Microsoft’s Windows 8 Release Ushered In With New HP Laptops

HP previously revealed its flagship Windows 8 devices, the Envy Spectre XT Touchsmart ultrabook and the Envy X2, and but now CNET reports the 73-year-old company will also pair its traditional laptops with Windows 8.

The next iteration in HP’s Envy series will feature a brushed aluminum finish and Intel i3 or i5 processors. With its Envy m4, HP will offer customers the option of boosting the device’s RAM to an 8GB maximum. Owners have the option to add a 32GB SSD to the hard drive as well, which can be upgraded to hold 1TB of space.

An aesthetic feature to appear on the Envy m4 is the option for a backlit keyboard, and a Beats Audio sound system packs the Windows 8 laptop with two separate speakers and a subwoofer. The Envy m4 starts selling at $899.

As for the other two laptops unveiled by HP, the PC manufacturer has upgraded its line of Sleekbooks to feature even thinner and faster hardware, bringing them nearly up to speed with their more expensive Envy models. The HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14-inch model will be run on an AMD CPU/GPU, while the 15-inch Intel-powered edition will support NVidia graphics. The Sleekbook 14-inch will start at a price of $499 and the Sleekbook 15-inch will begin at $559.

These new revelations from HP are only three of the many revealed devices that will support the Redmond, Wash.-based company’s next-generation operating system. Microsoft’s Windows 8 release will be escorted in the cyber universe with an array of PC, laptop and tablet devices, as last month’s IFA conference in Berlin has revealed.  

Some of these gadgets, such as the Sony VAIO Duo, represent a crossbreed between laptop and tablet devices. Sony’s upcoming hybrid features a touchscreen display that slides smoothly into the keyboard and stays firmly in place when raised. This takes the idea that Microsoft introduced with its Surface tablet, and expands it further to create a device that is completely interchangeable between laptop and tablet forms.

Microsoft will be holding a press event on Oct. 25, just one day before the official release date of Windows 8, presumably to acquaint users with its upcoming software. Perhaps the PC software manufacturer will confirm a price for its Surface tablet, putting to rest rumors that have been circulating the Web. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently hinted at price range for the Surface tablet in an interview with the Seattle Times, but fans will have to wait for an official announcement to know for sure.