While consumers and the tech press continue to debate whether Windows 8 is well-designed or not, Microsoft now has several manufacturers that are doubling down on its new operating system.
Today, HP announced new ENVY computers and two new “sleekbook” laptops that have been designed with Windows 8 in mind. This comes less than a month after HP announced its new lineup of tablet/laptop hybrids and ultrabooks for Windows 8.
First up are the HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14 and Pavilion Sleekbook 15. These thin laptops are designed for the consumer market. The Sleekbook 14 has a 14-inch display, while the Sleekbook 15 has a 15.6-inch display. Both come with up to one terabyte of storage and feature webcams, Dolby Advanced Audio, and optional Nvidia graphics cards. These “sleekbooks” will start at $500 for the Sleekbook 14 and $560 for the Sleekbook 15.
HP also announced new additions to the ENVY laptop lineup it announced last month. The HP ENVY m4 is a notebook PC and has a 14-inch display. It comes with an intel processor, optional backlit keyboard, and Beats Audio branded sound. Its pricing starts at $900.
The HP ENVY Phoenix h9 is a desktop PC that features an “armor-plated design” and “attention-grabbing lighting.” It will come with a third-generation Intel processor and a choice of Nvidia or AMD graphics cards. The PC also features liquid cooling and Beats Audio. Pricing for the Phoenix h9 starts at $900.
There is also a new Compaq Pro desktop PC, the 6305, coming for enterprise customers. It comes with an AMD processor and tons of software for enterprise customers, such as HP Client Security. The Windows 7 version of the PC will be available on October 8 starting at $539, and Windows 8 versions will be available later on.
In addition to the Compaq, HP announced a new series of ProBooks, the 4445, 4446, and 4545. These notebook PCs will come with AMD A-series processors and the option for dual AMD graphics cards. All of these ProBooks will be offered starting at $499.