Envy 14 - UK Thread

the card is locked at the lowest speed which is 450mhz, and even on hp's non premium crappy dv6 range and acer/sony laptops the card is on 550mhz stock

 

have hp uk said anything about swapping a keyboard out?

 

just called HP 3 times and they say there's no way warranty can be used in the UK for an envy 14 from the USA? Can someone please tell me who's right? I really don't want to be stuck with a broken envy 14

 

Look at my post on the previous page mate - they said you can as long as the UK sells the Envy 14...which it will, so it should be fine.

The only issue is the screen, but I think they're going to do like the USA and sell the high res screen as a configuration upgrade.

It will cost about 200 more, but I'm starting to think I might wait...

 

i highly doubt that... never in HP UK's history have i seen upgrades, they have a bunch of pre built models and that's that.

 

I think this is the important part from your exchange with HP:

Given that HP use country-specific model numbers, I get the distinct impression an Envy 14 bought in the US will not be covered in the UK, as in the UK we'll be given a different Envy 14, with different parts (e.g. UK version of Windows rather than US), and therefore a different model.

 

i agree, you would have to have specs similar to the UK model for them to be able to do anything so only have an i5-450m processor, nothing else should affect whether UK accept warranty or not

 

guys should i stick with a crappy uk standard brightview display or get a radiance one in Canada while i'm there at the cost of a bilingual keyboard???

 

I would go for the 1600x900. I've decided I'm just going to bite the bullet and import as well...

 

yer i can't take it anymore... this laptop just sounds and looks too awesome

 

Haha!
Let me know how you guys get on
Me on the other hand, im still not sure, I love the E14 but the few niggles have put me off slightly, im tempted to get the Clevo B5100M (15.6", i5/i7 CPU, Nvidia 330M GT, 2.6KG) as it's actually going to be sold over here by Kobalt, so I wouldn't have to worry about importing or the warranty or the keyboard etc. It's just not as aesthetically pleasing as the Envy :/

*doesn't know what to do*

 

What niggles have put you off?

I am still in love with my Envy, its been the best laptop I have owned (And I have owned a lot).

Clevo laptops are good workhorses but the speakers are usually poor and the keyboards arent great. Kobalt are ok, but be prepared for a long wait, they took 4 weeks and constant nagging to get me my w870cu I ordered

 

I know, i know :/
This laptop milarky ain't easy

In regards to the niggles...

1) Importing, i've never done it before

2) Warranty, or lack of. After my Dell 1520 decided to give up the ghost after only 2 years I always said i'd never buy another laptop without having some sort of extended warranty. It's especially true if im going to be spending £1000+ on one.

3) Possibly having to RMA the machine - I fully accept that people that have problems make far more noise on forums than people who don't (such as yourself) but that doesn't change the fact that there are a lot of units with problems (CPU Whine, chassis imperfections etc). The laptop could arrive to me without a single issue in the world but do I really want to spend £1000+ to find out?

4) The underclocked 5650 - I know you have it and you've said that you can game fine using the clocks it's set at (and I think im right in assuming even a 5650 clocked at 450MHz is as quick, if not quicker than the 330M GT)...and as i've sat here typing that sentence it's made me realise that if it's still as quick then my alternative, how can it be a problem...hmmm...ANYWAY I still feel a bit cheated that i'm paying for a premium notebook and not getting a component that is at it's "peak" (that's probably not the right word to use at all, but you get my point)

Thats about all I can think of right now.

If i do go the Clevo route, it would be purely because of how much easier the entire process is, rather than the laptops specs

 

You are sure right! I have gone through a rediculous no. of laptops to find one that fits my needs (studio 1555, studio 1745, sxps 1640, m11x, m15x, clevo m860, clevo w870cu, sony vaio cw and the list goes on) Although some I have loved the majority had bugs/issues I just couldnt live with.

I can completely understand your reasons for not wanting to import, it is a risk. I got lucky I didnt receive a lemon. And the way I see it, if I have a problem with the laptop in the future I will just replace what ever is faulty at my own expense. The laptop is easy to work on and I am comfortable stripping a laptop down.

With regards to a 330m to an underclocked 5650 then the 5650 still wins hands down. I had a 330m in my vaio and even overclocked on a 1366 screen it didnt cut it for my needs. (It struggled in COD WOW in multi and I had to drop the settings right down, BFBC2 was poor, empire total war had to be played at low.
The 5650m even at 450 plays all the above games at 900p with med/high settings.

If you were talking a 335m then I would say it would be a close call as to which was more powerful. I have a 335m in the m11x but I cant really compare as the cpu bottlenecks it. It is also not a good overclocker, I can only get it to 525/850

My 5650m is a poor overclocker but I can get 500/900 and I hope if we can raise the voltage in the future we might see more.

The only thing I am working on now is improving battery life as I only get about 4h surfing and some people are getting over 5!

Oh and 1 final thing, I got SC2 yesterday and it is playing great at 900p high settings

 

Showoff!
Is SC2 good? It looks pretty fantastic but until I have a new laptop I don't have a computer powerful enough to run it!

Everytime I try and distance myself from the E14 you manage to pull me right back in! Hahaha. Is the 330M GT really that poor compared to the 5650...interesting, I was expecting a drop but maybe of only 5fps or something, not an entire level.

I'd be extremely happy with 4 hours battery life on a single charge, 5 would just be...orgasmic?

The bit I have bold is the bit I have a problem with though, im already struggling to comprehend buying a £1000 laptop (for a machine thats no more powerful than a £500/600 desktop but thats another argument), let alone then having to MAYBE replace a component or whatever at my own expense if it comes to me in any condition other than "perfect".

If HP UK would just sell the E14 with a similar spec to my sig, then I don't think i'd even be contemplating buying anything else (providing it wasn't something stupid like £1300)...I think what we can all take from this is that everything is HP UKs fault

Out of curiosity, did you ever ring HP about trying to get hold of a replacement keyboard? Not to worry if you didn't, just a friendly inquiry

 

I am getting a canadian envy 14-1050ca, the only problem i have with it is that it has a bilingual keyboard, but i tink i'll just order a new keyboard from HP parts and swap it out myself, it doesn't seem too hard to do after looking at the manual

 

If it's anything like the previous notebooks i've owned, it'll be a piece of cake!
Best of luck and enjoy it

 

Haha maybe, but if I had managed to get an E14 a year ago then I dont think I would swapping laptops every 5 mins Its nice to finally find a portable laptop with a bit of poke and decent battery! oh and that doesnt run so hot I cant use it on my lap and getting 3rd degree burns from the WASD keys!

I can totally see your points, and I agree, if HP UK bought out the E14 here with the 900p screen I would have snapped there hands off! I dont even care what else they put in as I would change it myself anyway.

Havent bothered phoning HP yet, I am loving the US keyboard so not sure I will even change it. I guess if I see them coming up cheap on ebay I will pick one up.

And I know where you are coming from, you can have a monster PC for half the price, I have been there, but once you have the joy of playing your favourite game on the sofa/bed/mates house without the hassle of carting a monster PC around you will be smitten

When ever we have a LAN party at a mates place, I laugh at them all struggling with their Rigs whilst I turn up, plop my laptop down and crack open a beer!

And back on the subject of the 330m vs 5650, dont get me wrong the 330m is an ok card, still mid level. But any intensive games will struggle on it and you will need to lower the settings to keep them above 30fps. Also most 330m's overclock nicely. I had mine at nearly 700/900 I think and it gave a good 3dmark06 score, its just the 48shaders that let it down on modern games.

And finally SC2 is great! Only played about 6 games against AI so still finding my feet (never played SC1, but I am a big COH/DOW2/Forged Alliance player)

 

See, you keep pulling me back in!
The ability to use the notebook on your lap and (although not at the same time) play games is quite a big "thing" for me. So the E14 is the best notebook you've used to date then?

If we are saying the 330M GT is going to struggle even at 900p is there really much point in considering it? I thought the Clevo was a good idea but perhaps maybe not so...Oh i don't know. I could go around and around like this forever!

I know what you mean about lugging equipment round for LAN parties though, when my Inspiron was new it played games pretty well (probably medium, much how im expecting my new laptop) and the enjoyment i'd get from being able to pick up and move without turning a shade of red was almost worth the cost of the laptop!
Im not too hung up about only being able to play on medium details, once im in game I concentrate on what I have to do that I almost always never actually look at the graphics...does that make sense? Lol

I want to play SC2 hahaha

 

Thanks appreciate it

 

Hi

the way the warranty works is like this:

the US warranty will cover you for nothing but phone support in the UK. You may purchase a warranty (for 2 yrs i think it was) from HP for around £60 which give you such services as HP pick up repair and drop off. For just over £100 you can get the full cover warranty which gives you everything including accidental damages.

these warranties will over write the US warranty making your Envy technically a UK product.

 

Do you have any more details on that, I don't see it on Kobalts website yet...

 

It's "coming soon", so it's not actually on the site yet but check back in the near future (im not sure exactly when)

Check out the Clevo/Sager forum though, there is a topic on it that is pretty active if you want to ask any questions

 

Envy 14 available in about 2 weeks according to HP. NO 1600x900 resolution tho for us

HP Envy 14-1000 Notebook PC series specifications - HP Home & Home Office products

Will anyone still buy??

 

nope, getting my dad to pick one up for me in canada, shud come out to $1550 so just under £999, for i5-430m 6gb ram and 640gb hdd + radiance display. Only problem is you get a french localized qwerty keyboard but i tink i'll be able to live with it.

 

If it doesn't have the 1600x900 screen, then not a chance in hell. Thats honestly the only problem I have with the spec if thats the one being released over here, i'd snap it up tomorrow otherwise. Shame

 

That's very disappointing.

So, at current exchange rates, HP have put the price up by over 23%, AND lowered the spec by downgrading the display panel.

Gee, thanks HP.

Do you think they ordered in some lube for shafting us all in the rear end?

I'd like to import one, I wonder if the ebay offer is still open that was discussed earlier in the thread?

 

There is still a few on ebay and opal cadet is back. She has double the price of shipping though which is a shame.

So far I havent received customs for mine, not sure how long it takes (when I spoke to fedex they said it would be £70 but they werent sure if I had been charged). If I dont get hit for customs then my Envy cost me £850

Just ripped out the DVD and popped in my 500gb HDD in there so now I have an intel x25m 160gb main drive and 500gb storage! This has now become my main machine, I have sold my desktop!

 

Nope not getting the Uk spec. Will be getting from the US.

Seems that the us base spec comes with a 1366x768 screen now. The 1600x900 is available as a $200 upgrade!! but the base price has gone down from 1099 to 999.

So basically those who ordered early got a better deal I think.

 

yup you'll have to pay $100 more now...

Has anyone tried buying extended warranty from HP for their US envy 14? I just want to be sure that my canadian envy 14 will be covered in the UK

 

I asked a while ago (somewhere in this thread) and have been specifically told that " HP don't sell warranties", now that may change once the E14 is officially out over here but until then you'll either have to go without and risk it or constantly annoy them and hope that it's enough for them to change there minds.

I think im going to import the E14 too, had a look and using Paypal the configuration I want comes out at £832, not bad at all, if I add customs charges of say £100 then I have a few bob left over...I just need to find a seller that doesn't charge in excess of £100 P&P (scandalous)

 

You can try some of the US Post box services that forward mail to the UK. They charge less than £100 if not wrong. I am thinking of doing that but not sure if it works.

 

Has anybody actually bought an envy from the UK yet? Does anyone know why its taking so long for them to officially announce it. I saw the bloody thing on an M$ ad on Cnet and Cnet themselves haven't even reviewed it!

Gah! I don't even know if I want it

 

Cheers for that. I've not even heard of these services so i'll have to investigate it.

According to the link that JayJayTG posted ( HP Envy 14 - UK) the Envy 14 is available and should be with you within 2 weeks

 

I've been examining importing arrangements overnight and it's looking pretty borderline.

Ninja got a good deal when he did it, and I'm not sure any of us now will be able to get that kind of value.

HP have lowered the price of the base unit by $100, but made the 1600x900 panel a $200 upgrade, giving a net $100 increase in US price.

Ninja got away with very low import duties which I don't think any of us can bank on (his seller under reported value, which is risky for insurance purposes). Checking on the HM Customs & Excise website, it looks to me that there's no duty to pay on a laptop bought from the US, but that VAT at 17.5% is payable on the total order value (including your postage cost). That will be be £175 on an order of a grand (for you maths dummmies ), plus the carrier will likely add a £10 or £20 fee on top for handling the VAT collection/payment.

Ninja also got a good deal on the postage from his seller, who has now doubled their cost to $160. All the other ebay sellers are also charging similar amounts, and if you go direct to FedEx/UPS etc then that's what they will quote you with insurance for it, I tried 'em last night.

So, with the price having gone up, the expensive postage fees, and 17.5% VAT on the total, the whole import thing looks pooched to me.

Someone else upthread mentioned the mail forwarders, but I'd be very careful about that. Look at their websites and they are very expensive, and the cheaper ones throw up lots of very dodgy comments when you google them. Reports of items going missing, refunds being refused etc. When you think about it, using one of those firms is asking for trouble. You basically would be spending a grand on a lappy, and posting it to someone you don't know, on another continent, and just trusting them to post it to you. You'd have no legal protection or insurance, and there's just sooo many ways that could end in tears.

I'm gutted really, coz this looked perfect for me, and I was looking to buy something in the next 6 weeks or so. Grrr.

 

Yeah, it looks like you got a cracking deal that the rest of us now won't likely be able to match. You sound really pleased with it, which is great. I'm frustrated because buying a new laptop should be a really enjoyable experience - comparing all the latest shiny toys and choosing just what you want. The whole thing is soured though because of how badly us UK buyers get gouged by the pricing, it leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.

I'm not defeated yet though, I have a plan!

This is very interesting, can you give us a bit more info on how to do this please? I see from youtube clips that the rear panel of the Envy 14 comes off easily giving access to the mobo and other internal components, so is this job reasonably straightforward?

Unplug and unscrew the optical drive, drop in the HDD, screw down and connect? Method and tips would be appreciated if you have the time to explain.

With the Envy 14 being a slot loading optical, I suppose the outer casing stays intact and the new HDD just sits neatly behind the thin opening, nice and discrete?

 

Check out VIAddress : The Global Leader in Package Forwarding they do it, and they are quite cheap. I considered going that route, but found it easier to order on ebay. But then my shipping was only £60 for a 2 day service!

 

Yeah, I did get quite lucky ordering when I did, but I took a risk as nobody had a E14 when I ordered so it could have been a sack of s***.
Fortunately it has been the best laptop purchase I have ever made. It has a couple of niggles (fan changes pitch a lot on idle which I am sure will be ironed out with a BIOS update). But no serious issues like every dell/acer/clevo I have owned.

So what is this plan you have?

With regards to the ODD to HDD swap, it was quite easy. Took me 20mins.
You are right the whole base comes off, but you also need to remove the top panel. Its quite straight forward, with about 12 screws and the keyboard cables to life the panel off.

Once the top panel is off just unscrew the ODD and remove the cable then drive.
You will need a 9.5mm ODD bay, I unfortunately only had a 12.5mm to hand so I butchered it. I am ordering a 9.5mm so when I put it in I can take photo's

 

Nothing sophisticated. When I was grumbling to a friend about the situation this morning, he reminded me he's off to Vegas for a mini break in about 7 weeks, and so he could bring one back for me (Woohoo!).

If I can make it work, it would be US prices, and no import duty or VAT. I've got my spec worked out - i5-450M, 4GB Ram, 160GB SSD, 1600x900 screen etc, and it all works out at less than the £999 Toshiba want for the lower quality panel with the standard HDD here in the UK (I might go with 6GB Ram, need to think a bit more on that one).

I'm going to need to find a way to get it delivered and stored for a little while in the US, because I doubt HP will deliver it to his hotel, but I'm sure I can come up with something.

Nice, thanks for the SSD transplant info. Pictures from when you put in the new 9.5mm bay would be much appreciated.

If I can successfully get my own Envy 14, I'll be doing the same mod and so a visual guide would be very helpful.

Thanks again.

 

Been away for a couple weeks, get back and things are just as confused as when I left, whyyyy can I buy a 14 here: http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF06a/321957-321957-3329744-3995710-3995710-4173527.html but not here: http://h40059.www4.hp.com/uk/homelaptops/index.php

Rarr!

David

 

hey David

are you going to purchase the Envy 14 from the UK regardless of the low resolution non-radiance screen?

Jay

 

Hey everyone

althought HP are selling the Envy 14 for £999 there is a way to get a lower price on the website it seems. I checked out the Envy UK Website and clicked onto the Envy 14 then the buy now button and i get my total coming to £816.63 including VAT is recons. give it a go (if it hasnt changed by the morning)

High Performance Laptops w/ Free Audio Software | HP ENVY 14 Features

so if any of you dont care about the screen resolution you might want to jump in quick and get this price. not like they can ask for more money once you have purchased.

heres the direct link to it:

http://h41306.www4.hp.com/itemDetails?SID=948a9f130624f85aa940d22c079ebaf5304:1223&sku=BWN967EAFP

 

I dessssperately want the radiance, but I'm getting my laptop though a uni grant, so it needs to be bought from the UK also want the warranty too.

Really wanted a 14 when I found out about it, but it doesn't look like we'll be getting the high res screen, and to be honest, kind of fed up of being messed about by HP - spent the last hour specing a Dell Studio 15, not what I wanted, but not sure there's another option - anyone know of any 14" high res lappys with a decent sound system???

Thanks for those links though Jay

David

 

Excellent find Jay
Just a shame it has that resolution
You are the resident NBR UK Bloodhound

 

a virtual beer for the man indeed!

David

 

Thanks Guys

Virtual Beer accepted and much needed

DAM HP!

 

If you buy from the UK dont forget 8% quidco and look for discount vouchers, there is often a 5% floating about

So who is going to be first to order and try the 1366 screen?

 

I don't think warranty on a US model will be an issue here in the UK. The HP website confirms that they offer a global warranty on HP products, explaining that if you take an item from one country to another, as long as HP have a presence and a service network in that new country, they will continue to look after you.

See here:

HP warranty - frequently asked questions

HP warranty - frequently asked questions

That information comes direct from HP themselves, and it confirms that a UK consumer would be entitled to expect warranty service here in the UK on an HP item bought in another country.

If you actually did have a problem with a US E14 model here in the UK, I guess it might need some effort to get past the call centre droids who will get all confused and "computer says no" when you explain the situation, but I'm sure you could deal with that eventually and get them to fix it.

Warranty isn't a problem. Getting an E14 to the UK without being reamed by postage and VAT/import fees is the main difficulty.

 

On your own mate!
Im sure it's a nice screen, my last notebook was only 1280x800 so 1366 would actually be an upgrade for me!
But the answer is still no!
Hahaha

 

hahaha I know, but you can bet someone will order one to save the hassle of getting it from the USA
I would love to compare the two. I hope PC World get some soon so I can check them out.
With how good my screen is I reckon it was worth the hassle and risk of getting it from the USA