HP Ultrabook: HP Folio 13

[Robrain]

Well, an addendum about HP Folio model/SKU names I was working on died in my browser.

Anyway, the i3 model of the HP Folio is available on Walmart's website for $800, but you can also get that same price on the i5 version right now via Office Depot's website ($850 - $50 Mail In Rebate), or more preferably, straight from HP (after adding a customized [you don't actually have to add anything while customizing] Folio to your shopping cart, check your cart and enter Coupon Code NBT8547). They're also offering free 2 (business) day shipping right now.

I think those prices both beat Amazon (who has it for $850 right now, I believe).

[Robrain]

So, the other day I couldn't get online tech support to reduce the price in my shopping cart, but at the end of the conversation, they gave me a phone number to call:

"One of the best resources that we have to place your order is our Sales Center. Please call 866.221.4553 and a Sales Representative will be able to assist you with your order placement and answer any remaining questions that you have."

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe that HP's "Sales Center" has 2 different "departments"; the first being the actual sales center with the sales reps, and the second being their "supervisors" (who actually identified herself today as the "Resolution Department" when she picked up the line).

Either way, none of the sales reps were able to do what I wanted them to do.

There was a coupon code for the CTO (Configure-To-Order) model of the HP Folio. Since there's really only one model of the HP Folio (at least, sold through HP's website), it's identical to their "Quick Ship" model. When you click on the CTO model, there aren't any options to add/change the hardware, you just have to click through all the pages because there's just the single default option on each one. The only stuff you can add with the CTO model is software, along with the usual assortment of miscellaneous accessories like a laptop bag, digital camera, wifi router, usb thumb drive, etc, etc etc.

So, being that both the base CTO and the Quick Ship models are completely identical, I wanted them to simply apply the coupon price for the CTO model to the Quick-Ship model.

My reason for this is twofold: if I'm ordering now, with Ivy Bridge right around the corner, I don't want to be waiting an exorbitant amount of time for this laptop to arrive.

The base model of the CTO variety won't actually ship until May 15th (~2 weeks from now). The Quick-Ship model, on the other hand, will ship within ~1-2 business days.

Long story short, while I was super polite on the phone, they (both departments) were not able to do more than give me $75 off the $899 price (which wouldn't match their own coupon...). The sales rep's accent was very difficult to understand (we spent an obscene amount of time spelling out my name and email address...), so I'm not sure whether or not he was willing to add free 2 business-day shipping (though I seem to recall him saying "that's not one of our current offers"...).

While I seem to have seen lots of people on here have a very good experience (and get a good discount) with the sales center, my first experience so far was quite the opposite. I'll call back tomorrow and give it another shot, perhaps I'll get a more helpful group of reps.

On a potentially more interesting note, while I was emphasizing that one of the primary reasons I was looking for a discount on the Folio was because:

1) They'd previously already had the Folio on discount for $703.49 around December 7th, 2011, with free shipping.
2) Ivy Bridge refreshes should be hitting the market in force pretty shortly, so the Sandy Bridge models should receive a reasonable markdown.

The sales rep told me (though again, it was hard to make out what he was saying half the time because of his accent) that he would recommend I wait approximately 3 weeks, since that's when the HP Folio was supposed to be refreshed with the Ivy Bridge processors.

[talmarsh]

Hey,

Does anyone have any idea how to get the Turbo Boost working?

Tried the diff power settings but its alway max 1.6ghz :-\

No option in bios either..

[Robrain]

I'm wondering if, like many past models, the Folio 13 is going to end up being a sort of "one-off". They announced the new Elitebook Folio (14-inch), but no word on any Ivy Bridge refresh for the Folio 13. Makes me wonder if they're trying to phase out their 13-inch lineup?

[chrixx]

I'm wondering if, like many past models, the Folio 13 is going to end up being a sort of "one-off". They announced the new Elitebook Folio (14-inch), but no word on any Ivy Bridge refresh for the Folio 13. Makes me wonder if they're trying to phase out their 13-inch lineup?

The Folio may be replaced by the Envy Spectre XT Pro (the configuration with TPM).

[Karamazovmm]

there is a folio 9470m, however I dont think there is a tpm option in the envy xt.

apparently business users are not too fond of the 13'' form factor, its always getting replaced by something smaller

[chrixx]

there is a folio 9470m, however I dont think there is a tpm option in the envy xt.

apparently business users are not too fond of the 13'' form factor, its always getting replaced by something smaller

The Spectre XT Pro was announced at the launch. It has the TPM, WIndows 7Professional and optional 3 year warranty which serves the prosumer market that is all the rage right now. The Folio 13 also addresses this market with its 2 configuration, the 1000 models sold through consumer channels and the 2000 variation which is for the SMB sector. The Elitebook is an enterprise class system.

[Karamazovmm]

The Spectre XT Pro was announced at the launch. It has the TPM, WIndows 7Professional and optional 3 year warranty which serves the prosumer market that is all the rage right now. The Folio 13 also addresses this market with its 2 configuration, the 1000 models sold through consumer channels and the 2000 variation which is for the SMB sector. The Elitebook is an enterprise class system.

didnt saw the pro in the press releases. will take another look, I actually found the folio 9470m more interesting tough.

[Robrain]

The Spectre XT Pro was announced at the launch. It has the TPM, WIndows 7Professional and optional 3 year warranty which serves the prosumer market that is all the rage right now. The Folio 13 also addresses this market with its 2 configuration, the 1000 models sold through consumer channels and the 2000 variation which is for the SMB sector. The Elitebook is an enterprise class system.

I've been a huge fan of the 13" form factor for years. My ideal daily laptop has always been a powerful one that doesn't flinch at every day tasks, even when those border on extreme use cases (I have a habit of opening almost every page in a new tab, which means I can easily end up having 30-50 tabs open in my browser. Needing to open Photoshop randomly during that use makes 4GB of RAM a burden, 8 or more is much more ideal. I'll also run virtual machines in some instances, which likewise makes the additional RAM a must. Editing HD video occasionally also is the biggest reason for the added processing power and RAM - I basically need my system to be a jack-of-all-trades / Swiss army knife.

13" laptops with those specifications have been relatively rare, as well as ones with a 1080p (FULL HD) resolution. Sony's Z series has been the only reliable option year after year, but I now feel that short of the 512GB SSD option (256GB x 2, RAID-0), the upcoming Spectre XT should deliver what the current Sony Z does (ntm with better native graphics), but at a MUCH better price point (Sony's Z is approximately $3,300 with the configuration I mentioned). The Spectre XT should easily come in well under $2,000, which for similar processing power, no 512GB SSD option, no 1080p display (an admittedly nice option, but less necessary when you plan to have it hooked up to external monitors the majority of the time), and no BLU-RAY, is still a huge improvement on the price point.

The Folio-13 is limited by it's 4GB of RAM that is soldered to the board (non-upgradeable), as well as it's lack of an i7 option. It can handle most basic tasks without any real problems, but doesn't have that extra overhead for truly intensive stuff. I don't think either of the Folio-13 models truly address the 13" prosumer market's needs, due to their lack of higher performance options. As-is, they are barely "good enough" with limited functionality beyond browsing, typing, MSOffice, and some multitasking with maybe a music program and chat program. Creative work, or anything really processor intensive would probably still kick them in the teeth compared to an Ivy Bridge i7 ULV processor with 8+ GB of RAM.

[chrixx]

didnt saw the pro in the press releases. will take another look, I actually found the folio 9470m more interesting tough.

HP Spectre XT Pro Ultrabook 13-b000 specifications - HP Small & Medium Business products

The Folio-13 is limited by it's 4GB of RAM that is soldered to the board (non-upgradeable), as well as it's lack of an i7 option. It can handle most basic tasks without any real problems, but doesn't have that extra overhead for truly intensive stuff. I don't think either of the Folio-13 models truly address the 13" prosumer market's needs, due to their lack of higher performance options. As-is, they are barely "good enough" with limited functionality beyond browsing, typing, MSOffice, and some multitasking with maybe a music program and chat program. Creative work, or anything really processor intensive would probably still kick them in the teeth compared to an Ivy Bridge i7 ULV processor with 8+ GB of RAM.

The Folio 13's RAM is user upgradeable to 8GB (1 SODIMM slot).