HP Envy 4-1030us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

The HP Envy 4-1030us Ultrabook is a fantastic machine! I ordered this because of the look, the thin and light design, and the amazing features. And it didn't disappoint!

Pros:
- This laptop looks amazing! I love the black and red scheme and the bottom really is fun to touch (and not too hot thanks to HP Cool Sense).
- The keyboard and touch pad are fun to use! Typing is an absolute breeze and the gestures on the touch pad are incredibly intuitive and efficient. The back-lit keyboard can be turned on and off easily.
- The battery life is phenomenal.
- The screen looks great and is the perfect size for mobile performance. The screen resolution looks good at this size.
- Incredibly fast start-up and shutdown times. General responsiveness is great.
- The built in audio is about as good as it gets. External audio still sounds better (it always does), but the speakers do go a long way.
- The CPU does well at balancing performance and battery life. (Don't let the 1. 7Ghz fool you, it boosts on its own up to 2. 4 - 2. 6, and Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors pack more punch than older models. )

Neutral:
- The RAM is a little low for me, I would have liked to see 6GB or even 8. But 4GB does get the job done for me now, and the RAM should be fairly upgradeable (to a max of 16GB) for users who aren't afraid to open up their machine. The 4GB is a single DIMM which is nice for upgrading.
- The webcam is neither wonderful nor terrible. The microphones are better than the video in my opinion.

Review about HP Envy 4-1030us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

Pretty good laptop. Nothing is perfect unless you want to spend thousands. . I've grown to like this laptop despite some things. It might seem like I have a lot of neutral and negative comments below but I am just trying to bring out as much as I can so people know what to expect when they do not get to see the laptop in person before purchasing. Above average build quality, on HP's behalf. I would highly recommend getting another stick of 4GB Samsung 1. 35v ram for this laptop just so both channels are being used. My ram sticks are being shipped as well as a 7mm Crucial M4 SSD. Yes, this laptop needs a 7mm drive while most are 9. 5mm thick. You have been warned. (And no I am not referring the the 2. 5" aspect)

Pros:
+ Very slim and light weight. Looks nice with the red undertone.
+ Illuminated keyboard and ability to turn on/off (lock) the trackpad.
+ Fast boot times and responsive usage, long as you are not trying to use it like a decked out desktop.
+ Gestures on trackpad, such as 2 finger scrolling and pinch zoom.
+ Screen is bright enough, despite other reviews.
+ Keyboard may take a little to get used to but has a nice feel. Matte plastic.
+ HP has really good customer support, not that I've had a problem with the laptop (yet).
+ USB 3. 0 ports are always good. The 2. 0 port is a charging port and still provided power when I put the laptop to sleep.

Neutral:
= Base of laptop. It has a rubberized feel which is nice. Provides good grip when being carried but it is also a dust magnet.
= For a very recent machine, it should have used a single headset/microphone 3. 5mm plug instead of splitting it.
= Brushed metal top can be a fingerprint magnet but it is easy to just wipe clean. Nonetheless it looks nice.
= Am I supposed to notice a difference with these beats speakers? Because I don't. .

Features:

• Intel Core i5-3317U Processor 1.70GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.60GHz
• Full-size island-style backlit keyboard
• 4 GB Memory,500GB HDD + 32GB msata
• 14-Inch Screen, Intel HD Graphics 4000,Blueray player and CD/DVD burner not included
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit