HP Envy TouchSmart 4T-1102 review

We Liked

Solid construction and a sweet touch screen stand out as the best parts of the Envy Touchsmart 4t-1102 Sleekbook. Appearances do matter. The brushed aluminum and matte black chassis gives this machine a premium look and feel that sets it apart from the ocean of dull and frankly cheap looking laptops. You'll appreciate the sidelong glances it gets in a meeting, on a plane, and at the cafe.

The screen is very responsive to touch commands, and makes it a breeze to navigate Windows 8. While some users may want a bigger screen for easier multitasking, but the 14 inch size is an ideal compromise for touchscreen usability and portability. Thankfully, the backlit keyboard and touchpad are very well executed too.

We Disliked

The mirror-like finish on the gloss screen makes swiping and tapping very smooth but it's also the cause of a bit more glare than you may like, especially if you're working in a bright, mixed light, or sunny environment. Even so, this is a relatively minor complaint. Although this model also lacks a DVD drive and dedicated graphics chip, these aren't true shortcomings either, and many folks won't even notice or care they're missing. The only other knock is the lower benchmark scores after the BIOS update. Hopefully HP will come through with a re-tweaked BIOS update sooner rather than later.

Final Verdict

On the whole, this Envy has a thoughtfully executed design. The visual and tactile experience isn't perfect, but your eyes and hands will appreciate the attention to detail. As a machine that's perfectly fit for office and home tasks the Envy TouchSmart 4t-1102 Sleekbook is a very sweet machine. It's reassuring to know that a well balanced laptop that's practical, fun to use, and handsome, can shine in a market that's crammed with boring clones born from half baked execution.