HP’s New 15.6-Inch Laptop Is IMAX Certified, for Some Reason

HP Envy
(Image credit: HP)

Following the launch of the HP Dragonfly Pro, HP is now launching even more laptops geared at freelancers. Today, it announced a series of Envy-branded laptops, including the Envy x360 14-inch 2-in-1, the Envy x360 15.6-inch 2-in-1, and the Envy 17.3-inch Laptop, which it is pitching as a mix between work and personal machines.

Computer manufacturers have been making claims about how people mix personal and work machines for years. (Whether that's a smart idea on an enterprise machine is another story. For freelancers, it makes more sense). But what's perhaps more interesting here is that one of those machines is the first ever to be IMAX.

What do the IMAX Enhanced certification and freelancing have in common? Not a lot! But it's an interesting certification that's available on certain configurations to the HP Envy x360 15.6-inch 2-in-1. The certification includes using a variant of DTS:X technology to get an IMAX-style theatrical mix. It also allows for IMAX's expanded aspect ratio, though services like Disney Plus have been offering that on all kinds of devices for a while now. Notably, material supplied to the press about the certification says a Disney Plus subscription is required. Regardless, it’s hard to believe any laptop is going to offer an experience akin to IMAX, unless HP has somehow found a way to shrink its customers down to the size of an insect. 

The new devices are all using 5 megapixel webcams, and all but the 14-inch 2-in-1 will also get IR cameras. (Oddly enough, the old 13.3-inch 2-in-1 had an IR camera. It's been replaced here with a fingerprint reader.)

Latest Videos FromTom's Hardware
Andrew E. Freedman
Senior Editor

Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and BlueSky @andrewfreedman.net. You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01

  • bit_user
    At first, I thought the certification might be for people doing on-location editing of IMax films. However, discussion of the Disney Plus subscription seems to make it clear they're talking about just watching the content.

    My guess is that they were looking for something to set it apart, and Dolby Vision certification was too expensive. Maybe IMax has a certification aimed at TVs, but are willing to certify just about anything to get some revenue in the current market.
    Reply