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

That is interesting...
In early January, I ordered an i5 dv6 which had switchable graphics. A few days later, the SB dv6/7's were released, so I ordered an i7 dv6 and had both computers for about a week. My current i7 does not have switchable graphics....and in all honestly...I do not miss it. I never used it, and you had to close all of your windows to switch over anyway...which was kinda annoying. I guess it depends on how you use the computer....but mine is being used as a desktop replacement....so battery consumption isn't an issue. I carry it around the house, but between the 9 cell battery and the near-by charger...I'll just ignore the intel graphics.

 

Well the 11.2 and 11.3 drivers from the AMD website (the 1.1 MB files) just say that my video graphic adapter is not supported and I can't continue the installation. I checked the release notes and it says to not install them if you have switchable graphics.

With the 11.4 preview driver, I downloaded these AMD Catalyst? 11.4 Early Preview. The only way for me to install any drivers is to first uninstall all AMD components through Add/Remove programs, restart, uninstall both legacy drivers for AMD and Intel video adapters through Device Manager, restart, let Windows update reinstall them, restart, and clear register errors with CCleaner. Then I always have to change the InstallManager.cfg file in the Config folder of where you unpacked the driver files. I changed the last line in the file: WorkaroundInstall and change "False" to "True."

I then run the installer, install all components and restart. Afterwards, I'm left with an updated AMD driver and legacy Intel drivers. Switchable graphics works but the brightness keys don't.

I have no idea why I have to uninstall the legacy drivers though Device Manager and then reinstall them but otherwise the 11.4 preview driver installs without CCC.

 

Ok I just called to ATTEMPT to work out some kind of deal and place an order. Right off the bat guys, if you get a guy named FELIX just hang up the phone. He didnt wanna entertain ANY type of discount and actually had a nasty tone to him. This is how it went:

I asked if there was a $300 coupon available to place toward my order. He asked me for the code. I had two which I even told him were expried but he checked anyway and said they were no good. He actually ENJOYED telling me they were no good. Well then I told him Im on a laptop forum and alot of people are getting the $300 off without a coupon by just calling and asking. His response? "IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY". I said yes they are, and theyre getting great deals by working with you over the phone. He didnt wanna hear it. Then I pulled out my secret weapon which I thought would be a sure thing.----> I had gotten $300 off my FIRST Envy 17 3D a few months ago which I had returned. I asked can I just put that $300 discount on this new order. He said NO flat out and said whatever coupon you u sed there is expried and cant be placed on this order. Is he freaking kidding me?? I know for a fact alot of people on here used discounts they had on their first order on their new order. This guy wouldnt budge. Finally he says "the only thing I can do is give you $75 off. We can only do what the computer says. We have no power to override it. If the coupon is expired theres nothing we can do". Obviously he thinks I was born yesterday. Anyway thats where I stand. I was GOING to ask him to maybe upgrade me to the 800 gb dual hard drive for a big discount too but I didnt bother. Wow, that was a dozzy of a call.

 

I agree with what you are saying 1000%. Believe you me....I've done the "coupon dance"....thrice... (Both DV6's and a DV7 order were all done with $500 coupons that kept coming and going within 3 weeks of each other)...

In most cases...if there is a good coupon...you jump on it. But I doubt it if there will be a $500 off coupon for the Envy from HP....yet some of us happen to have that option/coupon because of the SB recall issue....so in my case, I'm better off waiting to see if any of the updates I want will come along in the next 6 weeks.
I would love it if there is some Envy refresh that comes along and puts in a better trackpad....or if the 800GB 7200rpm HDD becomes a stand alone option (instead of being coupled with the SSD)....or if 1333 RAM gets upgraded to 1600.

I don't have much to lose since I can always get a DV7 for dirt cheap.... Plus, I like seeing the "hands-on" posts so I know what to look for.

 

I will post a download url as soon as I get one. Use the full package install to get the drivers updated

 

Let's hope they keep the drivers updated
When I had my old DV7, HP didn't update the ATi(AMD) drivers for the entire year I had it. And it only accepted HP drivers, the official drivers was a no-go.

 

People have been talking about the graphics drivers for weeks. My question is: What's wrong with the drivers that originally ship with the Envy 17 3D? Is the graphics switching working? Do blu-ray movies play? Does 3D work? Are any games/applications causing issues with the display? Maybe I'm slow...

 

I got mine here for my Envy and they installed fine.

ATI Mobility Catalyst | Catalog - News, articles, free drivers and firmware catalog: X-DRIVERS.COM


I basically started the install...it recognized that there were drivers already installed and asked if I wanted to uninstall them. Said YES...then it rebooted...finished and I had Cat 11.2 I hope the 11.3's will do the same...just need my new machine to be delivered to find out.

 

For those who looked at my pictures, I have purchased and installed a new keyboard so as not to alert HP to my tinkering. I found out that one of the prongs was slightly bent, which caused the gap. After finding that out, I was able to reduce the gap dramatically when I placed the panel in more carefully. Now that the new one has arrived, though, there is no gap to speak of. Also, the new one doesn't have the left corner that keeps popping up, which is how I received the laptop.

 

Iwantanenvy

As with my desktop card...I like to keep my drivers up to date....as much as possible. Sometimes there are bug fixes, etc. Not really a major issue...just housekeeping for me....

 

My confirmed order date was March 11, and my estimated ship date is April 1. It seems like some users reported getting their systems in hand exactly 13 days after ordering. For me, it looks like I'm going to hit day 21 before it even ships. I had the 2TB, 2820, processor, and 8 GB Ram.

 

Agreed, I do the same with my desktop machine. But with a brand new laptop (not to sound cliché), "If it ain't broke don't fix it?"

 

You may be right. I think that the drivers that will be important to install are the 11.4's, because they are going to have an entirely new Catalyst Control Center design and some performance enhancements that are supposed to be pretty major deals...

Until then...who knows

 

Previous ATI (and nVIDIA) driver updates offered performance increase to as much as 10%!

For sure we have the negative stories too like the current Catalyst 11.2 driver introduced more problems than fixes.

In any case is good to be able to install the manufacturer driver right out of the box as they update it very frequently.

HP and other vendors update the graphics drivers once or maybe twice a year and only for the fist 1-2 years of a product lifespan after that the support is gone.

 

Well, yea...of course upgrade if there's a known performance increase. Or if you buy some new game, that has a glitch with the current driver. But for me, personally...on a brand new system, I'm going to be careful updating my graphics driver, especially since this display and dual-GPU configuration is so complex (switchable, 3D, 120 Hz) as compared to other machines. I'd rather be a tad bit slower than mess something up. LOL

 

I too ordered the 2820 processor and 8GB RAM. Maybe they are upping their QA which is increasing their build time. We can only hope.

 

Anyways Engadget just posted an article yesterday about Intel's new line of SSDs....

Intel rolls out third-generation SSD 320 Series drives -- Engadget

According to that press release:

Intel SSD 320 prices, based on 1,000-unit quantities, are as follows:

40GB at $89;
80GB at $159;
120GB at $209;
160GB at $289;

300GB at $529

AND

600GB at $1,069. Check retailers/e-tailers for consumer pricing. All models include a limited 3-year warranty from Intel.

That 300 GB sounds pretty sweet to me...what do you guys think? I'm more inclined to buy from Intel than any other company just because I trust them more due to their long history when it comes to tech...

But considering the current prices and the space you'll get for that price I think I may actually just get the 1 TB option and get that SSD...

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the 320 series is only Sata II. Doesn't the Envy support Sata III?
Prices do sound great though. The way HP is hipping right now (sloooow) I have another 2 weeks to decide on a SSD (always intended to get one, just can't make up my mind....Inte <-> Samsung......120GB <-> 160GB...tooo many decisions to make.

 

Yeah, same slotti. I think I'm going to end up going with a 64gb ssd myself.

 

Quality Control Inspection

Killa Joe and Others who are concerned:
I spoke with HP Resolutions today regarding the poor standards of quality that have been observed within the recently shipped Envy 17 3D's. The woman informed me that the Envy 17 3D was the number one selling laptop and the most advanced laptop from HP and that as a result; inspection of each system as it is removed from assembly is mandatory. Confused, I responded by informing her of the images I have seen on the internet regarding blemishes and even medal shards trapped in the casing. I also mentioned that while I "Appreciate the efforts on behalf of HP to improve quality I don't think that the inspectors are being vigilant in their attempts to ensure quality." Following this statement, she provided me with both the customer support email address and an escalation code along with an email address for the quality control department in the factory that is handling my order. I have sent the following email to quality control and customer service:



I will let all of you know what happens as soon as I get a result.

 

Has anyone else experienced problems on their new Envy 17 3D with having to scoot at least five feet from the monitor to get the 3D glasses to engage continuously? I've tried many times to play COD Black Ops and WofW in 3D using TriDef, but I can't sit close enough to use the laptop keyboard. I can use the wireless keyboard, but sitting so far away from the monitor cheapens the experience.

I've got two pair of brand new XpanD 3D glasses, but the same problem persists with both. My 1st gen Envy 17 3D had a problem with the 3D as well, and HP Tech service diagnosed it as either a bad transmitter on the monitor, or a bad set of glasses. I had to return the unit, and then waited two months for the new 2nd gen Envy. I really don't want to go without a computer for another two months again. Any ideas?

 

Mine was March 12, and the estimated ship date is March 29. Well, today is March 29, and it's evening already - no shipping confirmation yet.
I just called them to make sure there's nothing wrong with my ENVY. They said, "it's just estimated, if you don't receive the shipping confirmation today, then maybe tomorrow or 2 days later" <--- SERIOUSLY?

 

Just checking to see if anyone is able to answer this? Thanks!

 

And here I am crossing my fingers that mine will ship well before it's estimated date of April 13th. Ah well, guess I'm without a computer for a few weeks.

 

Slightly. Doesn't bother me though.

 

That's a nice email Stephan C. I'm definitely interested to see how they respond.

That first lady though gave you the standard corporate bs we've come to expect from HP. Almost made me vomit at how fake she sounded....

Thanks for your efforts tho.

And can someone confirm if the Envy 17 does support SATA III? I thought I read earlier in the thread that it only supports SATA II? What is the major difference between the two?

 

Lol, just got home from movies and dinner. My lil bro is flying back so San Diego tomorow. Anyway, I'm about to do my write about the deal I worked out with HP for those interested. Stay tuned.... I'm gonna type it in Word than paste.

KJ

 

Tell him to get his shorts out, it is heating up out here again

 

I second that! Great call and email Stephan C. I thank you on behalf of all of us ordering the Envy 17 3D SB, even the Envy 17 SB people. Hope HP takes heed of those nice words.

KJ

 

TheAtreidesHawk
Thanks, I wanted to make my point clear to them.

Yeah, she I could tell she wanted me to go away. What's worse is that throughout the call there was this incessant humming noise and her voice was terribly distorted.

 

Killa Joe:
Thanks! I'll be sure to post when they respond.

 

Ok, here it is guys. Sorry for the long post...its rare, but wanted to say whatever I could regarding the past/recent deals. Hope it helps some of you guys see the potential possible when dealing with HP. I'd be happy to answer whatever questions you have. Always happy to help.

So its been an over 7 month experience here on NBR. Ever since I found out about the Envy 17, then the Envy 17 3D, ordered the first gen 3D (wanted to say my first experience calling HP and the rep. only gave me $150 off), returned it because of warped body. Received second Envy 17 3D, but kept only a short time since HP released info that the Sandy Bridge version is coming out with a new processor, better cooling features, etc. Therefore send in the second Envy 17 3D. Then came the long wait….

Recently I ordered the Envy 17 3D SB using a $300 coupon meant for the Envy 17, but others on NBR said go for it since some reps are honoring the deal, and sure enough when I called my rep honored it, and then told me I was lucky because just for calling in that day, HP had a special $100 off phone orders, about 5% stackable. So I had a good $400 off the specs below.

HP Envy 17 3D customizable Notebook PC
• • Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• • No Additional Office Software
• • 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz
• • 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
• • 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• • 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• • One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• • 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• • Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• • HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• • Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• • Backlit Keyboard
• • Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 9 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 9
• • HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses
• • HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Estimated build date: March 29, 2011
Retail: $2,084.99 - $300.00 coupon = $1,784.99 + $124.95 tax = $1,909.94

After the laptop shipped to me, HP credited an extra $100 as promised for a total payment of $1,809.94

I thought it was a great deal. After receiving my great looking Envy (no blemishes, no gaps, no dead/stuck pixels) I booted her up…. After registering the laptop and installing software, I did a bootup side by side with my dv7-4283cl with a 640GB 5400rpm drive vs. my Envy’s 640GB 7200rpm drive. The dv7 booted up to Windows considerably faster than my Envy!!! Not good, not at all. I ended calling Envy support. They told me to reboot and press F10 and do a hard drive test. It was late at night, so I let the test run itself. It told me it would take over 5 hours. I thought that was normal.

The next day I called Envy support to tell them my results. The rep. said, pretty much NO GOOD! That test should not have taken more than 1 hour to 1 and half hours. He told me even if he sent me a new HDD it would be pointless since there is a bad pathway on the motherboard… OUCH!!! I really wanted to keep my Envy she was perfect at least on the outside…but alas, can’t work with a super slow Envy.

The Envy rep then proceeded to transfer me to HP Home & Office to help with my return/exchange. As I mentioned to the HP sales rep I wanted HP to honor my $400 coupon that I used for my defective Envy. He said that he would honor the coupon and proceeded to go through the configuration with me. He stated everything will be the same, except the hard drive configuration has changed. It hit me at that moment because I forgot about HP taking the single 640GB 7200rpm HDD option away, and only offering the 1TB 5400 HDD which I would not ever order.

Being on NBR I was well informed what other users have been ordering and what HP has on its Envy configuration pages as I roam there a bit. I mentioned to the rep I cannot work with a slow 5400rpm. This is the main reason I originally ordered the 7200rpm drive. I asked him to upgrade me to the 160GB SSD + 640GB 7200rpm drive combo. He asked me where I saw it, and I had to guide him through HP’s configuration page, lol. He said, “You do realize it’s $580 more than the previous config?” I said, I know. Following with, I would like to pay an amount within reason for this upgrade, about $300. He understood, but told me its beyond his authorization, and that he would have to talk to the resolutions department. I said ok.

To make a long story short, Donna at resolutions, stated that the sales rep told her I was willing to burden some of the cost to upgrade to the SSD/HDD combo. I said, yes, no more than $300 which is a fair amount to pay for the SSD (which now I think maybe I offered to pay too much, lol). I told her, I already paid for the 7200rpm and did not wish to pay for it twice if I were to upgrade to the SSD. She understood and asked me what I wanted to pay….. I quickly said $2,100. She said that her supervisor would have to be consulted……. After several minutes she came back and agreed….to the following…

New order below:

HP ENVY 17 3D customizable Notebook PC
• • Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• • No Additional Office Software
• • 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz
• • 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
• • 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• • 800GB 7200RPM Dual Hard Drive (SSD 160GB + 640GB 7200RPM)
• • One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• • 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• • Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• • HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• • Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• • Backlit Keyboard
• • Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 9 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 9
• • HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses
• • HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Estimated build date: April 20, 2011
Retail: $2,664.99 + $186,55 tx = $2,851.54
My Deal: Retail: $2,664.99 - $500 coupon = $2,164.99 + $151.55 tax = $2,316.54

Since I paid $1,809.94 for my previous configuration it is a $506.60 difference. So Donna said I would be charged the amount of $506.60 Once my new Envy ships HP will credit me back the amount of $216.54 Therefore, $506.60 - $216.54 = $290.06 which I paid above my previous order. To summarize….my final payment is: $1,809.94 + $290.06 = $2,100

I know the numbers can be dizzying, but I like to simplify it by seeing what I could have paid retail with no coupons which would have been $2,851.54 I saved about $751.54 …or did I? Anyway, I think it’s a great deal/steal.

As before, I wanted to mention again….anyone returning a bad Envy and needs to reorder, or even if you are buying for the first time, try to negotiate for the SSD combo…. And if you do, consider offering HP a little bit for the SSD….so they can see you are willing to deal rather than totally steal…lol, although I kinda think I did steal!

P.S. All that said, I do hope she comes in perfect working condition….I’d don't want to give her up and end up buying a Costco dv7 for real.

KJ

 

Hi I am new to this forum. I just order the 17 3D and am so excited right now.
Does anyone know how the graphic card performs compared to GT550M, 555M or even GTX 460M? I read some articles from notebookcheck.com but couldn't get much info. and I think the one they used to test uses DDR3. I know GDDR5 in this laptop performance should be much better, but how much better?

 

The Envy 17 3D just took a price cut.
I now have to decide between getting it sooner or saving money.

 

Never mind. More complaining to do tomorrow. Boy, they are not going to want me as a customer in the future.

 

hmm, looks like its still the same price. $1,549.99 What price are you seeing?

KJ

 

Nice one Killa Joe, I'm sure you'll love the SSD
I for one just hope my Envy will turn out to be normal, getting a bit scared here from reading all the problems you guys are having.

 

From what I can tell its better than then GT550m and GT555m but not as good as the GTX 460m. I was able to overclock the GPU to close to 460 level but still its not as strong.

PS - Great Deal KJ I'd bet you got about the max you can hope for in discounts.

 

Thanks Apoxxx. I know how you feel since I've gone through all those returns...and I feel this one is it or kinda bust.... I would not be happy downgrading to a dv7....but if all else fails.... still keeping hope for this one.

Edit: Almost forgot, so it seems HP Resolutions can generate a max of a $500 coupon....and any extra amount they offer you above the $500 has to be refunded to you after shipment of your laptop.

KJ

 

I don't have your patience
If my Envy turns out to be faulty, I'll send it back and start my search for another laptop again. (which I'll hate to do, cause there's so few alternatives out there that suits my needs)

 

KJ,
grats to the awesome deal. How did you end up with a $500 coupon, when before it was $300? Very nice.
So you knocked a little over 26% off the original price. I have a feeling this is somehow their max. around 25%. I just ran the calcs on what I paid. My config is much smaller and less expensive (about 1k less), but my final rebate was 25% from original retail as well (the the actual dollar amount was obviously less).
Now if mine comes screwed up, I am lost (since I already have the 5400 drive - only one available when I ordered). Let's hope we all gte it sort of on time. I have a project starting that will be a pain to handle on my old Samsung Centrino ;-).

 

Its a coupon only Resolutions can offer. In my opinion, I feel that is the max HP can actually offer in a single coupon, unless someone has heard of a $600 coupon or more which I doubt. Its true, I only had a $300 coupon with an additional $100 for calling to order that one day, adding up to $400.

The reason Donna gave me the $500 coupon was because I told her I did not want to pay more than $2,100 for my order. Honestly, when I said that, and she was going to talk to her supervisor, I almost kicked myself, thinking, shoot, they are still going to charge me tax... but after I saw the final order with costs, the tax was already included in the reduced price. The point is, to reach the $2,100 price I gave to myself, lol, Donna had to magically generate the $500 coupon and then also add another extra coupon over $200 something to match my price. Crazy right? I think Donna was having a good day and sharing her good fortune with me. IDK.

Remeber I paid and extra $290.06 for the SSD. I was not willing to pay for the 7200 which I already paid for, and Donna agreed to that point. The $580 for the combo drive is just highly blown up....

KJ

 

Yeah it's way too much, and it's even more considering the +$630 is after they've removed the price of the 750GB 5400rpm HD that's standard... So basically what you pay is the price of the 750GB plus $630.

Considering you can get the new (and by far the fastest SSD on the market) OCZ Vertex3 256GB for $500 free shipping at Amazon, and a 750GB 7200rpm drive for another $100, the price HP charge for this combo is outrageous.

If you go for the Intel 160GB (which is the SSD HP use as far as I've heard) and the 750GB 7200rpm on Amazon, you'll end up on a total of $335 + $100 = $445. Just a small comparison.

 

That is actually a really good price for an intel 160GB

Agreed. A 640GB 7200 runs around $80, so they are saying the 160GB is %$500. You can get a 256GB Samsung SSD for that.
Oh well, I guess they need to put some money on top, since they figure we are negotiating anyhow .
I actually think it is really funny how everything starts turnign into a turkish bazar. I thought it would only work for cars (I never buy a car for more than invoice), but I did not know it works wor laptops...aehhh sorry....NOTEBOOKS.

 

Looks like we're all thinking in the same line here

 

Oh, under my HPA account it displays the $1394.00 price. Still, when I configure it to match my current order, it comes out cheaper even with the $300.00 off that I received. Any ideas?

 

Those numbers are right, not sure what your current order was (did you add something you weren't aware off, e.g. additional service plan? HPA is 10% which is less than $300 off (at least with your config).

 

Hi guys, I stop waiting for an Envy 17 3D Sandy Bridge discount coupon, so I ordered a Pavilion DV7Tqe (w/ the 30% coupon) (order date: 03/21/2011, Est shipping date April 4, 2011) :

• 2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7-2720QM (2.2 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 3.3 GHz
• 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6770M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• No Additional Office Software
• FREE Upgrade to Norton Internet Security(TM) 2011 - 15 Month Subscription (activation required)
• 9-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery ( over-sized) ( less heat and more battery life than the Envy 17 3D)- Up to 9.5 hours of battery life +++
• 17.3" diagonal HD+ HP BrightView LED Display ( 1600 x 900)
• FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader
• Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)

Price: $1,539.99 (discounted price: $1,077.99 +0.00 tax NH )

 

I find it interesting that HP is building Pavillions faster than Envy. Granted...Envy is "supposed" to be built by hand...right now...Pavillion SHIP date 4/4...Envy build date 4/15.

 

Jose, congradts. Looks like you did get a great system at a great deal.

KJ