NOW AVAILABLE - Updated ENVY 15, ENVY 17 / ENVY 17 3D

Do you think HP might offer a 7770m or 7790m card for us to get and upgrade at a reasonable price? Being 28nm and new architecture, the card should perform better and might even use less power too.

Has anyone ever upgrade the mobile gpu of a laptop that can give better insight to this matter?

Thanks

 

Hi,

Just wanted to ask about the new Envy models, 15 and 17 inch in particular!

Anyone know which graphic cards they have now and if they are 28nm?

Do you have exact specs and could you please tell which already-released card comes closest to them in matter of perfomance?

Thanks in advance

 

Not sure if it's been posted, but NBQ7483 is still listed as active on techbargains. It's $400 and should work for the 15". May not be 33% for a lot of options, but it can still knock a chunk off.

 

Also HP's site says the that the Envy 17 has the option of 9 cell battery, does anyone know if the 9 cell does or will exist? The new Envy's according to documents that I have seen has an internal battery that would be easily user replaceable if needed.

Edit: I see now in the assembly/disassembly PDF that there is still quite a bit of room in the battery compartment with the 6 cell, so we should be able to get a 9 cell at some point and install it if HP offers one

 

Might take a little time to get this sorted out, but I'm sure HP will come up with options and accessories to lighten the wallet. Batteries are probably at the top of the list. I'm guessing they don't have them right now because of the fit. I wish the Envy line had a slice/add-on option so I could just go low-pro 90% of the time and carry a slice when I'm mobile.

 

What I am planning to do is have a USB hub with all my desktop stuff and an HDMI to my monitor. Then I just have 2 things to plug in to switch from laptop to desktop mode, plus I should be able to push sound over the HDMI, so I can use the optical out on my monitor to get sound to my sound system all only using 2 cords.

 

According to HP's site the 15" has up to 7.25 hours of battery life. How close will those numbers be to reality? I'm coming from a Dell XPS 1340 and I don't think I've ever gotten 3 full hours out of it....more like ~ 2.5.

 

I'd bet about 5-6 hours on the 15 and the 17 is a crapshoot since it theoretically has a smaller battery, at least for the time being. I think the marketing page says 7.5 but the specs page says 5.25.

 

I pretty much do this now. I have a desk with a built in USB hub that I connect most of my desk peripherals to. I also run audio over the HDMI cable to my monitor which then sends it to my external system. The only problem I have is the lack of USB3 hubs for my desk since I don't want to deal with an external one. Thus I have to plug my USB3 external disk in as well as my hub.

Also, don't forget the power cord!

 

The IPS Panel what the HP blogger referred to is in fact LP156WF4-SLB2, which is similar to 15.6 IPS screen for Sony VAIO SE (LP156WF4-SLB1).

 

Thanks Gatehouse, but do you mind my asking how/where you got that info from?

 

The $400 coupon doesn't work on the envy now either.

 

Laptop Panel Resellers

 

$150 Radiance Full HD Radiance/IPS Display option does not worth that premium as Sony VAIO SE still offers relatively cheaper price(still 15.6 IPS) within limited warranty periods.

 

Fewer cells doesn't necessarily mean a smaller battery, it just means a battery with fewer cells. If the battery itself is larger and the cells are proportionately larger and more powerful, the 17's 6-cell could easily be higher capacity than the 15's 8-cell.

For a real-world example, the 6-cell slice for the Envy 14 is about 10% higher capacity than the internal 8-cell.

 

For anyone who is complaining about the Envy 15 not having BluRay, have you considered the Sony VAIO SE? It is fairly light and thin, is less expensive than the Envy 15" (25% off at a Microsoft Store and includes extended battery slice) and has a good screen.

 

Well, this sucks the 33% off expired. I was refreshing it all night yesterday to make sure it didn't expire . I was waiting on my funds to clear and was about to order. Talk to a sales rep and she acted like it didn't exist. I even pull the Macbook Pro is my first option. =þ

I guess I'll wait for the right Ultrabook now.

 

But the SE has a weaker GPU (6630m with DDR3).

 

Have you tried the "$400 off on customized laptops over $1149" coupon code (NBS3697) ?

EDIT: Just tried it, and it's been pulled too. None of the big discount coupon codes work on the new Envys anymore

The $400 is still working on the Pavilion dv6tqe however.

They must be selling out of their first production batch and choosing to maximize profit now that a huge wave of interest is generated in the new Envys, either that of the whole coupon thing was somebody's screw-up inside HP and was never intended to happen and they're just now correcting it.

 

Yes, that doesn't work it seems, even though my configure is $1599.

 

The $400 code is still working. You can use that - most you'll be missing out on is around $150 - it's your next best option.

 

I don't think MSFT store does customized Sony Vaios. To get a Vaio with similar setup would cost sever $100s more. In addition, though Vaios may have a good rep, I've had 3 Sony HDTVs fold in the last 12 months, and dealing with Sony was a complete fail. Other than PS3 and standard BR players, I won't buy or recommend Sony-made products.

 

Sure... but it has BluRay (which the 15 doesn't currently offer and why I mentioned it) and it's less expensive.

And from what I've read the 6630m is still adequate.

 

So, I wonder what kind of performance can we expect from 7690 for Battlefield 3 game...

 

Nothing magnificent - it will run, maybe on medium/high, but not ultra.

 

Looks like most of the HP codes have been removed from Techbargains site. I didn't think they'd be up for long. I still believe they didn't want them up there in the first place during the launch, but leaving them up until they expired didn't hurt.

I hope those of us who took the leap and ordered pre-construction get nice surprises.

I bet there will be some other coupons that show up soon though. Nothing would help HP better than to be able to show the Envy and Pavilion lines sales are back up even if done through discounts. HP survives through volume.

I really hope this newer Envy is the perfect middle ground. I thought I'd be getting a Lenovo W520, but similarly config'd was $1500+ more. Also didn't like that BR wasn't an option either.

 

@Gatehouse

This might look familiar to you, Gatehouse...

LP156WF4-SLB2 has the following characteristics:

AG (Anti-Glare) Glare
LED backlight
UWVA (Ultra Wide Viewing Angle) ultra-wide viewing angle
60% CG
250nits

This is interesting... I'm betting the 15's panel must be a modified version of this part, since it there isn't an Anti-Glare 15 (although that would be heavenly). If this were the exact panel going into the 15, then it seems:
1) IPS is confirmed
2) 60% color gamut (if that's what CG is here) and 250 nits is a little disappointing

But again, even though the part # is the same, I'm more inclined to think the one in the 15 must be a modified version...

 

If it handles better then my Envy 14 then I will be happy.

 

Hopefully we'll be seeing reviews on this puppy throughout the holidays pop up on NBR.

 

Bummer for the people who missed out on the coupons, I knew those would never last as long as they claimed. I think the 33% was until Dec 11 or 1650 people used it, and the $400 off was supposed to be until Dec 31 or 2500 people.

Once this really went viral (I saw the 33% on Kotaku) those coupons expired quick. Not to mention the early glitch of using the percent off on the 17 3D, which was never supposed to be eligible.

At least people who got to use them are not getting orders canceled. Mine has been approved and sent to the factory even with the $800+ savings.

 

Exactly what happened to me! I configured it yesterday with a rep on the phone. He absolutely confirmed the discount. I called to pay today and the lady put me on hold and came back saying that she asked her supervisor who said there never was a coupon code for ANY envy. What a load of bull!

What's the point of even challenging this statement?!

 

does the screen really compare to Radiance though? I've owned a couple vaios over the years and though I was never able to get my hands on a tru-color (or hi-color or whatever they want to call it), the ones i did see weren't the best panels

 

The panel is rated high by NotebookCheck, however... it does have a problem with reds (looks more orange).

I think now that the coupon is not working, for the same price of a non-Radiance screen (I believe Full HD is an upgrade on the Envy 15), you can get Full HD and BluRay with the Sony SE for less money.

So it depends if you're a graphic artist (where colors are very important) or a gamer (where GPU is very important)... but for everyday use (like me), the SE is a much better value than the Envy 15 (although I prefer the non-numeric keypad of the Envy).

 

OK, more confusion...

HP Confirms IPS Display and AMD 7690XT Graphics for New Envy 15

So, are we getting the IPS?? Heck even the GPU is reporting as different in the link... Confused, YES...LOL!

 

If you haven't already, check back a couple of pages on this thread (it's my earlier post about Rubenstein, actually--#733). The post in that link is actually based on another post in which Rubenstein (same Rubenstein from this thread) asked Darren Gladstone to confirm the specs. Gladstone is probably the most reliable source of info we have at this point, since he's the chief blogger for HP... I don't think there's any 100% confirmed statement about the GPU anywhere on the web right now (Australia HP has 7670m, countless others speculated some form of 7670/7690), other than, again, Gladstone's own confirmation about the 7690m XT.

But I did notice there were updated posts on that link since last night... It seems Gladstone had a pre-release unit, which addresses my earlier question in this thread about how pitiful a WEI of 5.9/6.5 (general graphics/gaming graphics) on the new 15 is compared to a 6.7/6.7 from my previous Envy 14 (ATI 5650).

 

edit: too late for the first post, byunnbi already claryfied it

Buy whatever laptop you want, we had the same discussion in the Samsung Series 7 thread already. Those Sony Vaio SE are quite different products, and I don't want to go into detail here. If you like them, buy them. But please stop trying to pursuade people here. The only alternatives to the Envy 15 are the Samsung Series 7 and the MBP at the moment, where the Series 7 already comes with quite some trade-offs.

Why am I getting upset by this? Everytime we discuss a product, somebody comes with another one and tells why it is better, without understanding the point of the discussion. We were not just too stupid to see the Sony Vaio for 79 pages, we just don't want it.
I feel like discussing about which horse to buy for days and weeks and then somebody tries to tell everybody that a cow is a far better choice, because it can give milk. Nice, but maybe I want a horse for all the other reasons.

Sorry for this post, I don't mean to offend anybody here, but I get anoyed by some of the discussions that are started over and over again every 10 pages...

 

@Rubenstein:

Sorry... not trying to persuade anyone... if you can tell... I was mainly addressing two issues, lack of BluRay and cost with 1080p (now that the coupon is inactive) and mentioning options.

I did not claim that the SE as a whole is better because that is relative, just that the cost to include BluRay and 1080p HD is.

The Envy has been on my watch list since it first came out but the 15" form factor (or lower) never seemed to have the specs at a price point that made it more attractive than the MBP. And usually, it only went up to 1600x900 while I was looking for 1920x1080 (which was only on the 17"). I was waiting for them to come out with a 1080p model with this December refresh but the cost (even with the discount) is prohibitive.

While I understand what you're saying, I'm just trying to be helpful because there are two types of buyers, those who will only buy a specific brand/model... and those who are open to others. While many of you are not "too stupid"... not everyone here are as savvy to compare brands (even if another thread is 79 pages long) and we already know the search function within threads is iffy.

I apologize for annoying you... but I welcome suggestions about other brands/models in any thread I'm active in because it's just as helpful (at least to me) to know about comparable notebooks (and again... I didn't mention the SE until I read posts complaining about the lack of BluRay and the no-longer-active discount).

 

I certainly don't see the harm in suggesting alternatives, but I'm also not sure how the MBP can be considered at all price competitive with the Envy.

Envy 17 vs. MBP 17 w/8 GB RAM and SSD - MBP is $3,449 and the Envy is $2,769 before a coupon; after a coupon that's $1,855 and even then, the MBP has a 256 SSD and the Envy 17 has a 320 with a 1 TB drive to boot. I'm not too familiar with how often there are coupons on new MBPs but all I've ever seen are deals on refurbished ones. That's just over half the cost, and HP reliably has 25-33% off coupons every few months.

That's not to say that the MBP isn't worth more in other ways -- it's clearly the winner on design/weight and probably the winner on battery life. But for twice the cost, the Envy is prohibitive? The 15" match-up is similar: $3,149 for a decked out MBP 15, $1,654 for a decked out Envy 15, and that's a closer match with each one having one SSD.

Again, I get why the MBP is so successful and I'm not interested in a PC vs. Apple war, but if you're looking at all at cost...I don't get it.

 

@BigNerd
Hey, yeah, sorry, I know what you mean, I think I just get annoyed by the way this forum works. Although I appreciate it as a good source of information and helpfull people, I think it has a big problem with those random posts. It should be possible to update the 1st post forever like in the xda-forum, that way we could collect all the info and the discussion might fade away without getting annoying... I just see myself posting the same info every 3 pages...

When I write: it looks like it's going to be a 7690 with GDDR5, because of these sources...
then I read 3 pages later: "Omg, 7670 with GDDR3, what a bummer!" without stating any cause

When somebody says: "IPS confirmed" a couple of pages later it says "so is it IPS or not???" without any reason of doubting

I know that not everybody wants to read the whole thread, this makes perfectly sense, but it feels like watching politicians dismissing information all the time and focussing on fears and anger, and that's not what it should be. Gadgets should be fun, and for me they are. And I am perfectly aware that everything we "know" about the Envy 15 might be wrong, it's just not at all usefull to point that out every few posts. We will find out soon enough

Some short addition why I dismiss the Sony: worse WLAN card (so worse reception, which is annoying if you are not only working at home)
worse battery life
worse audio
worse GPU (basically no gaming)
less build quality (materials for the case)
I guess that's mostly it. If you can live with those trade-offs, fine, but this is why it is such a different product. If the Blue-ray is the thing for you to have, wonderful, than you have an easy decision. I would like it as well, but it's a far too huge trade-off for me.

As a serious gamer would dismiss the Envy in a second, a non-gamer will dismiss the Clevos most of the time. I have a Clevo gaming notebook right now, but it does just not fit my needs.

So much from my side.

where is the information about the panel from? I read the thread in the link, but it does not tell.

 

the product is the alternative, not the price. If you just look at the price, then you can throw in nearly everything as an alternative. The MBP is overpriced for me as well, but until now there were no real alternatives - which means all "alternatives" had huge trade-offs that I did not want to make. And as it looks I am not alone. Btw, I am just talking about hardware.

There is not THE one product for everybody, but there is one for everybody. Can you go with that?

 

I am confused but is 6850M > 7690XT based on numbering?

 

I think the 7690 XT will generally match or slightly out do the performance on the 6850M, due to the faster speed - but then again, there hasn't been any benchmarks done using it, so we have to wait for those.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I've gathered from reading this thread.

 

From what I can tell, it seems to be based on information derived from panel part #'s (Gatehouse mentioned/sourced "Laptop Panel Resellers" in an earlier post, I think ~760). Again, the specs mentioned in that link I posted were peculiar, i.e. CG (again, if that IS in fact 'color gamut') at 60% is mediocre (Envy 14 was ~84%). It's just one more small thing to corroborate the whole IPS thing, at least for me.

 

I'm curious as how the 7690 will stack up to the prior version's gpu (6850) too.

From what I can tell it seems that the 6850 and 6870 were the pinnacle of the HD68xx gpu chip series, with very wide memory buses, fast memory speeds, huge number of "pipelines" and clocked to the bleeding edge of stability. They gave pretty darned good performance but paid the price with high current draw and generating enough heat to cook a pizza with.

I don't think anybody really knows for certain where the new 7690 stands yet. It only has about half the "pipelines" of the 6850, but very similar in all the rest of the other specs. It was also supposed to be build on a 28nm core, which would theoretically save a lot of current and allow running cooler at higher clock speeds, but suppossedly AMD's chip plant couldn't get the 28nm process working, so these chips are rumored to still be built same as last generation's 40nm chips. The number of pipelines (or stream processors) can really effect how a GPU performs in graphics-intensive stuff like FPS games, and the much lower quantity of those has a lot of people worried that this new gpu will be slower than the 6850 and a step backwards in performance. Since there aren't any benchmarks yet published, and this seems to be somewhat of a mystery chip, the fear uncertainty and doubt about it has got a lot of folks suspicious of it.

The Wikipedia article gives some insight into how Radeon numbering schemes are related to their performance levels: Radeon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

If this can be trusted, then maybe they aren't really 28nm like cwfnetman said.

http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/25130-radeon-hd-7000-is-384-bit

edit: then there is this one which the other contradicts

http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/25104-mobile-hd7000-parts-tip-up-in-hp-asus-notebooks

 

Hi All

My first post here.
I thought you might like What I found for the ENVY 15 folks.

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalciti...Country/disassembly_notebo_20111116213653.pdf

Wednesday I ordered a base ENVY 15 with the i7-2670QM and 15.6-inch diagonal Radiance Full HD Infinity LED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080) for $1,125.59 tax and shipping included. The will be my wife's Christmas present to her.

The order has been sent to the factory so we will see what we will end up with.

The case seems well made as you can see from the link I posted.

Hope this helps some of you.

 

I get > 30 fps on mine on Medium settings. Check my signature for my specs. Unless you're a benchmark junkie for get your jollies off of fps numbers, you'll be fine.

 

Hey, where do you have that info from?

 

+1 well said

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

So I accidentally ordered 2 machines - a 15 before the 17 that I wanted - and I called to cancel the 15" 10 minutes later. I was told that there was a 90% chance it could be cancelled but that it might ship anyway (okay, fine) and I could just return it.

I just got an email saying that it couldn't be cancelled because it had 'already shipped' even though the order status page doesn't say so, and that I'd have a tracking number soon. Yikes!