[pconline comparative review] In the world of smartphones and displays, narrow bezels have become a popular design feature, and it seems the notebook industry is following this trend. More and more manufacturers are launching slim and lightweight notebook products with narrow bezels. Overall, this design enhances the visual experience and makes the screen's image even more striking. Additionally, it improves the aesthetic appeal of the product and is gradually becoming an essential element in sleek designs. Moreover, with the growing trend toward lightweight and thin devices, features like all-metal bodies, long battery life, and portability have become key concerns for users. To help everyone get a better understanding of these products, we’ve selected four mainstream slim and lightweight notebooks for testing.
HP Envy 13-ad022TU
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Here we will compare the four notebooks: HP’s sleek Envy 13, Lenovo’s new Air 13 Pro, Dell’s Inspiron 7000, and Asus’ ZenBook UX4100UQ. These products all feature metal bodies, ultra-narrow bezels, and slim designs, making them ideal for users who need mobility for office work, seek a high-quality lifestyle, and expect excellent product design.
HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13
The HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13 is the latest notebook in the HP Envy series, continuing the elegant and refined design style of the Envy line. The overall design is very eye-catching. The metal body with the new HP logo, simple yet stylish, enhances the product's texture. The polished finish contrasts beautifully with the body color, adding a trendy touch to the simple design. In terms of production, besides the all-metal body design, the Envy 13 uses a highly textured coating material, offering a smooth and natural feel. The product employs CNC cutting processes to elevate the details and craftsmanship to new heights. Additionally, HP has made great strides in enhancing the user experience; the keyboard uses a practical "edge-to-edge" design, ensuring standard-sized keycaps while maintaining reasonable spacing, minimizing fatigue during long-term use. Four speakers are embedded within the body, providing an excellent sound field effect, allowing for clear sound even from a distance.
In terms of hardware configuration, the HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13 offers strong flexibility, featuring Intel Core i7/i5 Kaby Lake seventh-generation processors, 8GB memory, and 256GB/360GB SSDs, even equipped with the latest NVIDIA Geforce MX150 discrete GPU. The whole machine’s configuration is very user-friendly, whether you're pursuing mobile office or enjoying entertainment videos, users can find their ideal version. Different configurations correspond to different prices. The 5K-6K price range offers a relatively high price-performance ratio. The evaluation model is a version with an i5-7200U processor, HD Graphics 620 (integrated display), 8GB memory, and 256GB SSD hardware configuration. The current starting price is 5699 yuan.
Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro
The second model participating in the comparative review is Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro notebook. Although Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro is just slightly more premium than the New Air 13, there’s still a noticeable difference. The New Air 13 Pro comes with a dedicated graphics card, and the overall design template has also undergone some changes. The design of this notebook is very minimalist, with only the "Lenovo" logo at the top corner and minimal modifications elsewhere. The solid-color metal body gives this notebook a very high-end look, and the stylish artistic design is enough to attract attention. Furthermore, for a better typing experience, this notebook uses standard keycaps with a moderate keystroke, providing a great control experience.
In fact, not only does it stand out in design, but this Lenovo New Air 13 Pro notebook is also distinctive in configuration. It’s equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor paired with NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, 8GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD, meeting daily office and light entertainment needs without issue. The reference price is 5,499 yuan, offering a very high price-performance ratio.
Dell Inspiron 7000 14
As an internationally renowned notebook manufacturer, Dell’s products naturally include lightweight metal notebooks with all-metal designs and narrow bezels as selling points. Next, we have the Dell Inspiron 7000 14 notebook participating in the comparative review. Needless to say, the texture of this notebook is exquisite—made entirely of metal, with sandblasted processing and bright edges around the chamfer, giving the machine an elegant and refined appearance. The design of the 7000 14’s lid is very similar to Dell’s XPS series products, showcasing advanced technology with aluminum alloy materials and a non-slip coating design. Meanwhile, the C-surface uses a skin-like coating, which has a bit of friction when touched, along with a large-area touchpad and a practical chocolate keyboard, providing an excellent user experience. Overall, the body, size, or overall lines of the Dell Inspiron 7000 14 are very similar to Dell’s own high-end model, the XPS 15.
The Dell Inspiron 7000 notebook offers both 15.6-inch and 14-inch screens to choose from. This comparison is for the 14-inch version. On the hardware side, the 14-inch Dell Inspiron 7000 is equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD. The reference price is 5499 yuan, offering moderate cost-effectiveness primarily for daily work use.
ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ
The final notebook in this comparative review is ASUS’s newly launched ZenBook UX4100UQ. This notebook also features a narrow bezel, a large screen, and a metal body. The ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ comes in four different body colors to choose from (Royal Blue, Rose Gold, Quartz Grey, and Ice Diamond Gold), creating a steady and sophisticated atmosphere. The front of the body uses ASUS's classic concentric design, reflecting different light effects from various angles, appearing very textured. The design of the C-side and D-side differs from the front, with sandblasting performed on the smooth metal surface to create a matte texture. Regarding the keyboard design, this model uses standard keycaps with 1.6mm key travel, fully ensuring button comfort, while the touchpad surface is covered with a transparent glass plate, providing smooth touch and crisp key sounds. Additionally, the ASUS Golden Ear team collaborated with renowned sound brand Harmon Kardon to combine high-quality hardware with well-designed software, delivering a superior sound experience.
In terms of hardware configuration, the ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ is equipped with an Intel Core i7-7500U processor, GeForce 940MX dedicated GPU, 4GB memory, and a 256GB solid-state drive. The ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ reference price is 6749 yuan, which is higher than the previous models. Besides the i7 processor having a significant impact on the product price, the brand premium factor cannot be ignored.
Product Description
Narrow Bezel, Thickness, and Weight Comparison
â— HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13
Screen Size: 13.3 inches; Bezel Width: 3.06mm; Dimensions: approximately 305.4mm x 215.6mm x 13.95mm; Weight: approximately 1.23kg.
◠Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro
Screen Size: 13.3 inches; Bezel Width: 5.8mm; Dimensions: approximately 309mm x 220mm x 14.8mm; Weight: approximately 1.29kg.
â— Dell Inspiron 7000 14
Screen Size: 14 inches; Bezel Width: 7mm; Dimensions: approximately 323.3mm x 227.1mm x 18.95mm; Weight: approximately 1.649kg.
â— ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ
Screen Size: 14 inches; Bezel Width: 7.18mm; Dimensions: approximately 324mm x 225mm x 15.9mm; Weight: approximately 1.25kg.
We’ve highlighted the standout data in blue for each evaluation project. It can be seen that in comparing the bezel size, product thickness, and body weight, the data of HP’s Thin and Sharp Envy 13 is even better. However, due to the differing screen sizes of the notebooks, 14-inch screen products inherently have disadvantages such as wider bezels and heavier bodies. Notably, the 3.06mm bezel of the Thin and Sharp Envy 13 notebook is far superior to other products, so the visual experience of this notebook may be even better. In terms of thickness and weight, HP’s Thin and Sharp Envy 13 is also the most portable and better suited for mobile office use. We also noticed that although the ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ (1.25kg) is a 14-inch screen notebook, its weight is even lighter than the 13-inch Lenovo New Air 13 Pro (1.29kg), showing the excellent design and craftsmanship of this notebook.
Configuration and Price Comparison
â— HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13
Intel Core i5-7200U processor, HD Graphics 620 integrated, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 13.3-inch 1920 × 1080 resolution, starting price 5699 yuan.
◠Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro
Intel Core i5-7200U processor, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX dedicated, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 13.3-inch 1920 × 1080 resolution, reference price 5499 yuan.
â— Dell Inspiron 7000 14
Intel Core i5-7200U processor, HD Graphics 620 integrated, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 14-inch 1920 × 1080 resolution, reference price 5499 yuan.
â— ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ
Intel Core i7-7500U processor, NVIDIA GeForce 940MX dedicated, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 14-inch 1920 × 1080 resolution, reference price 6749 yuan.
From the overall configuration data, the ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ has a higher hardware configuration than several other models, with the advantage of the i7 processor and 940MX dedicated GPU being particularly notable, but it also carries the highest price. The Lenovo New Air 13 Pro and ZenBook UX4100UQ, besides different screen sizes and processors, are basically the same in other configurations, but there is a 1250-yuan price difference between them. Therefore, if you can accept a 13.3-inch screen, the New Air 13 Pro clearly has a higher price-performance ratio. For the other two models, the two are almost the same in terms of hardware configuration, but compared to the Lenovo New Air 13 Pro, they lack individual configuration, so the price difference is similar and other configurations are the same, making the New Air 13 Pro even more appealing.
The basic task of a dedicated graphics card in slim and lightweight notebooks is to perform some light entertainment while meeting daily work. GeForce 940MX graphics cards are extremely common in many slim and lightweight products and can be considered a "star" graphics card in this category. However, NVIDIA recently announced the GeForce MX150 "optimized" notebook graphics card, the successor to the GeForce 940MX. The new graphics card uses the award-winning NVIDIA Pascal architecture, advanced technology, and architecture to deliver better energy efficiency. Compared to the 940MX, the MX150 performs about 30% better in terms of performance but consumes less power and extends the notebook's battery life. Choosing the lightweight version of the GeForce MX150 will offer a better experience in performance, though it comes at a higher price.
PCMark 8 Life Test
â— HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13
Battery Life: 4 hours 47 minutes (4h47min)
◠Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro
Battery Life: 4 hours 21 minutes (4h21min)
â— Dell Inspiron 7000 14
Battery Life: 3 hours 21 minutes (3h34min)
â— ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ
Battery Life: 4 hours 2 minutes (4h2min)
It should be noted that the above test results are from the Pacific Computer Network evaluation room. It should be noted that PCmark 8 will cycle through all test items under high load conditions, and the results obtained are also under cyclic high load conditions. In our daily use, long periods of high load are not common. So the actual usage time is much higher than the battery life test results. From the test results, we can see that there are obvious differences in the battery life of the four products. The battery life of HP’s Thin Envy 13 (4h47min) and Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro (4h21min) is longer, including the battery life of the Thin Envy 13 notebook, which is the most outstanding, with official data stating as long as 14 hours, providing a distinct advantage over similar products.
Interface Comparison and Summary
â— HP Thin and Sharp Envy 13
The HP Thin Envy 13 notebook has relatively average interface settings on both sides of the机身. On the left side of the机身, it sets the audio interface, microSD slot, and one USB3.1 and a Type-C port. On the right side, it has USB ports and Type-C ports configured the same way as the left side, with a power jack added. The dual USB 3.1 design can meet daily expansion needs and supports the faster USB3.1 transmission protocol. The two Type-C interfaces can also serve as video output interfaces while enabling faster data transfer.
◠Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro
Lenovo’s New Air 13 Pro cloud notebook provides a USB 2.0 port and a four-in-one card reader on the left side of the机身, and a headphone/microphone interface, USB3.0 interface, and Type-C interface on the right side. It can be said that for a notebook device with a body thickness of only 14.8mm, this interface configuration is excellent enough to fully meet the user’s normal use needs.
â— Dell Inspiron 7000 14
On the left side of the Dell Inspiron 7000机身, there is a headphone jack, RJ-45 network cable port, HDMI, and two USB3.0 interfaces; on the right side, there is an SD card slot and a USB3.0 interface, which is generally sufficient.
â— ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ
The ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ interface configuration is relatively complete, with SD card slots, USB2.0, USB3.0, Micro HDMI, and USB3.1 interfaces on both sides of the机身.
â— Evaluation Summary
Through comparative testing of these four products, we can see that each product emphasizes different aspects. In terms of product design, process, and endurance, the HP Thin Envy 13 notebook stands out enough among similar products, and from the comparison data, it is significantly better than other products in bezel width and endurance capacity. The hardware configuration is also at the mainstream level in the same price range, offering moderate cost performance. From the hardware configuration, the ASUS ZenBook UX4100UQ notebook should be the highest among these few, and it also performs well in weight and battery life, but the price is higher, which may make consumers hesitate. The Lenovo New Air 13 Pro and Dell Inspiron 7000 have the same price. If we exclude screen size and other factors, the design, configuration, and battery life of the New Air 13 Pro are very good, offering obvious advantages in the same price range, with overall cost performance. Although the Dell Inspiron 7000 performs lawfully in all aspects, its overall configuration remains mainstream, and the price may have more room for adjustment.
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