HP Envy 14

I will be using the laptop primarily for software development (VSCode, Docker, WSL) and design software such as Figma and Affinity Designer. I could certainly use the tablet functionality for sketching on the HP Envy, but don't plan on doing this too much. I don't plan on doing any gaming on this laptop.

After a looot of research and self-examination on what i really need i think i might have found an excellent choice : the HP envy 14 (2021).It is equipped with an i5 1135g7, a GTX 1650ti MAX-Q (the same on the super expensive dell Xps 15),16 GB of RAM(soldered) and 512GB of storage. From the reviews i have seen it has a pretty good build quality, with excellent 16:10 FHD screen, good speakers and comfortable keyboard. The really interesting thing about this laptop is its performance, it has a really good cooling system with dual fans and big heat pipes, and for this reason it is able to use the i5 at max of its potential even outperforming similar i7 models (a ryzen would have been a better choice for this laptop however) . And the GTX 1650ti is looks really good for what i have to use it especially at this price.

So just use the YouTube reviews to make sure the HP Envy 14 is the right laptop for you. I am currently using it for programming, gaming, basic editing/engineering stuff just fine. I love the build and portability. With the Sodium mod, I can even play Minecraft Java 1.17.1 comfortably on the integrated GPU (Xe) with 100fps on 1080p low.

I chose the hp envy 14 and the asus zenbook pro 15 because they are at about the same price (1200 dollars) and they have a dedicated GPU which would come in handy. My priorities are : solid build quality,a practical device, strong performance, comfortable keyboard and trackpad, enjoyable screen and good speakers. Portability and battery life aren't that important to me since my school doesnt let us bring our laptops anyway but i would like a decent battery life anyway.

It’s not an apple to apples comparison though since it’s a thicker laptop. My bro has it for college and it’s very portable for the specs it has. But it’s a small gaming laptop whereas I’d say the blade stealth is an ultrabook that games. A closer comparison to the blade stealth is the HP Envy 14 with an i5-1135G7 and a GTX 1650 Max-Q.

RAM can come in handy with development depending on what you’re doing and the base storage is a bit small for 2021. If you can’t afford the upgrades though you’re still gonna be fine. If you absolutely don’t want Apple, I would recommend the HP Envy or the Lenovo Yoga line are usually good. I also have a Thinkpad that’s been great I think the T14 would be around the budget you’re looking at.