Hewlett-Packard is wasting no time unveiling its first round of back-to-school convertible laptops/tablets and notebooks for students by announcing a wide range of models with releases scheduled for May and June, in plenty of time before the start of the new school year in August.
The company on April 22 announced the latest HP Pavilion and Envy convertibles and Pavilion notebooks with plenty of processor, graphics and display choices to match the devices to the needs of students.
The new HP Pavilion x360 convertible and the HP ENVY x360 premium convertible, which is built with features found in a typical high-performance notebook, each can be flipped and configured into a notebook mode for working, a standing mode for watching video content, a tent mode for playing games or a tablet mode for on-the-go use, according to HP. In addition, the latest HP Pavilion notebooks are highly customizable, with lots of hardware choices, including discrete graphics, higher-resolution displays and more vibrant color choices.
The new machines are the first HP consumer PCs to be available with improved sound systems from Bang & Olufsen and the latest B&O Play audio capabilities as part of a recent audio partnership between the companies.
“Customers told us that they wanted more color choices, more hardware options and better battery life in our Pavilion notebooks and x360 convertible PCs,” Mike Nash, vice president of portfolio strategy and customer experience for HP’s personal systems division, said in a statement. “With our 2015 Pavilion line up, we have combined bold new colors from Milan with the latest processors to give customers systems with a fresh new look that delivers better performance and battery life across the board.”
Both the HP Pavilion x360s and HP ENVY x360 models have new hinges that use three spiral gears for synchronized and precise movement to allow users to position the display at just the right angle for any use, according to HP.
Pavilion x360 Models
The Pavilion x360 comes in 11- or 13-inch models, both of which include high-definition In-Plane Switching (IPS) displays, while the 13-inch model includes a full-HD display option. Both models include B&O Play audio.
The 11-inch HP Pavilion uses a fanless design and is now available with Intel Core M-5Y10C processors in addition to Intel Celeron or Pentium processors, according to HP. With a powerful 32-watt-hour battery and an Intel Core M processor, the new 11-inch Pavilion x360 now has up to four more hours of power than the previous Pentium-based model, according to HP, giving users up to 8 hours and 15 minutes of battery life. The 11-inch Pavilion x360 can be purchased with up to 8GB of RAM.
The battery life for the 13-inch Pavilion x360 promises to be even better, with up to 10 hours and 45 minutes of battery life, an increase of about 2.5 more hours from the previous version, according to HP. The 13-inch HP Pavilion x360 supports fifth-generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processors and standard hard drives up to 1TB of hard-disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs) up to 128GB. The 13-inch Pavilion x360 can be equipped with up to 16GB of RAM.
In addition, the latest Pavilion x360 models come in new colors, with the 11-inch HP Pavilion x360 available in Natural Silver, Sunset Red, Violet Purple and Minty Green, while the 13-inch Pavilion x360 comes in Natural Silver and Sunset Red.
The 11- and 13-inch HP Pavilion x360 models are expected to be available in the United States on May 13 directly from HP and through select retailers starting June 21 at prices ranging from $409.99 to $529.99, depending on configuration.
HP’s Back-to-School Laptops, Hybrids Get More Options
The HP ENVY x360
The HP ENVY x360 has a new aluminum top and keyboard deck as well as a 15-inch diagonal IPS touch display available in either HD or full HD, as well as the latest Bang & Olufsen audio. The machines include fifth-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors and up to 16GB of RAM and can be configured with up to 1TB hard drives or up to 256GB SSD drives. The machines have 48-watt-hour batteries as well as more efficient processors and system tuning, increasing battery life to up to 8 hours and 45 minutes, compared with up to 7 hours in the previous version, according to HP. The redesigned model also weighs almost three-quarters of a pound less than the previous generation, according to the company.
The ENVY x360 is expected to be available in the United States on June 18 directly from HP and on June 21 through select retailers at prices ranging from $679.99 to $899.99, depending on configurations.
HP Pavilion Notebooks
The latest Pavilion notebooks have a redesigned unibody chassis and come with HD or full-HD displays that include touch-screen or non-touch-screen options in 14-, 15- or 17-inch diagonal sizes, according to HP. The machines can be equipped with either sixth-generation AMD A-Series or fifth-generation Intel Core i3 through i7 processors. The machines can be equipped with hard drives up to 2TB and up to 16GB of RAM. Users for the first time can even choose between AMD Radeon or Nvidia graphics processors on the Pavilion notebooks, according to HP.
The 14-, 15- and 17-inch Pavilions get up to eight hours and 15 minutes, 7 hours and 30 minutes and 6 hours and 15 minutes of battery life, respectively, according to HP. The Pavilion notebooks come in Natural Silver, Blizzard White, Sunset Red, Cobalt Blue, Violet Purple, Peachy Pink or Twinkle Black.
The HP Pavilion notebooks will be available in the United States on May 13 from HP or on June 21 from select retailers at prices ranging from $549.99 to $629.99.
