*HP EliteBook 8740w Owners Lounge - PART 1*

** Temps were recorded while watching videos and surfing...
Idling temps actually looked very promising during the first few minutes. The GPU stayed at about 38-41 and CPU was 48-51 for the first 5 minutes.
But shortly after opening the browser and watching videos.....temps quickly started going up.
With AS-5, idling temps for CPU would be 53-55 and GPU was 45-48 (it would never hit 70 just from watching videos).

The ShinEtsu paste even claims zero settling time, unlike AS-5.

** That's why I would apply it evenly throughout the surface, so there wouldn't be any area uncovered. Plus, every time I've had to pull the HS back for reapplication purposes, I found paste all over the surface so it's definitely spreading properly. That's why I like to spread an even layer first.
With the mem chips, I also spread it all over and then I put a little bit in the middle.

 

From what you're saying - should work fine...
Maybe there was just some process running during your browsing (OS or AV update, backup, defrag, etc). The easiest way would be to run OCCT stress test and see if your temps stabilize near 85C (that's when the fan kick to the max rpm).
If they climb past 90C in just a few minutes - stop and ... re-apply the paste. Sometimes it takes a few times to hit it right. Try the "rice grain" method for the CPU and GPU cores but do the same as you did for the mem chips.


<<< BTW, during browsing and watching movies, my CPU occasionally hits ~70C. The GPU stays lower though. I think it's just the fact that the only fan is set to hit medium speed around 70-75 and max on 85C (bound to CPU).

 

** OK, I'll try that test later.

** As far as I can remember with the original paste, it ran cooler than now.
I figured with the new paste it would have improved a little. Worst case scenario, it would have been the same as before.

 

Alright, I updated my own configuration for 2-years college and post graduate career/school (engineering major). My plan is to upgrade the memory, and SSD in probably a few months.

OS: Windows 7 Professional 64 (MS Office Trial not included)

Processor: i7-720M. That's the only one with 4 dimms. I plan to use my laptop for 2-4 years, so I wouldn't like to go: Do'h, I should have done it.

Display: 17.0 inch diagonal LED-backlit DreamColor WUXGA WVA anti-glare (1920 x 1200).

Graphic Card: FirePro

Memory: 2 GB

Internal Storage 250GB 7200 RPM

Upgrade Bay: DVD+/-RW SuperMulti w/ Double Layer LightScribe Drive I

Keyboard: Backlit

Battery: 8-Cell Life Long Battery (3 years warranty)

Recovery Media: None
OS Recovery Media: Windows 7 Professional 64
Option/Other Stuffs/Accesories/etc.: Not sure. Maybe a backpack, but it has a HP logo which is so attractive to a gold digger or theif.

Total: $3,211.00 Potential 28% Discount: $2311.92

 

The i7-720M is the only one with 4 dimms? I thought all i7s had that many slots.

 

All quad-cores have 4 dimms, and all i7s except the i7-620M are quad-core. The i7-620M is dual core, and thus has only 2 memory slots.

 

Only 720M and up has 4 dimms. The 720M is the lowest of the series, so that's why I picked this processor up. My original configuration was with i5 core, but it has 2 dimms, which limit to 16gb.

 

What about watching movies? Can you distinguish fine details and shades (specially in dark scenes) and are you considering the screen is not too dark for movies?

About the tint issue, I'd recommend you call HP Support as soon as possible and tell them this issue. It's not normal, and as you can said, the old DC panel also had this issue together with the HP LP2475w IPS monitor, but this problem never was present in the HP LP2480zx DreamColor monitor. The only remarkable issue of the 2480zx was noticeable banding and dithering on some hues. Remember the DreamColor 2 screen engine is based on the 2480zx engine.

 

What is your state for Tax.? Iwill assume 6% for now.
I can advice you on a better config with DC2 and is just $100 more than your number with the 28% discount.

Here is what i did:
1. Go to this link - VG305AV
2. Choose the following:
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64 (MS Office Trial not included)

MS Windows 7 Logo Label ** doesn’t apply to Win 7/XPP downgrade OS AV’s

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor (1.60 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache), Up-to 2.8 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel Core i7 vPro Label

Mobile Intel QM57 Chipset

No ENERGY STAR® Label selected if Dreamcolor panel is selected

Intel® vPro Technology (Only available with Intel WLAN)

17.0-inch diagonal LED-backlit DreamColor® WUXGA WVA anti-glare (1920 x 1200) with camera (you can choose without camera to save $50 and get the price down)

Webcam Integrated 2.0MP w/HP Skyroom Required selection for Camera Display (you can choose without camera to save $50 and get the price down)

ATI FirePro M7820 graphics with 1 GB dedicated GDDR5 memory

2 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (1D)

250GB 7200RPM Hard Drive

DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer LightScribe Drive

Backlit - Full-sized keyboard with numeric keypad and dual pointing devices (touchpad and pointstick) with scroll zone

HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth® 2.1 Wireless Technology

Intel Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3)

56K v.92 high speed modem

Integrated Fingerprint Reader

200W HP Smart AC Adapter

8-Cell 73 Wh Li-Ion Battery (1 year warranty)
(Don't buy the 68 Wh battery, unless you have a weak heart and fall prey to marketing You can buy it later if you need to and still get the 3Yr warranty)

Limited 3 year standard parts and labor warranty (3/3/3)
(If need choose the 3 yr warranty with ADP and NBD - costs around $129 - UQ845E) again this can be purchased later with better discount elsewhere.


Don't get the driver and windows dvd's. The driver DVD is outdated and you will end up downloading anyway.

Now the total:
8740W DC2 without Camera - $3132 -28% discount + assuming 6%tax = $2390 (Close to your math).

8740W DC2 with Camera - $3182 - 28% diso + 6%tax = $2428

8740W without DC2 and Cam - $2657 - 28% + 6% tax = $2027

8740W without DC2 +Camera - $2687 - 28% + 6% tax = $2050


Note: The HP backpacks on the website doesn't fit properly with the 8740W. I had to buy one 4 months back and return. Watch out for the interior dimension with the 8740W dimension.

Hope this helps in your decision.

 

I'm not the best person to aks about this, but I see no problem in movies.

As for the tint, it's only visible in certain angles, so it's more of an effect rather than a tint. It might even be my own issue as my wife doesn't see anything.
Still, might give em a call, but that would mean replacing the new screen with a used one

 

They don't even have spares for this screen. You will get a new screen shipped from CN.

 

BTW, -

How many of you notice the tint on the DC panels?

 

I see the slightest of 'pinking' at at about 45 degrees (maybe less?) then it seems to subside as I go to a higher angle.

 

wohooo.. just ordered... my unit.
cant wait for it to come....
btw. flipping thru few pages back.. dc panels seems with a lot of issue..

 

Is the tint visible on clear or on dark backgrounds, or on both?

 

Hello

Please dont shoot me if this is the wrong area to ask for help. happy to re-post this elsewhere.

I have a 8740w i5 and have downgraded to XP SP3 (Business reasons)

I am having massive issues getting a final device driver to install, i dont even know what it is!!?

its listed as PCI Data Acquisition and Signal Processing Controller

Ive been googling and reading for about 4 hrs and im sure its something to do with the chipset. i have however installed all the chipset drivers from HP's site for XP.

The device ID info is: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3B32&SUBSYS_1520103C&REV_06\3&B1BFB68&0&FE

any help and i would be more than grateful

Thanks

Will

 

Have you faciliated either Pixel Protector or Pioneer as the screen wash software?

 

Could you elaborate please?

Only on a pure white background.

Exactly. I think it's just a visual effect not a real tint.

 

Could this be a fingerprint reader?

 

Ok. Going to pull the trigger. Thanks to everybody for their advice and the invaluable information provided on the forum.

Here are the final stats. Comments/suggestions appreciated.

Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64 (MS Office Trial not included)
Intel® Core™ i7-740QM Processor
17.0-inch diagonal LED-backlit w/DreamColor
Webcam Integrated 2.0MP w/HP Skyroom
ATI FirePro M7820
4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2D) (+ 2x4GB via NewEgg)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
Backlit - Full-sized keyboard
HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth® 2.1
Intel Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3)
56K v.92 high speed modem
Integrated Fingerprint Reader
200W HP Smart AC Adapter
8-Cell 73 Wh Li-Ion Battery (1 year warranty)
3 Year 9x5 Next Business Day On-Site w/Accidental Damage Protection
HP 230W Docking Station

Laptop: $3,457
Warranty: $109
Docking Station: $199

Subtotal: $3,765 - 28% = $2,710.80
Tax/Shipping: $194.51

HP Total: $2,905.31
NewEgg Ram (2x4GB): $207

Total: $3,112.31

My only question is whether I should go with PC3-10666 or PC3-10600 memory. Anybody know the speed and latency info for the stock memory HP ships with?

 

-> 10600 C-9

 

Hope I'm not breaking any forum rules by copying my posts from the 8540w forum, but since I have both 8740w dreamcolor and 8540w dreamcolor, I thought this may be helpful here.

From 8540w post #1487 on page 149:

Quote:
Side by side with matched settings (see my previous post), both screens are very similar, with the white point of the 8540w slightly higher and to the right on the CIE:

8540w: x .3818, y .3838
8740w: x .3130, y .3290

This is with "calibration lite" only, what I'll call HP's display assistant app (although it is quite handy and I like it.)

Keep in mind that with a notebook, external factors are always a major factor in the colors you see on the screen (but first rule is always to let the screen warm up 15 - 30 minutes before making any judgements and the second rule is to look dead on straight at the screen). As the ambient light changes from lighter to darker and back, the eye perceives blue, green and yellow/orange (usually referred to as red) hues differently, thus changing your perception of white. Ambient color temperature has the same effect, as the screen will look different in a room lit with 3800K light than with 6000K light (and older flouresent lights can really throw you for a loop). The screen should be judged in a medium lit room with ambient light in the 5000K-6000K range, with no direct light falling on it.

Under the above conditions, both my screens are quite nice with clean whites. This is my humble opinion, of course, because my wife is still traveling (see my previous post) and her expert eyes have not yet fallen on these screens. When it comes to slight mired shifts in color, I trust her implicitly.

As a practical matter though, these machines are meant to be portable and controlling the outside factors usually close to impossible. Even after a precise calibration, it would only work in the same ambient conditions. You would have to do and store multiple calibrations covering multiple conditions, and then load them as needed. And then repeat calibrate on a regular schedule as the notebook ages. For precise work, the desktop is your friend.

End of Quote.

See also post #1466 on page 147.

 

10600 and 10666 are both the same. Just different nomenclature.

BTW I ran the OCCT test and it quit after about 2 minutes... it said CPU was too hot.
CPU core max temp of 78-80C doesn't seem that hot to me.

When I ran Prime95 to check RAM stability, the CPU reached a max of 86 and it never quit.

 

OCCT is known to quit early on i7s. 86C max on Prime95 is fine. You only get a max fan ramp after 85C, so no wonder.
I'd say you're fine.
For the GPU you can try Furmark.

 

Thanks for the input! Very helpful!
Just by playing with color temp I was able to eliminate the tint. It was @6500k all the time and setting it to 7000 solved the problem with my ambient lighting conditions.
Now everything looks good.

Waiting for a new keyboard. If the bump issue is fixed, - I'll call this system 100% perfect

 

I'm glad to hear that the tint can be fixed so easily. Obviously, a calibration is what is preferable and i'm waiting for feedback from any DC2 users who have done this.

 

Planning on grabbing this ram to add to the existing 2x2GB that will ship from HP.

I assume this will work fine and is a good choice?

Newegg.com - OCZ 8GB (2 x 4GB) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Laptop Memory Model OCZ3M13338GK

 

So what do you all think...grab one now or hold off till sandy bridge shows up in a few months?

 

U mean grab 8740W now or hold off?
Even if Sandy bridge comes in few months, getting 8740W refreshed into a newmodel (8750W?) will take you to mid next year. So, if you have that much patience, then yes you can wait. Or buy this now and after 3-4 years , some XYZ bridge architecture will come which will be with rocket boosters, SATA 5, USB 5,etc...

Fun aside, 8740W might well be the last one with 1920x1200 resolution on laptops.

 

I might grab a kit as well. Sounds like a good deal.

Yeah it's not technically a "tint" but rather a change of shades under certain angles and ambient light conditions. Besides, my eyes are very sensitive.

Up to you. Not many things will change there. Only the most powerful mobile CPU's will beat the current ones (by 10-15% at best). The battery life should improve another 10-20%. Plus, it's gonna happen in the Q1 2011 and should take sometime before the new laptops are tested and reviewed
I was going to wait but pulled the trigger and am quite happy with both M17X and 8740w.

 

You are hiding the problem in this way, instead of solving it. 6500K is the temperature established for the sRGB standard. If you need to work with an accurate sRGB mode, you shouldn't modify it.
However, you've stated that the tint is only visible when the screen is viewed at an angle (45º or more) and only in a pure white background. Then, this cannot be considered a problem. It would be a problem if the tint was visible in front of the screen (straight ahead).

 

Keep this in mind. If you're a coder (like me) and you need more vertical real state than 1080px, go for it. I will do this at the earliest opportunity. You still can play 1080p movies with black bars at the top and the bottom.

 

You mis-understood. It is seen only @ about 45º and only a little more, and only a little less, which makes it even better yet in the light of your response.

 

Actaully, SATA2 maxes out at around 285MB/s.
Why do you think the C300 performs better with SATA3 interface over a SATA2 interface?
You can't just divide 3GB/s by 8 and come up with 375MB/s... that's not how it works.

 

The 3GB/s that I'm quoting is the theoretical maximum (what most people see in the specs), which is never obtained in real life.
There are other things that determine the actual maximum, but I didn't want to go on a tangent explaining every single detail.

 

Just out of curiosity, why do you have both? Is the M17X better at gaming than the 8740w?

 

17x will do crossfire or SLI which is its only large advantage for gamers ( dual 5870's and not just a single is possible )

 

There's no real problem. I don't need an accurate sRGB, but do work with code on a pure white background, so every little shift in shades and hues is noticeable. Plus, I never keep my head in the "proper" position to the screen and that amplifies the "tint" feeling.

Alienware was a dream come true
The best gaming laptop.
8740w is mostly for work (and gaming as well )

 

Aikimox, please can you test the following?

Thank you in advance

 

My local tax is 9.8% (California - 6% tax is so unreal low, wow.). Yeah, you're right about the battery, so it'll save me almost a hundreds of dollar. I don't know why you would include the webcam, but I have no need for it.

I like the first option with $3132.00. If I opt for without DC2, $2637 (w/ discount $1898.64), it's very close to my budget range at $1750. I have a couple of questions about DC2:

1) How does the display with DC2 treat the battery life?
2) What is the main purpose of it? (I think it's for accurate of color for the graphic designer. I saw the review and I like it for an entertainment purpose.)
3) Is there a good source with a comparison between DC2, 1680 x 1050 and non-DC2 1090 x 1200?

 

Well, I tested it in King's Bounty, Total War and Crysis and the scaling quality was better than with the M17X's RGB LED. I couldn't even tell initially that it was @1280x800 or something like that.
So yeah, it scales very good. Could a picky eye see the quality difference? - yes. Does it bother me in games? - no. But I will always stick to the native res.

 

That kills your savings and discounts.

The 8740W with DC2 is not EnergyStar certified for the very reason that it consumes lot of power. It's the same reason that HP is not advertising DC2 in-spite of it being IPS. The max you could do is just under/close to 2 hrs with just keeping the laptop open and doing nothing. Its a given with these kind of workstation that it has to be on power all time.

As you said, its mainly used for color critical application/uses. Me being a photog, i went with it. If you are not into any of the color critical stuffs, you are better off with the non DC2. The only reason to get DC2 for non-color critical folks is the lust for its superior color/viewing angles/IPS - the need to have the best and boast to our friends .

Trust me, once you see the 1920x1200, you will never want to go back to anything below that. Here is some reading for it. You are investing a lot of money into a laptop and if you expect it to last atleast 3 years from now, you need to be able to satisfy the technology needs at that time (eg:games and movies @ full HD). So get the best resolution. You always have a choice to change the resolution if you need in the display settings.

 

I hope you guys don't mind, but I need to vent a little. I was pushing to get a replacement laptop so I could be done with the daily crashes. It sounds like a replacement might be an option, but not until they have finalized the fix. I don't understand why they can't just replace it now, since the new machines are already fixed, it makes no sense to me.

Also, my school started back up this week, so I'm back to working 2 jobs (teaching and consulting). I didn't realize how embarrassing it is to have a crashing laptop until I had 2 crashes during class this morning. Most people at my school own Macs, so it's doubly embarrassing to have the most powerful laptop in the building, yet have it dismissed as just another crappy PC.

EDIT: On a positive note, I had all threads churning on real work tonight, not just some synthetic benchmark. It is so very satisfying to see those threads filled with useful computations.

 

Now, I see the con side for DC2 - it consumes much power for the battery and it's so pricey. It looks like the non-DC2 1920 x 1200 is possible the best option for my budget and need. If I decide to spend extra $500 for an entertainment purpose, then I'll opt for DC2.

Let's see how much it will be if I opt for the non-DC2 1920 x 1200:

Total $2657.00 (with 28% discount: $1913.04)

It's $14 more than the one with the lowest resolution display, and it will be $342 more if I decide to upgrade to DC2 from the basic 1920 x 1200. Not bad, I guess.

 

Ok, thanks again.

And a last test, please. I need to know if the Mobile Display Assistant setting is remembered between reboots and operating systems.

Simply run Windows 7, set the color space to sRGB mode, then reboot to a Linux distro and watch the color differences between the graphic user environment of Linux and Windows. If colors are not very saturated, it's likely you are running with the sRGB color space set before.

I know the majority of users are not Linux users, but you can try with a live CD too, for exampl e, KDE 4 Live CD Download it from one of the mirrors and burn it to a CD-RW or install on a pen drive. This distro has a nice GUI (it's very user friendly).

Thanks, it's important for Linux users (like me), since I think no Linux version of Mobile Display Assistant is available.

 

There is an update to MDA (related to not showing up after standby/restart), but sadly its for Win XP.

Link

 

Do you know anyone in these states?

Alaska (Anchorage, Fairbanks)
Delaware
Oregon
Montana
New Hampshire

 

Hi Knight,

Have you tried to disable the vPro drivers (i.e. remove / disable the TPM chip and remote management devices)?

 

Mine is not vPro enabled (or whatever). I saw someone posted a solution for non-vPro machines on HP forums, but I thought someone said it didn't work.

 

I believe the update is also only if you have v1.0. Last week, I downloaded v2.02 from HP thru the support assistant. (I have Win7) It loads after standby/restart and also carries over the last chosen colorspace.