*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (2XXX series) Owners Lounge*

Thanks (also to Bobmitch for the web addresses). Using Gunny's method I get same ver 6.0.5.4 as on my other Pavilion. Using Bobmitch method I have version 6.1.12.1. Not sure why the HP support assistant cannot get the latest itself, perhaps it's superfluous.

 

Hej from Sweden!

I am down to the three computers:

1. Envy 2100eo....2630QM and a 6850 GPU. Full HD and blue ray etc....6 gigs, 750 gig HD

2. HP DV7 with 6770m with 2 gig, 8 gigs, RAM 2670qm, 1 tb hard drive full HD

The first two are the same price

3. Brand new 3rd gen envy with 1 tb hdd, 2670qm, GPU uknown they say it will ship in a week. BUT THE cost is 450 dollars more.

I am really leaning for the DV7 as I think the processor and HDD space are important for me. The gaming difference will not be too extreme I think. I game but not a whole lot...Just wanted to know what you guys think....I carry my laptop a little and I have carried massive laptops before without a problem.

 

3.........

 

Sounds like a true plan! At least yours went back and you got a much better deal and you did everything correctly, Good Shopping and Followup! Be sure to let us know when your new Envy arrives. Personally, I would have seriously considered waiting for a 3rd gen unit with it being so close to their release date. Why didn't you wait the extra week and order one? Or do you just like the 2nd gens better??

 

Just my 2 cents....but $450 more and really the only advantage of the "boxier" looking Envy is the dual fan exhaust. I think he decided correctly...but also remember...he has a 90 day return / exchange on the current model. If he wants to, that bad...he can play with the current...let the issues with the new build settle and then see what to do.

 

If $$$ is NOT an issue, option 3, if it is, option 1. With the Envy, you are getting the BEST HP has, and the biggest difference is the way you will be handled "IF" your system should ever need to be repaired, since the ENVY line has "Concierge" Service! For me, that was the deal breaker when I bought my Envy (which was between the Envy, Dell XPS and the Toshiba Qosmio). Additionally, I really like the Envy 2nd gen Aluminum case and design. It is just the BEST and HP actually delivers on their promises when it comes to the Envy (Since I just went through the Repair Process). Now a days, you just cannot look at the spec's, you have to look at the whole picture. Plus you can always do what a lot of Envy owners do (after purchase) and that is adding an SSD Drive to your Envy! Also the Envy's 6850 GPU comes with 1GB GDDR5 dedicated memory as well, I mention that only because you did not.. So that's my 2 cents worth! Good Luck and let us know how it goes...

 

I didn't realize the price difference until I saw "robarino's" post. For that difference I would have went with the 2nd gen as well. Of course I prefer the 2nd gens over the 3rd gens anyway (cosmetically speaking)! That is why I will most likely be going with the Envy 14-2160se in March. Should be able to get a good price point and a beautiful Envy to boot.

Question: Who out there does "NOT" have a second computer? I ask this, because I do not and the Envy I mention above will be my backup/mobile unit.. Personally, not having a 2nd unit is a real problem! One would hope that when they buy a unit, it will never go down and therefor, you won't need a backup unit. But that just isn't a reality any more. Either that or my luck with computers just ran out, LOL!

 

My other unit is a desktop. It is much more powerful than the Envy 17 3D that I have. It's an X58 with Triple Channel memory...i7 950, EVGA GTX580, twin WD Velociraptors in RAID 0 and more. I use it for video encoding and a lot more. The Envy is my work / multimedia playback machine...the 3D feature has matured to where it is really enjoyable as well. I get a good mix between the two machines

 

That is more or less the plan, but to be truthful, I didn't know about the new models at the time. For now I think I am going to let it be delivered. That way if there are issues or I don't like the pricing I can stay where I'm at. This way I got what I want at $1400. The new ones may be out of my budget, at least with the spec's I want. I'm less than impressed with the new ones look.

Anyone know of a good comparison between the radiance displays and the bright-view displays?

Also I haven't found any word on it, but have they chosen to stick with TriDef?

 

If a 30% off coupon pops up for the 3rd gen sometime around January, I'm seriously considering selling my 17t-2100 CTO at a great loss (>$500) to buy one.

 

Seriously the best forum I have come across. You guys are great...most civil friendly forum EVAH (notice Boston accent).

Thanks it helped a lot!

rob

 

Those are pretty good speeds for cable internet. I've got the 25/5 FIOS service so those numbers are higher that what I'm paying for. It shouldn't matter whether you go wired Ethernet b/c your ISP is the bottleneck (though local traffic will be faster with wired Ethernet).

 

Chances are you won't be happy with the plastic construction used mainly throughout the DV series. They are a good general purpose laptop but if you are gonna pay that much, you should upgrade to the aluminum construction that the Envy sports... Obviously the third gen is preferred but if you don't want to spend the ca$h, get the second gen.

The CPU speed won't matter much since Turbo mode timing is limited by core temperature.

You can always aftermarket upgrade the HDD and memory in the Envy. Since the Envy 17 has two HDD slots, you can always add another; but you'll need to buy an appropriate HDD caddy separately if your Envy doesn't ship with two drives.

 

I just think the performance differences between the 2630QM and the 2670QM are fairly significant. I work with Labview and Matlab so I like the processor to be up to snuff. I have a dual core with a clean install and it lags when I am working on big models. Plus the 2.xxxx I am looking at has smaller ram and smaller HDD than the dv7. The 6770m is no chump and I think given the extra memory on the CPU it is a wash. I agree with construction though. I also worry a lot about the overheating in 2.xxx. I know some of you say it is not a problem but I see so many people had the problem. Anyone out there have a 2100eo? The real problem is my last computer was not well thought and turned out to be a huge lemon!

What I really want is the next GEN! I wonder what is the deal with that graphics card?

 

Well if you purchase the laptop from HP, you have 21 days to try it out and make sure it does what you need it to do. Personally, I think you need a desktop to run that type of work if speed is a concern. In either laptop, running the CPU maxed is going to create heat that will eventually lead to throttling. At least with a desktop, you have a better cooling mechanism.

Good luck.

 

I think you are right but I need to be able to carry it to the lab. ARGGHH.

 

Ok, buy 2 and use an external ssd as your boot drive.

Money was no object right?

 

Lance diapers are expensive...no room for extra laptops.

 

ok, 2 desktops then


edit: with (3) 24" monitors each
edit: ohh wait that's what I want

 

Thanks Cam - Since I'm having good luck with the 6200 and 13.5.0.6 driver, I probably won't mess around with the 6300 anymore. The e4200 router did bump me up from about 15Mbps DL with my previous router (Netgear WNR2000).

I say this now of course, but I'm sure I'll be snaking that third antenna around the inside of my machine sometime fairly soon to try the 6300 again. Computer tinkering, why can't I quit you?!

Kevin

 

You guys are cracking me up today! Lots of good humor, must be getting close to the holidays and New Year!!!

OK, gotta ask! What are you guys wanting from the Big Guy dressed in red and sporting the beard? Being realistic of course, no pipe dreams, LOL, what are you hoping to find under the Tree or besides the candles???

 

Lego Star Wars Death Star, no question about it. I guess I should disclose that I'm 35... Yes, I have problems.

-Kevin

 

That would be awsome!!!

 

I notice my new 2280NR ENVY is very occasionally (once/day) hanging with no way out but a hard power off/on. I think I read on this massive thread someone else experiencing similar but I cannot seem to find it? Anyway all I have changed from the factory install is the SSD Optimization guide, so I'll get back into that and change things back, see if it makes any difference.

 

I've had my Envy for about 6 weeks, and I suspect that my subwoofer isn't working properly. It's hard to tell, because the sound isn't bad, but it doesn't really have any bass to speak of. I'm not expecting the world, but I don't even hear anything when I put the subwoofer to my ear most of the time.

I played a few bass tests, and I can start to make something out at around 90hz, but it is nearly subaudible (in terms of volume, not frequencly, obviously) until 175. That's the first three sliders on the equalizer.

Maxing the bass in the Beats panel doesn't fix it, and neither does the Windows bass boost. I chatted with HP and they had me reinstall the driver, which also didn't help. Thoughts? Is it actually defective or just a nonfeature?

 

Play a CD or something...then hit Fn-B and you should see the Beats logo come up ...in red...Beats on...subwoofer on.../ through the middle of the logo...beats off...sub off...

Can you hear a difference?

 

Yeah, I can hear a difference, but it's more in the mids and treble being clearer. The bass doesn't get much more pronounced at all.

 

Any1 knows anything ?

 

I have one of the first generation with the first gen i7 1.6ghz processor. These do get hot, but nothing like that one does. I even replaced the thermal paste on the other Envy and it didn't work to fix the overheating problem.

 

*****repost accidentally posted it in the wrong forum...

Thanks for the advice everyone from SWEDEN!

I ended up ordering a DV7 with full HD screen, 8 gigs ram, 1 TB, 2670qm....

In the end I just figured for me it was the best product for the price (student discount was 20%). I liked the envy a lot but the new gen was too much of an unknown quantity plus my luck as an early adopter once before was abysmal (6 RMA's). The current gen Envy seemed like something was always missing on the lower priced models (mainly screen). Thanks again for the advice....I will let you know how it works out!

I guess I cannot hang out in the ENVY lounge anymore...I will have to slum it in the DV7 lounge.

 

Ha, well I guess the joke is on you for falling for the advertising BS.

Sorry, but a 1" driver is not a "subwoofer" by any stretch of the definition. I would hesitate to even call it a mid-bass driver. It's Fs is probably around ~200Hz; well above the "bass" range.

 

When I run the HP Support Assistant it says my system is up to date, but I have BIOS F.15. If I go to the HP Support Assistant link to online resources the web site already had BIOS F.18 to download. By comparison my Pavilion did BIOS updates on the fly without this hassle.

I am not impressed with my ENVY 2280NR freezing, and so far am guessing it maybe related to the Intel wifi drivers or BIOS as others have mentioned as it only happens when I am downloading on wifi. Guess I'll try F.18 even though HP Support Assistant says F.15 is up to date, maybe will help with the freeze ups?

 

You made a wise choice! You had the facts as presented by many of us...you took YOUR situation into account and made your best decision. The dv7 is NOT a slouch of a machine of any kind. My son's Pavillion dv7t was quite impressive to work with as I set it up for him. Solid machine...good performance. Make sure that when you get it...enter the bios and turn OFF dynamic switching for the video card. By doing that...it will have a video system just like the Envy. You can switch between the two cards manually and will have more control. Dynamic switching is a nice concept but didn't work properly. There are others here that hang out with Pavillions...you are more than welcome to hang out here as well. I hope you do!

 

Read a few posts back...there are others that used an older driver for the wireless with no issues. First, make sure that your Support Assistant, itself, gets updated to 6.1.12.1 from the product page. Then flash f.18 and run again...see what is available.

 

Please refresh...what SSD did you put in your Envy? If it has the Sandforce controller in it, did you flash to the latest firmware?

 

If I remember correctly, you did a manual download of the HP Support Assistant, but I don't think you downloaded the one from the Envy 17-2280NR support page (If memory serves me right). Now it may make no difference in the world, or it may make a slight difference, I truly don't know, but I would connect to the link I am providing and download this version, which comes from your support page. FIRST, uninstall your current version and than reinstall this version:

LINK: HP Support Assistant HP ENVY 17-2280nr Notebook PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)

Than run Support Assistant and see what happens. When I used it when my Envy came home from the shop, it updated to the current version and than rebooted. I ran it again and it updated the BIOS and all of the other programs, to which there were about 10. I also check the HP Support website personally on occasion just to see if anything is updated and not getting downloaded and so far so good. Anyway, that would be my 2 cents worth...

 

I would attribute this issue to your wireless card, if your running it via the "N" version! This is a very common problem when using this wireless card and the "N" version. Apparently there are certain router chipsets that don't get along with our wireless card and problems arise... You may want to switch it to the "G" version or use an Ethernet cable and see if the problem goes away.

Keep us posted!

 

Totally agree, the sub-woofer is definitely not a True sub-woofer, when compared to the sound systems that have them, like the BOSE or Sony surround type systems. Mine works and I can hear it, but it does not provide a bass punch like one would expect from a true sub-woofer. But than again, would we really want that kind of punch coming from our laptops? I don't think we would as the damage may out weigh the punch, no pun intended, LOL!

 

Hey I don't think anyone here would have a problem with you hanging out here! Regarding your decision, congrats! You made a decision based on your needs and desires, NO one can fault you for that. Please let us know when you get it (When are you suppose to receive your DV7?) and how everything plays out as you set it up! Some pictures would also be nice...

Again, Congrats!

 

Sounds like mine is working properly then. Just not meeting my already low expectations, haha.

On another note, my envy has some separation between the silver metal that wraps around the chassis, what are the odds I could work that into a new-gen replacement? I'm guessing low. And what is the turnaround time like for repairs?

 

Hey, I'm 37 and have been asking for the same Lego set for years much to my dismay.

TRAITOR!!!! Just kidding. Feel free to stick around...

 

Some pictures to show the separation would be helpful.. Regarding turn around time, I sent mine in and they replaced the Mother Board. From pickup to delivery to my home was 7 calender days, pretty fast and it came back in the same condition it was sent out in, which was a HUGE concern of mine, since mine is 100% perfect cosmetically and now internally as well...

Regarding all of you Grinch's (LOL) out there, lets get into the spirit of the holidays and take part in my, "What do you want under the Christmas Tree / Next to the Candles" question quest! So come on and partake!!!!

So, next to my Candles, I would like to have the Crucial 8GB RAM Upgrade! That would make me extremly happy and load my Envy up with the best RAM configuration... OK, who's next.....

 

lol, the only present I know I'm getting and I've asked for is my ENVY.

Course I wouldn't mind a new headset (mine didn't make it through the dryer), some blueray movies, maybe some more gametime for WOW, and skyrim would be cool.

 

I can't wait to track santa in 3d with my 3d envy

 

I'm sure others don't mind too much... I got my GF a couple sets of Harry Potter LEGOs this year. She apparently never played with LEGOs growing up. We were building stuff with my 3yo niece and she couldn't believe how I could make some Duplo blocks look like an extravagant house complete with windows, archways, roof... hell I even did a two decker with stairs! LEGOs was one of those things I really think helped me learn various skills (coordination, imagination, etc) while growing up and I can't wait to encourage that in my own children some day.

Gratz on your soon-to-happen wedding!

 

Thanks Cam - Yes, I agree that Duplo/Lego are great for kids... and adults! My sets will probably be put away for safety when we have little ones, but will definitely be dusted off when they outgrow the Duplo kits we will get them.

-Kevin

 

Presents are for suckers.

Told the gf of 7 years not to buy me anything, I can do it myself. I like my presents in plain brown boxes with UPS shipping labels anyway. Just purchased a hot air soldering rework station and can't wait for Santa, errr the UPS guy, to deliver it.

 

I'm using last years Intel X25-M 160GB SSD I took out of my bricked ENVY17 1011NR (failed GPU and out of warranty). I think it is ok, and I have reverted back to the link you sent for SSD optimization guide with all of those settings.

Currently investigating what happens with the F.18 BIOS update and wifi usage using current Intel drivers as recommended by HP..... no freezes so far with new BIOS..but read many users experience for earlier BIOS versions saying to revert to older Intel driver. Haven't seen any comments on F.18 yet- maybe no news is good news?