HP Envy X360 review

It's got the thin bezels, rounded edges, and island-style keyboard, but they decided to jazz things up by adding an extra column of navigation keys on the right – because who doesn't love a little extra chaos in their life? And let's not forget the up-firing speakers, because, heaven forbid, we should have speakers that fire downwards like some peasant's laptop. Nope, this laptop believes in upward mobility, quite literally. But the real party trick? It's a 2-in-1 convertible! Yes, you can flip that screen around like a gymnast on a sugar rush and go into tent mode for all your media consumption needs. Or if you're feeling particularly trendy, use it as a tablet.

This thing boasts a full-aluminium chassis that's as sturdy as a medieval knight's armor. No gaps, no shoddy construction, just pure unadulterated robustness. Now, I should mention, the lid and keyboard deck do a little dance when you apply some pressure, but they're just showing off. The display, on the other hand, stands firm like a disciplined soldier. The finish? Oh, it's smooth as silk, but here's the kicker – if you go for the Nightfall Black model, it's a fingerprint magnet. You touch it once, and it looks like you've been in a fingerprinting contest with Sherlock Holmes.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here. This touch OLED panel even with its 1080p resolution blows the others in the segment out of the water. It is downright gorgeous and probably the main draw to this laptop! HP has hit the nail on the head when it comes to grading and it might as well be one of the brightest we’ve seen at this level. 

Watching movies and Netflix series is addictive and the display will spoil you because no other panel you see after it will look as good! The IMAX treatment of course has a role to play here and unless you’re willing to shell out more than ₹1.5L, we don’t see the competition matching up anytime soon. In my opinion, HP’s other display options are not worth the cash you splurge - get the OLED or nothing else. When it comes to audio, the B&O-tuned speakers get loud and proud and are bottom-heavy for the most part but do a great job of vocals.

The keyboard is spacious and feels great to type on. You do feel a bit of fatigue setting in after you’re done with a few articles because it has a slightly higher operating force in my opinion but otherwise, there’s nothing really to complain about.

Our unit shipped with the Intel Core-i5 1335U and 16GB of RAM. It’s plenty enough for everyday tasks and handling umpteen number of Chrome Tabs. Unless you plan to edit hours of 4K video content (in which case you are a madman) this little punter does decently well! I used it for some basic InDesign work and regular work on the Opera browser and couldn’t find a stutter or a fault. Honestly, most of the time was spent watching movies and Netflix series thanks to that display! I even loaded up a few light games like Limbo and I was hooked. AAA titles will be a challenge. 

Another point to the X360 is the way it manages thermals! To my surprise it is whisper-quiet and even when you binge a lot and play games, there is barely any heat generation. The fans, even at their fastest, don’t make a lot of noise. Overall it’s a well-balanced mid-range jack of all that has surprised me. Now, when it comes to battery life, I got more than 4.5 hours of runtime with the OLED at about 60-70% brightness, which is respectable.

The new gen HP Envy X360 for 2023 comes as a pleasant surprise and shakes up the mentality one has about the form factor. The gorgeous OLED panel makes all the difference here and is an absolute must-buy if you’re thinking about going for this laptop. The entertainment factor is undeniable and whether you pitch a tent or lay flat, you are going to enjoy the experience this mid-range machine has to offer. Throw in the creativity aspect with the included stylus and there’s even more to be achieved here.