The new HP Envy 13 (2020) and Envy x360 (2020) laptops have just been revealed and show how the ultraportable lineup is moving on up to Intel's Tiger Lake 11th Gen CPUs. This is the way, as The Mandalorian would say, HP looks to make sure the Envy 13 continues to be one of the best laptops around.
While this update feels a bit iterative, HP is going bullish on battery life, with claims of 12+ hours of endurance on both. HP's also built privacy features straight into the keyboard, so you'll be able to control your webcam and microphone without even opening an app.
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HP Envy 13 (2020) and HP Envy x360 (2020) specs
| Header Cell - Column 0 | HP Envy 13 (2020) | HP Envy x360 13 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $899.99 | $949.99 |
| Processor | Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7 | Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7 |
| Display | 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) | 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) with HP Sure View privacy |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM | 8GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage | Up to 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD | Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe |
| Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB Type-A, headphone jack, AC Smart pin | 1x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB Type-A, headphone jack, AC Smart pin |
| Dimensions | 12.1 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches | 12.1 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches |
| Weight | 2.9 pounds | 2.9 pounds |
HP Envy 13 (2020) price and release date
The HP Envy 13 (2020) starts at $899, and it will be available this month (Oct. 2020) via HP.com. The Envy x360 13 (2020) will start at $949.99 and it's available right now at Best Buy and will be on HP.com in November.
HP Envy 13 (2020) design
The HP Envy 13 is going to be sold in Natural Silver and Pale Gold, with its lid and keyboard deck featuring a "sandblasted anodized finish." A wood version will be available in select markets, including the U.S..
It's got a screen to body ratio of 88%. At 12.1 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches, it's similar to the MacBook Air (11.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches), and at 2.9 pounds, the Envy 13 is a hair lighter than the 2.8-pound MacBook Air.
The Envy has a good port selection, with 1 Thunderbolt 4 port with speeds of up to 40GBps and dual 5GBps USB Type-A ports. There's also a headphone/mic jack and an AC adapter.
Its keyboard includes buttons for activating and de-activating the camera shutter and muting your microphones, and there's also a fingerprint reader in the keyboard.
HP Envy 13 (2020) display
The Envy 13 packs a 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) touchscreen, with slim bezels for a 88% screen to body ratio. HP rates the panel for producing 100% of the sRGB spectrum. If 13 inches isn't enough space, the laptop's Thunderbolt 4 port enables expanding your screen with external displays of up to 5K resolution.
For the Envy x360 13, HP's also added support for its HP MPP 2.0 Tilt Pen (sold separately) for artists and note-takers.
The Envy 13's internal 720p HD camera sits above the display, and while that resolution may have sufficed for some before the Work From Home Era began, we're hoping laptop maker follow Microsoft's lead with Full HD internal webcams, since some of the best webcams are often sold out.
HP Envy 13 (2020) performance
The HP Envy 13 should be fast enough for many, packing Intel Tiger Lake 11th Gen chips, up to the Core i7-1165G7. That i7 model is an Intel Evo-certified system, which should guarantee us four traits, starting with waking from sleep in less than a single second and consistent responsiveness when plugged into its power source.
Evo laptops with Full HD screens, like the Envy 13, also promise 9 or more hours of what Intel calls "real-world battery life" and 4 or more hours of battery life after a 30-minute charge.
In our recent Asus ZenBook Flip S review, we saw not-stellar performance from that laptop, which features the same Core i7-1165G7 CPU. While it was capable in anecdotal testing, a couple of recent 10th Gen laptops — including the Dell XPS 13 and the 13-inch MacBook Pro — beat it on multiple benchmarks.
We're not sure how much gaming prowess to expect from the Envy 13's Intel Xe graphics, as the ZenBook Flip S (also packing this new graphics chip) ran both Control and Civ VI at less than 20 frames per second.
HP Envy 13 battery life
HP's claiming that the Envy 13's 51 watt-hour battery lasts up to 13 hours usage on a single charge, but that's on the MobileMark 18 test. We look forward to running the Envy 13 through our own Wi-Fi-based battery test. HP claims the Envy 13's battery goes from 0% to 50% in approximately 30 minutes via fast-charging.
HP rates the Envy x360 13 for slightly less time: 12.75 hours.
HP Envy 13 (2020) outlook
This is a fairly minor update but the HP Envy 13 was already one of the best laptops. Making sure it's got the latest processor and a new wood colorway (available in select regions), may just be what it takes to keep this laptop strong. Stay tuned to Tom's Guide for our full review.
