*HP EliteBook 8740w Owners Lounge - PART 1*

Does that serve similar warranty terms as in Dell's complete cover?

 

Here you go

I need the travel warranty, since the system is going to be taken abroad quite often.

 

Anyone know if the backlit keyboard from the 8740w can be installed in the 8540w? If so, I'll just go ahead and place my order and do the keyboard swap myself

 

Pretty sure not:
EliteBook 8740w
The keyboard looks wider than the smaller notebook in total.

Also, my order is still in limbo, no word about anything. Thinking I'll ask him to cancel and upgrade to the DC2 and 840 (although it seems to be a tiny change over the 820), and whine to see if he'll give a small discount bonus for the aggravation and the fact that this has delayed some fairly important work by a week, and only limited to that because I was able to find a loaner . . .

I hate rewarding HP for their weak service by buying an upgraded machine, but it's clearly the best option available. Grrrr.

 

Don't call your rep for whining. Call the HP SMB order support and tell them the hassle you went through. They will definitely give you upto $200 credit.

 

Dang! I was hoping they use the same keyboard part as the keyboard takes up the entire width on the 8540w but not on the 8740w. Oh well, DC2 plus upgraded processors will have to do. I wonder why the DC2 option is incompatible with the GOBI option. Perhaps they couldn't fit the antennae into the DC2 display?

 

Question to all Backlit KB lovers: If i don't game on the laptop and use it always on a well-lit environment, is the Backlit KB even necessary? And is it possible to turn it off or on at will? From the pics i saw in this post, the Backlit KB is looking more of distraction (for me).

 

Backlighting can be disabled at will. Unconfirmed speculation suggests that the backlit keyboard is a beter quality one than the regular keyboard (even if you don't want the backlighting feature) due to the superior finish or something like that.

 

Thank you sir!!

I shall whine at them for fun and profit.

. . . *goes to find contact number*

 

Well, I have no luck (for now)

My rep told me that 840QM and DreamColor are not available until some time after they are released in the USA. However, he promised me that he'll going to do the impossible to order the system full-speced before august... But even if he could, I would receive the system on september... I'll have to be very patient :cry:

 

Not again :cry: :cry: :cry: I might as well be patient until 8760W

 

Holy cow guys... from the 8540w thread, someone posted a link to the 8540w w/ customizable DC2 panel! I didn't even know the 8540w was going to get a DC2 panel, but for that price, it better be an IPS panel.

http://h71016.www7.hp.com/MiddleFra...=3156&BaseId=32116&oi=E9CED&BEID=19701&SBLID=

 

I have both in front of me. I much prefer the backlit keyboard for 2 reasons. (1) I work late most nights in my home office (after family time) and prefer dim lighting. Since my typing skills are very poor, I look at the keyboard a lot and the back lighting helps a ton. (2) I personally think it looks great, even in good lighting, you can see the effect. I'd probably have upgraded to the backlit keyboard even if I could type 100 wpm in the dark.

Regarding quality, that only applies to the lettering. These keyboards are clearly the exact same accept for the added lights underneath and some difference in how the lettering was applied. See my last photo-filled post for more details.

EDIT: oh yeah, fn+space toggles it on/off

 

I'm a bit confused here...

Do I have to order "Integrated Camera: Webcam Integrated 2.0MP w/HP Skyroom... [Add $30.00]" if I already have chosen the display "with camera"?

Is it like the display "with camera" has only a hole in its frame, but not the actual camera itself? Or there is something else hidden behind the words.

 

Yes. And the order page will show you an error in red text until you select both options. ... the order page does not automatically make the changes when there are individual options that have dependencies to one another, only alerts you to needing to make the change yourself.

 

m8o - thank you!

I'm looking for OS CD/DVD disk, which I can use to setup up a new partition and install the W7 OS form the scratch. I guess this media is what I need:
"WD009AV#ABA Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 OS Restore Media Not available with FreeDos [Add $5.00]"
Do I need anything else? I suppose to get all latest drivers from the HP support site.

And one more question. Is this Windows XP installation media which can be used the same way as the above (partitioning, installing Windows XP)?
VG325AV Media DRDVD WinXP Restore - Recovery Media Not available with FreeDos [Add $5.00]

 

If you are asking me, I have to profess ignorance as to what one can do with the recovery media vs. restore media. I ordered both, but this is my 1st time ordering from HP and I have not received my machine yet to know whether either is the full OS disc.

 

Thanks for the info. I cancelled my order yet again and ordered with the BL KB.

 

OK, I can now confirm that the WUXGA+ found on the 8740w is in fact LP171WU7(TL)(B1) as I suspected.
From first impression it looks better. No light leakage from the bottom, like in the 8730w. Brightness looks about the same.
So far so good.

The only thing that remains is to verify if DC2 is indeed LP171WU8(TL)(B1).

 

Well, the LP171WU7(TL)(B1) is also found in the 17" MacBook Pro's, and is NOT IPS.

 

I heard some people got up to 30% off their order of 8740w. Can anyone pm me their reps info so that I can order. Right now, the configuration that I am looking at is costing me about 5K and 30% off that would be nice..

The online rep is giving me 18% coupon which is available off the site.

 

That shouldn't be that surprising, should it? It's not the high end screen for the 8740W.

I would think that it having the same screen as the MacBook Pro as the "low end" WUXGA screen should be a good thing.

Adshakil, I'll send you a PM. I got 28%.

 

@NecessaryEvil: got it. Thank you so much

 

I went back to check the model #'s so the WU7 (to abbreviate it) is the basic screen. Very good. I tried finding out some more info by chatting with some HP reps, but none of them were able to give me any add'l info on the detailed specs of the DC2 screen. They did confirm, however, that the DreamColor screen for the 8740w is indeed the DreamColor 2 display. I guess HP doesn't refer to it as DC2...

I would love to receive a PM with the information on how to get the higher discount as well, if that's alright with you? Thanks!

 

Yes, I was referring to the non DC screen.
Notice on my previous post I said;
"The only thing that remains is to verify if DC2 is indeed LP171WU8(TL)(B1)"
Which I'm beginning to think is correct.

Really, Macbook pro?
Macbook Pros are glossy. I would also be concerned about the last part of the part#...
I know HP uses (TL)(B1) on their screens, but not sure about Apple. Are you sure the (TL)(B1) is exactly the same on the Macbooks?

 

I swear, some of you guys make it sound like not having the DC2 screen is a terrible thing.
Personally, I think the regular screen looks great. But being the modder that I am, I'll upgrade later on.
I simply cannot justify spending $600+tax for a display upgrade.
Especially when you know the DC2 displays will be available in a few months from 3rd party vendors for $150-$200, which is when I'll upgrade.

Same thing with the i7 920XM. You can find those for around $400 right now.
But when HP makes it available, it'll probably be a $900+tax upgrade.

 

Right now I only have 2 options:

Order a system with a 820QM and the regular screen

or

Wait for the 840QM and the DreamColor panel.

I think the 2nd option is better for me considering the high price tag that we, european users, have to pay to HP to order a customized setup. It's not fair at all comparing with U.S. users. You, U.S. citizens, can order a CTO product directly from the web without any middlemen, and of course without the high price tag I've said before and without waiting too much time for the product arrival. Average ETA in Spain is between 3-4 weeks.

To get the picture, a CTO system like yours (mine is similar) may cost more than 5500 USD.

So if I want it, I have to pay that quantity and wait up to 2 months (1 for availability and another for order).

 

Looks like things are finally coming together for the 8740w, minus the crashes a few folks are having, which I hope gets ironed out soon

Anyways, I think I'm ready to jump on board and place an order, would someone please pm me the contact info for the rep that's working the 28% discount.

 

You think so? Have you had any prior experience swapping out a panel like in an 8730w?

 

There's nothing fancy about swapping panels.
I did it with M17X not long ago, going from CCFL to RGB LED.
The only problem is to find a reputable reseller.

 

Could someone pm me the rep that can get me 28%?

 

Are we sure this is possible on a pre-DC2 mobo? There's no reason it *shouldn't* be, but I like to worry needlessly . . . and somehow I doubt they'll confirm something like that being user serviceable (although I was pleasantly surprised when a tech informed me that processors were considered "drop-in" upgradeable . . . although maybe he wasn't intending to indicate user-serviceable by that. [not that it matters much, but being officially ok with anything more complex than HD/RAM plug-in seems uncommon].)

 

Yup, sure do. :yes:
As a matter of fact I have a DC1 panel and the required display cable for an 8730w right now.

Just make sure it's the right part# and the connectors are exactly the same.
HP uses (TL)(B1).

 

There's no such thing. I highly doubt they have a separate mobo for the DC2 panels.

If anything, it may require a different display cable, like the 8730w. And that's only because the 8730w uses both CCFL and backlit displays. Hence the need for a different cable.
BUT, since the 8740w displays are all LED backlit, they probably use the same cable.
Nevertheless, cable compatibility still remains to be confirmed.

 

Please enable PM messaging in your profile.

 

Sent you a PM.

 

I just order a 8740w with the dreamcolor and the i7-840QM and I'm very hurry to have it. So I think that is possible to check the order status with the number of order but this one is not yet displayed and I would like kwon when usually I can see the status?
Thank you in advance

 

NotebookGrail, is there a certain price point before the rep will give that much discount? Will it work for a configuration below say, $4 grand?

 

For exemple when I buy my 8740w I have a discount of 23% for a 3380$ but I believe if the laptop is still more expensive the maximum discount grow up until 28%.

 

My config was under $4k (I think ~3.5?), and I got the full 28%. Got RAM and HD elsewhere. Have them. Still waiting on the machine. :cry::cry::cry:

Oh I agree that there's prolly a unified mobo, but thought there might be some possibility that a machine ordered before the DC2 came out might have a different version (especially with all this recent hoopla). In particular, I was worried about that last bit there - whether the cable would connect the same way.

 

Actually, I just checked and I got 28% on a system *under $3k* before discount. (~2800 => ~2000)

Basically, I was in a hurry (THAT worked well . . . ) so I just said "hey, I heard you were giving out a 28% discount. I'm in a hurry to buy a machine and I like this one a lot; if you can give me that full discount I'm ready to buy right away." And I got it.

 

I checked my order status every day. It never indicated anything...even after receiving it. Mine arrived on the day it was scheduled. Good luck.

 

The MBP 17 WUXGA+ screen is still 6-bit TN (same panel as Lenovo W700). The HP Elitebook 8730w and Dell Precision M6400 used 8-bit TN panels. I'd assume the HP Elitebook 8740w non-DC2 panel would be the same bit 8-bit TN panel...

 

I wonder if the DC1 panel from 8730w is compatible with the 8740w.
They both use LED backlight so they probably have the same 20-pin and 40-pin connectors.
But I wonder if the pin configuration is the same.

Originally I thought they might be using the DC1 panel for the regular WUXGA+ display on the 8740w.
Maybe with a different part# but fundamentally the same.
But I don't think that's the case.

 

For those of you not getting the DC2 panel, I can assure you that it is still nice. I'm far from an expert, but the color and brightness look great to me. My only criticism is that the viewing angles are not the best, but they are acceptable.

Also, if you are sticking with your HDD, there is a difference in the sounds between the 250 GB vs 320 GB (at least between the 2 in my systems). The 250 sounds more like a normal HDD to me, quiet when not in use, then makes soft but odd sounds when it spins up to do anything. The 320 GB sounds like a very gentle fan that is always spinning, so there is no added sound when you access anything. I'm not sure which I prefer, though I am wondering about the lifespan of the 320 if it is actually always spinning. Is there anyway for me to test that to see if what I hear is actually right?

 

Thanks NotebookGrail, but it looks like I need at least 5 "Quality" posts before messaging will be enabled on my account.

I'll get a couple more posts out and see what happens.

 

So for those of you that just placed new orders, or updated previous ones, what are HP's estimated ship dates looking like?

 

Has anyone heard if ordering the new i7-x40QM will delay shipping?

 

My rep told me that the estimated date of 6/28 wasn't going to happen, and estimated it would be 2-3 weeks before it would ship.

 

a) can you compare viewing angles to thinkpads, eg the W500?

b) Actually, the constant-spin one might be better off, lifetime-wise. While it takes more power to hold at full speed, there's more stress on the drive when spinning it up rapidly in response to an access request - spinup-spindown cycles are one major measure of drive wear. So, you probably get better responsiveness AND better lifetime (although really, in this application that's not too meaningful; sudden, unexpected early-life failures are what get you (rather than steady wear), given the usage patterns and service life of laptops.


@ rallak: heh, what they might say about that and what will happen may be rather different . . . we'll find out in a week or two when this recent flood of orders should be getting filled. (Edit: nvm, apparently we have heard, thanks NecessaryEvil. I would suggest considering their statement to be a *lower bound* on the delay.)