HP Envy 6 review

The HP puts in a solid performance elsewhere, too. The wristrest and keyboard base are both strong, with little in the way of unwanted flex, and the base is similar – a little give, but nothing to worry about. The only evidence of weakness comes from the screen, which bows slightly under pressure.

The keyboard’s layout is sensible, and the typing action is pleasingly crisp and responsive, with the firm base making up for the lack of travel on the keys. HP hasn’t managed to cram in a number pad, but our only criticism is reserved for the spacebar – it may be wide, but its loud clicking is a constant mild irritation.

If there’s a stumbling block, it’s the touchpad. It’s milled from metal, just like the chassis, but it’s also got a textured pattern of concentric circles that we didn’t warm to. It’s no deal breaker, but we’d prefer a smoother, less textured feel. Otherwise, though, the touchpad is entirely serviceable. The buttons are integrated into the touchpad’s wide surface, with the whole pad giving way under the finger and two-fingered presses acting as a right-click.

The HP’s 15.6in screen is entirely unremarkable. The 1,366 x 768 resolution doesn’t make the most of the ample panel size, and the image quality all but gives away the HP’s budget beginnings. The brightness level of 189cd/m2 sees it struggle to remain legible outdoors, and while the contrast ratio of 277:1 is pretty good by budget standards, the washed-out colour palette fails to make the most of movies and photographs.

That display puts a dampener on proceedings, but HP Envy 6 plays its trump card at the checkout. At £499 inc VAT, this laptop is substantially cheaper than the Ultrabooks it imitates. The AMD processor lags behind its Intel rivals for raw processing power, but with ample performance for everyday tasks and capable gaming potential, it isn’t hard to see the appeal. If you’re searching for a slim, stylish machine that’s more affordable than Intel-based rivals, this is a fine compromise.