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

So my Envy will be on it's way soon. I've ordered an OCZ Vertex 2. Now I need a case. I won't buy one of HP's (Not that they need to find out about that) because I'm looking for something sexy to match my Envy 17 3D SB. I was thinking of putting it in an aluminum briefcase like the one here:

Amazon.com: Aluminum Notebook Case - Fits up to 19" (Silver): Electronics

or this one

Amazon.com: RoadPro SPC-931R 17.5" x 4" x 13" Silver Aluminum Briefcase: Automotive

What will you guys be putting yours in?

 

I am not a big fan of those attache cases and unless you get a custom fittet interior, they won't evne do much of a good job.
I was planning on getting a nice padded leather pouch (have to convince my wife's production crew to make me one ) and basically just use a messenger bag.

 

Hmm, I'd be a bit worried. I read some of the reviews, not really any cushioning, lock is crap...so uhm, I'd be weary. I would want a nice sufficient cushion to absorb all the bumps that might occur carrying my sexy Envy. I currently own a soft Targus black with shoulder straps. It has some cushining... and the Envy fits great in it, also zippers for power brick, and mouse. I might look for one with more protection in the near future.

KJ

 

Has anyone had their Envy ship lately?

 

Mine went into production a couple days ago. Estimated build date April 20....so I am hoping it will ship earlier...and of course having it an exchange bumps it to 2 day shipping. Still, can't wait already. Want to have a properly working Envy 17 3D SB in my hands, get to work, play, and be overall happy with her!

KJ

 

I found a Samsonite Aluminum case online. It has more cushioning and for $170 I certainly hope it's more durable. But I'm starting to look at bags now. How thick is the Envy's charger?

 

They gave me such a late build date. April 14th. I ordered on May 15th though, and processed the return on the 16th. It went into production on the 17th. Originally, the Resolutions person I talked to told me that my ship date was more likely to be in the first week of April. I hope that's true!

 

You ment to say you ordered on March 15th, right?

 

I ordered this one for carrying, got it already too and the quality is awesome.
SwissGear 17" Pegasus Backpack | HP® Official Store

 

Ohh, sorry I didn't really measure before returning it...but its got to be close to 1.5 inches, maybe... can anyone confirm?

KJ

 

Swiss Gear is AMAZING.

I have a bookbag similar to that one which I used to lug around my HDX and it was perfect. Enough space for 2 notebooks and a laptop plus all my pencils and stuff...haha. And I carried a book in my hand if I needed to...

 

Yeah, March 15th. Sorry!

 

I don't think any have shipped lately. With the delays in the system...I am hopeful of next week. My ship date is 4/8...I haven't read here that anyone received one lately. I would be interested so see progress. There were some 3/30 date coming up...anyone????? What about a progress thread? Ordered 3/18...On 4/1, I will be "In Production" two weeks.

What are your dates?

 

I'll take my chances. I think I found a nice solid case on luggage.com. I'm a student and I tend to treat my backpack in quite a rough manner so I don't want my laptop in there with my books. I like the aluminum cases simply because of their looks and their solid construction.

 

I ordered on March 15th (11:16 PM CST) and I have an estimated shipping date of April 5th.

 

Yes, it's odd that they gave me such a late shipping date.

 

Ordered March 25th, with ship date April 20th, but I think its an over estimation. I'll guess it will be ready by the 15th or sooner.

KJ

 

If you order today...then ship date is 4/19. HP and most other companies are playing catch up. Story on page 1 of this site talks about the shortage of parts because of Japan tragedy. HP says not effected...then why the delays. They began shipping 9-10 days early...now...not sure. Some mentions last night of 3/30 ship dates...did anyone get a notice???

 

Ordered March 23rd
Estimated April 13th

 

Let's keep a close eye. It does seem as though things have slowed way down. I don't mind being right on time...but look at Dell XPS forum and some others. For some reason...shipments are hitting those companies late....and I am pretty sure that someone on this board was stating last night that today would have been their deadline and HP said something like...Estimatation...

 

I found the perfect case, for me at least. I found a 17" laptop briefcase at Staples. It is a polyester/nylon (or whatever the standard laptop case favric is) bag by Kenneth Cole for only $39.99. It a checkpoint-friendly bag, so you don't have to remove your laptop from its case when going through security at airports. It also has plenty space for laptop accessories, as well as room for books, notebooks, office/school supplies. I would supply a link, but strangely, Staples only sells this bag in store, I haven't found it on their website (or Amazon.com or eBay.com or KennethCole.com for that matter).

 

On another note, this video was released this week and is apparently the first commercial for the Envy 17 3D or for that matter the Envy period. Kinda a strange yet humorous commercial ...

YouTube - HP Envy: First class all the way

Enjoy

 

That has to be one of the worst laptop commercials ever.

 

Sigh... My estimated ship date, March 30, has come and gone with no notice regarding shipment or a delay in shipment. I called customer support on March 29 since my estimated ship date was near and was assured that I would hear from them by March 30 either confirming shipment or notifying me of a delay. That was my first encounter with customer service. They just tell you what they think that you want to hear. Honesty is not a consideration. Will keep you advised.

 

@Hyperboled, did you call resolutions?

 

Yeah, to be honest I would've rather had them show some awesome shots of the laptop with a nice voice over.

 

I made a thread just for that video. HP fails on that. They barely show the Envy 17 3D, yet give time for silly acting...bad scripts... The Envy is totally lost in the ad.... The same ad company did one for the HP Pavillion dm..... check below.

YouTube - HP Pavilion dm: Thin. Light. Cool.

I find it in poor taste. But....I wonder if this is an "inside joke" about HP kicking the some bxxt of Alienware....alien, get it? Its not HP that made these, but they should never have approved and signed off on these.

KJ

 

Sexy, cooler, better battery life, fast, lighter Pavilion DV7tqe

vs.

Ugly patterns-clickpad-wobbly-dented-xtremely hot-heavier-not-that-fast-poor battery life-expensive-delayed Envy 17 3D


.......FIGHT !!!!!!!!

 

Ouch!!!! Jose. Where is the love? hhahahah.

Yeah, as long as we all get a decent working laptop without blemishes and defects we'll be alright.

KJ

 

Hyperboled

You need to elevate your case. Your ship day is here and no machine. Resolutions may be able to shed some light. I wouldn't let today pass without finding out something...

 

As in shedding light you mean, giving him a "credit" which is always good. Although I had the impression one has to wait at least 3 days past ship due date to get a credit for delay, but hey, I guess you can try to call Resolutions early and get a response and nice credit at least $50 or more. Good luck.

KJ

 

you guys are seriously missing the point. If you treat the HDD/SSD as a true commodity, and put any arbitrary HDD or SSD in there, then one of two outcomes are guarenteed to happen:

1. There are no performance or functional issues, or they occur unknown to you, and you begin whistling dixie

2. if you experience a behavior nuance, functional, or performance issue, then you will have a more difficult time getting support from HP because you will have to return the laptop to its shipped configuraton, which means a re-image. some of us can do that in our sleep, and if thats the case, then go team go rah rah rah. If you not amenable to this, and you require support from HP, support will be more difficult and more painful to obtain. Using an aftermarket drive won't void the waranty; but it will introduce more variables into the experience. To reduce the number of variables, and still go after market, stick with a configuration as close as you can come to the ones HP has tested.

Those HDD and SDD configurations listed in the manual are there for a reason, and reflect functional and performance test verifications that HP has performed. HP can only guarentee system performance with the configurations that they test and qualify, and they will not formally support any arbitray configuration except the ones listed. BTW "not formally supporting" does not mean voiding the warranty on the rest of the laptop. It just means that you're on your own, and its up to you assess the impact of taking on that responsibility. that impact may be very small or it may be large, depending on your own skills.

 

...just trying to turn this forum a little bit funnier

 

I think satisfaction for Hyperboled at this point is knowing where his machine is! HP is obviously suffering from issues like other companies...but won't admit it. This could be an issue that effects us all.

 

Hey JOSE, I think I might follow in your footsteps. I just configured a Pavillion DV7 with HIGHER specs than an Envy 17 3D and it was cheaper.

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edit
- 2nd generation Intel(R) Quad Core(TM) i7- 2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) w/Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz edit
-1GB GDDR5 Radeon(TM) HD 6770M Graphics [HDMI, VGA] edit
- 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) edit
- Hard drive 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection edit
-Primary battery 6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 5.25 hours of battery life +++ edit
- 17.3" diagonal HD+ HP BrightView LED Display (1600 x 900) edit
- FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner edit
-Personalization HP TrueVision HD Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone and HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader edit
-Networking Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R) edit
-Keyboard Standard Keyboard edit

The only thing different or "inferior" is the 1600x900 screen. Other than that this machine IS an ENVY but with higher specs and its cheaper. Other than tha name "Envy" why is that necesarily better??

The price was $1,459 - 30% coupon = $1,196

Thats one awesome deal. Same specs on an Envy would be around $2,000.

 

Thanks all for your compassion. I have not yet contacted Resolutions. I have been reading with much ENVY about your deals and have to admit here the unthinkable that I paid full list for this elusive machine having placed my order before I found this forum. I guess calling Customer Service again is a waste of time as they probably have no clue about what is going on in the supply chain. I value your opinions. What is your recommended approach?

 

frankieo11, your config. is very nice. I see the only main difference between the dv7 and the Envy as follows:

1. Lack of 1080p display.
2. Lack of backlit keyboard.
3. Lack of HD 6850 GPU.

Still, you guys get the 2x3.0 USB, Optional Bluray Burner, and a neat fingerprint reader which still to this day, I have no idea why Envy does not have.... Anyway, cool laptop.

KJ

 

Killa Joe, you're right and unfortunately I cant live without the 1080p and the backlit keyboard. But at almost $1000 price difference thats very very tempting.

 

Well, in my case I'll be buying a 27" 1080p monitor anyway. Backlit keyboard is not a big deal. DV7tqe has 2 USB 3.0 vs 1 USB 3.0. Clickpad is better in the Pavilion. DV7tqe has fingerprint reader for faster login.... but also I got the 30% discount coupon... this is my build:

• 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
• FREE Upgrade to Norton Internet Security(TM) 2011 - 15 Month Subscription (activation required)
• 9-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (over-sized) - 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 )

 

The Envy's charger is pretty much about the size and weight of a small brick. It is not very conducive to traveling. However, there are slim chargers that work well with the Envy. HP has one in their online store for about $80, but you can buy a ThermalTake for less than $50. Here is the one I bought (search around and you can get it much cheaper than ThermalTake sells it for direct):

Thermaltakeusa Toughpower Slim Adaptor 95W ADP95W0003


As for bags, I bought one from SLAPPA. Their bags are very cool. The inside is made of a very soft material. Plenty of pockets to store stuff. Two large compartments capable of holding two laptops or books/accessories in one section, laptop in the other.

Velocity SPYDER Laptop Backpack - Black by SLAPPA

 

Much weaker GPU, no full HD screen, Lower quality LCD, no eSATA, does not have dual band wireless, and lack of backlit keyboard. The new Envy 17 runs cool as well I have posted temps from an actual new Envy 17 3D SB in this thread, so I'm not sure where you are getting your information about heat. I am also sure the Pavilion line will suffer from similar occasional defects just like the Envy. You would be fooling yourself if you think differently. As far as looks go that is certainly subjective to me the Pavilion line is not very attractive and that brown color just doesn't do it for me.

Doesn't really seem like a fair fight to me. Envy wins by KO.

 

yea, you gotta factor out build quality; mistakes and things happen to all product lines.

GPU, switchable graphics and the 1080p, 300-nit 72% gamut display are huge wins for the Envy. most won't care about dual band wireless but that definately a bonus as well, for those paying attention to detail.

but whether or not those things are worth the price differential is a personal decision.

and SpartanJet you are right to challenge the temps. We've gotta be clear: no temp issues have been reported in this forum and all measurements reported so far have been quite cool, confirming that the SB Envy just cannot be compared to the 1st-gen Envys in this regard.

 

Seems like a silly question on my part, but what benefit will dual band wireless provide? Faster speeds, stronger more reliable connections?

KJ

 

Yes, second that. If they would have a good GPU and a full HD screen on the Pavillion, hell, I would have probably gotten one as well.

But if you are doing a lot of CAD and CS work, the low resolution screen just does not work. Yes, you can attach a monitor, but than I can also get a desktop which much better specs for less money as well.

 

my order date was March 10 and estimated shipping date is today March 31 still waiting for an email from hp. i actually got an email today from hp saying that i will be getting some of my credit back but i did not receive any shipping notice.

 

Thanks dlleno for arguing the case for those who hope for a reliable, powerful machine with support without a bunch of gyrations to get that support when needed. I purchased the ENVY 17 3D as a desktop replacement for a very reliable but ageing unix based HP Net Server which has been in use without incident in our business since 1997.

My son, a software engineer with Apple, would have gotten me a nice discount on a MacBook Pro and was annoyed at my decision. I have an iMac which is a pleasure to use for our personal affairs. However, the Mac version of the application software that I need for our business is inadequate. I tried running the Windows version of the software on the iMac using VMware and it is intolerably slow. I waited for the Sandy Bridge ENVY version in hopes that it would correct the overheating problem of the earlier version.

I apologize for my boring details but wanted to chime in for the non- technologically gifted, business user. I hope that I do not regret this purchase decision. Thanks again.

 

Much less competition on the 5.0 GHz spectrum, most wireless devices like bluetooth, WiFi, proprietary wireless devices (remotes, wireless keyboard/mice) all use the 2.4 GHz spectrum and all cause added interference. The 5.0 GHz spectrum has much less devices running on it and in general if you have wireless that supports the 5.0 Ghz spectrum you will get better performance. Also most dual band routers separate the radios so you are competing with less WiFi devices for air time.

The disadvantages are that the 5.0 GHz does not penetrate walls as easily and generally has smaller coverage range than the 2.4 GHz.

 

KillaJoe, you are exactly right. I currently have a Simultaneous Dual Band Wireless Router in my home. It can do wireless B/G/N. It has two bands which run simultaneously, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 2.4GHz range is very close to the same frequency used in some wireless keyboard/mouse products, bluetooth devices, cordless phones, microwaves, etc. The 5GHz frequency is a lot less crowded, so it gets a more reliable connection, and generally faster speeds. Unfortunately, 2.4 GHz has a better range, and passes through walls/floors more easily. This can be a great advantage, depending on what you live. I have a media extender in my livingroom. I connect it to my 5GHz wireless network, so that I can stream high definition TV/Netflix movies, etc. with little or no interference. All other devices (laptops, PDAs, iPods, etc.) I connect to my 2.4GHz network, where it's not that crucial. And most of the other devices I have can't even "see" the 5GHz network anyway. I'll probably set my Envy up on the 5GHz band.

 

That's now two of you...I suspect HP is late and not letting on. I just wish we could deal with companies that would be up front and give us warning. I think the whole system is off...

 

Thats a good sign. They give those credit backs when the system ships (the CS agent I talked to told me "the credit will apply when the system ships"). I remember getting the credit first then very late EST time getting the email that my system shipped.