HP Envy 17 review
HP Envy 17 — from 2014, 2.49 kg, performance 37.
Technical specifications
| Type | Ultrabook |
| Release year | 2014 |
| Screen | 17.3" · 1920x1080 |
| Processor | Intel Core i7 4510U |
| Graphics | GeForce GTX 850M 4GB |
| Max. RAM | 64 GB |
| Weight | 2.49 kg |
| Battery | 55 Wh |
Performance scores
Envy 17 — a 2014 desktop replacement with a real GPU and 64 GB
The 2014 HP Envy 17 is a 17-inch premium multimedia laptop: an i7-4510U, a GeForce GTX 850M with 4 GB and a striking 64 GB of RAM — double the ultrabook-class median. At $220 it sits far below the $373 class median, and the verdict rates it worth the asking price. The trade is explicit: genuine entry-gaming graphics versus a mobility score of 9 against a 64 median (−86%, the floor of the class).
The old-school desktop-replacement formula
The GTX 850M was a legitimate mid-range GPU in 2014: its score of 18.2 runs 373% above the class median and comfortably clears the class's graphics baseline — esports and older titles at moderate settings remain playable. Combined with 64 GB of RAM and a 17-inch panel, this is the classic big-screen multimedia machine: it plays, it multitasks, and it never leaves the desk.
The mobility floor is the price
A mobility score of 9 (−86% versus class median) is the class floor: the chassis is large, heavy and power-hungry by design. This is not a machine you carry — it is a compact desktop with a built-in UPS. The i7-4510U dual-core delivers patient compute; the GPU carries the entertainment load. Reliability for the era reads worn; eleven years of heat from the GTX-class silicon warrant a fan inspection.
Price trajectory
From roughly $1,400 new to $220 today at 6.5% per year, projecting to $193 in two years (12.6% lower). The curve has flattened — the GPU and RAM carry the residual value in a way typical consumer machines of the era don't.
Where it sits against peers
The pricier Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14IIL05 ($243) is a convertible; cheaper neighbors are the IdeaPad 510S-13IKB ($192) and Pavilion 14-bk091st ($208) — small ultrabooks with no discrete graphics. The Envy 17 has no direct analog in its band: nothing else offers a real GPU and 64 GB at this price. The honest comparison set is machines one class up.
Bottom line
Worth the asking price for the desk-bound gamer-tolerant multimedia user: real (if dated) graphics, vast RAM, big panel, terminal price. Accept the mobility floor, the patient dual-core and the age-related reliability odds. For carry-anywhere duty every neighbor wins; for fixed-desk entertainment on a budget, this is a strong value.
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⭐ What stands out
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graphics performance is higher than typical ultrabook class (+200%) (office tier).
above class average -
memory capacity is higher than typical ultrabook class (+100%) (professional).
top 25% of its category -
mobility is lower than typical ultrabook class (+85.9%) (low tier).
budget segment of category
🔁 Alternatives
Compromise axis: build quality ↔ overall performance
🎮 What it can run
⚙️ Configuration analysis
Top configuration is built for office apps, web browsing, and basic daily tasks.
🤔 How to choose
Universal advice for any use case.
- Reliability vs price: reliability (median 51) ↔ price (median 373.2).
- Weight vs CPU: mobility (median 64) ↔ overall performance (median 41.7).
- Upgradeability vs battery: upgradability (median 50) ↔ battery life (median 4.4).
Envy 17: verdict
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