HP Folio 13 - Caveats & Verdict

All of this suggests HP's Ultrabook is walking a fine line between a recommendation and near miss, and there are further caveats. The most obvious is that the Folio has a tendency to switch on its fan a little too often. Yes this happens primarily when under load and is graduated, but at full speed it can prove distracting. In addition, while well made, the Folio touchpad 'buttons' are a little stiff and we can only hope they will ease up over time.


Away from the Folio itself there are also other factors to consider. Those hunting for a higher resolution  should look at the ZenBook UX31, or, if you can afford the extra, the superb Samsung Series 9 900X3B. Or you could wait for the 14in HP Envy Spectre. Meanwhile, for the patient buyer it is worth noting that next generation Ivy Bridge-based Ultrabooks should launch in June. Ivy Bridge brings further enhancements to battery life and significantly improved graphics capabilities.


Verdict
The HP Folio is generally an excellent Ultrabook, marrying consistent design to good build quality, thoughtful features and class-leading battery life. The flipside is that Folio can be noisy under load, the touchpad buttons are stiff and it has yet to see the significant price drops that have made initially more expensive rivals become arguably better value. However, it remains an attractive option.