HP Envy 14: Availabilty, etc.

My old HP laptop has the intake on the bottom and have used it on top of my bedspread for years with no problems. It's funny how everyone is freaking out about the laptop before it's even been reviewed.

 

29 hours ~

 

Ya. I heard hp's customer service was bad but didn't they were this ridiculous. At least I still earned something in the end...hopefully.

 

I think we would need some real world users to put the envy through the paces before I decide, because in the reviews I saw of the envy 15, they were saying how great it was spec wise, but the heating problems and webcam problems etc only were reported by the everyday users.

I really hope this laptop solves most of the problems of the previous envy models.. I really want to get this laptop, but I will still wait for some reviews to start rolling in before I make the purchase, because I am not from the US so returns are not too much of an option for me.

 

Yes, both CPU and Graphics get hot. Both may be effected by vent placement .

Your right!

Yeah I gotcha, logic makes sense, but the 1st thing the HP's Envy 15 User Manual states on page 3 is:

Safety warning notice
WARNING! To reduce the possibility of heat-related injuries or of overheating the computer, do not
place the computer directly on your lap or obstruct the computer air vents. Use the computer only on a
hard, flat surface. Do not allow another hard surface, such as an adjoining optional printer, or a soft
surface, such as pillows or rugs or clothing, to block airflow. Also, do not allow the AC adapter to
contact the skin or a soft surface, such as pillows or rugs or clothing, during operation. The computer
and the AC adapter comply with the user-accessible surface temperature limits defined by the
International Standard for Safety of Information Technology Equipment (IEC 60950).

So, NO, the Envy 15 is not safe unless its on a hard surface.

 

I clearly stated " I do believe my boyfriends MBP plays all day and night on the couch (leather), lounge chair & ottoman (fabric), and our bed (fabric) because there are no vents on the bottom." Very simple statement about the ability to place a laptop anywhere. We are all talking about laptops here.

Most, if not all high powered laptops that are thin get warm - hot depending on use. Induction helps with heat dissipation, hence no vents on the bottom of a laptop. Ive not seen a recall on MBP's or Eny 15's because of over-heating, but only 1 of those laptops can be used and placed anywhere.

Period.

Ive only articulated about what I believe may be design flaws that will inherently effect the usability of the Envy 14, although your tone is much different and obviously so.

If you were unable to read my first post regarding this possible issue, I'll make it easy for you and post it here:

 

Yea it's not safe cause it relies on fans to cool off even in low cpu charge (thanks to non switchable graphics, intel graphics produces nearly 0 extra heat when iddling unlike radeons and geforces).

As for the envy15, I you follow the guide book it's safe to use it on your lap as long as you have a boner.

Having a plastic bottom on the envy is not a bad choice either because plastic hardly burns skin within a few seconds while MBP bottom can get pretty much as hot as the cpu itself (well not as much but when the cpu is at 100°C having a metal bottom at 50-80°C is unbearable 70°C being the threshold of instant skin burn and 50°C of first degree burn over 5 minute.) because of "too much induction" (remember the 720quad model). When bottom is made of low induction plastic the heat remains inside the laptop to be exhausted by the ways it should be, aka fans.

 

Yeah, the MBP does get hot, and its metal & fans are designed to manage it. Intel's specs for i5 and i7's list "normal" operation temeratures:

- Intel i7 is rated to 100°C/212°F
- Intel i5 is rated to 105°C/221°F

... so that i7 MBP is at the limit! lol

I can easily toast my boyfriend in most games (Steam on mac is slow anyway girls rule) and can say while playing back to back, both his MBP and my Envy 15 get real toasty... the only difference is I have mine on a metal breakfast bed-stand, and he's got his on the plush comforters!

 

Uhh, Im a girl.

I agree it could help, although I wish for vents in front, or more on the sides... just not on the bottom.

 

The thing about having vents on the bottom of a laptop is that this is the optimal place to put them from a physics perspective - because it's parallel to the bottom of the computer, the fan draws air much more efficiently from the bottom (or the top) of the computer than it would from either side. Try standing next to a floor fan and see if the air is either being drawn from your position or blown to it. Because of the physics of it, the vast majority of manufacturers go with what they know will work. This might actually be part of the reason the term has morphed from "laptop" to "notebook", as it does limit the surfaces that most portable computers can work on efficiently.

Unfortunately, we're still going to be dealing with thermal problems in notebook/laptop computers for some time. When people demand a portable machine to do the same things as a much larger, stationary machine, it drives innovation. When they demand that it get smaller, lighter, and more convenient at the same time, though, there will be roadblocks.

 

Official Specs for the ENVY 14-1008tx (XG184PA) and ENVY 14-1009tx (XG185PA):
HP Envy 14-1000 Notebook PC series Home & Home Office

EDIT: Oh, nevermind - that's the Singapore site.

 

Well, we know that regardless, it's going to have the option for an i7 quad, which honestly seems a little excessive.

 

True, but HP's own Envy website states "ENVY Laptops".

True as well, thats why I'll try the i5 Envy 14 this time. Its gonna be cooollll..errrr!

 

I dont understand why they couldnt just add switchable graphics to the i7. That's the only thing keeping me from getting that upgrade.

 

i7 720qm being quad core theres no room on the cpu die for the intel hd chip.
Intel hd chip is a lot more powerful than older intel GMAs because it is right on the cpu die. (it offers about half the performance of a 310m or hd5470)

 

Agreed...I said something similar to this in another thread. Consumers demand smaller, more powerful machines and the trade-off is heat. Ultimately, it is our own fault so to speak that things are getting hot. If we didn't care about the size of laptops so much, they'd still be 3 inches thick but they'd run a lot cooler and probably perform better.

Until someone can come up with an truly innovative mini cooling system to dissipate heat, this is going to be an issue across all manufacturers, some more than others as new smaller designs are tested with powerful internal components. I don't see the envy being any different.

You can't put a hemi in a air cooled VW and expect the same kind of performance you get in a larger body musle car.

 

will the 14 have a 1080p matte screen option?

 

No
345678910

 

damnit, this seemed like the perfect laptop for me but i dont want a friggin mirror for a display

 

HP isn't the one adding the switchable graphics. With the older generation of switchable graphics, it was more up to the manufacturers to decide whether or not to put an Intel integrated GPU on the motherboard. This generation, the integrated graphics are on the same chip the CPU is on. With the quad core i7s, there is no room on the chip for the integrated graphics die.

Any i7 with switchable graphics is a dual-core i7, which is essentially identical to an i5, but with higher clocks.

 

It's so ing radiance (luminosity +++) that reflections are lessened compared to other laptops anyway.

 

1 day 1 hour 11 minutes~

 

really?

i saw a 13" at a store the other day, screen quality was awesome but it was still too glossy to work on in a lit room...

i might just get it anyway, i hope the keyboard is as comfy as my vaio

 

Do you guys think if you're using an iPhone it's better to just get a mbp? Will the Envy function just fine with iPhones, iPads, iPods, etc. or should I just save the hassle and go with mac? I'm talking calendar integration, etc.

I've never used OS X or a Mac before. I like W7 and the HP Envy (for the most part). Software doesn't really matter to me.

I'm really having a hard time deciding because I like iPhone (w/car integration), and want calendar sync, etc. I just don't like Macs hardware like no usb 3, esata, 16:9, etc.

 

The 14's display is supposed to be better and brighter than the 13's, if I'm not mistaken.

 

how does brightness help in regards to reflectiveness?

the videos i've seen so far, you can see more of the cameramen then the actual display

 

Edge to Edge glass displays tend to be more reflective than regular screens (MBP's, Envy 13 and 14 are all edge to edge). So technically the Envy 14 will be more reflective than your average notebook screen. However, because the screen is supposed to be higher quality, it won't appear as glossy when turned on. It'll only really appear reflective when showing blacks.

 

BCB is now down to 5% if you search "hp direct"

Still 10% if you go to the cash back store and find it from "H".

 

any idea why people always comment on the macbooks screen quality being so great? The resolution of them sucks. Is it just the high quality screen?

 

That sucks, I guess we couldn't catch a break. Very good chance it will go back to 25% once more before July 30. I'm hoping at least. Maybe HP will offer a $250 to $350 coupon though. Who knows.

 

They are said to be high color gamut and the 15" has a "decent" resolution. Some apple-types say they're IPS screens, but I don't think that's accurate. However, they are some of the very highest quality panels in terms of brightness and color gamut, I have to admit.

However, the "title holders" from what I hear, are Sony's displays. They're LED backlit, edge to edge, and have the highest color gamut, brightness, and overall quality. They even tend to come in huge resolution, such as the 1920x1080 display available on the Sony Z. Even the "Lesser" Z display is 1600x900. The Z and the F are said to be the ones with the best displays available.

If the Envy14's Radiance display is even close to those from Sony, it is going to be better than 99% of notebooks.

 

Tick tock we're down to a couple days... of course now with BCB back to 10% I guess I just have to wait until it goes back to 25% or HP has a minimum of $250 coupon.

 

i understand the Z but the F? i heard mixed things bout the F....


the "hi color" FW was supposed to be bonkers, though, while it lasted

 

Yeah I've only heard trash about the VAIO F screens. It was why I wrote Sony out of my considerations altogether (high resolution is no longer available for the VAIO E, and Sony's small arrow keys and price points don't do it for me)

 

sony needs to take what they're doing with the Z, and apply it uniformly to their entire lineup

nearly 2k for the Z doesn't cut it. come out with some other models with the same quality (aluminum body, high res great screen, backlit keys, etc) but not necessarily the power

 

Ahh.. Awesome actually, that BCB is at 5%, cuz now I'm not pressured to buy it on Sunday Got some more time to think, and hopefully NBR or pcmag, etc will do some reviews on this thing.

Btw, how often do the "good" HP $-off coupons come out? Or will we have to just hope BCB jumps back to 25%?

 

back to school sales are usually big for HP in my experience, so mid to late august

 

It's actually at 10% if you go to the bing.com/cashback, select "cashback stores", select "H", and at "HP Direct" it says 10% so does the click-thru. Still not bad, but not 25%!

I'm just waiting for Bing to go back to 25% off or if HP offers at least a $250 coupon, be ~ 20% off with what I'd configure.

 

c'mon giant coupon

 

I might, if they don't have 25% right away, wait for an instant rebate and 25% before bcb ends. Too bad I won't be able to get it eight away if that's the case, ugh horrible patience..

 

I need mine in my hands by August 10th or so... Here's hoping for a jump back to 25% within a week or two of launch...

 

Look on the brightside, folks. This just means we don't have to "jump" on it as suddenly, meaning we can wait for some good reviews to come out, if it actually releases, right? That's by far the best part by me, even though I would've preferred to do the review myself, cuz I'm spoiled+picky

 

Damn. So the 25% BCB went "poof!"

 

lol, so for the Envy 14's release they decided to bump down the BCB..

Three weeks later, after all the early adopters have bought their's, it'll probably go back up to 25%.

 

Went to Costco this afternoon....

They had the new DM4 and the DV6 there, which I had to try out to get a sense of hp's new quality. To be honest, the overall quality was better than almost anything else I've touched from HP in the past. (I realize this isn't saying very much...)

One thing though - The click pad, crap pad, whatever it's called, is the worse thing I have ever used. It was a complete fail, and even though I use a separate mouse 60% of the time, that 40% I have to use the pad will be horrific unless something can be done to turn off the 'pad' over the button locations....I always have my thumb resting on the left button, and that doesn't work very well...

 

Yes, I'm wondering if this can be configured. Honestly, I recall even extremely old Synaptics drivers having the ability to choose what actual location of the surface you want it to register on. If it still has this feature, you could just disable the right and left click areas.

 

Dammit...dammit...no 25% or higher BCB kills this! HP, PLEASE release some coupons on launch date!!!

 

So what's the countdown? PST or EST?

23 hours and 30 minutes? Or 1 day, 2 hours, and 30 minutes?

 

The latter if you're going off of Pacific time.

 

Bump for this, I'm been trying to find some benchmarks or anything on the 450M as compared to the 520 but no luck so far. Right now I'm planning on keeping it at 450M but upgrading to 1600x900, 8GB Ram, 160GB SSD.

As for all the talk about the heating problems, like it was said earlier, the only serious heat generated will be from the GPU, and I don't know about you but if I'm gaming, the laptop is either docked or (maybe) on my lap. If you can play the game with a touchpad you probably don't even need the GPU on.

As well, I would hardly call the vent on the bottom "tiny."

Lastly, the slice has vents in all four corners of it to allow for intake.