*HP dv6t & dv7t Select Edition / Quad Edition (6XXX series) Owners Lounge*

Any thoughts on 6 gb vs 8 gb RAM? I ordered a dv6qe on 3/18, and it should be shipping out by the 12th (I also got the email notice for the shipping delay). I'm thinking about calling and cancelling my order and then reordering with the free upgrade to 8gb RAM. It would be about $75 more than I paid for the 3/18 order. Worth it?

I don't anything too serious: play some FIFA or Call of Duty, watch blu-rays/stream netflix, run stats software (R, SPSS). Any opinions would be appreciated. You have been great!

 

I agree. Actually, I have yet to get my laptop to look like the dark umber color, maybe when I take it out, but right now, it looks midnight black. I can see faints of brown when I'm standing on one leg and tilted to one side (I'm exaggerating, but not by much) but let's just say when I took the laptop out, I thought (and I still think) that maybe they installed the wrong chassis color. But, the inside of the laptop looks like a black wood-finish, my sister thought it was cool. So, for those who haven't gotten it yet, all I can say is, wait it out, it's totally worth it, you will not be disappointed.

 

Based on the Service Manual (Page 42) for the DV7t, you need part # 641306-001. I've been looking to install a SSD (as I already have one) and was thinking of getting the dual HD just to get the second caddy. I can use the second HD provided in an external enclosure. 2 7200 HD was only $60 I believe.

 

Get a USB 3.0 external enclosure instead of a caddy (cost's maybe $30 for one that can support 750GB, make sure it can support than much space) and just store your data on there if that's a problem. If you don't wanna lug stuff around and space AND speed are issues, you should have probably opted for the 640 GB 7200 RPM HDD.

EDIT: actually better yet, if performance and space are concerns of yours, invest in those hybrid drives everyone is talking about. they are affordable, spacious, and faster than 10000 RPM velociraptors. A great choice for single hard drive setups.

HP charges $420 for the upgrade to a SSD, my SSD cost $170 and was twice as fast, why would I pay more?? I've waited a month for this laptop. I'm willing to spend a day on installing some programs... plus I would do a clean install of windows regardless. HP bloatware sucks and just kills a machine's performance. Installing software is annoying, but not hard, and formatting the original hard drive takes nothing more than one click.

 

I ordered two drive hardware kits for the new dv7 today, came to $72 with tax, shipping and 15% discount. Not sure if I'll put SSDs in both dv7s, but figure somebody here would want the 2nd one if I don't use it.

I think HP made the right choice with the Intel MLC SSD. It might not be the very fastest, but nobody is likely to notice the difference in speed, and Intel is the most dependable. HP doesn't want to get a computer back because the bios suddenly can't find an OCZ drive.

I'm wishing I'd jumped on the 120GB G3 Intel last week for $201.

 

Intel is just a big name in computers, but when it comes to SSDs, OCZ Vertex's are definatly the best (speed-wise and reliability-wise, just look at the MTBF and warranties).
Either way, the intel SSD does not cost $420 normally, so if that's what you want, but elsewhere (like newegg).

 

You passed on the extra 2GB of RAM for $60 when you ordered, but now you're thinking of paying $75 plus waiting for a 2nd order and returning the first?

This is how I dealt with the situation. (haven't received memory or computer yet, but expect it to work just fine)
I managed to talk them into giving me a $50 credit as a price match for the free 8GB, so I made $1 on the deal.

 

Anyone know what RAM HP uses (not rating, but company)? Just wondering the quality of the RAM used. That and the quality of mobo are the only 2 things we aren't totally sure of. CPU and GPU are namebrand.

 

So, I did call and cancel the order, I'm just a little irritated with HP service at the moment, and the new estimated build date is April 25 >.< meh! I wish I hadn't let them talk me out of canceling the order in the first place and had redone it two weeks ago. So frustrating. Can't wait to be on a good laptop again, my replacement one is very depressing.

 

i second that, can someone check the brand of the 4gb stick on cpu-z please? trying to decide to save $60 and order again with 8gb free upgrade, or get the laptop 3 weeks earlier, since i already have a 4gb stick.

hope mine can already dual channel with their stock....

 

You should call in, complain and get some nice discounts.

 

People have been posting 3dMark links after benchmarking the computers that shipped last week, and every one I saw had 2GB Samsung 1333mhz and 4GB Micron Technology 1333mhz in it.

 

Yes that's correct...I just got my dv6t today with 6GBs...promptly replaced it with 2 new 4GB G Skill sticks. It was a 2GB Samsung and 4GB Micron that I pulled out...now I need to find someone to sell these to

By the way, the color is awesome! Looks almost black. Speakers are decent. Screen...good enough. Went with the 9cell battery, really like the profile and how it's raised in the back. Thank you Intel for the Sandy Bridge flaw, I could not stand the rosy hue of the dv6-5000 silver model!

Backups done....
On the todo list...1. reinstall windows 7 fresh...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html
2. Install Ubuntu...
3. ???
4. Profit

 

I'm going from a Lenovo to a DV6. There are lots of things I hated about the Lenovo. Namely, things I took for granted like Home-End buttons requiring Fn to hit on the keyboard. I used to use these all the time, and stopped using them just because of the Lenovo layout. The power supply kept wearing out and breaking. Simple things like speaker volume and screen brightness required a Fn key=sucks.

The little touches are good with the HP, velcro on the power supply (Apple is best though), simple functions are immediately accessible, speaker volume, screen brightness, wireless on-off, etc. And now the beauty of simple pass.

 

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BTW, has anyone plugged in an external monitor yet? Can you use the integrated 3000 with one display and say 6770 on the other?

 

I don't believe that is possible DeusExMachina, it seems like only one graphics card can be active at a time

 

If you can read basic instructions and use a screw driver, then it's a 1

 

People have been saying that the dv7t came with the caddy, but is missing the sata cable.

I bought the HDD Kit from HP (part number is in the manual on the first page sticky) for about $50 after 2 day shipping + tax.

I think it's out of stock until the 11th though.

 

HP does 2gb and 4gb ram for 6gb. Therefore you lose out on the benefits of dual channel ram

 

Is anyone else having CPUs that go up to 85C while gaming? My dv6t pretty much goes up that high while playing any game.

 

Btw you can probably buy matching RAM from crucial.com for like $50 (well at least a 4gb stick). Even if it costs up to $75 from HP, at least you won't have to wait.

 

Probably will, but it's like diminishing returns for dealing with terrible customer service that I can barely understand and giving me the runaround while I'm at work or school. Plus they won't confirm anything in writing until after the unit ships, so I have no idea if I'm actually getting discounts or HP is just bs'ing me.

Supposively:
Already got shipping free when I called in last week.
Also started with the -$325 coupon, and got them to match the difference of the 30% off coupon (about -$60).

 

What's this additional 15% coupon for the delay is everyone talking about?

 

Wrong. There is asymmetric mode.

 

I had never heard of that before.

But this seems to contradict what you're saying.
Desktop Boards &mdash; Single, dual, triple and flex memory modes

Unless our mobo's are special

 

Single channel (Asymmetric) mode

 

Delayed.... (day 1), after day 3 they better give me a discount

 

Good luck, mine should have shipped the 25th and all they gave me was half way confirming I got 2-day shipping.

 

I see where you are coming from.
I made four calls. The first was going nowhere, I hung up while I was talking (see, I'm not dissing you, I lost the connection).

The 2nd got me $140 so I let them place my order.

The third call (I was asking to match the $100 instant rebate last week) got me put on hold for an eternity, then told she'd call me back tomorrow with the final decision from higher up the chain of command. She did call back the next day, about 6pm, and told me no. (this was a supervisor in sales, I never made it to resolutions)

The fourth call was for a price match on this week's memory deal. The resolutions worker spent 5-10 minutes alternating betweeen telling me how 8GB wasn't any better than 6GB and telling me that they could work with me to make me happy, then gave me $50 for the memory. (I told her NewEgg was selling 4GB cards for $50 and I could install it myself)

Thre will never be a fifth call, unless I truly want to tell them to give me my money back. That's not happening unless something's wrong with it (like the guy who couldn't play a DVD on his dv6 last week).

Final score $810 plus tax -$50 for 2630qm,6GB,6770m,640/7200rpm,bluray,bluetooth,2 batteries. IIRC, a Dell would have cost me $1100 with Nvidia 540m and one battery.

 

Anyone knows if we can edit the whitelist to use other wifi cards?

I have an Intel 6200 and a 6300 in a xps m1530 so I was wondering if I would be able to use them with these new DV6´s.

 

I haven't tested any games on my DV7tqe yet. I did keep an eye on HWMonitor while streaming some videos for a few hours, switching between the Intel and 6770M to compare temps and performance. The machine definitively runs hotter when using the 6770M, and the fan is louder then while using the internal graphics. I could see using the Intel graphics to lower fan noise while sitting in a quiet room, since the fan is always on. With the 6770M, the Core and THRM temps maxed out at around 62C and the GPU was slightly cooler around 58C. With the Intel graphics, Core and THRM temps stayed below 56C.

I just paid the extra $60, at the time I bought it, to get the 8gb upgrade. Figured if I went with the 6gb, to upgrade to 8gb, I would have to buy a matched set of 4gb sticks, which would end up costing the same or more in the end. I wouldn't suggest only replacing the 2gb with a 4gb stick, get a matched pair. The dual-channel thing did go though my mind, I always thought you needed a set of ram the same size and speed for it work.

 

I've got dual 4g hyper x 1600 and a intel 250G 510 ssd patiently waiting for my arrival. Estimated ship date of march 31st. If not shipped by thursday I'm gonna push to get some money off with the 15% or reinstatement of the instant rebate. The sandy bridge is supposed to be able to take safe advantage of both upgrades .

Yea, would like to know if anyones seen anything on upgrading the cards, heard it was just a temporary "safe" move on hp's part until new bios came out.

 

for those talking about the hybrid drives, newegg has some. Here is a 500gb hybrid (4gb flash) for 99 bucks and 99 cent shipping.

 

Ordered mine on the same date and received the same email last night. Called them first thing this morning and told the guy calmly about the delay and wanting clarification. He looked up the order saw the additional delay and automatically offered 10% off.

 

Ordered mine the day after you, and this is where I am at:

March 17 - Orderded
March 31 - Est. Ship Date
April 1 - Called in, CSR told me April 8 ship date
April 4 - Got an email saying it would ship April 11
April 5 - Called CSR, ship date has been pushed back to April 15.

So if this is how it goes down, I should be getting my notebook almost a month and a week after I placed the order. It will be obsolete by then

 

I agree. My dv6 w/6cell ordered 3/14, build date 3/28, was delayed. After I started calling to request 2day shipping it mysteriously shipped soon afterwards. It then got delayed going through customs. I'm expecting it to arrive tomorrow or Thurs.

 

My dv7tqe with 2630QM CPU and 6770 seems to run hot, it is better when HD3000 graphics is used instead of the ATI, power at idle drops to 16-17W,

ATI 6770 enabled HD3000 enabled
Temp Temp
Idle 48 C Idle 43 C
CPU Load 80 C CPU max 75 C
CPU + GPU max 85 C
GPU max 78 C

Power w/ ATI enabled
Idle 24W
CPU Max 84W
CPU+GPU Max 116W

 

Well, ordered mine March 21st. Estimated build/ship date April 4th. Waiting to hear from HP before I start asking for discounts. It is an estimated date after all. They are saying that I will receive my pc by the estimated date, which by their definition is: estimated ship date + shipping estimate(April 4th + 5-7 business days). Sounds reasonable.

 

Thanks for the specs and the screen shot of the ratings page, was very informative considering I'm looking forward to receiving the same comp. =)

 

This specifies a 100C junction temp, which from what I remember on my core2 linux box, is the thermal shutdown point (somewhere buried in the /proc/sys is a cpu file that amongst other things lists shutdown temps). Interesting link. This is for the 2630, but the others appear to be the same

The other interesting thing (I don't remember seeing this before, but there it's probable that it has been posted before in this very big thread) that the 2630 has a max memory bus speed of DDR3-1066/1333, while the 2720 and the 2820 are DDR3-1066/1333/1600.

I wonder what the chances of getting 1600Mhz ram with the cpu upgrade?

 

It doesn't matter what the RAM speed is; you won't notice a difference, and upgrading would be a waste of money.

 

are you leaving the fan on all of the time (BIOS setting)? I went with the 2720 and have been playing around with MSI Afterburner and I am still sitting at less than 60c for the 6770m and 72c for the processor...

 

Jerohm, are you saying that for the temps above you have the fan running all the time? Is it loud?

I am considering this for a work/play laptop. I would probably have the Intel graphics on all day while at work.

 

I have the dv6 quad on order. Does it come with an external SATA connection? If not, how would one change out hard drives by transfering an image to a new larger drive then swapping them? I have done this several times with my dv5t going from a 320 (5400) to a 320 (7200) and recently to a 640 (7200) drive.

Anyone?

 

it is certainly audible, but less distracting than coming on every so often from dead silence... kind of like white background noise that you get use to. It bothered me yesterday... not today. The audio on the dv7 is close (maybe the same) as on my old Dell Studio 1747 ... listenable for sure. This is a very capable laptop... The build quality is okay ... I think the previous generation really used top metal components ... this model seems to sport more of a metal skin. I doubt it would tolerate a drop ... but you probably shouldn't try THAT anyway. It is very fast, and certainly adequate.

I am GUESSING that the USB 3.0 ports hang off the 3Gb/s SATA ports (per device manager reports).

The trackpad buttons are a million times better ... actually usable anyway.

I also ordered the 9 cell that elevates the machine... that doesn't hurt cooling any. I wouldn't recommend using it in bed.

 

Agreed, I was just curious as to what would be shipped. I expect it is all 1300.

Having said that I wonder what use cases, if any, would benefit from the faster ram. Heavy database driven development with large datasets?

 

Have you had a chance to get a feel for how long of battery runtime you get with the 9 cell?

 

4 GB seems a little low for flash, don't you think? With 32 GB SD cards out there, you would think that they would at least make them 32 GB. How can you fit the OS on 4 GB?

 

no data ... I will leave it under reasonable load later on today