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HP Smart Tank 580 Wireless All-in-One Printer Review!

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Read our comprehensive review of the HP Smart Tank 580, and find out if this is the all-in-one colour printer for you!

 

HP Smart Tank 580 All-in-One Printer

Designed for homes and small businesses, the HP Smart Tank 580 is an all-in-one printer with scan and copy capabilities, and wireless connectivity. It has four separate ink tanks which can be topped up independently.

The HP Smart Tank 580 comes with a set of four ink bottles, allowing it to print up to 18,000 pages of black, and 6,000 pages of colour. Assuming you only print 150 pages a month, even the included ink bottles will last you nearly three years. Thereafter, you can simply buy ink bottles to refill the Smart Tank 580.

Thanks to the ink tank design, the cost of printing is also low at just 0.004 cents per page, regardless of whether it’s black or colour!

Together with support for wired USB printing, the HP Smart Tank 580 also supports wireless printing through Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct.

Here are some online purchase options (we may receive a commission from your purchase):

Recommended : Epson EcoTank L3150 / ET-2710 Review : Editor’s Choice!

 

HP Smart Tank 580 Specifications

Here are the key specifications of the HP Smart Tank 580 printer:

Specifications HP Smart Tank 580
Key Functions Print, copy, scan
Print Technology HP Thermal Inkjet
Print Resolution Black : Up to 1200 x 1200 dpi
Colour : Up to 4800 x 1200 dpi
Print Speed Black : Up to 12 ppm (A4)
Colour : Up to 5 ppm (A4)
Print Duty Cycle Up to 3,000 pages (A4) per month
Recommended
Volume		 400 to 800 pages per month
Processor Speed 980 MHz
Memory 64 MB DDR
Display 33 segments +
1.2-inch iCON LCD display
Connectivity USB 2.0 port
Wi-Fi with Wi-Fi Direct
Wireless Capability 802.11b/g/n (2.4 GHz)
Paper Input Tray 100 sheets maximum
Paper Output Tray 30 sheets maximum
Paper Sizes A4, B5, A6, DL envelope, Legal
Paper Weights Plain paper : 60 to 90 grams/m2
Envelopes : 75 to 90 grams/m2
Cards : Up to 200 grams/m2
Photo paper : Up to 300 grams/m2
Borderless Printing Yes, up to 210 x 297 mm
Duplex Printing Manual
Scanner Type Flatbed
Scan Technology Contact Image Sensor (CIS)
Scan Resolution Up to 1200 dpi, 24-bit
Scan Size Up to 216 x 297 mm
Copy Resolution Up to 600 dpi
Copy Speed Black : Up to 10 cpm
Colour : Up to 2 cpm
Copy Limit Up to 99 copies
Power Consumption Off : 0.109 watts
Sleep : 1.096 watts
Ready : 3.023 watts
Dimensions 434.6 mm wide
361.53 mm deep
259.37 mm high
Weight 5.03 kg
Warranty One Year, or
30,000 pages
(whichever is earlier)

 

HP Smart Tank 580 Box Contents

The HP Smart Tank 580 comes as a complete kit, with everything you will need inside the box. Once you unbox it, these are the items you should find inside:

  • HP Smart Tank 580 printer
  • One set of printheads (Black, Tri-Colour)
  • One set of ink bottles (GT53XL Black, GT52 Cyan, GT52 Magenta, GT52 Yellow)
  • One set of three power cables with different plugs
  • USB cable

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The provided set of ink bottles is enough to print 18,000 pages of black, and 6,000 pages of colour. However, this may vary according to country, and region.

But if your region offers this complete kit, then you can get printing very quickly, as installation and setting up takes less than half an hour.

Next Page > Features + Performance

 

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HP Smart Tank 580 Features + Performance

Now, let us go through the key features of the HP Smart Tank 580, and share with you our experience using it…

Spill-Free Ink Tanks

Like Epson EcoTank printers, the HP Smart Tank 580 uses an ink tank design, with four separate colours – Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow.

By using permanent printheads and allowing for the refill of ink, such ink tank printers cut down on waste, and offer much cheaper printing – just 0.004 cent per page with the HP Smart Tank 580!

It is easy to fill and refill the HP Smart Tank 580, because it uses a spill-free design. However, the nozzles of its ink tanks, and its ink bottles, are generic in design and not “keyed”. So it is possible for you to fill the wrong ink tank with the wrong ink!

In that respect, Epson EcoTank printers (like the L3150/ET-2710) have a better design – their keyed ink bottle and ink tank nozzles prevent the wrong ink from being filled into the wrong ink tank.

Low-on-ink Sensors

To ensure you don’t run out of ink, the HP Smart Tank 580 not only lets you visually eyeball the amount of ink left in its four ink tanks, they also have low-on-ink sensors.

This is much better than the Epson EcoTank L3150/ET-2710 for example, which lacks low-on-ink sensors, and requires you to visually monitor the ink levels in its ink tanks.

Recommended : Epson EcoTank L3150 / ET-2710 Printer Review

USB + Wireless Connectivity

Like other printers, the HP Smart Tank 580 can be connected to your computer using a USB cable. However, it is not even necessary to use the cable.

The HP Smart Tank 580 has WiFi-N connectivity built-in, so you can just plug in the power cable, and print wirelessly from your computer, or even a smartphone or tablet!

And I have to point out that its Wi-Fi connectivity appears to be much more stable and reliable than the Epson EcoTank L3150, which can fail midway, causing a print error.

HP also provides both desktop and mobile apps to help you setup your printer wirelessly, as well as print your photos directly from your computer or mobile devices.

Plain Paper Printing Performance

The HP Smart Tank 580 supports plain paper of between 60 to 90 grams per square meter (16 to 24 lb), with a recommendation to use 75 grams (20 lb).

It can print up to 12 black / grayscale pages per minute at a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, and up to 5 colour pages per minute at a maximum resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi. The speed of its printing, of course, depends highly on the amount of detail in the page, and the type of paper used.

In this video, we tested its plain paper printing performance using two photos. The less complex photo of an American flag at Alcatraz island took 1.5 minutes to complete, while the more complex photo of the Golden Gate Bridge took a minute longer.

Needless to say – plain paper printing delivers a duller, flatter look in photos. You should restrict colour printing on plain paper to flatter graphics like posters.

Please note that by default, the print driver defaults to Letter size, so you need to change it before printing. It also defaults to Borderless printing, which is not supported with plain paper printing. But what’s really odd is that the print driver cannot detect the portrait orientation of the Golden Gate Bridge photo, so you will need to manually select the correct orientation.

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Photo Paper Printing Performance

If you intend to print photos, please make sure you use photo paper. The HP Smart Tank 580 supports photo paper of up to 300 grams per square meter (80 lb).

You don’t have to splurge on premium HP Photo Paper. Any kind of photo paper would produce far better results than plain paper when it comes to photos.

In this video, we tested its photo paper printing performance using the same two photos as we did in the earlier video.

The HP print driver defaults to plain paper printing, so make sure you select one of the Photo Paper options before printing. You should also make sure to check the orientation, because the print driver defaults to landscape, and cannot seem to detect photos in the portrait orientation.

By default, Borderless printing is enabled for photo paper printing. However, the photo appears to be cropped at the four edges, even more than with borderless printing disabled!

With photo paper printing, both photos took 3.5 minutes. Far slower than the “up to 5 pages per minute” specification, but the output was fabulous.

The HP Smart Tank 580 can print at up to 4800 x 1200 dpi – less than the Epson EcoTank L3150, but you can’t really tell their prints apart, even if you compare them side-by-side. The resolution on photo paper is really good.

The colours are also vivid, with accurate colour reproduction. Needless to say – we highly recommend you use photo paper whenever you use the HP Smart Tank 580 to print photos.

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy A55 Review : Tech ARP Editor’s Choice!

Colour Scanning + Copying

Flip open the top cover, and you will find a high resolution colour scanner, which can scan at up to 1200 dpi, with a 24-bit colour depth.

You can use the HP Smart Tank 580 to make black and white, or colour photocopies, albeit only at a lower scan and print resolution of 600 dpi.

Low Printing Cost

According to HP, the printing cost for the Smart Tank 580 printer is dirt cheap at just 0.004 cents per page, regardless of whether it’s black and white, or colour.

That’s because the large GT53XL black ink bottle (135 ml) can print up to 18,000 pages, while the three GT52 colour ink bottles (50 ml each) can print up to 6,000 pages.

Next Page > HP Smart, Summary + Verdict

 

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HP Smart Software : Biggest Stumbling Block

The HP Smart software is an app for desktop and mobile devices, that is designed to make it easier for you to setup and use their printers.

After setting up the Smart Tank 580 printer, you will need to install and run the HP Smart software on your computer, or mobile device, to connect to it wirelessly. Then you can start printing, or scanning.

The setup process using the HP Smart software is easy, and makes it pretty effortless even for non-techies to quickly setup and use the Smart Tank 580 printer. That said, the HP Smart software leaves much to be desired in other aspects…

For one thing – the HP Smart app requires you to create a HP account, just to print your documents or photos through the app! This is really ridiculous.

I can understand if you need to create an account to print via the cloud – printing a photo or a document on your printer at home, while you are overseas, for example. However, it is ridiculous if you need to create an account before you can print your photos or documents on your own local network!

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review : Tech ARP Editor’s Choice!

So fine – I created a HP account, only to discover that the HP Smart software does not support the modern HEIC files using the High Efficiency Image File Format!

Whenever I select HEIC photos, it will give me the error message – “This file type is not supported“. I could only select photos using the older JPEG format.

This is a big problem because HEIC files have been in common use for many years now, becoming the standard for iPhones in 2017, with Android devices supporting it since 2019. It is unthinkable that any modern app would still not support the High Efficiency Image File Format!

On top of that, the HP Smart app only supported simple photo printing – just one photo at a time. You can change its orientation, crop it, rotate or flip it, add a border, but that’s about it. You cannot, for example, select multiple photos and print two or four of them in one page (2-Up / 4-Up printing).

Fortunately, you do not need to use the HP Smart app beyond setting up the printer. You can use other photo editing apps to create 2-Up, 4-Up images to print. I wouldn’t waste my time registering a HP account to use its extremely basic printing features.

 

HP Smart Tank 580 Review Summary + Verdict

The HP Smart Tank 580 is an impressive colour printer with scanning and copying capabilities, and wireless connectivity. It produced excellent print-outs, with outstanding results on photo paper.

It is also extremely cheap to use – as low as 0.004 cent per page, regardless of whether it’s black and white, or colour.

Of course, the cost will be higher when you print on photo paper, but it is still very cheap even if it uses 10X as much ink. In fact, the photo paper will certainly cost far more than the ink you use to print.

In any case, you won’t need to worry about refilling the HP Smart Tank 580 for some time. It comes with a full set of ink bottles that will last some three years, if you print an average of 5 pages per day / 150 pages per month!

When the time comes to refill the ink tanks, you must be extra careful as the ink bottles and ink tanks are not keyed. People have, and will continue, to wrongly fill the ink tanks with the wrong ink.

Recommended : Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Review : Entry-Level IP68 Tablet!

I also like how easy it is to setup the printer, and get printing, using the HP Smart software. Unfortunately, that’s about all the HP Smart software is good for. It has extremely basic printing features, and cannot even support the HEIC file format. Fortunately, you can simply ignore the HP Smart software, and just use any other photo editing, or printing app you want.

I am a little annoyed with the HP print driver, which always reverts to Letter, Plain Paper printing, and Landscape, even after I set my preferences. HP should definitely look into these usability issues. It’s not a deal-breaker, just annoying.

But if you can ignore those niggling issues, the HP Smart Tank 580 is an affordable colour printer that does a great job printing, scanning, and copying photos, with a very low cost of printing. If you run a small business, or just need a cheap and easy-to-use printer with scanning, you should definitely consider the HP Smart Tank 580.

Here are some online purchase options (we may receive a commission from your purchase):

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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HP Launches 2023 Smart Tank + LaserJet Printers!

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HP just launched its new 2023 Smart Tank and LaserJet printers targeted at home / hybrid workers, and enterprises!

 

2023 HP Smart Tank 580 / 520 Printers

HP just unveiled a new line of budget-friendly 2023 Smart Tank printers to cater to home- and office-based hybrid workers.

The 2023 HP Smart Tank 580 and 520 printers offer an intuitive setup process, with smart features and better connectivity, including self-healing Wi-Fi, and Smart App and Smart Advance capabilities.

They also offer low printing costs with a pre-filled ink supply that can print up to 6,000 black or colour pages. Assuming a monthly output of 150 pages a month, that’s almost 3 years of printing from the start!

Smart Experience

  • HP Smart App helps to guide you through everyday tasks like print, scan, copy and fax.
  • Automatically detects IDs, and prints with the ID copy button
  • Comes with self-healing Wi-Fi and better mobility with Smart App and Smart Advance.
  • Protected by HP Wolf Essential Security to protect sensitive information.

Affordable Cost

  • Engineered for high-volume printing with cost-effective colour and monochrome printing
  • Up to 6,000 pages of black or colour from ink bottles provided in-box
  • Easy monitoring of ink levels with integrated ink sensors

Sustainably Designed

  • Sustainably manufactured using 45% post-consumer recycled content.
  • EPEAT Silver and Energy Star certified.
  • Energy-saving Auto On/Off Technology
  • No-waste tank, and spill-free recyclable bottles

Recommended : Samsung Unveils 2023 QLED, OLED TVs + Monitors!

 

2023 HP LaserJet Managed E800 / E700 Printers

HP also introduced new laser printers – the LaserJet Managed E800 and E700 series printers, which are intelligent solutions to streamline enterprise workflows.

The new HP LaserJet Managed E800 / E700 series offers enterprises centralised control with HP Web Jetadmi, and HP Workpath for personalised, integrated digital workflow.

  • Customisable design – they come with five colour panels, to match your office decor, and HP Speed Licence for flexible configurations to meet different business needs
  • Comprehensive workflow solutions with new Flow 2.0 features, including the ability to make edits directly to the content on the control panel (highlight, redact, even sign) as customised shortcuts.
  • Reverse and Retry technology which detects and resolves double feed issues and paper jams.
  • Better performance with up to 70 ppm print speed, and 300 ipm duplex scan, powered by HP’s custom-designed quad-core processor.
  • Auto-sensing technology to save time with tone and colour management, two sided document detection, and automatic job separation features.
  • Protected by HP Wolf Enterprise Security, the HP LaserJet Management E800 / E700 series protects, detects, and self-recovers. They also come with Memory Shield, which helps to detect malicious attacks on the printers, and automatically self-heals if detected. Memory Shield uses a hardware-protected solution called Runtime Intrusion Detection to actively scan memory for anomalies, and Guard CFI from Karamba to monitor the execution flow of the printer firmware to help prevent zero-day attacks.

Recommended : MSI Users At Risk Of Rogue BIOS / Firmware Updates!

 

2023 HP Smart Tank + LaserJet Printers : Prices + Availability

Here are the official launch prices for the 2023 HP Smart Tank printers:

  • Smart Tank 580 : RM619 (about US$139 / £111 / A$209 / S$185)
  • Smart Tank 520 : RM519 (about US$116 / £93 / A$176 / S$155)

HP is giving away a RM50 e-wallet rebate for the Smart Tank 580, and a RM100 e-wallet rebate for the Smart Tank 520. And if you purchase any of these printers from now until 30 April, you will get an extra black ink bottle.

Here are online purchase options for your convenience:

HP did not reveal the prices for the LaserJet Managed E800 or E700 series printers, but they are available for sale to interested enterprise customers.

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Google Pixelbook Is Dead, But Chromebook Lives On!

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Google just cancelled their next Pixelbook, and dissolved the team behind it, but don’t worry – the Chromebook lives on!

 

Google Kills Pixelbook + Dissolves Team

Google just cancelled the next-generation Pixelbook laptop that was supposed to debut next year. They also dissolved the team developing it, and transferred its members to other teams.

This sudden decision came after Google said in May 2022 that it planned to continue its Pixelbook laptop business.

Then in July, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that he wanted to slow down hiring and cut some projects :

In some cases, that means consolidating where investments overlap and streamlining processes. In other cases, that means pausing development and re-deploying resources to higher priority areas.

It looks like Google decided that their next Pixelbook would be a waste of resources, and killed it to shift their resources elsewhere.

 

Google Pixelbook Is Dead, But Chromebook Lives On!

While there will no longer be a new Pixelbook laptop in 2023, that does not mean Google has given up on ChromeOS or Chromebook laptops.

In fact, Google likely canned their Pixelbook project because their OEM partners are doing a great job of producing a plethora of good or even great Chromebook laptops.

As Google hardware chief Rick Osterloh pointed out at Google I/O 2022 in May, the Chromebook market had matured and would last a long time.

Google have always developed hardware as a way to push the envelope, and to show its partners what can be achieved. It doesn’t benefit Google to directly compete with its partners.

Now that OEM partners like Acer, Lenovo and HP are offering Chromebook laptops in a wide range of price points and configurations, it just doesn’t make sense for Google to muddle the market with a new Pixelbook.

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Watch Out For SVCReady Malware In MS Word Documents!

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Please watch out for a new malware called SVCReady that is being embedded in Microsoft Word attachments!

Here is what you need to know about the new SVCReady malware!

 

Watch Out For SVCReady Malware In MS Word Documents!

The HP Threat Research just uncovered a new malware called SVCReady, which they first picked up on 22 April 2022 through HP Wolf Security telemetry.

SVCReady is being distributed in phishing emails with Microsoft Word attachments. On opening the infected Word document, an embedded Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) AutoOpen macro is used to run shellcode stored in the properties of the document.

Splitting the macro from the shellcode is a way to evade security software that would normally detect the malicious code.

Document properties containing shellcode, namely a series of nop instructions as represented by 0x90 values. Credit : HP

The SVCReady malware begins by downloading and loading its payload from the web, and connecting to its Command and Control (C2) server.

It then starts gathering and sending information to the C2 server like :

  • username
  • computer name
  • time zone
  • whether the computer is joined to a domain
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE|DESCRIPTION\System registry key
  • running processes
  • installed software

The SVCReady malware also connects to its C2 server every 5 minutes to report its status, send information, receive new instructions, or validate the domain.

Currently, the malware appears to only gather and send information. However, that will change as the malware persists in the system, and is capable of receiving both updates and instructions from the C2 server.

In fact, the HP team observed the SVCReady retrieve and load a Readline stealer payload on an infected computer. It’s a sign of things to come.

The HP team believes that the SVCReady malware is still in early development, with an influx of updates adding features like encrypted C2 communications, and detection evasion.

They also found evidence linking SVCReady to past malware documents by the TA551 (Shatak) group from 2019 and 2020.

SVCReady will eventually be used for more nefarious purposes once it is good and ready. Until then, the malware will stay hidden, lurking and waiting for its master’s commands.

 

How To Avoid SVCReady Malware In MS Word Documents?

The HP team discovered that the malware creates a new registry key, which could serve as a signature for security software to detect it : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{E6D34FFC-AD32-4d6a-934C-D387FA873A19}

But until security software are updated to detect SVCReady, the best way to avoid this malware is simple – do NOT open Word document attached to emails!

If you regularly receive Word documents in your emails, please VERIFY with the sender before opening them.

These phishing emails are designed to look legitimate. So be very careful about what you open!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 Mobile Processors Revealed!

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AMD just introduced the Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors, with new Zen 3 cores for professional laptops!

Here is EVERYTHING AMD has revealed so far about the new AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors!

 

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Zen 3 For Mobile Business Laptops!

The AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 uses the new AMD Zen 3 architecture, and is fabricated on the 7 nm process.

The Zen 3 architecture delivers 19% more instructions per cycle (IPC) over the last generation, thanks to these new features :

  • improved load / store performance and flexibility
  • L3 cache doubled to 16 MB vs. 8 MB in 4000 Series
  • unified L3 cache accessible to all cores
  • wider issue in floating point and integer engines
  • Zero Bubble branch prediction

The new mobile processors also uses a single, monolithic die, which eliminates the I/O latency between dies.

Placeholder : AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 tech briefing video coming soon!

In addition to its improved performance, the AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 mobile processors also come with these AMD PRO technologies :

  • AMD PRO security provides a multi-layered approach to security features by embedding defenses at every level, from silicon through operating system.
    – AMD Memory Guard, automatically enabled on Microsoft Secured-Core PCs, helps enable data and identity protection, while
    – AMD Shadow Stack helps provide hardware enabled protection against malware attacks.
  • AMD PRO manageability enables a full manageability feature set for simplified deployment, imaging and management that is compatible with modern IT infrastructures.
    AMD Ryzen PRO processors offer full support for Microsoft Endpoint Manager to deliver a flexible and integrated cloud management solution.
  • AMD PRO business ready technologies bring enterprise-grade computing solutions designed for quality and reliability, in addition to platform longevity.
    AMD Ryzen PRO processors feature 18-months of planned software stability and 24-months of planned availability.

 

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Models + Specifications

AMD announced three Ryzen PRO 5000 models to replace the three Ryzen PRO 4000 models from last year.

  • Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U : 8C/16T | 15W | 1.9 to 4.4 GHz | 20 MB cache
  • Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U : 6C/12T | 15W | 2.3 to 4.2 GHz | 19 MB cache
  • Ryzen 3 PRO 5450U : 4C/8T | 15W | 2.6 to 4.0 GHz | 10 MB cache

For easier comparison, here is a table comparing their key specifications :

Specifications Ryzen 7
PRO
5850U		 Ryzen 5
PRO
5650U		 Ryzen 3
PRO
5450U
Process 7 nm
Cores / Threads 8 / 16 6 / 12 4 / 8
Base Clock 1.9 GHz 2.3 GHz 2.6 GHz
Boost Clock 4.4 GHz 4.2 GHz 4.0 GHz
L2 Cache 4 MB 3 MB 2 MB
L3 Cache 16 MB 8 MB
TDP 15 W

 

AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 : Availability

According to AMD, enterprise customers will be able to purchase the new Ryzen PRO 5000 laptops from top PC vendors like HP and Lenovo starting in Q2, 2021.

 

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HP Launches Virtual Showroom In Southeast Asia!

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HP just launched their first virtual showroom in six countries across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia!

 

HP Launches Virtual Showroom In Southeast Asia!

On 9 March 2021, HP officially launched their HP virtual showroom in six countries across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia!

HP created their virtual showroom in collaboration with Intel and Lazada, touring their latest PC and print innovations to customers in the comfort of their homes.

The HP virtual showroom offers HP virtual showroom, each with a 360-degree view of multimedia content, including animation and videos. This lets customers get as close to real life as possible.

The experience begins with a wide-frame scene of a lifestyle apartment building set in the city as lights from the windows illuminate the night. You can explore this virtual world whenever you want, and wherever you are.

 

HP Virtual Showroom Highlights

Here is a section of highlights in the new HP virtual showroom :

For Gamers

  • OMEN 30L Desktop PC with a powerful processor and graphics, and a large front fan to keep it cool
  • HP X24c Gaming Monitor, with ultra-wide viewing angles, and smooth, a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync technology
  • OMEN Laptop 15 with desktop-class graphics performance
  • OMEN Sequencer Keyboard, OMEN Photon Wireless Mouse and OMEN Mindframe Prime Headset

For Productivity

  • The HP Spectre x360, with 90% screen-to-body ratio and premium design
  • HP Spectre Rechargeable Mouse 700, with easy-switch technology and a laser sensor.
  • HP 24mq 23.8 Display with up to 178° ultra-wide viewing angles and vibrant colour.
  • HP OfficeJet Pro 9010 All-in-One Printer, with fast colour printing and automatic 2-sided scan and copy.
  • HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2776 All-in-One Printer, with wireless connectivity.

For Artists

  • HP ENVY Laptop 15, with its 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and durable 360-degree geared hinge that switches between laptop, tent and tablet mode.
  • HP Color LaserJet Pro that produces sharp, black text and crisp colour graphics.

 

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2021 HP OMEN 15 (Valkyrie) Gaming Laptop Preview!

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HP just unveiled their 2021 OMEN 15 gaming laptop, codenamed Valkyrie – powered by both AMD and NVIDIA!

 

2021 HP OMEN 15 (Valkyrie) Gaming Laptop

Codenamed Valkyrie, the 2021 HP OMEN 15 gaming laptop is a 15.6-inch laptop built with serious gaming in mind, with a sleek and modern minimalistic design!

15.6-inch IPS Display

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 comes with a large 15.6-inch IPS display, with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

You can opt for a 144 Hz refresh rate, as well as a premium 144 Hz display with 300 nits brightness and 72% NTSC colour gamut.

Gaming Performance

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 is powered by the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor, and paired with up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 graphics!

It is kept cool by the OMEN Tempest Cooling Technology, with 3-sided venting and 5-way airflow, to ensure maximum performance even during prolonged gaming sessions!

Memory + Storage

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 comes with up to 16 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, in dual-channel mode for maximum performance.

You can equip it with up to a 1 TB PCIe NVMe TLC SSD, or up to two 256 GB SSDs in RAID 0 mode for super-fast transfers.

Connectivity

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 comes with Gigabit LAN wired connectivity built in, and offers either Intel Wi-Fi 6 or Realtek Wi-Fi 5 wireless connectivity.

Audio

You do not have to rely on headphones for maximum gaming enjoyment. The new OMEN 15 comes with Bang & Olufsen speakers and support for DTS:X Ultra!

Gaming Keyboard

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 comes with an island-style backlit keyboard with integrated numeric keypad.

You have the option of simple dragon red backlighting, or RGB backlighting with 4 independent zones.

 

2021 HP OMEN 15 (Valkyrie) : Specifications + Options

The 2021 HP OMEN 15 gaming laptop comes with these specifications and configuration options :

Specifications 2021 HP OMEN 15
Display 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Display Options 144 Hz, 300 nits, 72% NTSC
144 Hz, 250 nits, 45% NTSC
60 Hz, 250 nits, 45% NTSC
Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Professional
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
CPU Options AMD Ryzen 9 5900H
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
AMD Ryzen 5 5600H
AMD Ryzen 7 4800H
AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
Memory Options Up to 16 GB DDR4-3200
GPU Options NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
Storage Options Up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe TLC SSD
Up to 2 x 256 GB PCIe NVMe TLC SSDs
Card Reader SD card reader
Audio Bang & Olfusen dual speakers
DTS:X Ultra support
Networking Gigabit LAN
Wireless Options Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0
Realtek Wi-Fi 5 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0
I/O Ports 1 x USB 3.0 Type C with DisplayPort 1.4
1 x USB 3.0 Type A with Sleep + Charge
2 x USB 3.0 Type A
1 x RJ45 LAN port
1 x headphone / mic combo port
1 x Mini DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.0a
Camera HD camera with dual-array digital mic
IR thermal sensor
Keyboard Options 1-zone dragon red backlit keyboard
4-zone RGB backlit keyboard
Touchpad HP Imagepad Touchpad
Battery Options 6-cell Li-Po, 70.9 Wh
3-cell Li-Po, 52.5 Wh
Charger 150 / 200 watt charger
Dimensions 357.96 mm wide
239.7 mm deep
22.5 mm thick
Weight 2.37 kg

 

2021 HP OMEN 15 : Price + Availability

The new HP OMEN 15 gaming laptop has a starting price of RM 3,899 (about US$965 / £684 / A$1,220 / S$1,272).

It comes with 2-years of Accidental Protection Damage warranty, and is available from the HP Online Store in Malaysia right now.

Here are purchase options in other countries :

 

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2021 HP OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop Revealed!

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HP just revealed the 2021 HP OMEN 25L gaming desktop, powered by AMD and NVIDIA! Here are the details…

 

2021 HP OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop Revealed!

The 2021 HP OMEN 25L gaming desktop packages the latest AMD Ryzen processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics in a slim, minimalistic design that will fit right into any modern home.

On top of using branded gaming components, it is also designed to be easily upgradable, and software-customisable via the OMEN Command Center.

Performance

The 2021 HP OMEN 25L gaming desktop is built around the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen 9 or Ryzen 7 processor, paired with up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti graphics card.

All that is kept cool by Cooler Master cooling solutions – you can opt for a 92 mm round air cooler, or a 120 mm liquid cooled radiator.

It also features redesigned elevating 15 mm legs, and a new raised graphics slot, to improve system air intake.

Memory + Storage

HP offers up to 32 GB (64 GB in some countries) of Intel XMP-certified HyperX DDR4 memory, with and without RGB lighting.

You can equip it with up to a 2 TB WD Black PCIe TLC SSD, with up to two additional 2 TB hard disk drives for maximum storage capacity.

Connectivity

The HP OMEN 25L comes with both Gigabit LAN wired connectivity, as well as WiFi-6 wireless connectivity through its built-in AX 2×2 card.

DTS Headphone: X Technology

The HP OMEN 25L supports DTS Headphone: X technology, which gives you spatially-accurate 3D sound through any headphones or earbuds.

Micro-ATX Upgradability

The galvanised steel chassis is designed to offer easy tool-less access, and easy cable management. It also lets you easily upgrade the OMEN 25L with aftermarket parts.

 

2021 HP OMEN 25L : Specifications + Configuration Options

The 2021 HP OMEN 25L gaming desktop comes with these configuration options :

Specifications HP OMEN 25L
Colour Shadow Black
Design Options Glass Side Cover (optional dust filter)
Metal Side Cover (optional dust filter)
OS Options Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Microsoft Windows 10 Home
FreeDOS 3.0
CPU Options AMD Ryzen 9 3900
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Chipset AMD B450
RAM Options Up to 32 GB HyperX DDR4 RGB
Lighting
Up to 32 GB HyperX DDR4
GPU Options NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER
Storage Options Up to 2 TB WD Black PCIe SSD
Up to 2 x 2 TB 7200 RPM HDD
Audio DTS Headphone:X support
Networking AX WiFi-6 and Bluetooth 5.1 combo
Gigabit LAN Ethernet
Top I/O Ports 2 x USB 3.0 Type A
1 x audio combo jack
Rear I/O Ports 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A
2 x USB 3.0 Type A
3 x audio ports
1 x RJ45 LAN port
Power Supply 500 Watt ATX power supply
Security Kensington Security Lock Slot
Dimensions 165.1 mm wide
394.5 mm deep
433.1 mm tall
Weight 11.5 kg

 

2021 HP OMEN 25L : Price + Availability

The new HP OMEN 25L desktop has a starting price of RM 6,899 (about US$1,707 / £1,205 / A$2,154 / S$2,252).

It comes with 3-years of on-site warranty, and is available from the HP Online Store in Malaysia right now.

Here are purchase options in other countries :

 

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2020 HP OMEN 15 Gaming Laptop : What You Need To Know!

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The new 2020 HP OMEN 15 offers better gaming performance, and a 15.6-inch display with a phenomenal 300 Hz refresh rate!

Here is what you need to know about the latest OMEN gaming laptop from HP!

 

2020 HP OMEN 15 : What You Need To Know!

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop, built around the 10th Gen Intel processor, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q GPU.

It features a new redesigned chassis, with a smaller footprint over the last generation, and a new OMEN diamond logo in a blue to green gradient.

Gaming Performance

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 comes with two 10th Gen Intel processor options :

  • Core i7-10750H – a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a 12 MB L3 cache
  • Core i5-10300H – a 4-core, 8-thread processor with an 8 MB L3 cache

Graphics-wise, you have a lot more options to choose from, albeit all NVIDIA GPUs :

OMEN Tempest Cooling Technology

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 comes with the industry’s first IR thermopile sensor optimise cooling performance and reduce noise levels.

And its OMEN Tempest Cooling Technology features enlarged vent openings and up to a 12 V fan with three-sided venting for five-way airflow!

15.6-inch Display With 4K or 300 Hz Options!

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 has a 15.6-inch display, with different panel options to suit your requirements.

Those who want to work and game on the OMEN 15 can opt for the 4K AMOLED display, with 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut and HDR 400 support.

HP Fast Charge

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 comes with either a 3-cell or a 6-cell battery, which supports HP Fast Charge.

If you are in need of a fast charge, just power it down and you can go from 0% to 50% in just 45 minutes!

RGB vs Red Backlit Keyboard

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 comes with a full-sized keyboard, with 26-key rollover, and anti-ghosting technology.

You can opt for either a simple dragon red backlight, or a 4-zone RGB backlight, to complement its shadow black keys.

 

2020 HP OMEN 15 : Specifications + Options

Specifications 2020 HP OMEN 15
OS Options Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10 Home
CPU Options Intel Core i7-10750H
Intel Core i5-10300H
Chipset Intel HM470
Display Size 15.6-inch
Display Options 4K AMOLED display, 400 nits, 100% DCI-P3, HDR400
4K IPS display, 400 nits, 100% sRGB, 120 Hz
FHD IPS display, 300 nits, 100% sRGB, 300 Hz
FHD IPS display, 300 nits, 72% NTSC, 144 Hz
FHD IPS display, 300 nits, 72% NTSC
FHD IPS display, 250 nits, 45% NTSC, 144 Hz
FHD IPS display, 250 nits, 45% NTSC
GPU Options Intel UHD Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce RTX GTX 1650
Memory Options 2 x SDRAM slots (dual channel)
Up to 32 GB DDR4-2933
Storage Options Up to 512 GB Intel SSD + 32 GB Intel Optane
Up to 1 TB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSD
Up to 2 x 512 GB PCIe NVMe TLC M.2 SSDs (RAID 0)
1 x SD card reader
Networking 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX-201 (2×2) + Bluetooth 5
I/O Ports 1 x USB Type C (GTX 1650 and 1650 Ti only)
1 x Thunderbolt 3 (all other models)
1 x USB Type A with HP Sleep and Charge
2 x USB Type A
1 x RJ-45
1 x headphone / microphone combo
1 x power port
1 x Mini DisplayPort
1 x HDMI 2.0a
Keyboard Options Red backlit with / without numeric keypad
4-zone RGB backlit with / without numeric keypad
Touchpad HP Imagepad with multi-touch support
Camera + Mic HD webcam + dual-array digital microphones
Audio Dual speakers by Bang & Olufsen
HP Audio Boost with DTS:X Ultra support
Battery Options 6-cell, 70.29 Wh Li-polymer battery
3-cell, 52.5 Wh Li-polymer battery
Power Adaptor 200 W power adaptor
150 W power adaptor
Dimensions 357.96 mm wide
239.7 mm deep
22.5 mm thick
Weight From 2.36 kg

 

2020 HP OMEN 15 : Price + Availability

The 2020 HP OMEN 15 is available with immediate effect, with a starting price of RM4,439 – approximately US$1,089 / £816 / A$1,469 / S$1,459.

Here are some online purchase options :

 

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2020 HP ENVY Laptops : Be The Envy Of Creators Wherever You Go!

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The new 2020 HP ENVY 13 and ENVY 15 laptops are each designed for a different purpose, but with a single mission – to help you bring your ideas to life no matter where you are.

Find out how the 2020 HP ENVY 13 and HP ENVY 15 laptops differ, and which is the best option for you!

 

HP ENVY 13 (2020) Laptop

Powerful and yet light and compact, the new HP ENVY 13 laptop is designed for creators on-the-go. Its long-lasting battery ensures you can work for a full day and then some, without worrying about running out of power.

And should you be on-the-road longer than expected, the HP Fast Charge feature lets you recharge 50% of its battery in just 30 minutes, so you can get right back to creating your content, after a short break!

Being light and compact, the new ENVY 13 is great for creators who need the flexibility to work wherever they are. But it does not compromise quality for mobility.

Despite weighing just 1.3 kg, the HP ENVY 13 provides the performance you need for designing and editing work, with its NVIDIA GeForce MX350 graphics and 10th Gen Intel Core processor.

When your workspace can be anywhere from your home to a busy café or a shooting location, security and privacy becomes a real concern. Thankfully, the new ENVY 13 comes with built-in security features like a physical camera shutter, and a microphone mute button, as well as a fingerprint reader.

When out and about, you can enjoy accurate, cinematic audio thanks to its dual speakers with HP Audio Boost, that have been custom-tuned by Bang & Olufsen.

On top of all that, the new ENVY 13 comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 worth RM529 for FREE, you can get straight to creating on your new laptop.

And you never have to worry about where you create your content, thanks to its 2-year Accidental Damage Protection coverage!

 

HP ENVY 15 (2020) Laptop

The HP ENVY 15 is not just a larger version of the ENVY 13. It is designed to be a content creation workhorse, with serious gaming chops.

It can be equipped with the latest 10th Generation Intel Core processors and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, and up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory.

To ensure the best possible performance while designing and editing high-resolution videos, or during strenuous gaming sessions, its CPU and GPU are kept cool by HP’s custom vapour chamber cooling, with dual 12V high-performance fans and an IR thermal sensor.

They all work together to keep the CPU and GPU cool, delivering 33% more processing power during intense workloads.

Its 15.6-inch touch display also offers a better experience while working on your creative project, with greater colour accuracy thanks to its Full High Definition micro-edge display with WLED backlight, IPS technology, 100% sRGB, and anti-glare coating.

Your creative journey is also enhanced by its two built-in speakers, which are not only custom-tuned by Bang & Olufsen, but also feature HP Audio Boost for a cinematic experience.

To keep your creations under wraps until you are ready to share it with the world, the new HP ENVY 15 comes with built-in security features, such as a fingerprint reader, physical camera shutter, and a dedicated microphone mute button, which are all easily accessible from the keyboard.

Just like the smaller ENVY 13, the new ENVY 15 comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 worth RM529 for FREE, as well as 2 years of Accidental Damage Protection coverage!

 

HP ENVY 13 vs HP ENVY 15 : Which Should You Choose?

The HP ENVY 13 and HP ENVY 15 are not just different in their sizes – they are actually very different laptops.

The HP ENVY 13 is most suited for those who want the ability to create content for ultra-long hours on-the-go.

The HP ENVY 15 is best for those who want a powerful GPU for intense content creation or gaming no matter where they are.

To make it easier for you, this table gives you a quick comparison of their key advantages :

Why Buy The ENVY 13? Why Buy The ENVY 15?
Performance
– Latest Intel 10th Gen processors
– Intel Iris Plus Graphics / NVIDIA GeForce MX350
– Up to 19.5 hours battery life
– HP Fast Charge: Up to 50% in 30 mins		 Performance
– Latest Intel 10th Gen processors
– Vapour Chamber Cooling with dual 12V fans
– Up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
– Up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory
– Up to 16.5 hours battery life
– HP Fast Charge : Up to 50% in 45 mins
Design
– 13.3-inch micro-edge WLED display
– 88% screen-to-body ratio		 Design
– 15.6-inch micro-edge WLED touch display
– 100% sRGB colour gamut
Security
– unhackable physical camera shutter
– microphone mute button on keyboard
– fingerprint reader		 Security
– unhackable physical camera shutter
– microphone mute button on keyboard
– fingerprint reader
– virtual private ExpressVPN (30 day trial)
Other Features
– free Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 (worth RM 529)
– 2-year accidental damage protection coverage

But no matter which HP ENVY laptop you choose, it will come with free pre-installed Microsoft Office Home & Student 2019 (worth RM 529) as well as 2 Years of Accidental Damage Protection!

Find out more about the new HP ENVY 13 and HP ENVY 15 laptops here.

 

HP Accidental Damage Protection (ADP)

HP Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) is designed to protect your HP ENVY laptop against any accidental damage during your use.

It will cover drops, spills, power surges, including broken parts. Even damaged or broken displays!

Here are some examples of how useful it can be to protect your investment :

  • You accidentally knock your HP ENVY laptop off the desk, and crack its LCD display. The ADP coverage includes a free replacement of the damaged LCD screen!
  • You accidentally spill your drink on the keyboard, causing the laptop to stop operating. It will be repaired for free with ADP coverage!
  • A power surge during a lightning storm damages the laptop. It will be repaired for free with ADP coverage!

 

2020 HP ENVY 13 | HP ENVY 15 : Price + Availability

The 2020 HP ENVY laptops are available with immediate effect, with these starting prices :

  • HP ENVY 13 (2020) : RM 4,399
  • HP ENVY 15 (2020) : RM 5,799

Here are the online purchase options :

 

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The Microsoft Secured-core PC Initiative Explained!

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Microsoft and their hardware partners just announced the Secured-core PC initiative to combat threats that target the PC’s firmware and operating system.

With help from David Weston, Partner Director of Microsoft OS Security, here is everything you need to know about the Secured-core PC initiative!

 

What Is The Secured-core PC Initiative?

Secured-core PC is a new Microsoft initiative that they just announced. In partnership with their hardware partners, they aim to create a specific set of requirements for devices that are meant for secure use.

These requirements will apply the best practices in data security – isolation and minimal trust in the firmware layer and the device core that underpins the Windows operating system.

Secured-core PC devices will be targeted at industries like financial services, government and healthcare, and anyone who work with valuable IP, customer or personal data. They would also be useful for persons of interest, who would be high-value targets for hackers and nation-state attackers.

 

Is There A Need For Secured-core PC?

As more protection is built into the operating system and connected services, attackers are exploring other methods with firmware emerging as a top target.

The NIST’s National Vulnerability Database shows a near 5X increase in the number of firmware vulnerabilities in the last 3 years :

In late 2018, security researchers discovered that the hacking group Strontium targeted systems in the wild with malware that made use of firmware vulnerabilities.

Because it targeted firmware, the malicious code was hard to detect, and difficult to remove. It even persists after the operating system is reinstalled, or the storage drive replaced!

 

Why Is Firmware The New Target?

Firmware is used to initialise the hardware and software when a device is started up. It therefore has a higher level of access and privileges than the hypervisor and operating system kernel.

This means firmware attacks that succeed can undermine protective mechanisms like Secure Boot that the hypervisor or operating system use to protect against malware.

Firmware attacks can more easily evade endpoint protection and detection solutions, because the latter run under the operating system layer, and therefore have limited visibility of the firmware layer.

 

What Is A Secured-core PC Made Up Of?

Secured-core PCs will combine multiple layers of protection – identity, virtualisation, operating system, hardware and firmware – to prevent attacks, rather than simply detecting them.

They all ensure that the device will boot securely and is protected against firmware vulnerabilities, shielding the operating system from attacks and preventing unauthorised access to the device and data.

Recommended : How AMD CPUs Work In A Secured-core PC Device

System Guard Secure Launch

Microsoft is now implementing System Guard Secure Launch in Windows 10 as a key Secured-core PC requirement.

System Guard uses the Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement (DRTM) capabilities built into the latest processors from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm, to protect the boot process from firmware attacks.

The firmware is used to start the hardware, and then shortly after, re-initialise the system into a trusted state. This helps to limit the trust assigned to the firmware, greatly mitigating against firmware attacks.

This method also helps protect the integrity of the Virtualisation-Based Security (VBS) feature in the hypervisor against firmware vulnerabilities. This is critical because VBS is used for important OS security functions like Windows Defender Credential Guard and Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI).

Trusted Platform Module 2.0

Microsoft is also implementing Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM) as a device requirement for Secured-core PCs.

It is used to measure the components that are used during the secure launch process, allowing for zero trust networks using System Guard runtime attestation.

 

Secured-core PC Availability

Secured-core PC devices are available from Dell, Dynabook, HP, Lenovo, Panasonic and Microsoft’s own Surface brand.

 

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The New AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 + Athlon PRO 300 APUs!

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AMD just announced three new Ryzen PRO 3000 and one new Athlon PRO 300 mobile processors with Radeon Vega Graphics! Here are the full details of these four new PRO-grade mobile APUs!

 

2nd Gen AMD Ryzen PRO Features

The 2nd Gen Ryzen PRO 3000 Series mobile processor is built on 12nm manufacturing technology and offers up to 16% more multi-threading processor performance.

Among its key features are:

  • Up to 12 hours of general office use or 10 hours of video playback
  • Up to 14% faster content creation and accelerated everyday office applications such as 3D modeling and video editing
  • security co-processor built into the silicon
  • 18 months image stability
  • 24 months processor availability
  • 36 months limited warranty to system manufacturers

 

AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 + Athlon PRO 300 Series Specifications

Model Cores / Threads TDP Boost / Base Frequency Radeon Graphics Max. GPU Frequency L2 + L3 Cache
Ryzen 7 PRO 3700U 4C / 8T 15 W 4.0 / 2.3 GHz Vega 10 1.4 GHz 6 MB
Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U 4C / 8T 15 W 3.7 / 2.1 GHz Vega 8 1.2 GHz 6 MB
Ryzen 3 PRO 3300U 4C / 4T 15 W 3.5 / 2.3 GHz Vega 6 1.2 GHz 6 MB
Athlon PRO 300U 2C / 4T 15 W 3.3 / 2.4 GHz Vega 3 1.0 GHz 5 MB

 

AMD Ryzen PRO 3000 + Athlon PRO 300 Series Availability

PC manufacturers such as HP and Lenovo are partnering AMD to develop notebooks and laptops for business systems. These range from premium professional notebooks to regular productivity notebooks.

Initial commercial systems developed by HP and Lenovo are expected in this quarter of 2019 with other OEMs and further platform updates scheduled for release later this year.

 

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The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 Laptop Revealed!

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HP just released the new HP Spectre x360 13, the latest edition from its range of premium laptops. Here is everything you need to know about the 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 laptop!

 

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 Laptop Revealed!

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 features a new design that includes a new Poseidon Blue colour and is HP’s first consumer notebook with privacy camera kill switch. It comes equipped with the world’s longest battery life in a quad-core convertible.

 

 

Bold Design And Great Audio

The redesigned 2018 HP Spectre x360 13  is available in the all-new Poseidon Blue with pale brass accents. It features a gem cut design achieved through aluminum CNC machining.

The USB-C port is angled on the right side of the device for better cable management while dual chamfer design makes the lid easier to lift from any side.

The unique design of the speaker pattern is also purposeful with each hole micro-drilled for better acoustic transparency to deliver great audio experience by Bang & Olufsen.

Security Features

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 has also been equipped with leading security features. A privacy camera kill switch acts as a physical on/off switch to electrically turn off the webcam when not in use.

It also comes equipped with HP Sure View, an integrated privacy screen to help users avoid prying eyes in public areas.

 

 

 

 

Great Connectivity And Battery Lifespan

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13  is also built to deliver an Always-On, Always-Connected PC experience. This includes long-lasting battery life with up to 22.5 hours.

The optional gigabit-class 4G LTE on the 13-inch device and ultra-fast Wi-Fi with up to 1 gigabit download speeds on the HP Spectre x360 13 ensure connectivity from almost anywhere.

Connected modern standby allows emails, calendars, and contacts to be constantly updated. The wake on fingerprint reader and wake on voices enable full log-on almost instantaneously.

Powerful Function

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13 is designed for mobile professionals on the go with the 8th generation Intel Quad Core processors. The two USB-CTM Thunderbolt ports support dual 5K displays and is ideal for users who are into content creation.

The 15-inch convertible features a new thermal design and the optional NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti with Max Q design.

 

 

2018 HP Spectre x360 13 Price + Availability

The 2018 HP Spectre x360 13  retails from RM 5,249 / ~US$ 1,252 / ~£992 and is available at HP Online Store and authorised HP resellers in Malaysia.

 

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Ryze Up With AMD – Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile Laptops!

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At our last meeting with Gavin Wong, the National Consumer Sales Manager for AMD Malaysia, we pointed out that there has been a dearth of information on AMD Ryzen Mobile laptops. Almost immediately, he arranged for a media update on the Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile laptop line-up. Check it out!

 

The Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile Laptop Media Update!

It was an informal media update event, but Gavin brought in the big guns from AMD’s top partners to brief us – Jeffrey Lai (Senior Product Manager of Acer Malaysia), Frankie Chan (Business Director of PC Business, HP Malaysia), and Wong Yuen Lai (Consumer Segment Lead of Lenovo Malaysia). The Regional Marketing Manager of AMD APJ, Ms. Yennee Ng, also came for this media update.

Their central message was – despite the onslaught of laptops powered by the Intel Core processors, there is a large number of AMD Ryzen Mobile laptop options out there. And AMD will do more to bring in even more Ryzen Mobile laptops in coming months.

 

The Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile Line-Up

AMD with their partners, Acer, HP and Lenovo, showcased  their Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile line-up. Here is a quick video tour :

All in, they showcased a dozen Ryzen Mobile laptop model that are currently available for sale. The current Q4 2018 Ryzen Mobile line-up include :

Acer

Acer Nitro 5 (AN515-42-R8SH)

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon RX 560X with 4 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD storage
  • Price : RM 3,199 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $879 (with 256 GB SSD)

Acer Swift 3 (SF315-41G-R6Z9)

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon RX 540 with 2 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 256 GB SSD
  • Price : RM 3,199 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $682.50 (without Radeon RX 540)

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-41G-R7HY)

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon 535 with 2 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 1 TB HDD storage
  • Price : RM 2,259 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $549.99 (with 8 GB RAM + 256 GB SSD)

Acer Aspire 3 (A315-41G-R5RJ)

  • AMD Ryzen 3 2200U processor with Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon 535 with 2 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 1 TB HDD storage
  • Price : RM 1,879 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $388.99 (with 8 GB RAM)

HP

HP 14-CM0010AX/012AX

  • AMD Ryzen 3 2200U processor with Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon 520 with 2 GB DDR3 memory
  • 1 TB HDD storage
  • Price : RM 1,864 (Web | Mobile App)

HP Envy X360-13AG0003AU

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 256 GB SDD storage
  • Price : RM 3,609 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $668.95 (with 1 TB HDD)

HP Envy X360-13AG0001AU

  • AMD Ryzen 3 2300U processor with Radeon Vega 6 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 256 GB SDD storage
  • Price : RM 3,347 (Web | Mobile App)

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Lenovo

Lenovo IdeaPad 720S-13ARR (81BR0056MJ)

  • AMD Ryzen 7 2700U processor with Radeon Vega 10 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 512 GB SDD storage
  • Price : RM 3,799 (Web | Mobile App)

Lenovo IdeaPad 720S-13ARR (81BR0055MJ)

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 256 GB SDD storage
  • Price : RM 3,219 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $756.94 (Amazon)

Lenovo IdeaPad 330-15ARR (81D20063MJ)

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon 540 with 2 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 2 TB HDD storage
  • Price : RM 2,399 (Web | Mobile App)
  • US Price : $612.61 (with 8 GB RAM + 1 TB HDD)

Lenovo IdeaPad 330-15ARR

  • AMD Ryzen 3 2200U processor with Radeon Vega 3 Graphics
  • 4 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Radeon 535 with 2 GB GDDR5 memory
  • 2 TB HDD storage

Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR

  • AMD Ryzen 5 2500U processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 256 GB SDD storage

 

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The 2018 HP OMEN 15 + OMEN 17 Gaming Laptops Revealed!

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HP today officially launched the 2018 HP OMEN 15 and 2018 HP Omen 17 gaming laptops. Get the lowdown on HP’s newly-refreshed OMEN gaming laptops!

 

The 2018 HP OMEN 15 + OMEN 17 Gaming Laptops

The 2018 HP OMEN gaming laptops are now sleeker, and feature the latest 8th Generation Intel Core processor with up to six cores and up to 8 GB of DDR4-2666 memory. They are also powered by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design.

Here are the 2018 HP OMEN gaming laptops’ key features :

Power That Goes The Distance

The 2018 HP OMEN gaming laptops are not just powered by the 8th Generation Intel Core processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design, they come with a variety of storage options – SSD, HDD, SSD + HDD, or even HDD + Intel Optane Memory.

Cool Things Down

The 2018 HP OMEN gaming laptops have been engineered with larger fans that have a 3-phase motor and fluid dynamic bearings. Vents on the back and the bottom pull in cool air, while two large fans push heat out the rear corner vents. Some models even come with an expanded vent area on the bottom for increased airflow.

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Lose Yourself In The Game

The 15.6-inch and 17.3-inch displays have a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, with 60 Hz or 144 Hz refresh rate options, and NVIDIA G-SYNC support.

They also boast Bang & Olufsen stereo speakers, with a discrete audio amplifier. If you prefer to wear headphones, you’ll be able to enjoy an expanded surround soundscape with its support for DTS Headphone:X.

Expansion and Flexibility

The 2018 HP OMEN gaming laptops are designed to be easily upgraded. It has a single panel access with Phillips head screws for storage and memory upgrades.

It also comes with a wide variety of ports at the back for more freedom of movement, particularly if you are using a mouse.

 

The 2018 HP OMEN Price + Availability

The 2018 HP OMEN 16 retails from RM 4,485 / ~US$ 1,121, and is available immediately from the HP Online Store and authorised HP resellers.

The 2018 HP OMEN 17 retails from.RM 8,699 / ~US$ 2,175, and will be available starting mid-September 2018.

 

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HP ElitePOS Reinvents The Retail Experience

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HP Malaysia recently invited us to experience the new all-in-one point-of-sales (POS) system they were introducing – the new HP ElitePOS. It is the culmination of HP’s efforts in working with leading retail and hospitality partners in reinventing the retail experience for customers.

 

The HP ElitePOS System

The HP ElitePOS features a sleek, modular design, that is completely different from the large, boxy POS terminals commonly used in retail environments. Its design is also functional, with a focus on making shopping faster and easier for both customers and the sales associates assisting them.

The HP ElitePOS can be configured to function in a variety of rules – interactive signage, employee attendance, or self-service applications like a customer check-in and access to additional product offerings in the “endless aisle”.

For retailers who want a clean and clutter-free counter space, or who need greater versatility in the placement of their point-of-sale terminal, the display can be separated from the input/output (I/O) base for maximum placement versatility.

HP also offers an optional receipt printer that integrates into the column stand, and an optional magnetic stripe reader built into the display, to create a clean counter space for retail environments.

 

MIL-STD Reliability

Retail and hospitality often have demanding and harsh environments, which can damage or destroy consumer-leveraged technology. That is why the ElitePOS is built to be retail-durable, being MIL-STD certified, deter minor spills by channeling liquid out the device, and deliver efficient cooling with side venting for improved reliability.

It is designed to be long-lasting with the latest hardware and software – Microsoft Windows 10, fast DDR4 memory, and the 7th Generation Intel Core processors with vPro technology.

 

Improved Security

With point-of-sale devices increasingly targeted by hackers, security continues to be top of mind for the retail industry. According to Verizon, 64% of breaches in the retail industry that contained data loss were caused by point-of-sale intrusions.

This is why HP is expanding its industry-leading security solutions to the ElitePOS, with both hardware and integrated software security features, including:

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  • BIOS-level device security to provide protectionin the event of a malware attack with HP Sure Start Gen3, the industry’s first self-healing BIOS, and HP BIOSphere Gen3, the industry-leading firmware ecosystems.
  • User authentication technology, including an optional fingerprint reader for secure login; Credential Guard for secure user authentication and password protection, and Device Guard, which lets IT managers create rules to run only signed, trusted, and approved applications on the POS system to help protect against walk-up and low-level attacks through USB ports.
  • Physical security of the device itself with an optional bolt-to-counter configuration, VESA mounting K-Lock features and external fingerprint reader for secure login through Windows Hello.

 

Availability Of The HP ElitePOS System

The HP ElitePOS is expected to be available in November 2017 direct from HP and the company’s global network of more than 250,000 partners. Additionally, retail independent software vendors (ISVs) Custom Business Soutions, GK Software, LS Retail, Manhattan Associates, Omnico Group, PCMS, Retail Pro, SilverWare POS and TCPOS plan to support the new solution.

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The 2017 HP A3 Multi-Function Printers Revealed!

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HP recently announced their next-generation A3 multifunction printers (MFPs) in Southeast Asia. The 54 new HP A3 printers include enterprise-class A3 MFPs that are designed to protect themselves in the face of growing cyber-attacks on businesses.

The new 2017 HP A3 multi-function printer range not only offers advanced security features, they also feature the HP PageWide printing technology, and longer device uptime through HP’s Smart Device Services technology.

 

The 2017 HP A3 Multi-Function Printers Revealed!

In this presentation, Yap Phei Leen explains the key features of the 2017 HP A3 printers, that are divided into colour and monochrome options with four speed classes – 25 PPM, 35 PPM, 45 PPM and the high-speed 55 PPM class.

Then her colleague, James Liew, shows off The Wolf: Season 2 before talking about the new security features in the 2017 HP A3 printers.

Advancing security and protecting networks

The 2017 HP A3 printers are embedded with advanced security features to combat the growing cybersecurity threats targeting business MFPs. With HP Sure Start, whitelisting and run-time intrusion detection, HP enterprise-class MFPs will automatically trigger a reboot in the event of an attack or any anomaly.

When an attack targets the BIOS, firmware or run-time memory, HP enterprise-class MFPs can also generate alerts in syslog format and notify IT managers via Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools.

To showcase these new security features, HP launched The Wolf: Season 2 as part of its global initiative to elevate awareness of the security risks facing businesses and consumers. Making its debut in Cannes this year, The Wolf: Season 2 builds on the dramatic first season starring award-winning actor Christian Slater as a fictional hacker targeting the healthcare industry’s highly sensitive data records.

Cloud-based innovation and reduced costs

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The 2017 HP A3 MFPs – including three PageWide printers and thirteen LaserJet printers – benefit from the new HP Smart Device Services (SDS) cloud-based service optimization platform. The SDS is a proprietary platform that integrates advanced diagnostics, device specific troubleshooting and remote remediation capabilities into the industry leading MPS tool sets resellers use today.

The HP PageWide Pro devices make color printing more affordable, while providing best-in-class print speeds. The single and multifunction devices have print speeds ranging from 35 ppm to 60 ppm (up to 80 ppm in General Office mode). PageWide technology is also more sustainable – consuming up to 1/7th the energy of competing color laser machines in the same class while producing significantly less packaging waste associated with supplies and long life consumables.

 

The 2017 HP A3 Multi-Function Printer Availability

The 2017 HP A3 MFPs are available through qualified channel partners, or directly through HP Malaysia right now.

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HP & Acer Introduce AMD Ryzen Gaming Desktops!

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Intel processors have always been the de facto CPUs for gaming desktops. But recently, AMD has been making real inroads with their new Ryzen processors. In fact, they just announced that HP and Acer have started shipping AMD Ryzen gaming desktops!

In this article, both HP and Acer will share with you the key features of their Ryzen gaming desktops – the HP OMEN and Acer Aspire GX-281. Don’t forget to catch Peter Chambers’ presentation on the AMD Ryzen family for the second half of 2017 and going forward!

 

The AMD Ryzen Update For 2H 2017

AMD Director of Consumer Sales for Asia Pacific and Japan, Peter Chambers, kicked off the event with an update on the AMD Ryzen family of processors, including Ryzen Threadripper and Ryzen Mobile.

 

OMEN by HP, Now Powered By AMD Ryzen 7

We shared details and videos of the new HP OMEN gaming desktops and laptops with you just two weeks ago. However, they were all powered by Intel Core processors.

Now, HP is introducing a new HP OMEN gaming desktop powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 processor. That’s not all – this Ryzen-powered HP OMEN gaming desktop will feature dual AMD Radeon RX 580 GPUs in CrossFire!

 

 

The Acer Aspire GX-281, Powered By AMD Ryzen 7

The Acer Aspire GX-281 is a gaming desktop that is exclusively powered by the AMD Ryzen processor. In some countries, it may use the AMD Ryzen 5, but here in Malaysia, it will be offered only with the AMD Ryzen 7 processor.

The Aspire GX-281 will ship with the AMD Radeon RX 480 initially, but Acer will offer the Radeon RX 580 eventually.

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The HP OMEN Gaming Laptop & Desktop PCs Revealed!

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HP just launched the OMEN by HP line of gaming PCs. Their new OMEN gaming PCs have reputedly been engineered to give esports and competitive gamers the edge to perform at their very best. Let’s take a look at the new HP OMEN gaming laptop and desktop PCs!

 

The 2017 OMEN Gaming Laptop & Desktop PCs Revealed!

The highlight of the HP OMEN launch event was this presentation by Stacey Gan, HP Market Development Manager (Consumer Notebook) on the key features of the new OMEN gaming PCs. Check it out!

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The HP OMEN Gaming Desktop

The new OMEN gaming desktop PC was inspired by the OMEN X desktop. It leverages key features from the OMEN X desktop, like the ability to easily upgrade components, and improved cooling, to allow gamers to push the envelope of the system’s gaming performance.

  • Supports up to dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics cards in SLI, or dual AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics cards in CrossFire mode.
  • Powered by the 7th Generation Intel Core i7 or Core i5 CPUs with unlocked options for overclocking.
  • Improved thermal engineering with all-around edge vents and optional liquid-cooling capability.
  • Optional PCIe SSD or SSD + HDD storage options.
  • OMEN Command Center with Overclocking improves CPU performance on-the-fly.
  • Network Booster prioritises gaming traffic to reduce latency in online games.

 

The HP OMEN Gaming Laptops

The HP OMEN gaming laptops will be available in two sizes – the HP OMEN 15 with a 15.6″ display, and a HP OMEN 17 with a 17″ display. These gaming laptops feature more expansion capabilities, additional ports and more VR compatibility.

  • The HP OMEN 15 supports up to the GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q, or the Radeon RX 550.
  • The HP OMEN 17 supports up to the GeForce GTX 1070, or the Radeon RX 580.[adrotate group=”2″]
  • Powered by the 7th Generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processors.
  • Improved cooling thanks to a multi-fan, multi-heatpipe, multi-exhaust thermal solution.
  • Integrated dual speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen, and boosted by HP Audio Boost.
  • Dragon-red keyboard with red-accented WASD keys, white backlights and 26-key rollover anti-ghosting capability.
  • Option of 4K display / 1080p 120Hz display with NVIDIA G-Sync / 1080p 60Hz display with AMD FreeSync.
  • Single access panel for easy HDD, SSD and RAM upgrades.
  • VR-ready configurations available for virtual reality gaming.

 

Price & Availability

The HP OMEN Desktop is currently available, with prices starting at RM 5,999 / ~US$ 1,429.

The HP OMEN 15 gaming laptop is currently available, with prices starting at RM 4,499 / ~US$ 1,069.

The HP OMEN 17 gaming laptop is currently available, with prices starting at RM 8,899 / ~US$ 2,119.

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The 2017 HP Spectre x360 With Active Pen Revealed!

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HP just introduced the 2017 HP Spectre x360. This is the second-generation HP Spectre x360 model, featuring a near-zero border display in a design that is 13% thinner and 11% lighter! Not only is the 2017 HP Spectre x360 sleeker and lighter, it is designed to work with the HP Active Stylus Pen. Check it out!

 

The 2017 HP Spectre x360 Launch & Presentation

The Malaysian launch of the 2017 HP Spectre x360 was held at the 24th floor of the swanky Troika, hosted by Miss World Malaysia 2012, Lee Yvonne. HP Malaysia Business Director (PC), Frankie Chan, kicked off the event with a launch keynote on the Spectre x360.

Then Stacey Gan, HP Market Development Manager (Consumer Notebook), then gave a presentation on the new features of the 2017 HP Spectre x360 with the HP Active Stylus Pen.

 

 

The Sleeker, Lighter HP Spectre x360

The new 2017 HP Spectre x360 boasts a new hinge design, which squeezes its form factor even thinner by 2 mm to just 13.8 mm. It is also much lighter at just under 1.3 kg, compared to 1.45 in the previous model. Even so, HP managed to pack in a larger 57.8 Whr battery, allowing it to run for up to 15 hours – 25% more battery life than its predecessor!

The 2017 HP Spectre x360 is powered by the 7th Generation Intel Core i7 or Core i5 processor, but it’s not just about raw performance. Its new micr-edge display design eliminated almost 10 mm from each side of the display, giving you a much larger display in the same form factor!

The new Spectre x360 comes with four speakers, instead of just two. These speakers are not just tuned by Bang & Olufsen, they also support HP Audio Boost. It is also designed for Windows Ink, with the HP Active Stylus Pen delivering a precise pen experience.

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Here is a summary of its key features :

  • The new dual-fan design optimises thermals to ensure the device runs cool during demanding activities
  • 7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors
  • Options with up to a 256 GB PCIe SSD for fast performance and plenty of storage space
  • HP TrueVision FHD Webcam with 12% wider field of view
  • A FHD IR camera allows Windows Hello facial recognition for secure, easy logins.
  • HP Fast Charge allows the Spectre x360 to recharge its battery to 90% in just 90 minutes

 

The 2017 HP Spectre x360 Specifications & Price

MODEL HP Spectre x360 13-ac029TU HP Spectre x360 13-ac028TU
PART NO 1HP10PA#UUF 1HP09PA#UUF
COLOUR Dark Ash Silver Dask Ash Silver
ILP PRICE + 6% GST RM 5,299 / ~US$ 1,259 RM 6,099 / ~US$ 1,449
DISPLAY SIZE 13.3-inch FHD 13.3-inch FHD
DISPLAY RESOLUTION 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-7200U (2.5 GHz, up to 3.1 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 3 MB cache, 2 cores) Intel Core i7-7500U (2.7 GHz, up to 3.5 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 4 MB cache, 2 cores)
MEMORY On-board 8 GB LPDDR3-1866 SDRAM On-board 8GB LPDDR3-1866 SDRAM
STORAGE 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD 256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 620 Intel HD Graphics 620
OPTICAL DRIVE None None
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10 (64bit) Windows 10 (64bit)
PORTS 2 X USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 / Thunderbolt 3
1 x USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1,
1 headphone/microphone combo		 2 X USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 / Thunderbolt 3
1 x USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1,
1 headphone/microphone combo
THICKNESS 13.9 mm 13.9 mm
WEIGHT 1.32 kg 1.32 kg
BATTERY 3-Cell 3-Cell
POWER FOR ADAPTER 65 W 65 W
CONNECTIVITY Intel 802.11 ac 2X2 WiFi + BT 4.2 Combo Adapter Intel 802.11 ac 2X2 WiFi + BT 4.2 Combo Adapter
WARRANTY Two years Local Onsite Warranty inclusive of One year limited International Warranty (part/labor/carry-in); 1-year limited warranty on primary battery Two years Local Onsite Warranty inclusive of One year limited International Warranty (part/labor/carry-in); 1-year limited warranty on primary battery
PEN Comes with HP Active Stylus Pen Comes with HP Active Stylus Pen

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The HP Spectre x360 (2017) 2-in-1 Laptop First Look

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HP invited us to literally “take a spin” with their newly-refreshed 13.3″ HP Spectre x360 (Amazon | Lazada) 2-in-1 laptop. The racing outfit Grassroots Automotive (GRA) took us for a couple of laps around a racetrack while we literally tried to use the HP Spectre x360. No joke. It left some participants queasy, but not the Spectre x360… which was probably the point of the whole exercise.

But let’s leave the race for a moment and focus on our subject matter – the newly-refreshed HP Spectre x360 (Amazon | Lazada). Don’t worry – we will get back to the race in a minute. 😀

 

The HP Spectre x360 Hands-On Preview

Before the ride, we had the opportunity to try out the HP Spectre x360 (Amazon | Lazada), which has been refreshed with the new 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processors (codenamed Kaby Lake). We had enough time to do a short hands-on preview video of the experience. Check it out!

While the new 15.6″ Spectre x360 sports an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX mobile GPU, the 13.3″ Spectre x360 models (Amazon | Lazada) do not. They are powered by the Intel HD Graphics 620 processor graphics. However, they boast the same front-facing Bang & Olufsen speakers. Its other features include:

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  • The new dual fan design optimizes thermals to ensure the device runs cool during demanding activities
  • 7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors
  • Options with up to a 256GB PCIe SSD for fast performance and plenty of space to store high resolution videos and photos
  • HP TrueVision FHD Webcam with 12% wider field of view, great for web chats
  • A FHD IR camera supports Windows Hello Facial Log-In for secure, easy log in without typing a password.
  • HP Fast Charge to recharge the batteries to 90 percent capacity in just 90 minutes

 

The HP Spectre x360 Specifications

SpecificationsHP Spectre x360 13-w006TUHP Spectre x360 13-w007TU
Part NumberZ4H97PA#UUFZ4H98PA#UUF
Display Size13.3" full HD display13.3" full HD display
Display Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 1080
ProcessorIntel Core i5-7200U
- 2.5 GHz, boost up to 3.1 GHz
- 3 MB L2 cache, 2 cores		Intel Core i7-7500U
- 2.7 GHz, boost up to 3.5 GHz
- 4 MB L2 cache, 2 cores
Memory8 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM (1866 MHz)8 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM (1866 MHz)
Storage256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD256 GB PCIe M.2 SSD
Graphics ProcessorIntel HD Graphics 620Intel HD Graphics 620
Optical DriveNoneNone
Operating SystemMicrosoft Windows 10 (64-bit)Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)
Ports2 x USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 / Thunderbolt 3
1 x USB 3.1 Type A Gen 1
1 x headphone / microphone combo port		2 x USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 / Thunderbolt 3
1 x USB 3.1 Type A Gen 1
1 x headphone / microphone combo port
Thickness13.79 mm13.79 mm
Weight1.295 kg1.295 kg
Battery3-cell3-cell
Power Adaptor65 W65 W
ConnectivityIntel 802.11b/g/n/ac (1x1) WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 comboIntel 802.11b/g/n/ac (1x1) WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 combo
Warranty2 Years local on-site warranty, inclusive of 1 Year limited international warranty (part / labour / carry-in only)2 Years local on-site warranty, inclusive of 1 Year limited international warranty (part / labour / carry-in only)
Launch Price (+6% GST)RM 5,199 / ~USD 1,159RM 5,999 / ~USD 1,333

 

The HP Spectre x360 Racing Challenge

Now that we are done checking out the new HP Spectre x360 (Amazon | Lazada), let’s go for a spin with Grassroots Automotive (GRA)! 😀

 

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NVIDIA Pascal-Based Quadro Mobile Workstations Launched

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Singapore, 12 January 2017—NVIDIA today announced that Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI and Fujitsu are all introducing advanced mobile workstations using the new mobile lineup of NVIDIA Pascal-based Quadro GPUs.

 

New Pascal-Based Quadro Mobile Workstations

Offering up to three times the graphics performance, twice the memory and nearly twice the compute power of previous generations, the new NVIDIA Pascal-based Quadro lineup redefines mobile visual computing.

“Our customers are not in the business of ordinary – they use technology every day to create innovations that are revolutionising their industries and the world,” said Rob Herman, general manager and executive director of Lenovo’s Workstation Business Unit.

“Lenovo’s powerful, industry-leading workstations, with the help of NVIDIA Quadro GPUs, help customers bring their designs to life, anywhere, without distraction.”“When it comes to powerful computing on the go, HP ZBook Mobile Workstations are in a class of their own –providing a spectrum of performance, reliability, and expandability that extends well beyond the capabilities of standard mobile computers,” said Josh Peterson, vice president.

New Quadro-Powered Mobile Workstations Provide Ultimate Creative Freedom worldwide product management for HP Workstations, HP Inc. “Leading-edge professional graphics, such as NVIDIA Quadro Pascal-based GPUs will be tested by HP –simulating real-world customer workloads and stress tests that translate into higher quality drivers that customers trust.”

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HP Unveils Sleeker, Lighter 2nd Generation Spectre x360

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Kuala Lumpur, 19 December 2016 — HP PPS Sales Sdn Bhd today announces the new HP Spectre x360, the second generation of HP’s revolutionary x360 convertible that now features a near zero border display in a design that is 13 percent thinner and 11 percent lighter.

 

Spectre X360

Delivering powerful performance in a sleek package, the Spectre x360 now achieves 25 percent more hours of battery life with up to 15 hours . This was accomplished by optimizing the PC for the latest 7th Generation Intel Core processors and fitting a larger 57.8W battery in the thinner design.

The new micro-edge display bezel design reduces the overall footprint by eliminating almost 10mm from each side of the screen to provide a beautiful viewing experience for improved portability.

With a new hinge design, it is 13.8mm thin, over 2mm thinner than the previous generation and is lighter at 1.295kg compared to 1.45kg. The PC now includes four speakers instead of two to deliver crisp audio. Thanks to tuning by Bang & Olufsen plus HP Audio Boost, the two forward facing speakers in addition to two on the bottom provide superb sound in every mode.

The new Spectre x360 also features great connectivity with two USB-Type C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support and a USB-Type A 3.0 port allowing users to connect the latest peripherals both today and tomorrow. The bright display boasts a 13.3-inch diagonal FHD IPS panel that delivers great viewing experiences. The Natural Silver color with polished accents on the hinges creates the sleek profile customers crave.

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Other features include:

  • The new dual fan design optimizes thermals to ensure the device runs cool during demanding activities
  • 7th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors
  • Options with up to a 256GB PCIe SSD for fast performance and plenty of space to store high resolution videos and photos
  • HP TrueVision FHD Webcam with 12% wider field of view, great for web chats
  • A FHD IR camera supports Windows Hello Facial Log-In for secure, easy log in without typing a password.
  • HP Fast Charge to recharge the batteries to 90 percent capacity in just 90 minutes

 

Pricing and Availability

The HP Spectre x360 is expected to be available in Malaysia from December 2016 onwards starting at RM4,999 inclusive GST / ~US$1109.

 

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The 7th Generation AMD PRO APUs Announced

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Barcelonia, Spain, 3 October 2016 — Today at the Canalys Channels Forum, AMD announced the first PCs featuring 7th Generation AMD PRO APUs (formerly codenamed “Bristol Ridge PRO”). Built for business, AMD PRO APUs deliver increased computing and graphics performance, improved energy efficiency, while providing a secure and stable platform to protect customers’ IT investments.

“In the past two years we made incredible progress in the commercial client segment. Since its inception in mid-2014, AMD PRO processor unit shipments increased more than 45 percent, enabling businesses all over the world to simplify IT with secure, high performance, reliable solutions” said Jim Anderson, senior vice president and general manager, Computing and Graphics Business, AMD. “We are thrilled to have PC market leaders like HP and Lenovo expanding their use of AMD technology in their business client portfolios.”

“We’re delighted to offer 7th generation AMD PRO processors in our new HP EliteDesk 705 G3 desktop series,” said Guayente Sanmartin, Vice President of Product Management, Commercial Desktops, HP Inc. “We are delivering more performance, security and flexibility to give our enterprise customers peace of mind that allows them to focus on their business, not on IT complexity.”

New systems from HP and Lenovo combine commercial-grade quality, performance, and stability, with exceptional video and audio capabilities enabling businesses to achieve more across key areas including productivity, manageability, and collaboration. In addition, Microsoft Windows 10 Pro features including Device Guard, Windows Hello, Biometric Security and BitLocker Encryption are fully supported, out of the box.

 

7th Generation AMD PRO Processors

7th Generation AMD PRO processors tackle business needs in three key areas:

  • Help ensure sensitive data and trusted applications remain secure with the dedicated and integrated AMD Secure Processor technology; a system-wide secure environment that offloads and isolates security functions, providing an independent hardware-based root of trust for secure boot, content protection, application security, and fTPM 2.0 (firmware trusted platform module).
  • To meet users’ growing compute and graphic demands, new AMD PRO desktop processors provide up to 14% more compute and 22% more graphic performance while being up to 32% more energy efficient than 6th generation AMD PRO processors.
  • Open standards and CPU-agnostic DASH manageability allows IT departments to easily integrate and manage systems. The new AMD AM4 desktop infrastructure provides a stable and upgradable platform for the future.

 

AMD 7th Generation Systems

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The HP EliteDesk 705 G3 Series desktops, available in microtower, small-form factor (SFF), or mini-form factor, deliver impressive value with uncompromising performance, security, and manageability for an enterprise-class experience.

The EliteDesk desktop PCs are more secure with HP Sure Start with Protection of BIOS Configuration and Policy. This helps to protect your PC and ensure uninterrupted productivity by automatically detecting and recovering from BIOS corruption or attacks. The desktops also include TPM 2.0 to secure data and HP’s full portfolio of physical-security accessories for a robust, three-layer security solution.

7th generation AMD PRO processors aim to deliver the best performance, reliability, and opportunity to handle critical workloads with planned availability in additional new PCs in the near future.

Go Back To > Enterprise | Home

 

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The First GeForce GTX 10-Series Gaming Laptops Revealed

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After NVIDIA officially launched the GeForce GTX 10-Series GPUs for Notebooks, we were given the opportunity to check out the first GeForce GTX 10- Series gaming laptops for ourselves. They all boast a 40% improvement in performance, and why not? After all, the GeForce GTX 10-Series GPUs are using the desktop-grade NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPUs!

So, join us as we take you on a quick tour of the first GeForce GTX 10-Series gaming laptops from Acer, Aftershock, AORUS, ASUS, HP and MSI!

 

The Acer Predator 15 Gaming Laptop

The Acer Predator 15 and Predator 17 gaming laptops have just been refreshed with the GeForce GTX 1060 and 1070 GPUs respectively. They still maintain the unique Predator FrostCore swappable fan module, and unique AeroBlade metal fan.

 

The Aftershock S-15 Gaming Laptop

Aftershock is offering the new GeForce GTX 10-Series GPUs in the full line-up of their gaming laptops. Here is the 15″ Aftershock S-15 gaming laptop, which can be customised with a GeForce GTX 1070 or 1060 GPU. This example is powered by the GeForce GTX 1070.

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The AORUS X7YA Gaming Laptop

AORUS demonstrated the AORUS X7YA, which is also known as the AORUS X7 DT V6. It is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU.

Next Page > More GeForce GTX 10-Series Gaming Laptops – ASUS, HP, MSI

 

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The ASUS ROG GL502 Gaming Laptop

ASUS showed off their Republic of Gamers GL502 gaming laptop at Comex 2016. Although it was listed as being powered by the GeForce GTX 1060, we were told that it will actually ship with the GeForce GTX 1070.

 

The HP Omen 17 Gaming Laptop

Although HP was not present, they dropped off the HP Omen 17 for us to check out. It is powered by the GeForce GTX 1070.

 

The MSI GS63 Gaming Laptop

The full name for this laptop is actually MSI GS63VR Stealth Pro. It is their thinnest and lightest gaming laptop, powered by the GeForce GTX 1070.

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The MSI GT73 Gaming Laptop

The full name for this laptop is MSI GT73VR Titan SLI. This unit is powered by the GeForce GTX 1080 GPU, but it can be configured to support two GeForce GTX 1070 GPUs in SLI! Thanks for the correction, Andrew Ganter!

 

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HP ProBook 645 & 655 To Feature AMD PRO A-Series CPU

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February 11, 2016 — AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced increasing momentum for the 6th Generation AMD PRO A-Series mobile processors, based on the introduction of two new HP (NYSE: HPQ) notebook design wins, new large-scale enterprise deployments, and the expansion of HP adoption of AMD FreeSync™ technology in its notebooks and displays.

The 6th Generation AMD PRO A-Series processors, which efficiently integrate extensive AMD CPU, graphics, security, and video processing IP into a single SoC design, will now power two new HP 600 series ProBooks.

The HP ProBook 645 14-inch and HP ProBook 655 15.6-inch notebooks allow businesses to equip their workforces with widely configurable and extremely cost-effective HP notebook PCs, enabling executive-class collaboration and professional-grade capabilities. Containing AMD PRO A-Series processors with brilliant AMD Radeon graphics, Windows 10, robust DDR3 memory, and professional-grade peripheral devices, these HP ProBooks create a top-of-the-line user experience.

 

6th Generation AMD A-Series processors powering the workplace

[adrotate banner=”4″]Market momentum for joint AMD and HP solutions is seen in the continued adoption of HP laptops powered by AMD processors by companies around the world. For example, ISS, a global facilities services provider with 511,000 employees in 77 countries, recently equipped employees with HP EliteBooks powered by AMD PRO A-Series processors in an effort to standardize global operations, increase sustainability and innovate business-efficient office environments.

Brink’s, a global leader in security-related services with customers in more than 100 countries, wanted an IT solution that offered outstanding stability and mobility, and found it in the HP EliteBook 700 series, also powered by AMD. Stability is critical to supporting Brink’s all-day, every-day workforce with mobile-ready features, and industry leading manageability that drives nonstop productivity. The innovative AMD PRO A-Series processor architecture offers all-day battery life[i], power and efficiency optimized for employees all around the world.

 

AMD FreeSync™ adoption

Additionally, HP plans to enable AMD FreeSync™ technology support for its consumer-focused HP Envy 15z laptops powered by 6th Generation AMD A-Series processors. AMD FreeSync™ technology resolves the communication issues between processor and monitor to eliminate stutter and tearing, providing a smoother image[ii]. HP anticipates having AMD FreeSync-enabled HP Envy 15z laptops available in the first half of 2016, and plans to enable AMD FreeSync™ support across its entire consumer laptop line-up powered by 6th Generation AMD A-Series processors in the second half of the year.

Personal and commercial HP notebooks powered by 6th Generation AMD A-Series processors are available now through major retailers.

[i] AMD defines All-Day Battery Life as 8+ hours of continuous use when measured with the Windows Idle test.

[ii] FreeSync is an AMD technology designed to eliminate stuttering and/or tearing in games and videos by locking a display’s refresh rate to the framerate of the graphics card. Monitor, AMD Radeon™ Graphics and/or AMD A-Series APU compliant with DisplayPort™ Adaptive-Sync required. AMD Catalyst™ 15.2 Beta (or newer) required. Adaptive refresh rates vary by display; check with your monitor manufacturer for specific capabilities.

 

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HP ENVY 15t (15t-ae100) Laptop Review

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The HP ENVY 15t comes in 3 different processor and graphic card configurations :

  • Intel i7-6700HQ quad-core processor with integrated Intel HD Graphics, or
  • Intel i7-6500U dual-core processor with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M 4GB GPU, or
  • Intel i7-6500U dual-core processor with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 940M 2 GB GPU.

This review will cover the top HP ENVY 15t configuration with the quad-core Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor with Intel HD Graphics. Let’s take a look!

 

HP ENVY 15t Specifications

Processor 6th Generation Intel Core i7-6700HQ Quad Core Processor
Graphics Processor Intel HD Graphics 530
Display 15.6″ Full HD WLED-backlit IPS Display (1920×1080)
Memory 8 GB DDR3L – 1 DIMM
Storage 1 TB 5400 RPM Hard Disk Drive
Primary Battery 3-cell 55.5 WHr Lithium-ion Battery
Optical drive SuperMulti DVD burner
Keyboard Backlit Keyboard
Personalization HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Dual Digital Microphone
Fingerprint Reader
Networking Intel 802.11ac WLAN and Bluetooth(R) [1×1]
Audio Bang & Olufsen with 4 speakers and 1 subwoofer

 

HP ENVY 15t Design & Build

The top cover and rear display cover of the HP ENVY 15t laptop is made of aluminium. The display bezel and bottom cover, on the other hand, is made of plastic. The display bezel has some play when I press it on the top left corner. The display doesn’t sit flush against the main chassis either. I’m not sure if this is part of the design, but the gap in the middle actually helps me lift up the display.

To keep the quad-core Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor cool, the HP ENVY 15t laptop has large cooling vents at the bottom, as well as out the back. There are perforations on the underside on both sides near the front – they are the vents for two of the four Bang & Olufsen speakers.

The designers of the HP ENVY 15t designed the display so that it actually elevates the rear end of the laptop away from the table surface. This improves ventilation under the laptop, which is usually a dead space.

On the left side, you will find the power connector, an AC/battery light, the RJ-45 network lights and jack, a HDMI port, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 3.0 charging port, a headphone/microphone port, and an SD Card reader.

On the right side of the HP ENVY 15t, you will find the Power and hard disk drive activity lights, a security cable slot, the optical drive and a USB 3.0 port.

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HP ENVY 15t Display

HP offers two WLED-backlit display options with the HP ENVY 15t laptop – a standard display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 display, or an IPS display with a higher resolution of 1920 x 1080. I would recommend the 1920 x 1080 IPS display. This particular laptop used an IPS display made by LG.

 

Touchpad & Keyboard

The HP ENVY 15t‘s touchpad is fairly big which is nice, but it requires too much force to click. I end up using one or two finger taps instead of the hidden TouchPad button. The back-lit keyboard came standard. No real complaints about the keyboard’s performance. The keyboard’s a little chatty, but at least it doesn’t flex.

That can’t be said for their attention to detail. The keys were not centered properly – there is a noticeably larger gap on the left side of the keys. The silver-on-silver colour scheme actually accentuated the misalignment of the keys.

Page 2 > Features, SSD Upgrade & Our Verdict!

 

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WLAN & Bluetooth

The HP ENVY 15t comes with three WLAN options –  a 802.11b/g/n module, or an Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC with either 1×1 or 2×2 stream capability. This particular laptop was equipped with a Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 module with 1×1 stream.

 

Battery & Power Supply

The HP ENVY 15t comes with a built-in 3-cell lithium-ion battery with a battery capacity of 55.5 WHr. HP rates the ENVY 15t laptop as capable of running for up to 9.5 hours on this small battery. This is probably based on the dual-core configuration. I managed to squeeze out 4.5 hours of battery life playing YouTube videos.

The HP website states that the ENVY 15t configurations with integrated graphics comes with a 45 W power brick. However, it is only true for the dual-core configurations, which are not currently being offered. The sole configuration with integrated graphics was the Intel quad-core configuration – it comes with a larger 90 W power brick.

 

Storage

All HP ENVY 15t configurations allow you to opt for a 5400 RPM hard disk drive with a storage capacity of either 1 TB or 2 TB. If you opt for the 4 GB discrete GPU configuration, you can opt for a dual-storage combination of a 256 GB solid state drive, with a secondary 1 TB 5400 RPM hard disk drive.

M.2 solder points without a socket on the i7-6700HQ quad-core configuration

In case you are wondering, the 256 GB SSD is an M.2 module. However, the lack of an M.2 socket on the motherboard of this quad-core configuration prevents you from adding your own M.2 SSD upgrade.

 

Solid State Drive (SSD) Upgrade

Since HP did not offer the SSD option for their Intel Core i7-6700HQ configuration, I decided to swap in one of my 2.5″ SSDs.

Accessing the internal of the HP ENVY 15t requires the removal of the optical drive (1 screw), and the base enclosure (14 screws). The base enclosure is made of plastic, and is fragile near the optical drive section.

The battery cable has to be removed before you can service any components.

To remove the hard drive drive from its bracket, the battery must first be disconnected and removed (5 screws). A sloppy LED board ribbon cable can be seen after the removal of the hard drive. I had to correct that…

After swapping the SSD into the bracket, I encountered a problem – the speaker cable was caught under the SSD. Attempts to reroute it around the SSD caused it to be too snug. In the end, I had to loosen the cable to reroute it. During reassembly, I manage to bend one of the battery connector pins. That shows how fragile these components can be, so be careful!

 

My Verdict

The HP ENVY 15t laptop laptop offers one of the cheapest quad-core Intel processor configurations in the market, if you do not need discrete graphics.

However, its internal design leaves much to be desired. Upgrading its RAM or swapping its HDD for an SSD will not be an easy task for mainstream users due to the many crucial steps they will need to take.  They also have to be very careful about what they are doing.

Aside from its interior sloppiness, the laptop feels solid.

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What I liked

  • 1920 x 1080 IPS display
  • Fingerprint scanner
  • Large touchpad

What I disliked

  • M.2 socket only available with the 4 GB discrete graphic card configuration (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M)
  • Non-easily accessible panel
  • Touchpad requires too much force to click (ended up using tap function, instead of click)
  • Lack of SSD option (not a big deal since it’s cheaper to buy one on your own to replace the HDD)
  • Some sloppiness in assembly

 

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