HP Envy laptop

HP normally uses functional nomenclature for its products but when you set eyes on this laptop, you'll immediately see why it's called Envy.

The sleek, rounded design of aluminium and magnesium is certainly eye-catching but the most impressive thing about the Envy is that it is incredibly thin - nearly as thin as the MacBook Air, in fact.

And it's not just a pretty face. A 15.6in version has the new Intel Core i7 processor and up to a whopping 16GB of memory, so it should be very fast (we didn't get the chance to run any benchmark tests on it, unfortunately). The 13.1 in version doesn't come with quite the same power but it still has a respectable specification and the advantage of weighing just 1.7kg.

One of the most useful features is that you can turn the touchpad off while you're typing. It might not sound like much but if you've ever tried to type for long periods on a laptop, only to have the cursor jump around and insert text into the wrong places, you'll realise how valuable this is.

Apple still sets the standard when it comes to stylish laptop design and, while imitating Apple's design is no bad thing, HP has clearly tried to distance itself from any Mac comparisons. The brushed metal finish of the Envy is darker than that of the MacBook and it has larger keys and a much brighter screen.
Where the Envy does match the MacBook is, unfortunately, with the price. You'll always pay a premium for the latest and greatest, but it's hard to justify that kind of spending when you can now pick up laptops for a fraction of the HP Envy's staggering 1,199-plus price tag. Then again, Envy really is such an impressive piece of kit that you might be able to convince yourself to remortgage the house to buy it.

Both Envy models run the Windows 7 operating system so you won't be able to get your hands on them until at least 26 October. But they'll soon be on the shelves of PC World if you want to take a look.

www.hp.com