World's first IMAX Enhanced laptop: HP Envy x360 15 (2023) convertible with OLED display

The refresh of the HP Envy x360 15 for 2023 uses an almost identical chassis compared to the previous model. Only the edges have been slightly rounded and are now less sharp-edged. The case is still above average and is in no way inferior to higher-priced models, as the manufacturer uses recycled aluminum for most of the model. The construction leaves nothing to be desired in terms of robustness.

The highlight of this year's model is the new IMAX Enhanced certification. The HP Envy x360 15 is the first laptop or convertible in the world with this seal of quality. In order to receive IMAX Enhanced certification, the device must meet the requirements of IMAX and DTS. Accordingly, both image and sound must be calibrated according to the prescribed presets so that the IMAX cinema experience can be replicated as closely as possible when playing IMAX Enhanced films. Since the certification for televisions has been around for a long time, corresponding IMAX Enhanced films are already available on common streaming services such as Netflix or Prime Video.

In combination with the particularly color-true and bright OLED display, the new HP Envy x360 15 is ideal for watching films and series. The 16:9 display is completely filled with IMAX Enhanced films, so the black bars are nowhere to be seen. However, the model's productivity suffers from the aspect ratio as there is less vertical image area available. Competing brands are increasingly making use of the 16:10 image ratio, which we would also have liked for the new HP Envy. But the OLED display is a real highlight and delivers very good results, even before calibration. After calibration, the display is good enough to be used for professional photo and video editing.

Another disadvantage of the image ratio is the display bezels on the top and bottom, which are a bit thick for 2023. But HP is not only faithful to its predecessor in terms of the chassis and the image ratio: the processor is unfortunately also almost identical. Instead of the Ryzen 7 5825U, the manufacturer installs the Ryzen 7 7730U this year. Since the processors are almost identical, there is no real increase in performance. In addition, the updated processor continues to rely on the outdated AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 and thus cannot benefit from the newer, significantly more powerful iGPUs from AMD.

The connectivity, on the other hand, is excellent (just like in the 2022 model) and the HP Envy x360 15 comes with USB-A ports on both sides, two USB-C ports with DisplayPort 1.4 compatibility and power supply, as well as an HDMI 2.1 port. A full-size SD card reader is also installed, which demonstrates good speeds in comparison. The fantastic 5 MP webcam and the Wi-Fi 6E connection also remain on board.

• Review of the HP Envy x360 15 (2023) (Ryzen 7 7730U)