HP Envy 14 laptop review: Successful all-rounder

This isn’t the first time that we review the HP Envy 14. We were able to take a look at the eb0010nr model last year, which was equipped with a GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q and 16 GB of RAM. For a considerably lower price (starting at 700 Euros (~$696)), the eb0252ng model that we are reviewing here is also available; it does without the dedicated graphics card and only comes with 8 GB of RAM, but in return it inherits the 1920×1200-pixel IPS display in the 16:10 format (although it’s matte instead of glossy and doesn’t have touch support).

The 1 TB SSD capacity isn’t bad, either, considering the price. As is currently usual, Windows 11 Home serves as the operating system. The Envy 14’s competitors include other 14-inch devices that aren’t too expensive, such as the recently reviewed Asus ZenBook 14 UM425U or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 14ACN6 .

The latter laptops appear in the tables as comparison products. Since the case is identical to that of its more expensive sibling model, we won’t reassess the case, connectivity and input devices in this article. You can find the corresponding information in the existing (older) review .

As mentioned initially, the display isn’t a glossy touch model; it’s a matte panel instead. Besides the lower susceptibility to reflections, it also offers other advantages in a direct comparison. Starting with the brightness: Thanks to an average of 439 instead of 392 cd/m², our review sample is considerably better suited for outdoor use.

Due to the very similar black level (0. 31 vs. 0.

32 cd/m²), there’s also a higher contrast. 1,455:1 instead of 1,288:1 is a very good rate for an IPS display. The response times also favor the non-touch version.

On the other hand, the touch version scores slightly better when it comes to color space and color accuracy, although the less expensive model still performs well here. We didn’t observe any flickering or noticeable screen bleeding. Viewing angles are at the typical IPS level, which means they’re good.

With 8 GB of RAM, a 1000 GB SSD and a quad-core processor, the Envy 14-eb0252ng is comfortably positioned between the entry-level and the mid-range in terms of performance. While the storage drive can be replaced if necessary, the soldered and non-expandable RAM can be criticized (keywords: long-term sustainability). Users can adjust the system control, among other things, in HP’s neatly arranged Command Center.

As seen in the screenshot, there are 4 device modes, 3 of which are equipped with additional sliders. Our measurements are based on the factory settings, which means that the “Balanced” profile is used. Naturally, the determined results can differ when using the other modes.

Just like the touch version, the lower-priced model of the Envy 14 is equipped with a Core i5-1135G7 from Intel’s Tiger Lake generation, which isn’t quite as new anymore. The 10 nm chip, which is specified with a TDP of 12 to 28 watts, offers 8 MB of L3 cache, 4 cores, and it can handle up to 8 threads in parallel via Hyper-Threading. There were no surprises in our benchmark course.

The CPU performance aligns itself with the 1135G7 average. The Tiger Lake model doesn’t stand a chance against the competition’s AMD chips. Both the Ryzen 5 5600U and the Ryzen 7 5700U sprint in parts clearly away, not least thanks to the higher core count (6 and 8, respectively).

Still, the i5-1135G7 is completely sufficient for typical everyday applications like office, video, web, and light to medium multitasking. Although the laptop runs very smoothly and responsively in practice, it only manages the last place in the comparison field when it comes to the system tests. Nevertheless, 4,635 points in PCMark 10 is still respectable for a light and slim 14-inch device.

As is unfortunately the case with many other laptops, the Envy 14 has some latency issues. According to the LatencyMon tool, the HP device isn’t ideal for real-time audio and video editing. The built-in 1 TB SSD from Toshiba didn’t show any problems in the test.

The NVMe model delivers more than decent performance rates, without fully exploiting the technology’s capabilities. The Envy 14’s M. 2 drive doesn’t suffer from performance drops under prolonged load.

Unlike the touch version, the less expensive sibling doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card. The Iris Xe Graphics G7 that’s integrated into the processor supports DirectX 12 and offers 80 EUs in the case of the 1135G7. The graphics benchmarks paint the same picture as the CPU tests: Performance is roughly on par with all the devices that have been reviewed so far with this GPU.

The AMD competition’s Radeon chips achieve slightly better results on average. The more expensive Envy 14 is over twice as fast thanks to its GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q. It’s better to stay away from modern games.

A couple of the 2022 titles that we tested either crashed or generated graphics errors (a typical Intel iGPU problem; the graphics drivers from AMD and Nvidia tend to be better). But when a game ran without problems, the frame rate was usually so poor even at minimum details that it wasn’t possible to get a smooth image. At most, the Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 EUs is meant for older and less demanding games.

You can even choose medium to high settings at times, as long as you’re willing to reduce the resolution if necessary. At least the Envy 14 doesn’t have to deal with performance fluctuations. Our 60-minute The Witcher 3 test was completed smoothly in terms of frame-rate stability.

The Asus ZenBook 14, which was reviewed almost at the same time, earned a lot of criticism in terms of noise development, but the Envy 14 delivers a much better performance in this respect. Although the fans kick in at times in idle usage (for no apparent reason), the HP laptop is much quieter under load. Instead of 45 to 47 dB(A), which can be annoyingly loud in some cases, the Envy 14 only generated a discreet 32 to 36 dB(A), which indicates that the cooling system is working well.

Therefore, users who value low noise levels will probably be pleased with the 14-inche device. Likewise, temperatures hardly give reason for complaint. A maximum of 41 °C (~106 °F) (top) and 43 °C (~109 °F)(bottom) after 60 minutes of full load with the FurMark and Prime95 tools is absolutely tolerable, especially since the palm rest area doesn’t get warmer than 33 °C (~91 °F).

The chassis generally remains below the 30 °C (~86 °F) mark in idle usage. The components don’t reach critical values, either. The stress test mentioned above led to a maximum of 80 °C (~176 °F) for the Core i5-1135G7 and an average of just under 60 °C (~140 °C) (data provided by the tool HWMonitor).

Despite the low volume, only a maximum of 62 °C (~144 °F) and an average of around 50 °C (~122 °F) were reached in our The Witcher 3 test. Power consumption leaves us with mixed feelings. While the idle consumption of 4 to 9 watts is outstanding, the maximum of 87 watts consumed by the Envy 14 under load is relatively high in relation to the available performance.

It’s no wonder that HP includes a 90-watt power adapter with the 14-inch device. The (faster) AMD CPUs in the competing laptops do a better job here. There’s little to complain about in terms of battery life.

Around 13 hours in our Wi-Fi test with the brightness reduced to 150 cd/m² is a sign of a very portable system that also cuts a fine figure during extended trips. This excellent rate is only surpassed by the Asus ZenBook 14 (about 14:30 hours). The Envy 14-eb0252ng is among the few laptops where we didn’t find any glaring shortcomings (apart from the weak webcam).

The 14-inch laptop scores good to very good marks in nearly every category. The biggest highlights of the HP laptop are the generous battery life, the moderate noise development, and the bright and high-contrast IPS panel that also stands out with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Combined with the compact and relatively light chassis (1.

5 kg), the Envy 14 is predestined to be a mobile companion that can be transported comfortably, while not shying away from outdoor use. Users who aren’t looking for high graphics performance, but who are simply looking for a balanced all-rounder can buy this laptop without any hesitation. Overall, the rating of the Envy 14-eb0252ng is on par with that of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 14ACN6 .

The Asus ZenBook 14 UM425U can’t quite keep up due to the high emissions under load. At the time of writing, the configuration of our HP Envy 14 review unit (Core i5-1135G7, 8 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD) doesn’t seem to be available in the United States. Nevertheless, HP’s online store has models equipped with a Core i7 as an alternative.

You can also keep an eye on Amazon and see if the device becomes available here. .