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

I know this may not be the right place to post this as it is a lounge and not a buy thread...but I feel its most relevant here and also might help.

The envy 17 that I receive will be going directly on sale as soon as it is received in an effort to purchase an envy 14. It will be fully sealed with a full warrantyn and proof of purchase. If anyone is interested the model is 1090ca and the laptop is prettty much top of it's class. Pm would be the easiest way to get a hold of me.

 

2.5 inch ssd

Your choice Intel X25-M 80gb or the 160gb

You can also go for the Corsair brand.

 

I am sure that the buyer would want to know if the unit has a wobble or gaps or any major cosmetic defect.

 

Can anyone recommend any power supplies? Does anyone know the tip size of the plug? I would like an extra one for my house and extra for office.

I currently have the 120W Kensington Air, which works well, but gets pretty hot under gaming. I'm wondering if the Ebay 120w OEM or knockoff's can handle the heat? I searched for 120W HP HDX18 adapters.

 

Does anyone know if it comes with a dual band wireless card?

Plus mine is coming in today.

 

Hmm so do you think I should open it first and check?

 

i was curious as to if anyone could lend some help on removing and reinstalling the touchpad, the top right corner of mine does not sit flush with the comp and sometimes the left click will get stuck, i contact hp and they said to send it in but with school starting in a week i cant be computerless, i considered geeksquad or something but i feel confident that i can do this myself,

 

For the plug size, check out this right angle adapter/connector: Right Angle Converter for Dell and HP Laptop Power Adapters - LC90

This link shows detailed views and dimensions for the plug regardless of whether you are interested in the connector.

Do check the reviews for the entry that includes a picture of the 120W adapter plug and the right angle connector. I wrote this review and used it to show how the right angle adapter had to be modified to work. The problem was with the plastic case, not the connector itself.

As an aside, the bad text formatting within the review was a result of the website interface.

As for other adapters, just be sure you have enough wattage.

 

Regarding the Intel X25-M or the Corsair brand SSD drive. Do you propose these because they are great drives or because these are the only ones that will work with the Envy 17? Anyone who has any experiance using Kingston SSDNow V Series V+, Corsair SSD Force Series or Crucial SSD M225 series?

Thanks!

 

@BennyPac

Thanks for the info. This is what I had to do with a few of my headphone plugs when the iPhone first came out haha

I'm going to see if I can find a 180W adapter, which should run much cooler when gaming.

Update: I just ordered this one for $50 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230477659713&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I'll let you know if it works when I get it.

 

I recommended the Intel X25-M because it is regarded as the best on the market today. And I personally installed one on my Envy 17. I've read of some other members who have installed the Corsair.

All 2.5 inch SSD will work with the Envy 17 regardless of the brand.

If you go to newegg.com you can find dozens of reviews regarding the brands you mentioned.

 

Just FYI, saw these on sale on Amazon at $13.50 shipped. Going to try this out with 9 cell battery. Beats paying for a $50+ Notebook cooler.

Amazon.com: Thermaltake Mobile Fan II External USB Cooling Fan - Us: Electronics

 

I bought a 240gb OCZ Vertex 2 when Amazon's price temporarily dipped down to $580 and it's been working well in the few tests I've done so far with it and the Envy 17. It's larger and faster than the Intel, and reviews so far are outstanding, but the price is obviously a lot higher and its reliability hasn't been proven to the extent that the Intel G2's has.

Some things to keep in mind, regardless of which SSD you choose:

1. You won't be able to use HDDErase to secure erase the SSD inside the Envy17. This is because you can't turn off AHCI in the Envy's BIOS. I secure erased mine using the Windows port of hdparm and an eSATA docking station. For the next round, after all the installing and benching that will have messed it up a bit, I plan on using hdparm from an Ubuntu Linux boot DVD using the instructions found here (no installation on the Envy required). This doesn't work without temporarily unplugging the SATA cable though, since the Envy's BIOS freezes out the drive and won't allow it to be erased. You can also obviously just remove the drive and erase it from another machine.
2. If you don't want to start out right away with a fresh Windows installation on your SSD, you can use something like Acronis True Image Home 2010 to backup your primary drive and restore it to the SSD. You won't have alignment problems (at least I didn't) because the Envy's drives are already aligned properly and Acronis maintains this alignment. I was even able to do a partial restore that included only the OS and SYSTEM partitions, getting rid of the space-consuming RECOVERY partition (and HP_TOOLS while I was at it). The SSD booted perfectly the first time after the restore, with no need to use a Windows DVD to repair anything. If you don't want to pollute your new Envy with an Acronis installation, you can install the software on a different machine, burn the bootable media from it, and from then on, just use the DVD for nothing but cold backups/restores on your Envy.
3. Be very careful running benchmarks on the SSD. These can severely degrade its performance.

PhotoDiver

 

Has anyone thought about grabbing one of these bad boys? A really cheap price and also some pretty big performance gains on repeated runs.

SEAGATE 500GB 7200RPM 16MB BUFFER, SERIAL ATA II/300, 2.5INCH, SEAGATE MOMENTUS 7200.4 : Storage, Drives & Backup | Dell

 

@ LanceDaGod
thanks alot that gives me hope that i will get mine in alittle early ^^

mine still in production ahhh the wait is killing me

id guess i have to wait until next thursday or friday to get mine

i wouldnt mine getting on friday becuase i want to get off work on that day so i have a 4 day weekend

 

i think mine will be here by friday/monday or tuesday. Hoping i wont be disappointed

 

@palatkik
How many hours do you usually get with the 9 cell and do you recommend me getting the 9 cell battery as well?

@angryundead
Most of my highschool career I didnt use my locker because it was out of the way for most of my classes, so I'm used to carrying around a backpack thats 12-15 lbs anyway, until I got to drive to school. I dont expect my books to be that heavy on most days and on days with many classes, I always have my car to store the extra books.

 

Sorry, had the Envy nearly 3 weeks and haven't used it on battery only yet. I am expecting about 3 hours use based on other reports I read, but that is not running anything too powerful, just office docs and web access. I bought the Amazon unit 1011NR which came with a DOA 6 cell battery and a working 9 cell battery. I also swapped out the o/s HDD for an Intel 160GB SSD so may save some power there, but did that mostly for speed gains.

 

I read that their changing the Envy 17, to make it be cooler...

Have they done it already? And how do I know is it the new or the old I'm buying?

And is the i5 versions RAM 1333? And is i5 enough powerfull for the 5850? (Can't get any other version)

 

where did u read this?

 

What is this "secure erase" for?

 

Well I received my Envy 17 and it had slight flaws to it. I have the dreaded wobble and the plastic bezel on the keyboard near the spacebar is not sitting flush with the rest of the body.

I removed the keyboard per the guide in the first page and when I removed the keyboard, there was a lot of flex in the board. PLASTIC! It had a plastic backing which is unusual because in lot of the laptops I've disassembled/repaired it would have a metal backing. I guess people were complaining about keyboard flex.

Sorry for no pics, however I can post up upon request if wanted.

RMA it goes. I bought an expensive laptop and I expect great quality. Either I've would've gotten a cheaper one, but I bet it would have a better build quality.

 

Have you attempted to fix the wobble?

 

a refresh or update makes sense. sent mine back to hp due to an electrical high pitched noise. turns out they need to replace the motherboard. infinite loop batch file reduces the noise but raises cpu temps. also i didnt notice much difference in heat with and without turboboost installed

 

do you guys think if im getting the envy 17 as a replacement, i could just call in customer service, and say that the laptop is sealed, and I have the packing slip which is pretty much the only thing u get as a proof of purchase when you get a replacement, and ask to swap it with an envy 14, they would do it?

 

@ a2puri Read it here, HP Envy 17 Review - See This Laptop's Great Features
Didn't notice when it's written, maybe they have already done this...
Or then I understood wrong.

Is the heat really that bad in the HP? Like is it usable if I'm using it on desk and let's say play CoD4 with max. settings for 2-3 hours? (I assume you can play it max. with those parts ._.) Also, I'm buying the i5 version, is it cooler?


EDIT: Also noticed they mention something about cooling here http://h20435.www2.hp.com/t5/Voodoo-Blog/HP-Envy-14-and-17-notebook-Big-Changes-for-Less/bc-p/55954
"The dimensions of the notebooks increase slightly -- 1.5mm, to be precise. That buys the Envy better insulation, heat shields and venting. The perforations in the bottom allow for the better airflow control. And the Battery slice for the Envy 14 has little grooves to dissipate heat. Something that you've got to keep in mind, you try pushing a high-end CPU, it's bound to give off some heat."
Noticed now that it's probably made already, since it's last edited in May.

 

Why ask anyone here? Simply call HP and propose the deal to them. Make sure you get the rep's name. Actually, you should speak with the rep's manager.

HP would likely be happy to give you a cheaper computer.

 

thats what i was thinking as well, but then i went online onto HP's Refund/Exchange policy, and they say that they will not accept any returns or refunds for laptops from tech support, spare parts etc etc.

HP Canada - Returns and Refunds

My case manager has already done a lot for me, and when i asked her for an envy 14, she said it was not available and that the 17 was the only thing she had in her inventory.

Anyhow, I'll call up hp right now and see what they say.

thanks for the advice 2.0

i wish someone just swapped their envy 14 with me lol.

 

yea so that didnt work. lol.

back to waiting for a month so that i can post on the envy 17 on the marketplace on NBR.

or i could ebay it, but i just dont like ebay

 

I've sold a number of computers on eBay. No issues.

It'll go faster than waiting for a possible swap here on NBR. Especially a local swap.

 

is it worth it after all the fees to sell on ebay? paypal will also deduct fees right?

im thinking instead of all this hassle, i might just cave and accept the 17. It is free after all hehe.

but u are right, a local swap will be very difficult to come by.

 

You have a very nice configuration. If you have no problems with it, you should probably keep it considering the issues the Envy 14 has or potentially has.

 

So I just received my envy yesterday custom built with 8gb of ram and the i7 840. So far this laptop looks like a "high end" laptop but when it comes down to it I have having tons of problems.

1. My audio jack is loose, I can wiggle it around with my headphones in or bose speaker connector, which when wiggling loses connectivity and the sound skips.

2. When I out the laptop using the lip on the shell in the center my screen comes away from the top of the shell and causes at least a half inch gap between the shell, every other part of the screen is in tact but the center by the webcam extending 3 or so inches on each side of the webcam.

Is this just a poorly built single unit or all they are like this? I really want to keep this model laptop but these flaws are really bothering me and seem like something that should have been addressed if HP is labeling this as a high end laptop.

Thanks in advance.

And here are all the specs incase this is relevant in anyway.

HP ENVY 17 customizable Notebook PC
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-840QM processor (1.86GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 160GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)
• 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5850 Graphics [HDMI]
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support (Slot Load)
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
• Corel(R) PaintShop Photo(TM) Pro X3 + Corel(R) VideoStudio(R) Pro X3
• Backlit Keyboard
• 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard)
• 50% OFF! HP Pavilion additional 120W AC Adapter
• Microsoft(R) Office Starter 2010
• No additional security software
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

 

That 1st review was written June 10, 2010 - if you look all the way to the bottom of the page. I got my HP Envy 17 1st week of August and I am pretty sure there was no redesign. The other review was dated May 2010.

 

Just curious what specs did they give you for your HP Envy 17?

 

But still, how is the heat in the i5 version?

 

I think you got a lemon, I recommend that you RMA it immediately and have them send you a new one and ask for some sort of refund of compensation. Talk to a supervisor.

 

Hi fellow ENVY 17 owners! I'm looking for another individual who has either bought a hard drive spare parts kit and only used the part for one HD or someone who is looking to do that. I'd like to save some money on these ridiculously priced parts! =/

If you're interested please PM me, I can't guarantee I'll be reading this thread a lot, even though it has been a great resource.

EDIT: 604773-001 Just thought I'd throw that keyword in for folks who might find this via search.

 

You may want to be more specific. The Primary and Secondary drives use different brackets (or "caddies") as well as different cables. For which drive are you seeking a bracket and cable?

See the pictures in this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-envy-hdx/484905-official-hp-envy-17-owners-lounge-144.html#post6345922

EDIT: And you are not yet enabled to receive private messages.

 

Keyboard not even?

My employer recently bought me an Envy 17. I was excited. I only wanted a Sony F or an Envy 17 and the IT support really disliked Sony for some personal reason. So I end up with Envy 17. (They actually ordered me a Lenovo W701, but it was canceled due to three weeks' wait. I am again extremely happy b/c there is no way I want a third TP no matter what.)

My overall impression of the Envy 17 was fairly positive. I like the metal case, the floral imprint does not look so bad IMHO. E2E screen is very nice. The speaker is actually quite decent for a laptop to be fair.

The only 2 imperfectiones to me is: 1) It runs hot. The temperature stays about 60c while I am typing this on NBR website. 2) The power adapter is huge. I am mentally prepare to deal with a 17 brick like Envy 17, but I did not sign up for the huge power block which is at least twice as bulky as other TP adapters I used before.

Well, i7-720 is a hot baby and probably it requires such a huge adapter, so I can certainly live with these 'design' issues. What bothers most is a craftsman issue. For my computer, the 'backspace', 'enter' and 'shift' keys are raised above all other keys. This becomes so irritating that I turned off the backlit keyboard recently, a feature I was very much looking forward to beforehand.

I am writing this just to ask people here whether this is the case for other users. This phenomenon is most noticeable when you turn on backlight in a brighter room. Then you can see the light leaking from the three keys and to a less extent from the 'shift' 'prc sc' and 'delete' keys. All of them from the righthand side.

Since this is a company computer, I probably won't scream wild and ask for a HP repair of any kind. But this is my first time dealing with HP product and the workmanship really leaves a lot to be desired. If this is not due to design by purpose, I am afraid that I would not buy anything from HP ever. I have looked at several Sony F computers in Costco and Frys and Bestbuys. The keyboard all looked great. No such issues.

A side note: at first I thought my right corner rocks/wobble in the granite table at home. But it won't do so in the wooden desk in office. So for anybody complaining about the wobble, try to work on another desk/table first.

 

What type of refund or compensation should I ask for? Should I get a new laptop or just have this one serviced?

 

The fact that the i7 in the 17 runs at 60C just doing simple tasks must be horrible for the computer overall? My dv9408nr runs that hot and ends up crashing when it hits 170F while playing games. On the first page, the cpu temp was 98C in one test! I find this to be a major problem. Does anyone think I should put off buying the 17 till they change up the design?

 

i7 720qm
8gm ram
1 TB (500GB x 2)
ATI 5850
HD Led Display 17.3 (1600x900)
bluray drive + dvd rw
backlit keyboard
bluetooth, intel /b/g/n


the model is the envy 17 1090ca

 

How do you like the screen? do you recommend the 1080p screen?

 

well i dont have the laptop in my possession yet so i dont know, but i have an HDX 16 with the 1366x768 resolution, and let me tell u; the screen, even on the HDX was amazing. So the 1600x900 is more than good enough for me.

 

running at 60c now and then is not bad for the laptop. you could always wait wait wait wait, and you would get the laptop cheaper, but technology in general is getting cheaper day by day.

buy it now, or later, the price will always be relative to the market =)

 

Newegg just reduced their price back to $1520 again so I've bit the bullet and ordered >.<.

Newegg.com - HP ENVY 17-1011NR NoteBook Intel Core i7 720QM(1.60GHz) 17.3" 8GB Memory 640GB HDD 7200rpm BD Combo ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850

Praying I don't get a lemon.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Also, does the laptop still run how to the touch w/ the new bios while gaming or regular activities? I'm about to buy one but I cant get myself to spend that amount of money if the computer is going to have problems in the future. But I really love this laptop, I've been searching for one since April and have always had my eye on this one.

 

mine is still in production grrrrrr i think tomorrow they will ship it if they dont darn

i just want mine quick so i can do hardcore editing...

 

where r u located? what kind of configuration r u looking for?