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HP unveils Envy Spectre XT in Kenya
Information and Communications PS Dr. Bitange Ndemo with Intel East Africa general manager Danie Steyn (right) and model Beth Wanjiru (left) during the HP Ultrabook launch in Nairobi. DIANA NGILA
After one month of waiting since the HP Envy Spectre XT global launch, Hewlett-Packard (HP) finally launched it in the Kenyan market last Thursday. This is a premium ultrabook, meant to be the flagship for HP’s Envy line with an indicative retail price of Sh130,000.
At the launch of the computer, I got a chance to play around with the gadget. The 14.5-millimeter-thick Spectre XT has a 13.3-inch screen. Its body tapers slightly toward the front and the lid has a brushed-metal finish that ties it into the overall look of both Envy and Pavilion laptops from HP.
The system felt light, but not radically so, at what HP says is 1.39 kilogrammes. Some ultrabooks are a few ounces heavier because of platter or hybrid hard drives, but this one sticks to a solid-state drive (SSD) only, starting at 128GB.
Ports and connections sometimes get short shrift in ultrabooks, but here you’ll find an Ethernet jack and HDMI, along with standard stuff such as a USB 3.0 port.
Like most HP laptops, and the entire Envy line, the Spectre XT has a Beats Audio sound system, and four (tiny) speakers.
Other premium features include a backlit keyboard, and full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10.
HP CoolSense Technology adjusts cooling to match where and how one works.
Multi-touch gesturing with the HP Imagepad provides better precision and improves gesture responsiveness. It comes with a solid-state drive and Intel® Rapid Start Technology that HP says gives users ability to quickly put on the machine and with battery life that lasts up to seven hours and will last a week on standby.
“The 13.3’’ tapered body weighting in at just 1.39kg makes the HP ENVY SPECTRE XT the ideal companion for you to carry from the bistro to the boardroom,” said Issam Essadiqi, Africa director and general manager for HP’s Printing and Personal Systems Group (PPS) in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa region.
“Leisure and productivity are no longer mutually exclusive and our engineers also worked to give users an unparalleled sound experience; you will be able to hear your music the way the artist intended,’’ he said.
