*HP EliteBook 8740w Owners Lounge - PART 1*

I don't think that will be a problem as the 3rd Party caddy (from newmodeus.com) is same as HP 500GB upgrade bay part # AU097AA(minus the HDD). Their website even lists 8740W as compatible laptop.

Anyway, i am planning to put my SSD in the upgrade bay (make it the primary boot drive) and leave the factory HDD in the primary bay. In that way, the HP DriveGuard doesn't mean anything for the SSD.

 

soooooooooooooo excited for you guys.

I demand pictures and reviews from all of you!

 

Yep, they got the money. If the delays become unbearably cruel - will demand free upgrades

Can Do! :yes:
Will make a huge review as soon as the beast gets here.

 

I like all the positive energy! Make me feel less depressed about my order's ship date being MIA.

Just one request, you guys that are going to get the laptop soon, please don't go off and play with your new toy w/o actively come and update us with your findings please! Oh and I demand pictures.

 

question I had never really thought of before right now:

I do a lot of print and web work. I really want the DreamColor 2 display (the principle reason why I'm considering this machine)...but should I be concerned that the color reproduction on the DC2 panel will be above and beyond anything my clients or their customers will ever see?

in other words...could things look markedly better on the DC2 than they would on anyone else's monitors...to the degree that maybe I should reconsider?

 

I think it won't be better than *very* high end monitors, like the most expensive Eizos from the ColorGraphic line, but yes, it will be better than ALL consumer and a few professional desktop monitors if technical features match the HP LP2480zx DreamColor desktop monitor features, as it's expected.

One thing can be said for sure: it will be the BEST laptop screen ever released apart from the special screens with IPS panels and QXGA resolution released some time ago (2048x1536px), but color fidelity of the new DreamColor screen will be even better than these. In 30-bit mode, you'll can render about 1 billion of active colors. Expect 100% spectrum of Adobe RGB and sRGB (Standard RGB) color spaces and an almost perfect sRGB emulation mode. The latter is very important and is almost non-existent in the majority of wide-gamut monitors, because many Windows applications aren't color managed and if this emulation mode was poor, oversaturated colors would appear (this is a very common issue found on wide-gamut screens). This also involves all video players, except Media Player Classic HomeCinema with a special configuration (and the right values for this configuration are not easy to get).

I recommend you read the HP LP2480zx review by the Prad.de website. You'll notice this monitor is not perfect, it has a few drawbacks too.

 

I said, "wow".



woooooooow.

 

Better screen will give you more color depth and accuracy. Which is actually beneficial for content creators. One thing that a content creator have to worry about is the accurate representation of color in their work. Last thing you want is to have your red look like orange (for example) for your audiences.

With a correctly calibrated quality monitor, you will be more assured of the fact that the color red, is indeed red. But this is assuming that you use color aware applications, like photoshop.

Most monitors confirms to the sRGB standard. Which is just a specification standard of mapping of finite integer values into the real valued color space. So by having a monitor that is able to produce almost exact mapping to the sRGB color space, you can be sure that the color that you use for your content have the "right" color.

Aside:
The whole color theory is really interesting actually. We are trying to map a real space to a finite space, and then try to reproduce the finite representation of the real (color) space with materials (phosphors, LEDs, etc.) that again operates in the real (color) space...

Anyway, rule of thumb is that while it is great to have a monitor that can produce color in a wider color space (wider gamut) it is more important, for professional work, to have controllers that can accurately map the colors that the monitor can represent to a designated color space, like sRGB.
(Usually the range of colors that a monitor can reproduce goes hand in hand with the quality of the controllers that comes with it. )
/aside

Since DC monitors are targetted for professional work. We can be sure that it will have controllers that can accurately reproduce sRGB, or Adobe RBG color space. Just remember that you need to work w/in a color aware application.

And if a viewer of yours complains to you about colors being off, you can confidently tell him " L2GetABetterMonitor"

Oh btw, the professional gfx cards can also output 10-bit color... So yeah, if everything is as advertised, this laptop will be awesome for professional work. (*cough* and gaming *cough*)

 

thanks for the insight, gentlemen. really appreciate your time.

 

Yes --- I believe in principle that the color rods in our eyes can't explore the entire color space, and if one had chemicals that effected how the rods respond they could lead to the perception of new colors. Hopefully, the new HP dreamcolor displays are so good that they'll also enable these perceptions.

 

Like a plug-in to our eyes? Bionic Eyes Prototype

The real question would be, if our eyes were enhanced to handle higher color and image resolution, will our brain have enough memory and processing power to make use of it.
Worst case, our brain performs like the controllers on crappy monitors, where the color of an object changes randomly. It'd be like getting high on drugs, but not...

 

It's 26th!

 

Someone! Anyone! Please post your pics of the laptop!

On another note, despite my distaste for anything Apple, I try to keep my opinions to myself. But I hope Elitebooks will never get over 100 degrees Celsius during use...

 

Judging by the look at the 8740w cooling - we should be safe. Though I seriously doubt that it will be anywhere near my M17X - max CPU : 65C (after many hours of Crysis), max GPU: 85C (mem), 73C (core).
If HP ever gets to that level of cooling...Nah, screw it, HP. Gimme your best build quality and workmanship, DC2 screen and 7820 and I'll mod the cooling if needed to make this beast stay as cool as a fridge!

 

My Last updated date changed twice (once on Saturday and another today) on the order page. But no visible change to the order ship date/status.

 

Interesting note on the 8740W custom config page

"No ENERGY STAR® Label selected if Dreamcolor panel is selected or if ATI GFX (VG312AV) AND Quad CPU is selected or if ATI GFX (VG312AV) AND XPP OS (VM935AV)is selected"

And i did notice after reading the above that the Energy Star Label part# has been removed from my order.

 

I sure hope so --- but there is a big leap of faith here. We won't know for sure until the machines and the reviews start to come in.

Interesting for comparison to look at anandtech's review of the Dell M6500

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2957/8

 

The surface temps are not that important really, it's the internals that matter. I'd be ok with even 50C bottom as long as the CPU and GPU don't rise above 70C

 

Just noticed on my 'Print Preview" page there's a line that reads:
Cust. Quoted Delivery Date: 05/13/201

Aside from the fact I don't think that ever happened, the 'Print Preview' is the only place a date such as that is to be found. Everything else says tomorrow's the day.

 

13th of May is still very promising. Wish, mine would get shipped by 13th...

 

so nobody is taking delivery today?

aww man.

 

I feel your pain. I've been following this thread and a few others to make a decision. I don't really want to lug a 4kg laptop around but the dreamcolour, potentially better cooling and graphics card are luring me Now my contenders are:

1. Lenovo W510 (if they ever get those FHD screens back in stock)
2. HP Elitebook 8540w with ATI card and dreamcolour display
3. HP Elitebook 8740w with ATI and dreamcolour

4. Sony Viao Signature Z
5. HP Envy 17

Decisions decisions.....

 

Interesting observation. Same here! As soon as the order summary was updated with the DC2 panel, the "Energy Star" label had disappeared!

 

It's always hard to compare different categories.

if you really need a workstation:

1) 15" mid-range pro graphics (FX880M/FX1800M) Lenovo W510, Dell Precision M4500, HP Elitebook 8540w.

2)17" best notebook pro graphics (FX2800M/3700M/3800M/FirePro M7820 etc) - Lenovo W7xx, Dell Precision M6500, HP Elitebook 8740w.

If you don't really need a workstation, but prefer a powerful notebook, look at Clevo/Sager and AW/Dell.

If weight is of absolute importance, go for Envy
Personally, the main 2 reasons for abandoning my alien and looking at HP are - the super glare screen and the 6kg weight of the gaming beast. I don't mind carrying it to and fro work but it's a pain when traveling by planes.
4kg is a feather-lite, IMO.

 

6PM and no UPS truck. I wasn't really expecting one, given that the order status page does not list any tracking number.

I'll call HP tomorrow and see if they can provide any further information on where my order is.

 

My sons, I am disappoint.

 

I agree 4kg isn't crazy but I also travel with loads of photo gear (2 DSLRs, lenses, tripod, accesories, etc) so keeping the weight down as much as possible is very desirable. I suspect I don't strictly need workstation graphics but the other requirements seem to push it into workstation category.

1. i7 processor (preferable 820) for Capture NX2
2. Powerful graphics (minimum is Nvidia 880m or equivalent for gaming and video encoding
3. 8-16gb RAM for Photoshop and NX2
4. USB 3.0 as I will be using an SSD and need to easily transfer loads of data/access files directly from external disk
5. FHD screen of good quality for editing
6. TPM, 3G card slot
7. 2-3hrs word processing/browsing on battery
8. Reasonable weight and good build quality

The laptops i listed seem to be best options but feel free to make other suggestions please

 

Some more interesting info on the 8740W memory Issue..Another person reporting the issue.
I was about to pull the trigger anytime for the additional memory. Guess, i will hold on until things gets clear + wait for the actual system to ship...


http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/8740w-shuts-off-with-four-memory-chips/m-p/259286

 

I saw that link in another thread a few days ago too. I will say that when I read that, it's not clear to me whether the memory sticks were all of the exact same specs let alone manufacturers whenever 4 were used. The follow-up post clearly isn't. I'm sure all of us have mixed memory pairs. It does seem like you can't do that with this machine tho; at least not at this moment. I've been laboring over whether to up my memory too. But I'm waiting for now.

 

Not sure. Most likely the wrong BIOS flash or wrong motherboard/chipset used in this very specific system. Intel made a very problematic config: One chipset with 2 memory slots for dual cores and another (same type) for quads with 4 slots. Someone got confused and made a mistake at the assembly.

 

If you're not too worried about the display's color reproduction or TPM, then the VAIO F Series would probably be your best option in terms of price/performance. You would need to buy an ExpressCard 34 or USB modem for 3G, and you would need to use eSATA or USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.0 for external storage.

You might eventually be able to enable TPM in the F series even if it doesn't come enabled; past Z models had it turned off until later firmware updates, which could even be applied to different Z models to turn TPM (and VT) on. Personally I think TrueCrypt is sufficient.

Right now I have an older VAIO Z model, one which can have both a hard drive and an optical drive. Newer Z's, which seem a little smaller and lighter, can only have SSDs and cannot be upgraded to use HDDs unless the optical drive is removed and an aftermarket caddy is used. SSD is not enough storage for me, and I don't want to carry around external drives. The F Series at least allows up to 640 GB of storage.

On the non-VAIO ones you and others mentioned, here's their biggest strengths:

HP 8740w: IPS DC2 display (whenever it returns as an option); durable.

Lenovo W701/W701ds: Most value (bang/buck), large storage potential (>1 TB), CF reader option, color calibration/tablet option, very customizable.

Lenovo W510: Smaller size, integrated WAN, color calibration option; multitouch screen option; but no built-in CF reader option; no RGB-LED display or Blu-Ray options (at the moment; they should come back).

Dell M6500: Slimmest of the 17" notebooks; Covet has edge-to-edge LED backlight option; but all M6500s are IMO too expensive for what you're getting; heavy too.

I'd say: If weight is a problem, go with VAIO F series; otherwise, go with the 8740w if IPS DC2 lives up to expectations; otherwise optionally go for the Lenovo W701/W701ds. The M6500, while slim and powerful, doesn't justify its price against the W7xx and 8740w alternatives. The VAIO F seems better than the W510 in terms of balancing size, weight, cost, features, etc. -- it has a bigger 1080p screen than the W510 (16.4" vs 15.6"), but at a lower cost and only a pound heavier (6.9 lb vs 5.9 lb). If you need the color calibration, WAN radio, and better color gamut of the W510, you might as well consider the 8740w, because you will spend more adding those features to the W510 and making it worth switching to from an F, than you will with simply going with the 8740w, meaning the decision of W510 or 8740w boils down to weight vs cost.

 

Just one more important info --Sorry want to help folks out before they pull the trigger..
This is the text found in the 8740W quick spec sheet.
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13543_na/13543_na.html
See it under the display section. The below text was there for a while.

"HP EliteBook 8740w Mobile Workstations with DreamColor technology are not available with HP Mobile Broadband."

For folks that ordered/will be ordering the 8740W with Mobile broadband and DC2, you may want to call multiple rep's/tech support folks to make sure if its indeed right. The stupid online ordering system doesn't stop you from picking the option.

 

All these incompatibility issues hint towards a BIOS update. I'm sure it will be resolved soon.

 

Whoa!
Look at this review!
It's a 8440p but has the same case build quality. Very impressive, especially the cooling! During stress tests (and those guys know how to stress a system ) the CPU stays under 70C almost on par with my alien! Given a 14" form-factor - Kudos HP! I'm almost certain now, there will be no big issues with our beasts.

 

but if dedicated graphic card and CPU are stressed, this could change things... same with my 8730w

 

Yeah I was looking at that review this morning and I thought of the same thing. Which is why I went and looked up the manual for 8440p which showed a very small HSF (compared to that of the 8740w).

Edit: my thoughts on the memory issue.

TBH, I am not surprised at all. New chipsets usually have issues with being able to handle the case where all memory slots are filled.
AFIAK similar things have happened for every desktop chipset to date. Esp. if you care about OC (which I do ).

Which is why my plan is to replace the 2GB with either a 2x2GB or 2x4GB as soon as I get my 8740w (whenever that will be ).

 

They stress the CPU under full load, including the IGP utiliZation (35W is the max TDP including the integrated, AFAIK)
To me. it's even more impressive, as my 520M never uses the IGP (the option is disabled permanently by the incompatible chipset type) and still has nearly same max temp.

 

You're comparing a Lexus SUV to a military Humvee. I can say this with certainty, having owned a VAIO AW at home and having used a 8530w at work.

The VAIO you mentioned is a consumer machine. It's a nice-looking one, but ultimately a consumer machine. It's designed for light use and occasional gaming, mostly at home. It's made of plastic and will show wear easily if you don't take care of it. Configurable options will be fewer and primarily positioned for media consumption and gaming. The post-sale support will be bare-bones, as cheap as Sony can get away with.

The EliteBooks (along with ThinkPad Ws and Precisions) are a completely separate class: mobile workstations, business machines. They are designed to be used at full power, all day, every day. They are built (with metal) to travel, to be dropped, to be spilled upon. Business machines are configurable and serviceable, allowing access to drive bays, memory, wireless module, video cards, processors, etc. Configurable options are positioned for work use: docking stations, special batteries, smart card readers, etc. If your EliteBook stops working, a human will come to your location by the next business day and either repair or replace the notebook on the spot.

Of course the VAIO F has a better price/performance ratio than the flagship EliteBook. That is to be expected, since the VAIO is significantly cheaper to produce and support. If price/performance is the overriding factor in your purchasing decision, then the 8740w probably is not the notebook for you. Rather, consider the 8740w if you value durability, versatility, support, and minimizing stoppage of work.

Then there's the DreamColor 2, which might be provably the best display ever sold on a notebook. If it's even half as good as we hope, it will be a game-changer all on it's own.

 

That is assuming that any of us will get a 8740w sometimes this year to tell about it.:wink:

Okay enough pessimism, but I do have a serious but OT question for you guys that have owned an Elitebook-like product for personal use:

When the repair person show up, do you feel the need to have either some snack or drink on hand to give it to them?

I swear, I would feel bad if someone comes to my place and fix something for me (even if it is their company's fault) and I didn't offer them some food and/or drink... :confused2:

 

Whilst I would love the power of the 8740w and W701, my back would hate the weight LOL. So i think, realistically, its down to the Lenovo W510 or HP 8540w (with DC2). The Lenovo is about 700usd cheaper than the HP configured with DC2 and FX 1800m. I like the Lenovo touchpad and built in calibrator and slightly less weight but like the HP's power. Anyone have any idea on the cooling and battery performance ability of both?

 

I hope the 8740w coloring is better than that of the 8730w but I don't think so

Since it is colored metal my 8730w shows signs of wear where the palms rest (I use only the internal keyboard/touchpad)

The 8710w has plastic for the palm rests but it is not colored as far as I know and shows almost no sign of wear.

 

Did you read the review in my sig? The performance is great, the cooling is adequate, on par with 8540w as I understand from their forum boards. You can run any modern game from mid settings and up to max in many cases, just don't play power-hungry games like Crysis for many hours as both systems will hit 90C+ on CPU and GPU.

 

There might be no backlit keyboard option for me
The Order Status page has been updated:
VM937AV#ABA KB DP 8740w US
It's the wrong one, right?
In the order summary that was sent to the warehouse it says:
VM929AV#ABA Backlit - Full-sized keyboard with numeric keypad and dual pointing devices (touchpad and pointstick) with scroll zone

Will see what the rep says, worst case scenario - will buy it separately later.

 

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what kind of screen does the entry level 8740w ($1999) come with? How do you know if you're getting the DC2 screen? And are there any benchmarks comparing the FirePro M7820 to the 2800m/3800m?

 

@sheltem, I am not sure what kind of screen you will get for the base config. Besides what has been listed officially for its name.

DC2 screen used to be an option that you can configure on the configuration page (it adds $500+ ) but it has disappeared as an configurable option for now.

I think the order for laptops with DC2 has exceeded their expectation, so they don't have the supply right now. (same goes for the backlit keyboard)

As for the GPU comparison. M7820 is supposed to be derived from the M5870 (consumer card), which should perform better than the current nV laptop GPUs.

 

The entry level probably has a 1440x900 screen and it's not a DC2! You need to add 570$ extra for the IPS option with a camera module.

Dunno about pro (CAD, DCC) performance comparison but the FirePro is on par (maybe slightly weaker) with a FX3800M and more powerful than a FX2800M in 3DMark06, it's also much stronger than even a FX3800M in Vantage. Plus, DX11 support. All in all it's much more efficient and future proof. Has about 50W Current Consumption (compared to 100W for FX3800M).

 

Seems so. Mine reads:
028059913 -- VM929AV#ABA -- 015 -- KB DP Backlit 8740w US

 

On phone with the warehouse now,...will know for sure in a few moments...crossing fingers.

 

Just don't let them take mine away to put on yours!

 

They fixed it!!! Whoa!
It's not on the website yet, but should be updated soon!

Forgot to ask about the EDD...Oh, c'mon.....