In the new HP Envy you will not have to cover the webcam: you can turn it off with a physical switch

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Javier Pastor@javipas

HP has been offering interesting improvements in the field of privacy on its laptops for some time. HP Sure View technology, for example, avoids curious glances at our screen, but now they have gone a step further with the webcam of their HP Envy family.

In the new laptops of this range, HP has integrated a very special physical switch on the side of the computer. With it, we can turn the webcam on or off at will to prevent someone from spying on us through it, and we only hope that more and more manufacturers integrate this type of element into their laptops.

Intel or AMD, you choose

The new range of HP Envy laptops stands out for its variety, something that can cause confusion to some extent. We have four models, of which two are convertibles and two are pure laptops.

That's where the trouble begins, because depending on the team we can choose or not between the latest generation Intel or AMD processors. The convertibles are the Envy 13 x360 (AMD micros only) and the Envy 15 x360 (Intel or AMD), and the pure laptops are the Envy 13 Laptop (Intel only) and the Envy 17 Laptop (Intel only). If you are looking for a computer with a certain processor in particular, it is convenient that you take it into account.

Another singular element also depends on that choice: only models with Intel processors will have support for the Alexa voice assistant, something that may be interesting for users who already have devices that work with this platform.

Some of these models come with additional options such as the NVIDIA GeForce MX250 cards of the Envy 17 that reduce their frames almost in half, 45%.

Especially noteworthy according to the manufacturer is the new efficiency of these teams, which allows up to 19 hours of autonomy to be achieved in the HP Envy 13. In other teams that low autonomy: 14.5 hours in the x360 13 and 13 hours in the x360 15. This latest model sees its frames reduced by 28%, in addition to having an AMOLED screen option.

Don't cover the webcam, disconnect it

Probably even more interesting in these computers is the physical switch that HP has integrated into the right side and that allows you to easily turn the webcam on or off. It is an element that we had already seen in the HP Specter x360 from the end of last year, but that now extends to this range of HP Envy laptops, and that will undoubtedly help those more concerned about privacy.

Security experts have been warning about the risk posed by webcams for some time: these elements can end up being controlled by cybercriminals who activate them and record us without our realizing it, something that has made many people - including Mark Zuckerberg - cover the webcams of your laptops.

In XatakaThe new HP Specter x360 surprises with its angular design and with its switch to disconnect the webcam

The HP system is therefore a true blessing in this section, and is also helped by other options such as the HP Sure View screen or the fingerprint reader that little by little is also becoming a standard in portable equipment.

More news

Although the HP Envy has been the protagonist, HP has taken the opportunity to launch other laptops such as the HP ProBook 445R and 455R G6. Both feature second-generation Ryzen processors, solid construction, and noise-canceling technologies for quality video conferencing.

Also curious is the launch of the HP ProDesk 405 G4 Desktop Mini, a small format computer that also has 2nd generation Ryzen processors, AMD Radeon Vega graphics and is aimed at offering a compact and reliable workplace for small and medium companies.

More striking are the new HP Reverb Pro Edition virtual reality glasses, which feature two 2,160x2,160-pixel panels and a 114-degree field of view (FoV). With a lightweight design, these glasses are aimed at professional fields, although they obviously complement HP's offer in the field of virtual reality and mixed reality.

Prices and availability

At the moment we do not have prices and availability for Spain, but we do have some of this data for the United States. The HP ProBook 445R G6 and HP ProBook 455R G6 will arrive in June at a price yet to be confirmed, while the HP ProDesk 405 G4 Desktop Mini will appear in April for $499.

The HP Reverb virtual reality headset will be released in late April for $649. As for the equipment of the Envy range, the data varies:

More information | HP

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