Laptop Thoughts: HP Envy 17 Desktop Replacement: Not Quite Perfection

"When it comes to selecting our favorite mainstream Windows laptops these days the HP Envy 14 is pretty much at the tippy top of the list. (Hey, we don't just give anything away to our college-bound readers, you know?) But while the 14-inch version of the magnesium-alloy laptop may have impressed us with its new backlit keyboard and internal organs, we've still been aching to know how the bigger and badder Core i7-powered Envy 17 stands up. With a 1920 x 1080-resolution 17.3-inch display, 1GB of ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics, a USB 3.0 port and Blu-ray drive, can you really blame us? There's no doubt that the Envy 17 is one epic desktop replacement, but for $1,599 (the starting price is $1,299) we've got to tell you you're not purchasing perfection."

Not quite perfection? Is any computer *really* perfect? I've never found one. Well-engineered, stunning display with 1920x1080 resolution, lots of ports, backlit keyboard (!), but at 7.5-pounds, plus another 1.5-pounds for the power brick, this is not the laptop to be carrying around too much. To contrast, the 17-inch MacBook Pro is almost a pound lighter. Great for playing HD videos with Blu-ray, Beats Audio speakers, and even the very glossy screen is tolerable. Battery life is about what one would expect, 2:10 on a battery rundown test. A nine-cell battery is an extra $75. Biggest disappointment is the touchpad, but the HP Envy 17 for $1,599, while not quite perfect, seems pretty close.