HP Envy 6

high applications performance ; gaming capability ; SSD cache ; decent speakers ; good workmanship ; long battery life

glossy and dim display ; limited choice of connectors ; GPU throttling on battery ; slow and low range wifi

Surprisingly, the Radeon HD 7670M that's still made in the old 40 nanometer process appears to work just as efficiently as Nvidia's new 28 nanometer GPU GeForce GT 620M

Less expensive than ultrabooks. Good port selection. Metal construction

Sluggish performance. Loaded with bloatware. Low-resolution display. Screen door effect on display. Fingerprint magnet

HP has positioned its AMD-powered Envy Sleekbook 6-1010us as a lower-priced alternative to Intel-certified ultrabooks. Unfortunately, the axiom that "you get what you pay for" applies here. It's underpowered, has a mediocre screen, and may feel slow...

Solid, attractive design ; Beats Audio in a lower-end machine ; Comfortable keyboard ; Decent battery life

Finicky touchpad ; Below-average performance

The Sleekbook 6z looks identical to HP's Ultrabook offerings, but its performance trails even lower-end ultraportables we've tested recently.

Click to EnlargeWhether you're a student looking for a thin laptop with a big screen or you just want a cheap Ultrabook alternative, the $599 HP Envy Sleekbook 6z is definitely worth considering. Aside from a striking design, this sleek laptop features...

THE GOOD slim and light for a 15.6 inch laptop, good looking and nicely put together, fast enough for daily use and multimedia, good speakers, decent battery life

THE BAD The screen, keyboard and trackpad are only average, not as fast as other laptops in this class, easily catches fingerprints

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Stylish and standout design, decent graphics performance

Slow hard drive, finicky trackpad, screen is a let-down

The HP Envy Sleekbook 6 packs some fairly decent hardware under that sinister looking case, giving it an identity crisis where it’s not an Ultrabook nor an average laptop.

Slim design, 15.6-inch screen, inexpensive, good battery life

Bigger and heavier than an ultrabook, can't change battery, VGA requires adapter

Ultimately, its price separates HP's Envy Sleekbook 6-1010us from the competition. At $600 (compared to an average price of about $1,100 for an Ivy-Bridge-based ultrabook), it is a bargain for those who don't need the absolute smallest and fastest system.

Slim, attractive design for the price ; Better graphics than pricier Intel options ; USB 3.0 ports ; Impressive speakers

Lacks speedy boot times and app launches of ultrabooks with solid-state storage ; CPU performance lags well behind Intel-based machines

If you're looking for a low-cost laptop with a premium look and feel, the Envy Sleekbook 6-1010us delivers impressively at $599. It’s best for casual users and light gamers who don’t need to perform frequent CPU-centric tasks.