HP Envy 17-cg1031nf Specs and Details

Features of the HP Envy 17-cg1031nf

Chassis, connectors, screen of the HP Envy 17-cg1031nf

Without changing the elegant and sober formula, HP is slightly revamping its HP Envy 17 for 2020, in the perpetual search for compactness. It opts for a sober and chic appearance, comfortable without being too bulky. Thus, the PC takes place in an all- metal case which abandons a few angles for a sharper and more geometric silhouette compared to the Envy 17-ce of 2019. In this more sober direction, we observe that HP has removed the “return” to the base of the lid but retains its ingenious hinge system: the screen when opened will tilt the keyboard slightly in order to optimize the air circulation under the base and to provide typing comfort. Another aesthetic detail that adorns all the latest models at HP, the speaker grille above the keyboard has a graphic design. The keyboard is backlit in white.

In terms of measurements, HP optimizes the finesse of the machine with 19.3 mm thickness , which allows it to fit its 17 inches into the closed clan of ultrabooks, impressive. Its weight cannot compete with its congeners in 15 inches, however, with 2.7 kg on the scale (against 2.92 kg on the 17th with hard disk), thereby limiting its mobility. An effort has also been made on the PC format. From 405 x 266 mm for the 17-ce, it increases to 399 x 259 mm (depth x width).

When opening the PC, we are forced to recognize that HP has finally made an effort on the finesse of the frame around the screen even if we now come across even more immersive on the market. Thanks to the IPS panel support , the viewing angles are wide and the colors are faithful while its Full HD definition (1920 x 1080 pixels) offers all the latitude to view High Definition content in the best conditions (YouTube videos in 1080p) . Note also the color coverage extended to 100% of the sRGB space, a good point for those who do photo retouching in particular. In addition, it seems that the treatment of the screen is brilliant, a factor to take into account if you are sensitive to the reflections caused by this type of panel in strong ambient light.

Let’s continue with a tour of the connections which undergo head-on refinement of the case with the removal of the DVD reader / writer and the Ethernet port, which some will not fail to regret. There is an HDMI 2.0 output, an SD card reader, as well as three USB 3.1 ports and a USB Type-C (Gen2, 10 Gbit / s, DP1.2) accepting charging from the PC. This last point is valuable if you are on the move and do not want to carry multiple chargers, all you need is a universal USB-C charger. In addition, recent WiFi AX (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0 modules are also on the menu as well as a fingerprint reader, integrated among the keyboard keys between ALT and the right arrow. It is unusual. The latter ensures simplified and secure authentication of your session. Another good point, the webcam takes advantage of a small “privacy shutter” to prevent any intrusion, which can be activated using a push button placed on the right profile of the PC.

Performance, autonomy of the HP Envy 17-cg1031nf

Inside, this 17-inch can count on a Core i5-1135G7 processor11th generation Tiger Lake which brings some interesting advancements, starting with a higher TDP. Thus, the Core i5-1135G7 of our Envy has a TDP of 28W where its predecessors, the Core i5-1035G4 and the Core i5-10210U are satisfied with a TDP of 15W. This leads to a fairly visible increase in performance on advanced software (Lightroom, Capture One Pro, Davinci Resolve, 7Zip, etc.), a little less on basic everyday tasks (Office, surfing the Web, streaming …) . We understand, these tasks in question are perfectly taken care of by the ultrabook, but since these are missions that only commit very few resources, the difference between the generations is not noticeable. And then keep in mind that we still have a low-power Core i5 in front of you, therefore not enough to provide intensive performance in creation as would non-low consumption processors (-H). In front,the RAM provides 16 GB of RAM , a generous total that ensures impeccable fluidity in multitasking. Namely that the RAM is welded and therefore not upgradeable on this device, so it is welcome.

From a graphic point of view, the ultrabook is well armed. Not only does the graphics chip integrated into the processor, an Intel Iris Xe, offer enough for everyday use and a bit of gaming, but it is also assisted by a dedicated GeForce MX450 graphics card.who takes over when a little more resources are needed. This recent card based on the Turing architecture offers roughly 20% more performance than its predecessor, the GeForce MX350, enough to equal or even exceed a GeForce GTX 1050 and allow some quality fun sessions. Be careful though to limit yourself to undemanding titles or failing that, you should not be too careful about the details. We obviously do not reach the level of a Hexa Core / GTX-RTX duo but the support is fair for current use punctuated by some graphics and / or game tasks.

Storage is another element of importance on this Envy since it is entrusted to a fast dedicated 1TB SSD (NVMe PCIe). The system gains there directly compared to a configuration with mechanical hard disk because of the speed of loading offered by the SSD. This type of storage ensures almost instantaneous switching on and off, transfers calculated in seconds or instantaneous software launches where the mechanical support involved significant latencies. Note also that the SSD is by nature more silent, robust and efficient than a hard drive. And if it is often tackled for its too low storage capacity, this is not the case here since it provides 1 TB, enough to allow the installation of heavy programs and the storage of your entire game library.

Finally, autonomy is served by a fairly good capacity battery (55 Whr, 4 cells) which should allow a little more than 8 hours of use in Web browsing under Wifi. It’s perfect for occasional on-the-go use.