HP thinks its new 15-inch Envy laptop could be a Macbook Pro alternative for creatives

Plenty of creative folks are stuck at home right now and might need a sufficiently powerful laptop to get by, but can’t shell out the cash for a Macbook Pro. HP hopes that’s the case, because that’s how it’s positioning the new Envy 15 laptop.

HP held a virtual press briefing about its new laptop portfolio earlier this week. There are new ZBook workstations coming in August and a pair of more affordable 13-inch Envy laptops, but much of the  focus was on the new 15-inch model. The emphasis was on creators’ needs: HP’s pitch emphasized the powerful specs that should, in theory, make the Envy 15 a quality device for photo- or video-editing needs. And, unlike the Macbook Pro 16 that HP repeatedly used as a point of comparison, it’s got a 4K HDR OLED touch display for anyone who wants to make photos or videos in those formats.

The Envy 15 has Intel’s 10th-generation processor as opposed to the 9th-gen processor stuffed in the Macbook Pro, as well as greater port versatility. Instead of four USB-C ports on Apple’s laptop, HP’s device comes with two USB-C, two USB 3.0, and an HDMI port for easily displaying the image to a larger screen. HP’s also touting a new file-sharing system called QuickDrop for the Envy 15 that can transfer files between the laptop and either Android or iOS phones and tablets. 

The biggest selling point, however, is that its specs are comparable to the Macbook Pro — despite being about a full thousand dollars cheaper. The Macbook Pro 16 starts at $2,399, and HP’s device starts at $1,349.

Without getting our hands on one of these, it’s tough to say how much those favorable comparisons are marketing spin and how much they reflect reality. But at least on paper, the Envy 15 could be a decent option for anyone in the market for a new Macbook-like computer who can’t afford the real thing. Again, people love Macbooks for good reasons, so there’s always a possibility that it can’t replicate that experience. We’ll have to wait and see.