shows up to the party with all the features that consumers actually want in a 2-in-1: a gorgeous display, beefy speakers, and a suite of hardware to back it up. This results in a solid performance and a satisfying media experience at a mid-range price point.
Also: This Lenovo laptop handled my various workflows with grace – and it’s surprisingly affordable
Video playback is vibrant, smooth, and sharp, with a realistic depth of color and contrast. HP also advertises the Envy x360 as an “IMAX certified” laptop, one of the first of its kind. It earned this certification for its ability to display IMAX-formatted content in its original 1.43:1 or 1.90:1 aspect ratio. While a flashy designation, this is a laptop we’re talking about here; it’s still a 16-inch screen. It does look good, though — I’ll give it that.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
The previously mentioned vents on either side of the keyboard are actually for expelling heat, something my colleague Cesar Cadenas will appreciate, as this is a laptop you can actually place on your lap without getting first-degree burns on your legs.
The Envy x360 model that I tested, however, came with an integrated AMD Radeon GPU that, coupled with the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS processor, can run both CPU-intensive and graphics tasks well. This aligns with its targeted creator/freelancer consumer demographic, allowing visual apps like DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Photoshop to run smoothly, with an eye toward generative AI capabilities.
Also: My favorite lightweight laptop for work is not a ThinkPad or MacBook – and it’s on sale
The 2-in-1 form factor requires a certain degree of physical fortitude, and its hinge-style design (which is almost identical to the Lenovo 7i 2-in-1) supports a sturdy build that’s up to the task. It has minimal screen wobble, yet enough resistance to stay in place as a touchscreen.
That said, this is not a particularly light laptop, weighing in at around four pounds, with most of that weight coming from the 16-inch OLED. Despite the weight, it’s very thin — only 0.72 inches — which results in a laptop that still feels sufficiently portable.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
Port selection on the 2024 Envy x360 will also be sufficient for most users, with two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI port. The keyboard is particularly unique: the keys are big and chunky, in a matte gray color, with oversized letters in a distinct sans serif font. It looks good but lacks a right-side number pad, which I prefer to have on a laptop — especially one of this size.
These issues are prevalent across all 2-in-1 laptops I’ve tested and are (usually) intermittent enough to not be problems — but in certain moments, facing non-functioning hardware can be frustrating, and you should keep that in mind.
ZDNET’s buying advice
Compared to its rivals, HP’s model offers a more complete package. Take a look at Lenovo’s Yoga 7i. It’s also a great machine worth consideration, but the Yoga is heavier with a duller screen. Microsoft’s 11th-Gen Surface Pro arguably has better hardware, but it is much smaller, sporting a 13-inch touchscreen.
If you’re looking for a smaller option, consider HP’s 2024 Spectre x360, which has two displays.