HP Announces New Envy, ZBook PCs
- Paul Thurrott
- Apr 16, 2020
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This morning, HP announced new premium PCs for professionals and designers that are aimed squarely at Apple’s MacBook lineup.
“As we continue learning how to adapt to new ways of working and learning during these unprecedented times, one thing remains constant,” HP president Alex Cho said. Everyone is a creator and needs the right tools to bring their creations to life … HP is giving professional creators the power needed for their next breakthrough and anyone who wants to create, the versatility needed to power their passion.”
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Of course, HP makes several families of PCs that target the premium market. For those unfamiliar, with Envy lineup slots in just below the Elite/EliteBook family. And the ZBook family of portable workstations sits at the apex of its premium offerings, with unique models aimed squarely at creators who might otherwise purchase Apple’s most expensive MacBook Pros.
For the Envy lineup, HP is upgrading the family across the board, with new Envy 13, Envy 15, Envy 17, Envy x360 13, and Envy x360 models. (Most of these are traditional laptop form factors, with the x360 models being convertible 4-in-1 PCs.) The PCs look impressive, with diamond-cut aluminum designs, 4K OLED display options, and a new HP QuickDrop app for sharing “digital creations, documents, notes, websites, addresses, and more” across PC, iPhone, and Android. They are powered by 10th-generation Intel Core processors; the HP Envy 15 is particularly impressive with up to Core i9 processors and a new gaming-class thermal system with a vapor chamber and two 12-volt fans.
At the high-end, HP is offering the ZBook Studio and ZBook Create, which provide a choice of Intel Core and Xeon processors, Nvidia Quadro and GeForce graphics, intelligent cooling systems, and more. The ZBook Studio even offers a keyboard layout modeled on Apple’s products, with the Ctrl and Alt keys reversed, to make the switch easier.
Confusingly, these products will be made available over the course of 2020. The Envy 17 is available now with prices starting at $1100. The Envy 13 will ship in May and start at $1000; the Envy x360 13 will arrive in the same month starting at $700; likewise, the Envy x360 15 arrives in May at $850 and up. The Envy 15 arrives in June and will start at $1350. The ZBook Studio and ZBook Create are expected in August, with prices to be determined.