HP Envy 17, dv6 and dv7 get Sandy Bridge, Radeon HD 6000M

HP kicked off its CES plans with speed upgrades to three of its highest-end notebooks. Both the Envy 17 and the Pavilion dv6 and dv7 now use Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Core processors and AMD's newer Radeon HD 6000M graphics. Systems can use up to the quad Core i7 and, on the Envy 17, AMD's completely new Radeon HD 6850M with graphics switching to save power by using Intel video.

The Envy 17 design has been quietly upgraded to bring in the same CoolSense airflow system as on HP's dm3 ultraportable; it can automatically adjust the fan speed depending not just on the workload but on the conditions, such as ramping up the speed when the notebook is on a lap but quieting down when on a desk. It now has Intel's WiDi for wireless video as well as Beats audio.


Most details of the Envy 17 are still to be determined, but it will hold as much as 2TB of storage. HP hasn't given out either a price or a ship date other than "soon." An upgrade to the Envy 17 3D will have a TriDef Ignition Game Player that will give stereoscopic 3D for 2D games.

The dv6 and dv7 updates are more modest and focus on mid-range AMD video alongside the new Intel processors. The dv7 now has the option of Beats audio and a relatively powerful subwoofer. Both of these have more concrete releases and officially arrive on January 9 at prices of $900 for the 15.6-inch dv6 and $1,000 for the 17.3-inch dv7. Some users have reported the notebooks already shipping to stores.

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