Holiday Time

'Fast, capable and very well built." That straightforward, but complimentary comment came from a reviewer of the HP ENVY 4 TouchSmartUltrabook.Compliments come easily for any of us asked to comment on HP products. We expect them to be not only good, but the best in their class, and the HP Holiday Time 2012 selection does not disappoint.

The Windows 8 operating system is put to full use on the Envy 4 which ships with an array of pre-installed software that includes Norton Internet Security, Microsoft Office, Kindle, Netflix, iHeart Radio, and Fresh Paint, all of which are free or on a trial basis. There is also Cyberlink'sYouCam for the HD Webcam as well as a number of useful HP utilities for backup.

The HP ENVY 4 TouchSmartUltrabook is being described as an ultramobile PC and with the Windows 8 touch-based operating system it's also highly responsive to flying fingers. And when you're in the movie mood, it delivers with an excellent picture and great headphone sound, courtesy of the Beats audio system and its booming subwoofer. Battery life, says HP is up to eight hours.The HP ENVY 4 TouchSmartUltrabook costs 29,990 Thai baht (Inc. VAT).

Great value for money has to be the watchword of the HP Compaq Elite 8300, a new all-in-one desktop that offers a 23-inch HD (1,920 x 1,080) display that can be switched from landscape to portrait mode and comes with an optional touch capability. Another option is the built-in 2 megapixel (MP) webcam and dual microphone array. SRS Premium Sound PRO also comes standard for high-frequency definition in a variety of listening environments.

This business plus PC is powered by third- and second-generation Intel Core vPro processors that provide outstanding performance. The Elite 8300 offers Intel HD Graphics or a choice of discrete graphics. Two finger typists will love the Elite 8300's multitouch technology that recognizes simultaneous input from more than one finger to deliver superfast interaction with files, media and applications. The HP Compaq Elite 8300 all-in-one desktop is starting price at Bt42,990.

The HP Compaq Elite 8300 Touch All-in-One provides a solution for healthcare patients to conveniently enter personal data and for students to stay engaged. Both of the space-saving HP Compaq Elite 8300 models also feature VESA-compatible mounting. Security features include hard-drive encryption, HP Face Recognition, HP Disk Sanitizer and HP File Sanitizer. HP BIOS Protection offers hardware-level defence against virus attacks and other security threats.

Security, manageability and reliability are all epitomised by the enterprise-ready HP EliteBook Folio 9470m. Weighing just 1.63 kilos and only 19 mm thick, it offers adequate key ports and connectivity includingoptional built-in wireless WAN, full-sized Ethernet, VGA, DisplayPort and USB 3.0 connections.

The Folio 9470m features a 14-inch LED-backlit 1366 x 768p HD anti-glare display, a 720p HD webcam, and a backlit, spill-resistant island-style keyboard. Security features include a security lock slot and a fingerprint scanner. The HP EliteBook Folio 9470m costs Bt44,990.

Inkjet printer cartridges are not generally known to be good value for money. Not so with the new HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2520hc All-in-One which provides up to 1,500 prints from a single ultra-high-capacity Original HP ink cartridge.

The 2520hc All-in-One also lives neatly up to its name, letting you make quick scans and copies of important documents. Producing high quality, borderless documents and photos is a button-pushing cinch with the 2520hc which prints at around seven pages per minute in black and white mode. Optimised dpi is 4800 x 1200 dpi from 1200 dpi input data when printing in color from a computer on photo paper.

The HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 2520hc All-in-One printer is now available at just Bt3,990. It uses two cartridges, one black and one tri-color. The HP 46 Ink cartridge is available at Bt350 per cartridge.

Finally, because it is a high-tech holiday season, a little self-indulgence is in order and with HP that means the HP Wireless Mouse X4000. Sleekly contoured, and available in a choice of colors, this lovely little interface just asks to be pushed around and offers an amazing 30 months of battery life. And in a world where not everyone is right-handed, the X4000 is accommodatingly ambidextrous and costs just Bt990.