
-6%
Write Seq
312.3
342.5
10%
345
10%
Read Seq
928
503
-46%
1313
41%
Write 4K Q32T1
208.7
160.3
-23%
346.1
66%
Read 4K Q32T1
478.8
285.7
-40%
389.4
-19%
Write Seq Q32T1
305.1
330.8
8%
334.7
10%
Read Seq Q32T1
1601
552
-66%
1840
15%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
193% / 193%
40% / 40%
14% / 14%
-26% / -26%
12% / 12%
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
Sequential Read: 1019 MB/s
Sequential Write: 195.4 MB/s
512K Read: 735 MB/s
512K Write: 172.3 MB/s
4K Read: 34.5 MB/s
4K Write: 109.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 494.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 161.3 MB/s

GPU Performance

GPU-Z MX150
GPU-Z MX150

After a long dry spell, Nvidia finally introduced the GeForce MX150 this year as the successor to the outdated notebook-GPU GeForce 940MX. The MX150 is a low-end, Pascal-based GPU with 384 Shaders, 975 MHz clock speed (Turbo ca. 1600 MHz) and 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 RAM. Our GPU Benchmark Tool allows a comparison of the performance with other dGPUs.

One of the direct competitors, the IdeaPad 710s-Plus, comes with the predecessor-GPU 940MX. A closer look reveals that the MX150 consumes almost the same amount of power, but is roughly 30 % faster. Notebooks in our comparison equipped with Intel HD Graphics 620 or UHD Graphics 620 (in case of the new XPS 13) are 50 to 60 % slower.

Even when the Envy is operated in battery mode, the graphics performance doesn't decline. 

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-7500U
3459 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
2447 Points -29%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i5-6200U
2417 Points -30%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1810 Points -48%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1649 Points -52%
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1474 Points -57%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-7500U
17750 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
13075 Points -26%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i5-6200U
12078 Points -32%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
9511 Points -46%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
9364 Points -47%
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
7854 Points -56%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-7500U
2841 Points
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i5-6200U
2091 Points -26%
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i7-7500U
1940 Points -32%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1158 Points -59%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1120 Points -61%
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
939 Points -67%
3DMark 11 Performance
3588 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9800 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2528 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The MX150 is almost the GPU-definition for occasional gaming. Although current games won't be playable at the highest quality settings, most titles should work quite nicely at reduced details.

We conduct our Witcher 3 loop test to see if the GPU can deliver maximum performance over the long haul. During this test, the fps rate fluctuates between 10 - 8, which means that the performance remains comparatively stable with only minor fluctuations. 

012345678910Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra

When playing Witcher 3, the MX150 outperforms the GeForce 940 MX only by about 20 %, which is quite a bit lower than what the synthetic benchmarks predicted. The GeForce GTX 1050, which is used in a lot of entry-level gaming rigs, is about 3x faster than the graphics card in the review notebook. The Envy 13 is well-suited as a mobile gaming companion especially for games that aren't brand-new; users requiring better performance might want to take a look at our list of the Top 10 Gaming Notebooks. Of course, no laptop on that list is as portable as the Envy 13. 

The Witcher 3 - 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, WDC WD10SPCX-75KHST0 + SanDisk Z400s M.2 2242 32 GB Cache
77.3 fps +180%
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
GeForce MX150, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
27.64 fps
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
22.4 fps -19%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN)
17.1 fps -38%
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 High Preset
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
GeForce MX150, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
79 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
57.1 fps -28%
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
31.1 fps -61%
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN)
29.1 fps -63%
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006
26.3 fps -67%
lowmed.highultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 173.9 94 79 29.72
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 46.46 38.73 27.87 9.9
The Witcher 3 (2015) 45.13 27.64 14.47 9
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 60 34.06 17

Emissions

System Noise

 The HP Envy 13 performs like a typical Ultrabook when it comes to its noise level: during idle, the fan is turned off, but the system is audible at higher load levels. Even so, the Envy 13 never gets very loud.

Unlike the Dell XPS 13, the Envy 13 doesn't suffer from any coil whine.

Noise Level

Idle
30.5 / 30.5 / 30.5 dB(A)
Load
37.3 / 34.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.231.632.633.831.133.22532.333.329.132.330.532.33135.736.834.435.635.135.74032.130.232.728.430.632.15032.63331.832.729.132.66327.828.828.330.226.927.88026.727.227.527.326.926.710025.925.827.726.625.925.912525.725.425.524.824.325.716023.424.324.424.223.623.420023.5232323.22323.525022.322.922.42221.622.331522.421.421.221.720.822.440021.320.720.520.320.421.350021.320.42019.519.621.363021.92120.418.918.521.980023.823.521.918.818.323.810002625.623.618.21826125022.221.920.117.717.822.2160024.823.921.817.717.324.8200025.724.522.217.617.825.7250027.826.824.217.717.827.8315026.926.223.417.817.826.9400029.328.325.318.118.229.3500025.825.220.918.318.325.8630022.32219.318.418.222.3800019.519.418.818.618.619.51000019.119.118.918.718.719.11250018.918.818.818.818.818.91600019.1191919.11919.1SPL37.336.634.330.630.537.3N2.62.421.51.42.6median 23.4median 23median 21.8median 18.8median 18.6median 23.4Delta2.72.421.91.22.735.636.634.434.235.641.342.740.241.241.342.944.346.743.342.935.235.637.236.535.236.335.332.435.636.330.133.729.628.830.127.227.526.827.827.228.228.326.526.428.225.426.225.825.625.424.524.824.323.824.524.324.123.123.624.32323.921.722.32323.423.221.521.423.423.422.72120.723.4232220.120.3232221.319.5192223.222.418.718.623.226.124.718.418.126.125.324.218.317.925.326.725.417.917.826.727.325.61817.627.327.626.817.817.627.625.82517.918.125.825.523.918.218.125.525.423.718.518.325.422.921.318.518.522.921.521.218.518.421.520.219.918.518.520.219.519.818.418.319.52021.218.518.32037.336.230.830.637.32.72.41.51.52.7median 24.3median 23.9median 18.5median 18.5median 24.31.81.81.71.91.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP Envy 13-ad006ngLenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB

Temperature

Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

While the idle surface temperatures aren't even worth mentioning, the chassis gets quite warm under load - metal is a good conductor after all. The hotspot is above the keyboard up top; the palm rests and the bottom remain cool to the touch. That's good news, because the Ultrabook is a pleasure to work with even when subjected to load. The chassis gets hotter still during the Witcher 3 test, but the important threshold of 50 °C is never crossed.

Stress test performance with Prime95 and FurMark in parallel initially mirrors the results of the Cinebench loop test: during the first 30 seconds, the CPU can consume up to 25 W and runs at 3.5 GHz. After that, the TDP threshold of 15 W comes into play and the frequency drops to the nominal clock speed of 2.7 GHz. During the next 10 minutes, the temperature gradually rises and reaches 77 °C, at which point we enter the third stage of the stress test, as the system now hits a temperature limit: once the CPU reaches 77 °C, the clock speed drops to 1.4 GHz in phases, but doesn't remain there for long. Once the temperature has dropped to 70 °C. the clock speed ratchets back up to 2.7 GHz, the temperature once again increases to 77 °C and the cycle repeats. While the CPU is subjected to thermal throttling, the GPU remains at a rock-solid at 975 MHz and 70 °C.

Directly after the stress test, we run 3DMark 11 again. This time around, the score was lower, which means that thermal throttling can also happen during normal use - for example, when playing demanding games - and the temperature reaches 77 °C.

Max. Load
 30.5 °C
87 F
41.6 °C
107 F
35.3 °C
96 F
 
 28.6 °C
83 F
41 °C
106 F
38 °C
100 F
 
 26 °C
79 F
25 °C
77 F
29.3 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 41.6 °C = 107 F
Average: 32.8 °C = 91 F
21.6 °C
71 F
33.4 °C
92 F
29.8 °C
86 F
28.2 °C
83 F
28.7 °C
84 F
27.2 °C
81 F
27.5 °C
82 F
27.6 °C
82 F
26.3 °C
79 F
Maximum: 33.4 °C = 92 F
Average: 27.8 °C = 82 F
Power Supply (max.)  36 °C = 97 F | Room Temperature 21.3 °C = 70 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.8 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.6 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 33.4 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.4 °C / 72 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30.6 °C / 87.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-2.3 °C / -4.2 F).
Top (idle)
Top (idle)
Bottom (idle)
Bottom (idle)
Top (load)
Top (load)
Bottom (load)
Bottom (load)
Top (idle) Witcher 3
Top (idle) Witcher 3
Bottom (load) Witcher 3
Bottom (load) Witcher 3

Speakers

The area above the keyboard is home to the very distinctive speaker grill with its triangular-shaped perforation pattern. Since the Envy 13 emphasizes multimedia as well, we expect the speakers quality to be a notch above those of regular home office notebooks. Unfortunately, that's not the case, since the speakers neither get particularly loud nor do they feature an audible amount of bass. The sound output from the audio comb-jack on the other hand is flawless, however.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.133.22530.530.63135.133.14030.631.65029.133.66326.928.38026.92810025.927.912524.32816023.634.62002335.925021.646.131520.855.440020.46250019.664.863018.565.780018.369.510001865.6125017.868160017.368200017.870.5250017.868.8315017.866.6400018.266.5500018.368.9630018.269.6800018.666.41000018.764.71250018.865.1160001959.3SPL30.579.8N1.446.9median 18.6median 65.6Delta1.2939.439.636.436.933.833.733.834.732.837.332.33832.642.630.648.33051.328.853.629.754.728.157.927.759.426.255.825.656.525.259.124.663.924.164.32466.523.766.823.765.623.66023.656.723.458.423.46423.257.323.265.623.362.123.252.723.243.336.275.22.736.6median 24median 58.41.85.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Envy 13-ad006ngDell XPS 13 i7-8550U
HP Envy 13-ad006ng audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 61% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 29% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 43% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (66.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 4.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (14.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 41% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 50% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 28% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Just like our other Envy 13, our review notebook also has a slightly lower minimum idle power consumption, although the maximum value has increased a little. The power draw under load is higher as well, but that of course can be attributed to the dedicated GPU. 

The power supply is rated for 65 W and has more than enough overhead for the maximum power consumption of 48 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.46 / 0.52 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.8 / 5.8 / 7.7 Watt
Load midlight 48 / 48 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
i7-7500U, GeForce MX150, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.3"
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, SanDisk X400 SD8SN8U-128G-1006, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3"
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3"
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN), IPS, LED, 1920x1080, 13.3"
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IGZO IPS, 3200x1800, 13.3"
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
6200U, GeForce 940MX, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3"
Power Consumption
17%
-10%
2%
0%
-10%
Idle Minimum *
2.8
2.8
-0%
3.6
-29%
3.5
-25%
4.1
-46%
4
-43%
Idle Average *
5.8
5.8
-0%
7.4
-28%
6.6
-14%
5.8
-0%
6.6
-14%
Idle Maximum *
7.7
6.4
17%
8.7
-13%
7.5
3%
6
22%
7.4
4%
Load Average *
48
31.3
35%
43
10%
34.7
28%
42.5
11%
41.7
13%
Witcher 3 ultra *
35
Load Maximum *
48
31.7
34%
42
12%
39.6
17%
41.4
14%
52.4
-9%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Time for a full charge: 134 minutes
Time for a full charge: 134 minutes

The 51 Wh battery is built-in, which is very common for Ultrabooks. The Dell XPS 13 has a battery with a much higher capacity; the Lenovo IdeaPad 710s-Plus features a slightly smaller power source.

Given the power consumption, we can already expect that our review notebook won't be able to match the other Envy 13 when it comes to the runtimes. The XPS 13 also lasts way longer on a charge, while the IdeaPad trails its competitors by a pretty significant margin. The recorded WLAN runtime of 7 hours 13 minutes is decent enough, but nothing special

A full charge takes two hours and 15 minutes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
19h 58min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
7h 05min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 56min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 58min
HP Envy 13-ad006ng
i7-7500U, GeForce MX150, 51 Wh
HP Envy 13-ad065nr
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 53.6 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 710S Plus-13IKB
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, 46 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX310UA-FC347T iGP
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Dell XPS 13 i7-8550U
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2016
6200U, GeForce 940MX, 40 Wh
Battery Runtime
22%
-35%
-0%
17%
-22%
Reader / Idle
1198
1487
24%
468
-61%
966
-19%
1108
-8%
718
-40%
H.264
476
416
-13%
423
-11%
WiFi v1.3
425
570
34%
338
-20%
577
36%
589
39%
389
-8%
Load
118
127
8%
89
-25%
112
-5%
143
21%
83
-30%

Verdict

Pros

+ upscale metal design
+ compact design thanks to the thin bezel
+ fan noise is acceptable even under load
+ MX150 in a highly portable design
+ palm rests and bottom remain cool at all times

Cons

- display brightness is just average
- no matte display option
- no HDMI, SD card reader or Thunderbolt
- clickpad clatters
- prolonged loads lead to throttling
In review: HP Envy 13, courtesy of HP Germany.
In review: HP Envy 13, courtesy of HP Germany.

HP's Envy 13 is an attractive 13.3-inch mainstream Ultrabook designed to compete with the Dell XPS 13 - also with its price. As far as that lofty goal is concerned, the Envy falls short. 

There's one thing the XPS 13 doesn't offer: a dedicated GPU. That's a clear advantage for HP, as the MX150 is going to be a deciding factor for many customers. The Envy does many things very well: the built quality is great and the chassis is - thanks to the thin bezels - very compact as well as attractive. The cooling system is also very capable and all is well when it comes to the noise level and the temperatures. The display has its share of weaknesses, but subjectively, it looks very good, is very sharp and offers good contrast.

The display brightness though doesn't quite stand up to the competition. What makes matters worse here is the fact that there is no matte panel option, which restricts the suitability for outdoor use somewhat - a real problem considering this is a subnotebook. The port selection is also subpar: we would've appreciated the inclusion of HDMI, a full-sized SD card slot and Thunderbolt 3. We weren't overly pleased with the touchpad of the Envy 13-ad065nr and our displeasure continues here, as the glass clickpad clatters noticeably. Another potential drawback of the high-performing system is the fact that thermal throttling occurs during the stress test. This throttling could potentially occur during regular use as well.

Sometimes, the original is simply better: we can't really come up with sufficient reasons to recommend the HP Envy 13 over the Dell XPS 13.

Despite these shortcomings, the Envy 13 is by no means a bad notebook. Aside from the slightly lower price and the dedicated GPU, we just don't find that many arguments for the Envy. The Dell XPS is higher-end and better when it comes to the physical ports, the display brightness and the battery life. Our configuration is already outdated as well - a successor with  Core i7-8550U is available already. For this reason, we can't really recommend our particular version. Users interested in the Envy 13 should look for a model with the newest hardware components. 

HP Envy 13-ad006ng - 10/17/2017 v6 (old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
85 /  98 → 87%
Keyboard
71%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
58 / 80 → 72%
Weight
71 / 35-78 → 85%
Battery
89%
Display
81%
Games Performance
72 / 68 → 100%
Application Performance
89 / 87 → 100%
Temperature
93 / 91 → 100%
Noise
92%
Audio
55 / 91 → 60%
Camera
44 / 85 → 52%
Average
76%
84%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP Envy 13-ad006ng (i7-7500U, MX150) Laptop Review
Benjamin Herzig, 2017-10-20 (Update: 2020-05-19)