HP ENVY 17 (2023) review

HP ENVY 17 (2023): the 17-inch with the GPU inside

The HP ENVY 17 (2023) pairs a Core i7 1255U with a GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GB and 32GB of memory at $954. The graphics score of 63.1 sits 1543 percent above the ultrabook-class median of 3.84, performance at 60.62 runs 45 percent above class — and the weight of 2.49kg, 71 percent over the class median, is the named weakness that says what this machine is: a desktop in ultrabook clothing.

Where it holds up

Photo at 90 is top-tier, office at 87.4 is top-tier, gaming at 66 is high-band, modeling and CAD at 57 are mid-tier, and the 32GB ceiling matches the general-class median that ultrabooks usually miss. The i7 1255U is efficient U-series silicon; paired with the 3050, it delivers a creator-capable sheet in the ENVY line's largest canvas.

Where it falls short

Weight is the named weakness — 2.49kg, heavy-tier for the class — and portability at 11.1 is low-band, with only the six joint-lowest machines and its own 2024 sibling posting lower. Value at 42.15 mid-tier prices the canvas and the GPU honestly but not generously. The 3050's 4GB framebuffer caps gaming at 66, and the U-series CPU caps sustained creative work below what the photo score suggests in bursts.

Price and depreciation

At $954 with an empty dollar ledger, the 10.62 percent annual class-level rate is among the gentler families here, and first-year exposure sits with the buyer. The value reading of 42.15 mid-tier is the transaction's honest grade: capability is real, the price is fair, and neither is exceptional.

Alternatives to consider

The HP Envy 17 (2024) at $1,084 drops the GPU entirely — portability stays low at 10.8 while gaming falls to 19; this 2023 machine is the better sheet. The HP ENVY 16 (2023) at $922 is the smaller Arc-platform route. The HP Omen 16 (2023) at $922 offers a 13420H with a 3050 6GB, gaming at 82, and value at 82.35 — the gaming-class answer to the same idea.

Bottom line

Fairly priced for the class. The ENVY 17 (2023) delivers top-tier photo and office, a real RTX 3050, and a 32GB ceiling on a 17-inch canvas — against 2.49kg, the batch's third-lowest portability, and a mid-tier value reading. For a desk-bound creator who wants the big ENVY screen with the GPU inside, this is the year that worked.