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HP Envy 15 as133cl Notebook Review

Green with envy. Kaby Lake is trickling down from the expensive Spectre series to the more affordable Envy lineup. While the new Envy 15 is thinner and lighter than its predecessors, it unfortunately shoves touchscreen down our throats with heavy throttling under extreme loads.

Go one step up from the budget Pavilion series and one step down from the flagship Spectre series and you have yourself the mainstream Envy series of notebooks. Envy models tend to stray away from the plastic that make up Pavilion models for a more elegant metal design and come with far superior display options as well. As for the costlier Spectre series, Envy notebooks are still generally thicker and heavier and lacking in high-end features such as Thunderbolt 3 and super-narrow bezels.

The Envy 15 returns with Kaby Lake and a refreshed look. It brings new features to the 15.6-inch family including USB Type-C and M.2 NVMe, but drops a number of features from the older Envy 15 models including the optical drive, GeForce MX graphics, and matte panel options. How do these changes compare to competing notebooks in the same size category?

Our existing reviews on older Envy 15 models will give a good idea of the series and what differences exist between each successive generation.

HP Envy 15-as133cl (Envy 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7500U 2 x 2.7 - 3.5 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 620, Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1067 MHz, DDR4, 21.20.16.4471
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4, PC4-17000, 15-15-15-36, Dual-Channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, kapazitiv, Chi Mei CMN15D8, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U Premium PCH
Storage
HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630, 1000 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3,5 mm Kombi-Audio, Card Reader: SD-Kartenleser
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): 18 x 380 x 255 ( = 0.71 x 14.96 x 10.04 in)
Battery
52 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3-Zellen
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Bang & Olufsen, Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.234 kg ( = 78.8 oz / 4.93 pounds), Power Supply: 270 g ( = 9.52 oz / 0.6 pounds)
Price
750 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The redesigned all-metal body utilizes the familiar curved lid approach introduced two years ago but in a more attractive and sharper chassis. A glossy strip on the back of the lid adds visual flare to the otherwise typical matte gray lid and base that nearly all mainstream and flagship HP devices seem to share. Build quality is excellent from top to bottom with no unintended gaps or crevices between materials as this is not a unibody design. The base is rigid and attempting to twist its palm rests or depress the keyboard will result in only minimal warping and creaking.

Perhaps the more disappointing aspect of the chassis is the lid itself. When opened, the lid will almost always teeter and will even continue to move slightly when typing. It's more prone to side-to-side twisting and warping down the center with some audible creaking as well. The displays on the latest Spectre units feel stiffer than what is offered here on the Envy.

In terms of size and weight, the new Envy 15 chassis is 5 mm thinner than the outgoing Envy 15 design and is about 200 g lighter as well. In fact, the new design is thinner than most competitors save for the pricier XPS 15 9560 that is significantly smaller, lighter, and more powerful than our HP in review. The new Spectre 15 x360 and its super-narrow bezels is HP's direct answer to the Dell InfinityEdge design, but mainstream users on a budget should still be content with the overall compact dimensions of the Envy system.

Base sits flat when lid is closed
Base sits flat when lid is closed
When opened, the lid props up the base at a slight angle
When opened, the lid props up the base at a slight angle
382 mm / 15 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.4 kg5.29 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2.4 kg5.33 lbs383 mm / 15.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.2 kg4.93 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.3 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port options are standard with easily accessible USB 3.0, HDMI, and USB Type-C ports. Missing features include RJ-45 and VGA, both of which are far less common on consumer-oriented notebooks compared to business-centric offerings. The USB Type-C port here does not appear to offer Gen. 2 speeds or DisplayPort compatibility. The design of the lid also prohibits any ports from being placed on the rear of the unit.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Left: Kensington Lock, 2x USB 3.0
Left: Kensington Lock, 2x USB 3.0
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen. 1), SD reader, HDMI-out, USB 3.0, AC adapter
Right: 3.5 mm combo audio, USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen. 1), SD reader, HDMI-out, USB 3.0, AC adapter

SD Card Reader

The spring-loaded integrated card reader provides average transfer rates of about 91 MB/s with our Toshiba SDXC UHS-II test card. Transferring 1 GB worth of images from the card to desktop will take roughly 16 seconds. The inserted SD card sits flush against the edge of the notebook and remains safe to carry at all times.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i5
 
107.8 MB/s +67%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
 
64.4 MB/s
HP 17-y044ng
 
26.6 MB/s -59%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i5
 
250.6 MB/s +175%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
 
91.1 MB/s
HP 17-y044ng
 
38.6 MB/s -58%

Communication

The 2x2 dual-band Intel wireless-ac 7265 module offers a theoretical transfer rate of 867 Mbps and integrates both vPro and Bluetooth 4.1. Real-world results when connected to our Linksys EA8500 test router standing one meter away returns an average transfer rate of 657 Mbps. We experienced no notable connectivity issues during our time with the unit.

WWAN and GPS options are not available on the Envy 15.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i5
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
575 MBit/s +30%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
442 MBit/s
HP 15-ba077ng
Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC
54 MBit/s -88%
iperf3 receive AX12
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
657 MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i5
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
525 MBit/s -20%
HP 15-ba077ng
Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC
43 MBit/s -93%

Accessories

There are no included extras other than the AC adapter and setup guide. HP sells branded accessories like mice and keyboards that work generically through USB.

Maintenance

The bottom panel is secured by six hex screws requiring a T5 wrench to remove. Unfortunately, the panel itself is latched very tightly to the base and its sharp edges make safe removal very difficult. End-user servicing is clearly discouraged on the Envy 15.

Users should find 2x storage bays and 2x SODIMM slots underneath the bottom panel if removed.

Warranty

The standard one-year limited warranty applies for all new purchases of the notebook. Extended warranty options include Accidental Damage, LoJack, and Pickup and Support for up to three years.

Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The typing experience on the Envy 15 feels similar to the Spectre 15 x360. Unlike its more expensive sibling, however, the Envy carries a dedicated NumPad that both students and office workers will likely appreciate. Feedback from the keys could have been more firm to make up for the shallow travel. When compared to the AccuType keyboard on newer Lenovo systems, for example, the keys on the HP feel spongier and lighter.

The dark gray lettering contrasts rather poorly against the gray keys unlike on most other notebooks where black keys and white lettering are much more common. The white backlight becomes more of a necessity if working under dimly lit environments as a result.

Touchpad

The wide integrated clickpad (~12 x 6.5 cm) is slightly shorter than on the older Spectre 15 x360. Fortunately, it retains its smooth gliding characteristics and accurate cursor control with no cursor jumping or dead zones.

The clickpad falters in its integrated mouse keys as travel is very shallow and feedback is much too soft. Clicking repeatedly in quick succession is difficult because of how poor the tactile feedback is. The auditory feedback is quiet and unsatisfactory as well, so users may find it easier to simply tap on the clickpad or the touchscreen itself for inputting mouse clicks.

Standard HP keyboard with NumPad and no dedicated aux keys
Standard HP keyboard with NumPad and no dedicated aux keys
Keys are shallow and soft
Keys are shallow and soft

Display

The glossy 1080p touchscreen on our test unit is sharp with no noticeable grains or unusual artifacts. Its Chi Mei CMN15D8 IPS panel can be found on no other notebooks in our database thus far and measurements show it to offer excellent contrast levels and a slightly brighter backlight than many other mainstream 15.6-inch notebooks. The 4K UHD Envy 15 SKU likely offers different brightness, contrast, and color accuracy results than our FHD model, so the measurements below reflect only the FHD SKU on hand.

Backlight bleeding is moderate around the top corners and it extends slightly towards the center of the screen. This only becomes noticeable if displaying a completely black background or during movie playback with black borders and is otherwise not an issue when browsing or word processing.

Moderate backlight bleeding around the corners
Moderate backlight bleeding around the corners
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
244.5
cd/m²
254.1
cd/m²
218.2
cd/m²
244.6
cd/m²
262.3
cd/m²
219.6
cd/m²
245.9
cd/m²
249.2
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei CMN15D8 tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 262.3 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 239.6 cd/m² Minimum: 15.78 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 262.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 1093:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
44.41% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.95% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.45
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Chi Mei CMN15D8, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
Sharp SHP1453 LQ156M1, LED IGZO IPS InfinityEdge, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP 15-ba077ng
BOE, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Acer Aspire E15 E5-553G-109A
Chi Mei CMN15C4 / N156HGE-EAB, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
BOE0693, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
BOE NT156FHM-N31, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
58%
-7%
-8%
1%
-11%
Display P3 Coverage
42.95
68.9
60%
39.98
-7%
39.72
-8%
43.27
1%
38.07
-11%
sRGB Coverage
64.3
98.9
54%
60.2
-6%
59.2
-8%
64.9
1%
57.3
-11%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
44.41
70.9
60%
41.31
-7%
41.07
-8%
44.71
1%
39.34
-11%
Response Times
-49%
-21%
943%
-29%
17%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44.4 ?(16, 28.4)
54 ?(33.2, 20)
-22%
42 ?(21, 21)
5%
42.4 ?(22, 20.4)
5%
42 ?(13.2, 28.8)
5%
43 ?(21, 22)
3%
Response Time Black / White *
30 ?(6.4, 23.6)
52.4 ?(33.2, 19.2)
-75%
22 ?(6, 16)
27%
14.6 ?(9.4, 5.2)
51%
33.6 ?(7.6, 26)
-12%
21 ?(5, 16)
30%
PWM Frequency
1000 ?(99)
50 ?(70)
-95%
28740
2774%
198.4
-80%
Screen
19%
-71%
-54%
-10%
-33%
Brightness middle
262.3
400
52%
209
-20%
224
-15%
186.5
-29%
185
-29%
Brightness
240
392
63%
200
-17%
201
-16%
174
-27%
184
-23%
Brightness Distribution
83
89
7%
88
6%
75
-10%
69
-17%
95
14%
Black Level *
0.24
0.26
-8%
0.56
-133%
0.46
-92%
0.18
25%
0.28
-17%
Contrast
1093
1538
41%
373
-66%
487
-55%
1036
-5%
661
-40%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5
4.9
2%
12.21
-144%
10.5
-110%
5.7
-14%
8.07
-61%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
20.6
11
47%
20.66
-0%
16.8
18%
22.5
-9%
14.83
28%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.2
7.2
-125%
13.48
-321%
11.23
-251%
4.4
-38%
8.83
-176%
Gamma
2.45 90%
2.11 104%
2.34 94%
2.12 104%
2.35 94%
2.47 89%
CCT
6817 95%
6911 94%
15364 42%
11096 59%
6963 93%
10628 61%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40.5
64.2
59%
38
-6%
38
-6%
44.71
10%
36.2
-11%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
63.5
98.9
56%
60
-6%
59
-7%
64.95
2%
57
-10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
9% / 18%
-33% / -49%
294% / 141%
-13% / -12%
-9% / -22%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is approximately 41 percent and 64 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards, respectively. This is similar to the displays of the HP 15, HP Pavilion 15t, and Lenovo Ideapad 310 even though these three make use of TN panels instead. IPS panels on certain Ultrabooks and pricier alternatives can offer deeper and more accurate colors to appeal to graphics artists such as on the new Dell XPS 15 9560.

vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. Dell XPS 15 9560 FHD
vs. Dell XPS 15 9560 FHD

Colors and grayscale are generally accurate out of the box with an acceptable color temperature that's not too warm or cool. A calibration with a X-Rite spectrophotometer will still improve grayscale and RGB balance, but one noticeable problem remains: Pure blue appears to be more blue-violet and more inaccurate than other colors according to our saturation and color test results below. All colors on the Envy 15 become more inaccurate the higher the saturation level due to the panel's low sRGB coverage.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6.4 ms rise
↘ 23.6 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. » 77 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 28.4 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. » 72 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 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 ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 1000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is limited to areas under shade as even a cloudy day is enough to overcome the backlight and cause distracting glare. The glossy panel works against the notebook when under these conditions, so users will be forced to exploit the wide viewing angles to reduce glare as much as possible. Apparent brightness drops if viewing too far off angle and darker areas of the screen can appear slightly purple.

Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Outdoors on overcast day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Configurable options for the Envy 15 are wide including two Kaby Lake CPUs (i7-7500U or i7-7560U), FHD or 4K UHD, 8 GB to 12 GB of RAM, and multiple storage options from 256 GB NVMe SSDs to dual HDD+SSD combinations. The i7-7500U in our test unit can run up to its maximum 3.5 GHz clock rate for very short periods.

All current SKUs make use of a touchscreen with no non-touch matte options, which is somewhat aggravating given that the Envy 15 offers no specialized 360-degree hinges to maximize the usefulness of a touchscreen.

Processor

The i7-7500U is a common processor of choice on newer Ultrabooks and it performs where we expect it to be on the Envy 15 at about 8 to 10 percent ahead of the outgoing i7-6500U according to CineBench benchmarks. The raw CPU performance benefits have been very incremental and steady between each successive Core generation despite the jumps to smaller fabrication methods over the years. When compared to the much older Haswell i5-4200U, for example, users can expect a performance jump of about 50 percent for both single- and multi-threaded loads. Proper HQ-class quad-core processors of previous generations can easily outperform the latest ULV Kaby Lake CPU especially in multi-threaded workloads.

See our dedicated CPU page on the Core i7-7500U for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
142 Points +1%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
141 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
130 Points -8%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel Core i5-7200U
125 Points -11%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
123 Points -13%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
117 Points -17%
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
114 Points -19%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
108 Points -23%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
96 Points -32%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
80 Points -43%
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
360 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
338 Points -6%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
327 Points -9%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel Core i5-7200U
327 Points -9%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
294 Points -18%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
276 Points -23%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
257 Points -29%
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
255 Points -29%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
228 Points -37%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
222 Points -38%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
1.66 Points +3%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
1.61 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
1.48 Points -8%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
1.43 Points -11%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
1.33 Points -17%
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
1.3 Points -19%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.28 Points -20%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
1.13 Points -30%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
0.94 Points -42%
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
4.05 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
3.75 Points -7%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
3.24 Points -20%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
3.15 Points -22%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
3.07 Points -24%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
2.81 Points -31%
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
2.74 Points -32%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
2.62 Points -35%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
2.48 Points -39%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
12674 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
12161 Points -4%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
10897 Points -14%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
10003 Points -21%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
9543 Points -25%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
8672 Points -32%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
7614 Points -40%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
7188 Points -43%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Intel Core i7-7500U
5624 Points +1%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
5564 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
Intel Core i7-6500U
4904 Points -12%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
Intel Core i7-5500U
4695 Points -16%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel Core i5-6200U
4396 Points -21%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
Intel Core i5-5200U
4134 Points -26%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
Intel Core i5-4200U
3712 Points -33%
HP 15-ba077ng
AMD A12-9700P
2596 Points -53%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
630 s * -49%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel Core i5-7200U
496.1 s * -17%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
423.8 s *
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M
Lenovo Y40-59423035
Intel Core i7-4500U
762 s * -36%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel Core i5-7200U
644 s * -15%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel Core i7-7500U
562 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9723
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
12674
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5564
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
42.67 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
4.05 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.61 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.7 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
50 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
360 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
141 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark 8 ranks our Envy 15 in the same ballpark as other systems with ULV Skylake or Kaby Lake CPUs like the Zenbook UX310UQ or the Acer TravelMate P249. Subjectively, system performance is fast when navigating through the OS, but launching applications is somewhat slow and limited by the mechanical drive. The drive can frequently be heard operating and seeking when opening programs. Otherwise, we experienced no other software or hardware issues on our test unit.

PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Creative Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U, SanDisk X400 SED 256GB, SATA (SD8TB8U-256G)
3978 Points +4%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
3809 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
GeForce 940MX, 6500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
3769 Points -1%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3472 Points -9%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U, SanDisk X400 SED 256GB, SATA (SD8TB8U-256G)
5033 Points +10%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
GeForce 940MX, 6500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
4603 Points 0%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
4594 Points
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4463 Points -3%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U, SanDisk X400 SED 256GB, SATA (SD8TB8U-256G)
4862 Points +11%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
GeForce 940MX, 6500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
4440 Points +2%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
4361 Points
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3760 Points -14%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3809 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4361 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4594 points
Help

Storage Devices

Internal storage options include one M.2 NVMe SSD slot and one 2.5-inch SATA III bay. Our configuration holds just a single 2.5-inch Western Digital mechanical drive.

Transfer rates are very poor from our primary drive even by 5400 RPM HDD standards. Average transfer rates are just under 75 MB/s according to HD Tune compared to 90 to 100+ MB/s from 7200 RPM alternatives. Additionally, the drive has unusually low minimum transfer rates that make it significantly slower than competing notebooks with primary SSDs. Nonetheless, average performance is on par with the Toshiba HDD in our Pavilion 15t test model according to CrystalDiskMark.

See our growing table of SSDs and HDDs for more benchmark comparisons.

CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark
HD Tune
HD Tune
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
HP Envy 15-as133cl
HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
WDC WD10SPCX-75KHST0 + SanDisk Z400s M.2 2242 32 GB Cache
HP 15-ba077ng
SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-256G
Acer Aspire E15 E5-553G-109A
Liteonit CV3-8D128
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
Toshiba MQ01ABD100
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
1425%
5547%
5871%
1%
Read Seq
103.2
123
19%
447.4
334%
348.6
238%
109.5
6%
Write Seq
102.6
74.2
-28%
243.3
137%
311.8
204%
105.2
3%
Read 512
31.46
101.7
223%
333.4
960%
295.9
841%
34.08
8%
Write 512
46.3
42.51
-8%
283.1
511%
185.8
301%
40.02
-14%
Read 4k
0.366
10.84
2862%
20.99
5635%
23.76
6392%
0.429
17%
Write 4k
1.008
1.021
1%
62.7
6120%
44.94
4358%
1.008
0%
Read 4k QD32
0.828
69.8
8330%
143.1
17183%
171.6
20625%
0.81
-2%
Write 4k QD32
1.015
1.057
4%
138
13496%
143.2
14008%
0.893
-12%
HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
Transfer Rate Minimum: 2.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 106.4 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 74.7 MB/s
Access Time: 19.4 ms
Burst Rate: 236 MB/s
CPU Usage: 11.9 %

GPU Performance

Raw graphics performance from the integrated HD Graphics 620 is about 20 percent faster than the HD Graphics 520 in the i5-6200U and 10 percent faster than the HD Graphics 620 in the i5-7200U according to 3DMark 11. While a slight improvement from Intel's older HD Graphics GPUs, the HD Graphics 620 still falls behind Nvidia's weakest discrete GPUs. The entry-level GeForce 920M, for example, outperforms our HP by almost 20 percent according to 3DMark Fire Strike.

Performance in games continues to be extremely limited. Undemanding titles like DOTA 2 or League of Legends should run well on native 1080p and low settings while more strenuous titles like Rise of the Tomb Raider can be unplayable even on the lowest of settings and resolutions.

See our dedicated GPU page on the HD Graphics 620 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm
Ice Storm
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
NVIDIA GeForce 840M, 4200U
2335 Points +47%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 6500U
2321 Points +46%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
AMD Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U
2208 Points +39%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1834 Points +15%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5500U
1731 Points +9%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1589 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1437 Points -10%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1343 Points -15%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
AMD Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U
2493 Points +48%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 6500U
1823 Points +8%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
NVIDIA GeForce 840M, 4200U
1774 Points +6%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1681 Points
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1525 Points -9%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5500U
1428 Points -15%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
1401 Points -17%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1181 Points -30%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
AMD Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U
9617 Points +12%
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
NVIDIA GeForce 840M, 4200U
8813 Points +3%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
8566 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 6500U
8519 Points -1%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5500U
7201 Points -16%
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
6993 Points -18%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
6924 Points -19%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
5592 Points -35%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer Aspire V3-572PG-604M
NVIDIA GeForce 840M, 4200U
1592 Points +58%
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 6500U
1589 Points +58%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
AMD Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U
1579 Points +57%
Lenovo U31-70 80M5003EGE
NVIDIA GeForce 920M, 5500U
1177 Points +17%
HP 250 G4 T6P08ES
AMD Radeon R5 M330, 5200U
1010 Points 0%
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1007 Points
Fujitsu LifeBook A557 PL
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
815 Points -19%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
786 Points -22%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
HP Envy 15-as133cl
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
51623 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 6500U
43813 Points -15%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5567-1753
AMD Radeon R7 M445, i7-7500U
43492 Points -16%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-5452
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6200U
37343 Points -28%
3DMark 11 Performance
1780 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
72759 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6756 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
929 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
427 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 52.7 30.7 26.4 8.3
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 20.2 12.1
Overwatch (2016) 49.5 35.1

Stress Test

We stress the notebook with intensive benchmarks to test for any potential throttling or stability issues. When under Prime95 load to stress the CPU, the Envy 15 is able to maintain a core clock rate of 3.4 GHz against a base clock rate of 2.7 GHz and a maximum Turbo Boost potential of 3.5 GHz. This is impressive for an ULV U-class CPU, but the drawback here is a high core temperature of 83 C. Similarly, running FurMark will result in a steady GPU clock rate of 1000 MHz and a slightly cooler core temperature of 77 C.

Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will heavily throttle the CPU down to 1.5 GHz while the GPU remains in the healthier 900 to 950 MHz range. The drop in performance is considerable enough that both fan noise and power consumption will actually fall to lower levels, which is the complete opposite of what we expect from a system when under extremely demanding processing loads.

Fortunately, users are unlikely to run into major throttling issues when under gaming loads. Unigine Valley stress, for example, sees both the CPU and integrated GPU maintaining high Turbo Boost clock rates at a reasonable core temperature of 72 C. In comparison, the smaller 13.3-inch XPS 13 9360 with the same i7-7500U CPU will run a little warmer at 76 C when under the same Unigine Valley stress conditions.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
FurMark stress
FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Unigine Valley stress
Unigine Valley stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.4 -- 83
FurMark Stress -- 1000 77
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.5 900 - 947 76
Unigine Valley Stress 3.1 - 3.5 1050 72

Emissions

System Noise

Exhaust grilles between the display hinges
Exhaust grilles between the display hinges

Fan noise is present no matter the onscreen load or power settings at about 32.5 dB(A) minimum. The hard drive, however, is audibly louder at 33.8 dB(A) when it is active and seeking data. Though still relatively quiet, the noise is subjectively much more noticeable compared to other notebooks with mechanical drives. This is yet another huge incentive to opt for an Envy 15 SKU with a primary SSD instead.

Gaming loads will bump fan noise up to just under 39 dB(A). Unfortunately, the system fan will periodically drop back to 32.5 dB(A) only to be bumped back up to 39 dB(A) again, so this pulsing behavior can be unfavorable and annoying. Most notebooks under gaming loads will maintain a fixed fan speed as best as possible to avoid frequent jumps in fan noise.

Note that fan noise will drop back down permanently to its minimum when under extreme stress (Prime95+FurMark) due to heavy throttling.

Noise Level

Idle
32.5 / 32.5 / 32.5 dB(A)
HDD
33.8 dB(A)
Load
38.7 / 32.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
HP Envy 15-as133cl
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A7E630
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
HP 15-ba077ng
Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), A12-9700P, SanDisk Z400s SD8SNAT-256G
Acer Aspire E15 E5-553G-109A
Radeon R8 M445DX, A12-9700P, Liteonit CV3-8D128
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Hynix HFS128G3MND
Noise
-12%
4%
3%
-7%
1%
off / environment *
30
30.3
-1%
30.6
-2%
30.5
-2%
29
3%
Idle Minimum *
32.5
31.6
3%
31.5
3%
31.4
3%
32.2
1%
30.6
6%
Idle Average *
32.5
31.6
3%
31.8
2%
31.4
3%
32.2
1%
30.6
6%
Idle Maximum *
32.5
33.4
-3%
31.8
2%
31.9
2%
33.7
-4%
30.6
6%
Load Average *
38.7
47.8
-24%
31.4
19%
33.7
13%
39.4
-2%
36.8
5%
Load Maximum *
32.5
47.8
-47%
33.4
-3%
33.8
-4%
42.2
-30%
38.2
-18%
Witcher 3 ultra *
40.6

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Surface temperatures when idling are flat across the board on both sides of the notebook with no discernible hot spots. When under extreme processing loads, we can measure surfaces as warm as 39 C on the bottom rear of the notebook and 35 C on the top surface above the first row of keyboard keys as shown by the thermographs below. Both hot spots are thankfully away from the palm rests and keyboard, so the notebook will never become uncomfortable to use no matter the onscreen load.

It's worth noting that due to the aforementioned throttling when under Prime95+FurMark load, the Envy 15 will actually run slightly warmer when subjected to Prime95 stress only. Surface temperatures are still warmer on average compared to the Ideapad 310 but significantly cooler than the AMD-powered Acer Aspire E5 553G.

Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (top)
Maximum load (bottom)
Maximum load (bottom)
Max. Load
 28 °C
82 F
35.6 °C
96 F
27.6 °C
82 F
 
 23.2 °C
74 F
29.2 °C
85 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
 21.6 °C
71 F
22.2 °C
72 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 35.6 °C = 96 F
Average: 26.6 °C = 80 F
31.6 °C
89 F
39.4 °C
103 F
31.6 °C
89 F
28.4 °C
83 F
34 °C
93 F
26.2 °C
79 F
27.6 °C
82 F
27.8 °C
82 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 39.4 °C = 103 F
Average: 30.2 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  51.2 °C = 124 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.6 °C / 80 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.6 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.4 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 24.6 °C / 76.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+4.2 °C / 7.5 F).

Speakers

Sound quality from the B&O dual speakers is much more balanced compared to the smaller and thinner Spectre 13 according to our pink noise measurements. Sounds are represented much more evenly on the Envy 15 across a wider range of frequencies, though bass is still rather poor as shown by the sharp drop off at the 200 Hz mark. Maximum volume is sufficiently loud to fill a small conference room and will reverberate the chassis just slightly. We can notice no static or audible vibrations when at high volume settings.

HP Envy 15 (Red: System idle, Pink:Pink noise)
HP Envy 15 (Red: System idle, Pink:Pink noise)
HP Spectre 13
HP Spectre 13
Dell XPS 13 9350
Dell XPS 13 9350
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.635.32533.934.23133.433.2403230.65030.230.66331.729.38032.432.510031.632.412533.334.616030.639.720029.451.12502860.631527.464.940026.265.150025.863.263024.963.380025.364.6100024.764125023.868.7160023.668.1200023.363.725002365.7315022.961.34000236050002363.163002369.480002363.4100002359.4125002352.81600023.244.4SPL36.177.2N2.741.8median 23.8median 63.2Delta26.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Envy 15-as133clApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HP Envy 15-as133cl audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 61% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 9% similar, 46% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% 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

The HP is generally more power efficient than similarly sized competitors including the Acer Aspire E15 with the AMD A12-9700P APU. Gaming loads will draw just over 30 W of power to be on par with the Lenovo Ideapad 310 and its slightly slower Kaby Lake i7-7200U CPU. Due to the heavy throttling, the Envy 15 actually draws less power when under extreme processing stress compared to when under typical gaming loads.

The small power adapter (~6 x 6 x 2.75 cm) is rated for an output of up to 45 W and so there is ample overhead no matter the system load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.24 / 0.54 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.6 / 7.7 / 7.8 Watt
Load midlight 30.5 / 22.7 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HP Envy 15-as133clDell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)HP 15-ba077ngAcer Aspire E15 E5-553G-109AHP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
Power Consumption
-145%
-7%
-76%
-56%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
4.6
6.6
-43%
4.4
4%
7.2
-57%
6.16
-34%
3.5
24%
Idle Average *
7.7
9
-17%
6.8
12%
10.3
-34%
8.48
-10%
6.1
21%
Idle Maximum *
7.8
10.7
-37%
8.9
-14%
11.9
-53%
9.62
-23%
7
10%
Load Average *
30.5
77.5
-154%
30.9
-1%
48.2
-58%
41.63
-36%
31.2
-2%
Load Maximum *
22.7
130
-473%
31
-37%
63
-178%
63.22
-179%
42.9
-89%
Witcher 3 ultra *
51.8

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The 52 Wh internal battery is larger in capacity than many other budget-mainstream notebooks in this size class. Users can expect around 6 to 7 hours of real-world WLAN use out of the Envy 15 compared to less than 4 hours each on both the Ideapad 310 and HP Pavilion 15t when under similar testing conditions.

Charging the battery from near empty to full capacity will take around 2 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 33min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 48min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 12min
HP Envy 15-as133cl
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Dell XPS 15 2017 9560 (7300HQ, Full-HD)
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 56 Wh
HP 15-ba077ng
A12-9700P, Radeon R7 (Bristol Ridge), 41 Wh
Acer Aspire E15 E5-553G-109A
A12-9700P, Radeon R8 M445DX, 40 Wh
HP Pavilion 15t-au100 CTO (W0P31AV)
i7-7500U, GeForce 940MX, 41 Wh
Lenovo Ideapad 310-15IKB
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 30 Wh
Battery Runtime
-1%
15%
-33%
-8%
-8%
Reader / Idle
573
565
-1%
742
29%
358
-38%
438
-24%
612
7%
WiFi v1.3
408
334
-18%
296
-27%
257
-37%
220
-46%
230
-44%
Load
72
84
17%
103
43%
55
-24%
106
47%
81
13%

Pros

+ thinner and lighter all-metal design; strong base
+ attractive IPS touchscreen with 4K UHD option
+ M.2 NVMe + 2.5-inch SATA III bay
+ impressive CPU performance
+ respectable battery life
+ USB Type-C

Cons

- fan noise always active; pulsing fan behavior when gaming
- lid could have been more rigid; tendency to teeter
- narrow color gamut; inaccurate blue colors
- heavy throttling under extreme loads
- glossy touchscreen is mandatory
- difficult end-user serviceability
- audible hard drive noise
- poor clickpad feedback
- no GeForce options
- poor clickpad keys
- no Thunderbolt 3

Verdict

In review: HP Envy 15 as133cl
In review: HP Envy 15 as133cl

Nothing particularly stands out on the Envy 15. Its chassis and thin design make it more attractive than competing notebooks from Acer or Lenovo in the sub $900 USD price range and battery life is pretty good as well, but overall performance is somewhat disappointing. The system fan is always active, the keyboard keys and clickpad are too soft, sRGB coverage is limited, touchscreen functionality is forced on all SKUs, and the lid could have been more firm and less wobbly. We recommend avoiding SKUs with the primary HDD and to instead invest in one with a NVMe SSD for much faster system performance since end-user servicing is difficult.

If competing notebooks can be considered, then users will find more value out of the outgoing XPS 15 9550. Configuring the base Envy 15 with a 256 GB SSD will bring up the price to nearly 4 digits where even the entry-level SKUs of the XPS 15 9550, Spectre 15 x360, or Asus Zenbook series are within reach.

HP Envy 15-as133cl - 02/13/2017 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
75 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
76%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
50 / 81 → 62%
Weight
62 / 20-67 → 88%
Battery
89%
Display
79%
Games Performance
58 / 85 → 68%
Application Performance
83 / 92 → 91%
Temperature
95%
Noise
86 / 95 → 91%
Audio
60%
Camera
58 / 85 → 68%
Average
73%
79%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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Allen Ngo, 2017-02-14 (Update: 2020-06- 8)