*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (1XXX series) Owners Lounge*

Is the Beats Limited Edition Envy15 any different from a normal Gen2 Envy15, heat-wise? Meaning, does the Limited Edition have better cooling than the normal Envy15? Thanks.

 

logicbuy.com just posted a $200 coupon for all those interested, it expires after 1,350 uses.

$200 Coupon for HP ENVY 17 Core i5 or Core i7 Laptop - LogicBUY

 

Neilk47,

I think there are more people on this board that are actually really enjoying their Envys. I for one absolutely love mine. It has worked flawlessly and I haven't had any problems that people have listed here. I do have a i5 so heating isn't really a problem with my laptop. I don't have any buyers remorse and would recommend this laptop to anyone.

 

Im about to purchase a i5 Envy 17 as i need a laptop by August 3rd....

I just got rid of my full ATX gaming rig with a OC'd Q6600 and 8800GTS that ive had for 3 years because i dont really play games anymore.

Question is....

1) Will the Envy 17 run alright for 24/7 (reason i ask is cause i had a XPS M1530 that i ran light duty but for for 24hrs a day and it gets really hot )

2) I am planning to get the 2 year accidental warranty... will i be able to claim my warranty if my laptop gets smashed, plunged into water, run over by a tractor.. etc. (i will be doing a lot of traveling within the next 2 years)

3) should i consider about getting a G73 if i will be running it 24/7 plugged in...

Thanks for the help this thread is very helpful... I wish there were cheaper 1920x1200 or 1920x1080 15-17" laptop alternatives ^_^

 

If you don't play games, why do you wan't the Envy? It has a powerful Radeon 5850. But to answer your questions

1. It should run 24/7 fine, most laptops do.

2. I'm thinking that's what accidental warranty covers, so yea if it "gets run over by a tractor" you should be fine

3. A G73 would do just as well as the Envy running 24/7. But if your not gaming I'm not sure you'll need that laptop either.

Besides the two mentioned above other alternatives include the Sony Vaio F, Dell XPS 16, Sager NP2180, Sager NP 8690/8760, Alienware m17x, and the MBP 17. All of which have Full HD 1080p resolutions.

 

I am returning my second Envy17, this time due to the high pitched buzzing sound. The first time was due to faulty RAM (couldn't even play the sample video without major stuttering, out of the box). I have seen a few other reports of the high pitched buzzing problem but really don't know how common a problem it is.

I am happy with the laptop overall and I think the issues I have had are mostly just bad luck. I would still recommend this, if you can get it for a good price.

 

Thanks for the reply =)
Like i said.. i dont really play games anymore but i would like to have something that i can move around with and be able to play light games like Starcraft 2 or League of Legends.... I know the Envy is a bit overkill for these games but once a gamer always a gamer....

Last question hopefully....

Is the return/exchange relatively straight forward if I do not like the Envy 17?

Im ready to burn a hole in my wallet with the $200 Discount Code....
Anyone find a better deal?

 

I finally have my envy17. Received it on the 15th after having placed the order around 9am EST on the 19th of May. It was a long wait but I was able to take advantage of the BCB 25% plus an additional 10% from HP due to the delay.
I've been through all the drama with the rest of you (ordering and then canceling through Amazon) reading every page of every envy thread and I'm happy to say that the wait was worth it.

I purchased a MacBook pro for my wife when the refresh was made this spring. I was due for a new PC myself (current machine was 4 years old, prone to crashing, and not always starting). I had been looking at my wife's new computer with....um...envy since giving it to her and was almost ready to leave the pc world and go with Apple. Gaming and my PC based company made me search for a windows based laptop of similar quality. This eventually brought me to HP. I've honestly never really thought much of the company due to past printer issues. Many posts here made me even more anxious but the 21 day return period gave me the confidence I needed to purchase.

HP has been nothing but kind, helpful, and professional throughout the whole
process. I got the i5 - 540 6GB RAM 160ssd and 500GB hdd FHD screen, and blu ray drive. We all know that it's not a solid piece of aluminum like the MacBook pro but it's still a very sturdy solid feeling design. The balance is perfectly fine, and there are no bent parts, uneven buttons, or high pitched sounds coming from the machine (so far as I can tell). The bloatware was less than the list of typical hp software I saw in another thread. Ssd gives this a VERY quick bootup so I only uninstalled stuff I didn't want.

Heat with an i5 is fine. It's hot by the main vent (top left) but I can leave my hand there without the desire to pull it away. It's a thin and light (for it's size) laptop so the heat has to go somewhere. I installed my steam games and WoW but only played around with WoW for a few minutes. 1080p play was maxed and smooth. My future business trips are going to be FAR more enjoyable now once the day is done. Can't wait for Civ 5!!!

The trackpad is very good IMO. Not as great as the MacBook but how could it be on a windows based laptop? I see no stuttering of the mouse and the
settings can be tweaked.

I was also nervous about the pattern on the lid. It's very subtle in person and I actually kind of prefer it now over that of the MBP.

I'm sorry to see a few people here having problems - have hope though - properly built units do exist. I'm hoping my positive experience continues. I'm also hoping the BCB comes through (still pending) otherwise I'll have some explaining to do

If you're on the fence, I say go for it and return it if it doesn't meet your expectations. 21 days is a great move on HPs part and I thank them for that peace of mind when making such a large investment. Enjoy everyone!

 

I think I've said this heaps now... I was very hapy with the laptop as a whole. It's just the wobble, once that is sorted I will be happy
The heat was fine to me, no buzzing and the trackpad was adequate. Everything ran smooth and as it should, without a wobble it would be worth the huge ammount I paid.

 

Great to hear from the happy owners of I7 since my needs are minimal compared to some, Unless I get a lemon that freezes up a lot or doesn't boot up regularly,, then I should be happy.

I must admit I have become mercentary since I got an additonal $200 refund. to be paid after I receive my E17. I will watch weekly for any other price reduction. Even with my 25% bcb discount, I spent alot because I got the 4 year warranty with accident protection - probably too much.

 

Yep 21 full return policy. You don't like it send it back and you will get a full refund, probably just not shipping, not 100% on the shipping part though.

Question why do you want to leave your laptop on 24/7?

Unless BCB is going to offer 25% between now and when they shut down on July 30th that will probably be your best deal.

 

I plan to leave it on 24/7 cause it will be my desktop for 1 year (moving around a lot) and I need to upload or download a lot.

I will build myself a new desktop but since i have a buyer for my old rig i think i will splurge a bit on a nice notebook (too bad its a glossy screen tho ><)

Hey GRATS Mbot.... great to hear that the Envy i5 is working out for you...

Im going to purchase it once i get home ^^

BTW if they offer a coupon code that gives $300 discount instead of the current $200 discount... how would i go about to get that extra $100 discount?

 

My Envy 17 seems to be fine aside from a minor cosmetic issue and an ESC key that seems to have a very slight tilt to the right. Still have quite a list of software to install. And so I keep chugging along.

99 more bottles of beer in my belly, 99 more bottles of beer. Gulp one down and throw it around, 100 more bottles of beer in my belly.

 

HP sends you a FedEx shipping label, which you print and affix to the original shipping box. You drop the package at FedEx and as soon as it's in FedEx's system, HP credits your refund. Couldn't be simpler.

 

I just uploaded a new video of my Envy17 playing Dirt2 on a 2 monitor Eyefinity setup. Not quite as good as 3 monitors but still heaps better than 1

YouTube - Envy 17 Eyefinity with 2x 4:3 monitors

 

congrats!

10char

 

@Tim

Can you elaborate on the adapter compatibility? Are Dell dongles identical to HP and does the computer recognize the Dell adapter and register as charging on the task bar?

 

Hate to be the one that brings this up but has anyone been experiencing a blank screen on cold boot?

I've had my 17 for about a week and im afraid to say it definitely has some display issues somewhat similar to what I hear about the 15's. When you boot the machine after it has been off for a period of time (4-5 hours or more). The screen is blank and the OS boots in the background. The only way I have been able to get it back is to force reboot via power button and power cycle. Then the display is back. After that initial issue I can reboot/shutdown, whatever i need and the display will be fine until I let it stay off for a long period of time again. I updated the BIOS and checked the graphics driver, etc.. Everything seems to be up to date.

I'm still in my 21 day window so if I cant figure it out soon im going to swap it out with another. I'm beginning to think its a hardware problem.

 

Had an old HP pavilion dv2845se that did the same thing. Do you happen to notice, when the screen is black, small bluish dots along the top of the screen? Ive almost given up trying to fix the problem but i cant force myself to just get rid of the laptop. I "think" it might be software related but ill have to tinker with it more. hope this doesnt happen on my Envy, if I EVER get it!

 

Mine has shipped, five days earlier than anticipated. Will be delivered on the 23rd.

 

YouTube - HP Envy 17 keyboard flex

Hope it doesn't affect all models

 

Has been discussed like a week ago.

 

Sure that it is ok? I can't see it, why?

 

Well... so much for my positive experience...
Working on my laptop today I looked up at the top left hinge and noticed that the case started to warp away from the keyboard base due to the heat from the vent...



All the stories I hear about exchanges here make me think it can only get worse if I took that route. I saved $900 on this laptop and am happy otherwise.

Can anyone recommend a glue that would withstand heat and keep this in place?

 

nice video! do u mind making a video that showcases the laptop exterior?
similar to this YouTube - Asus U30JC 13.3" Notebook, Core i3, nVidia G310M w/Optimus Technology

anyway, i've repped you for your awesome vids

 

Gorilla glue.

 

Nice thanks!
Now I just need to be careful with it.

 

Using this post as my cue, I called HP just now to "express my disappointment" over the recent price change for RAM. I was firm, but polite. The telephone connection was too poor for me to use my "angry customer voice".

The rep reviewed my original order using the order number, and then, after holds, conversations with superiors, and a couple call-backs by HP to find a workable telephone connection, HP credited me the full difference between my May 19 config and price and today's HP price for the same config. This was well over the $200 drop in RAM.

Other potential factors in HP's decision: my Envy shipped on the third projected ship date, the first two having been missed.

It was a complicated conversation, but worth the effort.

 

Good deal on getting the $200 credit. I got the same. And yesterday called HP to complain and ask why everybody is lying. Got sent to resolution department who said they can offer me "more compensation" for my late delivery promises. Expecting a call today at around 5 Central. Will see what happens. Supposed ship date is today. Their system still says expected to ship on the 15th. Seriously! You cant update your system to display ANYTHING else! lolz

 

hope you guys enjoy your envy 17. mine was really perfect looking in terms of the casing (no defects), just got too hot to handle the kb comfortably.

 

If you keep the hard drive spinning, meaning that you keep writing on it for hours on end, the palm rest above does get a bit uncomfortable. Luckily, the IRST driver handles turning off the drive when it is not in use.

 

If you guys return your Envy's for whatever reason, be ABSOLUTELY SURE to retain your shipping label from FedEx. I shipped two Envy15s back awhile ago and they only claimed to receive ONE. Even though you could clearly see it was signed by NAME by an HP employee, I still had to go talk to the resolutions dept. to get credit.

I'm sure if I didn't keep the tracking numbers, FedEx could look it up, but don't take the chance and lose a couple grand.

 

Just a note on heat on the i7. It does get VERY hot in the rear left and under the palm on the left side - enough to be bothersome. But consider I'm doing desktop level virtualization and graphic editing, I'm not too upset.

Also, I slapped in the 9 cell batter and simply elevating the fan vents has dropped my temps from about 70 to around 65 depending on what I'm doing.

All in all, I'm still very much loving it.

I think all the heat haters should realize you're getting desktop performance in a thin, stylish laptop. I an curious to see what kind of heat the i7 MBP's generate under load.

 

I'm honestly more disgruntled at the placement. Even if they were stuck on using one fan and one exhaust, if they just put the darn thing on the right side instead of the left, I'd have ZERO issues. My hand is never on the numpad, and I would wager a good deal to bet that most users spend a majority of their time not resting a hand on the right side either.

Unfortunately that's not a fixable option at this point. I'm gonna get a gamepad for gaming, and am considering a downgrade to i5 so this thing doesn't melt itself to an early grave.

 

Even the i5?

 

mine says shippped today for 23th delivery. that's great and not so great, I was hoping to get the 10% credit for delayed shipping. nevertheelss I want it soon ;getting tired of very old dell desktop. so i'm satisfied

I guess the negative publicity shut off the manic purchasing of last month.

Hope they were able to clean up their act and improve quality control. I doubt it thourgh. Companies don't work that fast.

 

Any there any current issues on the envy 17's? I'm probably getting an i5 so heat should be a minor issue if anything. Thanks

 

@roastedpork

Don't mean to be rude, but did you even read at least the last 3 pages or even bother to read the reviews that are linked in the first post of this thread?

Your question has already been answered numerous times. Please take a good look through this thread.

 

yeah, even with the i5 the palmrest gets hot. The second hd is what actually contributes to the heat problem.

by the way, don't like being called a "heat-hater." I have an Envy 15 Gen 2 with an i7. A warm notebook doesn't bother me at all, especially one that performs so well. A notebook that actually makes my hand unconfortable from the heat dissipation, that's a problem for me.

 

In his defense, there are 1,800 posts in this thread. If you're not keeping up with it daily, it's hard to sift through all 184 pages. The amount of effort placed on society is less if he makes a post than if he actually reads it all.

 

Well said.

Moreover, there is no guarantee that what a poster is looking for is "3 pages back." And since most of the owner's threads are not set up in a standard format where one can find reviews and other info on the first post, nor does clicking on the thread when logged in direct you to the first post but rather that latest post, regular posters should be mindful and patient with new posters and simply direct them to what they are looking for.

 

Can you comment on fan noise versus an envy 15 gen 2? I own one as well and besides heat, I find the fan noise on the 15 a bit too loud/constant when I'm in business meetings.

If the 17 is quieter when doing presentations or running VMware images (but still doing fairly non-cpu / non-gpu intensive tasks) than the envy 15 then that's a big plus in my book...

 

Well, HP has just missed their 3rd estimated ship date. Has this happened to anyone else on this thread or is this unprecedented?

 

I guess, if you haven't been watching this thread since it's inception, then you would not know if your question has been answered already or not.

Hmmm, the first post of this thread already has some helpful links on it. Maybe an FAQ would be helpful. I would be willing to compile one.

@roastedpork

Again, I was not trying to be rude. I apologize if I offended you. Here is a brief answer to your question.

Known issues:
1. Excessive heat from some owners with the i7
2. Gaps between the upper and lower portion of the chassis
3. Reports of clicking sound during music playback
4. High-pitched whining, but could be due to processor voltage regulation circuitry
5.Uneven laptop base, reports of wobbling when placed on a flat surface, reports of rubber feet not correctly fixed onto laptop base
6. Reports of dead 6-cell battery, but HP has been quick to ship out new batteries
7. Shipment delay
8. Low 4k read speeds with SSD, possible controller issue, possible to fix with firmware?

@itarmstrong

You are the first one. Give HP a call and ask to speak with a supervisor. I did that when HP missed my ship date and I let them have it. They send me the delay notice 3 days after my ship date and they have the nerve to tell me that the ship date is not a ship date but a build date? It said in my account that it was the ship date.

Anyway, call them up and complain. HP needs to hear this.

 

I've been following this thread for a long time, and I've commented sometimes too, and I decided to get the Alienware M17x.
I'm spending about $3,000 USD on a laptop, and I can get a much better graphics card, complete metal alloy build and awesome cooling for about $300 more, plus a pair of Alienware headphones. And wicked looks
Oh, and did I mention the 3 Year Advanced Warranty?
If you have about $2,500 - $3,000 on your hands for a good laptop that will last you a long time, get the Alienware.
I have this weird feeling that the Envy won't last too long (heat ruins hardware). You can customize it much cheaper if you go through the EPP (Employee Purchase Program)
Anyway, my two cents

 

Depends on how you are counting. Are you including the original ship date?

Me:

Original Estimated Ship Date (missed)
Telephone Rep's First Late Ship Date (missed)
Telephone Rep's Second Late Ship Date (missed)
Telephone Rep's Third Late Ship Date (met)

My scenario resulted in HP calling me to say that they would give a 10% discount on the price.

 

the fan on the 17 is pretty darn quiet, except when gaming for a while, then it kicks into overdrive. Even then its still quieter than the 15, simply b/c the 15 has 3 fans.

for the person buying the Alienware M17X, really nice laptop, but a good bit heavier and bigger than the Envy 17.

 

Had a rep call me today with a shipping date of today, 6/18/2010. My original ship date was the 15th. Have never had a delivery date or told it was shipped. Just called and said i was annoyed with how they were handling things. I was offered an additional 10% back if the laptop does not ship tonight. Kinda hoping its late! Just call and say your upset and you could cancel at any time and they should be more than willing to give you a deal. Total savings as far as i can tell: 10% E.P.P., 10% late delay, $200 from RAM price drop. all in all over $700 saved.

 

finally, mine shipped today...after almost a month of wait. and for those of you like itarmstrong3, i actually got my 10% after my second delay. and it's shipped to fedex now.

 

Fair point but you have to at least take into account the fact that there are over 180 pages. And i have read several things about the computer but want to just confirm whether these problems are still in existence or have been fixed, a review posted in the first post wouldn't really counter for how long it's been out hence why I asked whether there still are any problems left or coming about. Thanks for your post otherwise.

edit: Didn't even realize there were answers, so thanks for that I'll have a look. Also I didn't mind the rudeness so don't worry.