*HP Envy 15 Owners Lounge! PART 1*

Ha ... your Envy is in exactly the same shipment as mine When is this supposed to arrive? I don't see any estimated arrival date.

 

same here:

Nov 17, 2009 00:51
Picked up
SHANGHAI CN
Package received after FedEx cutoff

 

does that mean that the Envy is Assembled and Made in China?

 

Yup man. Sure thing.

 

Well... When I purchased it said "free 2nd day air". I highly doubt we see our laptops on Wed. I would be surprised if it gets here this week. Only time will tell

 

now thats a scary thought.. i just hope and pray that my envy comes with no problems since i'm living quite far away. i'd have to pay plenty just to ship it for it to be replaced. huhu..

oh guys, is there going to be a new version of Envy 15 other than the Beats Edition for December? any news lately?

 

You don't have to ship it back to China if there is a problem ... lol ... just a US HP destination ;-)

 

I got the HP Video dock well ahead of the Envy 15 laptop. This is actually a great little gadget as it excels as either A) a single USB connection for video, mouse, speakers, printer and ethernet ... or B) as a source for two monitors (one VGA the other DVI) or C) if you already have a DVI connection on your laptop, for two DVI monitors (one from the HP Video dock, the other directly from the laptop). This is the first time I've been able to power two monitors using the better DVI connection on both. It works very well too.

 

considering i live far far away from US, when i do ship it back. I do have to pay for it right? back and forth?

 

I was playing games on my envy, OMG It gets hot on the bottom! So hot I can't keep my hand on cause it actually is uncomfortable.

 

Funny thing, it's crazy hot, but the air that comes out of the vent, is pretty cool lol. WHY?!

 

Not true. I bought my machine in the united states and according to HP..

As long as there is an equivalent model in your country then the warrantly applies in your country

(Not an exact quote but basically what hp usa told me)

 

Agreed. I bet it will be the same 25% discount they offered on October 18^th.

Note that these are X18-M G1 SSDs. Therefore they don't support Windows 7's TRIM features.

Where can I read more about this? Are there any benchmarks of these new drives available yet?

Unfortunately it does not support it. That seems to be the main reason they aren't offering Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631

this is their 3rd article on ssd. It has everything you would want to know. There is also a newer one they just wrote but I have not read it yet... enjoy ... Form this article only the Intel gen2 drives are going to support TRIM. Ocz Vertex EX slc drives are the best atm but, very expensive, ~$1300 for 128gb slc.

 

Ive found a way of reading the 4830m GPU temperature. You have to use an old version 1.1.1.0 of HWmonitor,

When you run it it crashes everytime but it still shows the gpu temp for a brief second. I find it strange how the new HWmonitor or any other tools cant read it at all.

http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e393/MikeBT/?action=view&current=Capture.jpg

This is version 1.1.1.0:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jaw4n2ym1wt/HWMonitor.exe

 

I'm guessing you got this information from FredFrenzy (who seems to have some inside information) in this thread. Though I see how this makes sense from a logistics stand point, I fail to see how it is congruent with the form factor of the Envy 15.

From all the information available, the Envy 15 has a disk bay that can house either one 2.5" drive or two 1.8" drives. This is because a typical notebook 2.5" drive is 9.5 mm thick, while typical 1.8" drives are 5 mm thick. Then, in theory, you can place two 1.8" disks on top of each other. Let's assume that the 0.5 mm difference is negligible, and by design the other two dimensions would not interfere with such placement of two drives. However, if we assume that the Envy is housing two 1.8" Intel X18-M G1's (and take note that each drive has a capacity of 160 GB) then according to Intel's datasheet (see page 2), the only G1 X18-M that qualifies is 8 mm thick. Pack two of these together and you've got 16 mm, which is well beyond any known size for laptop hard drive bays, as far as I'm aware. Even the WD Scorpio 1 TB, which is 12.5 mm thick, wouldn't fit into my Vaio SZ, and according to this article, it wouldn't fit into MacBook Pro's either (though I have heard that the 17" version can accommodate the drive with some caveats). But if a drive bay can fit the Scorpio, to fit two 8 mm drives requires an additional 3.5 mm. That is more than even server-level 2.5" drives (I've read somewhere they can be up to 15 mm thick). Considering the Envy 15 is already tight when it comes to component space, it seems highly unlikely that HP would leave 6 mm of extra space in one dimension for the possibility of stacking two 8 mm SSD drives on top of each other.

So how would they still provide two 160 GB drives in the same space as one typical 2.5" notebook drive? Let’s welcome the Intel X18-M G2, or more accurately, the X18-M 34 nm version. According to this product brief (see page 2), the X18-M G2's only come in one thickness, 5 mm. This is independent of capacity. Stack two of these together and you're only at 10 mm of thickness. Plus, these are the only 1.8" 5 mm thick drives that can provide 160 GB of capacity in the entire market. I couldn't find any other brand which had this form factor and capacity. Even Kingston and, I believe Hitachi, who rebrand Intel drives, don't list the 1.8" versions on their websites. Hence, the Intel X18-M 34 nm version at 160 GB is the only drive that could fit in twice within the space of a typical 2.5" hard drive.

This also makes sense from a product strategy standpoint. Regardless of the quality issues identified so far in this thread, the Envy 15 is a high end product and the way it's been presented has been to incorporate the latest and greatest. It houses a core I7 mobile processor, it's the first notebook to have the Radeon 4830 and its launch date was tactfully placed close to the Windows 7 launch. It would then make sense for the product to incorporate the G2 drives from Intel to not only take advantage of TRIM on Windows 7, but to also stick with the product strategy.

Nonetheless, all of this is speculation on my part based on the information available publicly. To me, fitting in G1 drives, which are also more expensive than the G2's, doesn't make much sense. The G2's, given the strategy and form factor seem like ideal candidates for the Envy 15. Needless to say, I could be totally wrong, but one thing is for sure - if they are indeed using G2's, then the November 25th build date that I received for my order (which I placed 3 days ago) is wishful thinking at best. Nonetheless, I'm the kind of person who'd rather wait for the latest goodies than be handed leftovers from the previous gen in the interest of time - but that's just me. I totally understand that for others, timing may be a factor. However, that's not stopping me from keeping my fingers crossed for G2's .

 

Very interesting points man! I really hope they use the G2's. Maybe that's why they didn't launch with SSD options like the Envy 13 did.....

 

Hey, now here is a question I bet nobody can answer! Is there a way to tell the GPU to occupy the entire screen when you set a lower resolution?

I dare anybody to try to answer!

 

Grrr...one month to go for mine...the wait is killing me!

 

Go to ATI CCC settings > Graphics > Desktop & Displays > Right Click on the picture at button (1), select Configure > click Full screen.

Hope this helps.

 

What game are you having problems with, or is it all games?

Some games just don't like to play with lower resolutions. For example [PROTOTYPE] doesn't fill my display when I set it to lower resolutions, no matter what I try. However, if I play it on an external display it does just fine.

 

Here's a review I haven't seen posted before -

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/11/16/review_laptop_hp_envy_15/

 

Well, I'm not thinking of any application in particular, just wondering if you can change res through ATI and still have the whole screen occupied.

Thanks for the reply!

 

Based on the info from FredFrenzy "Mounted side by side. Sorry don't have a unit appart right now to measure...but will fit 2 1.8 side by side or 1 2.5."

My concern here - how do they make it so cheap - for $500 you can't really buy even one of those SSDs.

 

Whoops -- I'm sorry, never mind. The problem was just that I was trying to enter resolutions with the wrong aspect ratio (I guess) -- because I just realized it does "stretch" into 1280x768 correctly...

Thanks again!

 

Bingo. That's the trick.

And some games just don't like stretching to widescreen. With my machine [PROTOTYPE] wont go to 16:9, so I get black bars left and right. Poor programming, or my machine is rubbish. Take your pick, both are probably right

 

Yeah I don't get how they're so cheap either.

 

Hello,

Does Anyone knows if there's a same laptop but with NVIDIA coming ?

The laptop is exactly what I was looking for (a 14" instead of the 15 would be awesome), but the ATI card is ruining it.

I'm under Linux and no I don't want to mess with ATI under linux, I already had it one time and the drivers are coded with their feet.
I'm not going to use windows and I do not want to debate on this. (Please understand it, don't start a debate linux/windows ati/nvidia)

I just want to know if someone can indicate me another laptop "equivalent", with an nvidia.
I do want the same or close to same processor, full hd screen (Led of course), etc.
size can vary from 13.3 to 15 not above.(16" is already too big for me)


(The graphic card can be a little lower end, I was looking at sony vaio Z series 13.3" with a 9300gs before getting interested in this one).
So if anyone know about a laptop with this characteristics I would love to know about it

I don't really look about money at moment but more about, performance/mobility/LED full hd screen(I do need space to work res > 1400x900).

Thanks in advance.

dlzerocool

 

Although ATI had a rightful reputation of having substandard graphics drivers, it's been much better recently.

I have run linux for a decade (really since high school CS classes), and was sworn off Radeons until about 2006. Since then, their driver quality has improved a great deal. I'm using several systems with Radeon cards in them at the moment running Ubuntu and Suse, all with 3D desktops enabled, including Mobility X1300, and desktop HD4670 and HD4850. I've had several other laptops with ATI cards that worked very well.

The only thing that I still haven't been able to get to work with ATI cards are external projectors, which despite my best efforts, have been beyond the reach of fglrx or radeohd drivers.

For nVidia, on the other hand, I have seen increasing problems. Their proprietary drivers have always worked with things like hibernation, but their support of 3D applications in Linux have fallen off somewhate. There are certain simple apps like Second Life or even 3D chess that would produce large amount of artifacts and sound distortion (when applicable) with nVidia cards and drivers. These seem to be across product lines, with similar issues in 7900GS, 8400m, and 9600m GT.

Furthermore, in the last 24 months or so, I have had to deal multiple laptop failures with nVidia cards in them (many of the machines in my office, as well as many of my friends have me as a designated IT person since I study CS and ECE). Two 8400m's, one 8600m, and two 9600m's have failed in various laptops; the most recent one just 3 weeks ago, in a dv5t that started to refuse output to any display, either internal or external, and being out of warranty by a couple of months. Anyways, pretty much major problems with graphics IC failures in all lines of notebooks with NV chips from multiple OEMs.

ATI cards probably doesn't have optimal drivers yet, but most of the functionalities clearly work, and work without additional tweaking or configuration; at least they give you reliable and working silicon. Can't say that about nVidia chips at the moment. I've been burnt a few times, so I'm going to lay off nV chips for the time being, and see if their reliability and longevity improve in the future. Much rather having to to a slight bit of work on xorg.conf than having dead chip in 15 months.

 

You should post in this forum here: What notebook should I buy?

Fill out one of these in the post you make there: WNSIB FORM

Because basically you've not given us enough information and really your post belongs in that forum.

Regards

 

Could be side by side perpendicular - two 1.8's would be 78x108 mm compared to 70x100 mm for a 2.5. Is there internal space for that?

 

First to answer both of you : I'm under LINUX so no ATI the driver it's not complete and I don't want to discuss about it. Just make a little turn around on web and you will see that you shouldn't clearly use ATI under linux and this is not a Linux fault. No video acceleration most of the time, (vdpau is doing awesome "I do have a 9600m GT right now", the performances and the problems with the software are inexistant. Wine don't have to be patched or do any tricks to get all opengl functionality ! I think I've made my point so don't insist as I said I don't want to debate on this.
And yes I do have been enough precise, the current envy 15 (the limited edition one "I prefer it, even it don't change the specs it's just skin") with an Nvidia.

IS there something like this coming ?
I'm on envy owners place that's why I ask here.
Most of you as I read on latest post are looking from hp upgrades etc... "2 disks, better graphic card etc."
So that's the point of my question.

I've been looking everywhere for something like this so please if you know that x or y (brands) are going to made a new computer similar to this one with an nvidia. I would be please to know.

Thanks in advance.

 

Really, which decoder are you using? Standard configs 2.6.22 works fine with vid acceleration on the system I'm typing on with fluendo and fglrx. Pretty much everything I need works fine here, including Xv.

I didn't say that performance problems exist with NV drivers, but I have seen screen output corruption many times with nVidia systems. At least one instance was due to interaction between vdpau and powermizer. And yes, I did have regular use of one with 9600m as well, same problem as exhibited on GF8 as well as a 7900 series that I used to own.

True, does take a bit more work, about 5 minutes of it all in all.

Well, as Fraigilexx said, if you are not interested in talking about this laptop with the available configurations here, but already have your own configuration in mind; it's more appropriate for you to ask a general audience in http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16 . I'm sure people there would be more than glad to give you the closest model(s) that would fit your requirement, as long as you state them clearly. This thread is clearly not the place to do it.

 

does it still apply if i bought my unit from best buy?

 

Unfortunately not. I have made three different posts in three different HP forums but have not received any official response or reaction to the SATA performance problem I discovered.

I did plan on downgrading the BIOS to F.04 to see if that would improve performance but I have not done so yet.

 

Everything is assembled and made in china. hehehe. Mac's and ipods included. The only part of a mac that isn't made in china is the chassis.

 

Yep pretty certain it does.

I bought mine from ebay and called United Kingdom support and they would support me.

 

When you buy anything in large bulk, 1000's at a time - you can get a great discount. That factor and the fact that retail prices are so jacked up, sometimes 100x-1000x the actual manufacturing price. Esp things like clothing which are around 800%-1000% markup for retail. Believe me, if that price seems too low, HP is making up for the price somewhere in the final sale.

Nate

 

That's what I was thinking. Putting them side by side, parallel to the 2.5" drive would require a width of 108 mm, which is far more than the 70 mm of the 2.5". It would be a total waste of space. What you described above makes sense, but the problem is it would require three SATA connectors - one for the 2.5" drive and two for the 1.8" ones. Otherwise, at least one of the connectors must be loose and can be moved around. I looked at all the pictures I could find of the inside (including those in the manual and the ones in the beginning of this thread), and there seems to be nothing indicating connectors on the longer side of the 2.5" drive, nor an overly wide drive bay. This is why I am a bit skeptical. It'd be great if someone who has an Envy 15 to open their one up and take a look. That would clarify everything, but of course there's warranty issues to be concerned about so I understand why anyone would be hesitant.

Also, the information is coming from FredFrenzy in a thread at thenextbench.com who seems to know his stuff, but has been wrong in the past. For example, in this thread, he said the 4830 had DDR3 memory, when we can clearly see from the images in the beginning of the thread the part actually does have GDDR3.

To me, it still makes most sense to stack two drives on top of each other (assuming 5 mm thickness per drive). That way, you can place the connectors together. Again, I'm not sure, but I am hopeful to receive Intel X18-M G2's in my setup, not G1's.

 

Hi there and welcome to the NBR Forums.

As Fragilexx suggested, use that forum to ask, since it was made for that specifically.

Feel free to post around, based on the Forum Rules, and the thread topic.

Thanks and welcome!

Yes, basically you could say that...

 

Well not just China, but close enough. Some parts will be manufactured in surrounding countries and areas like Malaysia etc. Heck, we even use a team of analysts that are based in the far East because it works out cheaper, even considering we have to pay extra for their unsocialable hours (to make them work the same as we work essentially).

 

Got my delivery date of the 20th for my Beats LE. Funny how HP's "free 2 day shipping" takes 4 days... lmao

This forum is specific to the Envy 15 not "another laptop equivalent, with an nvidia."
Use this forum and you will be able to find help with what you are looking for:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16

I looked in that forum for your thread to help you but, I don't see a thread started by you yet.
Good Luck!

 

Ok, so owners, after this time of using, and everything loaded and a regular usage laptop. How does the Envy 15 perform?
How are temps?
How is speed?
Drivers are all working?
The clickpad? Any improvement?
The screen?

Can you please update us?

 

+1

Some small summaries would be great!

 

Here are my temps during web browsing on Hp Recommended Power plan and on battery at boot using the new bios F.05 A.



All I did was booted the computer while it was on battery power, used HP Recommended Power plan and set the processor fan to passive cooling.

One other tip for you guys is to go in to your Power Plan and set the Minimum Processor State when plugged in to 5%. That way the processor isn't running at full speed all of the time when it doesn't need to be and the temps are a lot cooler.

 

The temps are actually very good when idle or just general usage. The fans stay on very low and quiet all the time so there is no spin on/off every few minutes like other laptops, When gaming the heat from the left side can get pretty warm 40-45C and it gets very warm underneath the touchpad too 45-50C

The speed is good, very fast and responsive, Im using the Intel Turbo-boost monitor to view when the turbo-boost kicks in and its great seeing it in action when doing various tasks. Whenever i open an app I will see it hit 2.8Ghz for a brief second then scale back down when its opened fully.

All my drivers except the ATI appear to be good and fully working and stable, I have an issue with the ATI driver that i mentioned a few pages back on this thread. It wont let you see the GPU temperatures with any tools so i think an update will solve that.

The touchpad can be annoying when trying to click the buttons at the bottom because if you have more than one finger on the pad it sends the cursor off the screen. Enabling and using tapping will prevent this though.

I cant comment on the 1080i screen as i dont have that one but my 1366x768 screen is bright clear and there is no grain, Colours are a little washed out but can be corrected by decreasing the gamma a little.

 

Those are great temps lugnut. Lower than the average C2D I have to say. That means the i7 does it work pretty well.

 

Announcement:

18/11/2009

As news to give. The OP has been updated with lugnut's temps.

 

i kinda missed the first few post you were talking about but the Dual 1.8" hdds are meant to be places side by side.

There are 2 SATA connectors, and 2 different types of cables (maybe 3) but at any one time only two will be connected.

if you have the 2x1.8 then you have a left and right sata cable, if you have the single 2.5 then you have a single 2.5 sata cable. the caddies for these drivers are also different to all for them to be held in place.

 

Announcement 2:

18/11/2009

Tomorrow I have an OP full-rewrite scheduled.
It will include a better organization, a user/contributer area for all of you who have sent the info, which will include the name of each user and the area designated. There are some information checks to be done, and some updates.

So please, by all means, send me a Private Message (PM) with whatever you would want me to post on the front in your area. Each person has a personal place. I think this way it will be more organized. So, PM me, send me whatever information you think is relevant for the front page to be posted, and I will put it there.

Thanks, and good night from France.

Keep me posted!