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

You are correct. I didn't mean to imply that VT-d was essential for virtualization, just that the $100 difference after 33% coupon was worth the difference to me.

 

i wanna buy this !!!
but i live in kuwait and going to order it thruogh a mailbox.... so if the battery was a bust i am scrweeed

 

IF i order the 17(3d) with the default 750gb hdd, will they ship it with the caddy and cable (Past experienses would help) for adding our own secondary hdd?

 

I believe the previous generations did not include the caddy and cable.

 

What function does it enable exactly? I know generally it passes a hardware address directly to the virtual machine so it is directly accessible, I am just trying to think of how that is useful or used (other than perhaps a performance boost).

I am actually a programmer to, and I use VT-x to run an OS X Lion virtual machine for IOS development, but I have never used or even seen a feature that mentions the VT-d standard. Now that I have seen several people mention it in this thread I almost feel like I SHOULD know what it is used for because it seems somewhat widely used.

A google search was not very helpful, I didn't see any big feature that said VT-d required.

 

For all you nerds, out there ... I went to a taping of "On the Verge" ( The Verge) on Friday and Joanna Stern did a very short demo of the new HP Envy 15. I have a feeling that a lot of the tech sites have review units right now and will probably publish reviews sometime next week.

The actual video for the show should be put online on Monday, so if you want a glimpse of the laptop, definitely check it out. They did however put up a very short teaser here ... John Gruber on how Apple's design may improve without Jobs - On The Verge 002 teaser - YouTube

I put the timestamp on when they show the HP Envy 15 for a few brief seconds.

 

I am also very interested in this want to install my solid state soon as it arrives, hoping it wil ship before the 23rd that way ill have it before christmas, I got the fasest shipping. I know we ill need a caddy and cable.

 

The GPU is not 28nm. Why on Earth would AMD stealth launch 28nm GPUs, while telling everyone in the business that they're 40nm.

Customer service is clueless. It's time to let go of that speculation.

 

Best article I've seen on it. IOMMU

The most interesting application I've seen so far is full GPU driver support in a client OS instance:

"Higher performance hardware such as graphics cards use DMA to access memory directly; in a virtual environment all the memory addresses are remapped by the virtual machine software, which causes DMA devices to fail. The IOMMU handles this remapping, allowing for the native device drivers to be used in a guest operating system."

 

I searched a little today and you are correct.

40nm GPU, Glossy IPS screen (Still do not know if LG or HP is making them).

 

please add source

 

HP really, really needs to clarify what the **** is actually going on with all of this. I mean, it all looks great - but I know all of us would really like to know what we just bought.

 

The simplest explanation is that they originally planned for a 28nm GPU (since they were timing the release of the Envy with the release of the 7xxx series) but that AMD made a last-minute call to delay the 28nm line until Q1 2012 and just rebadge for their already-planned Dec 6 launch -- so probably HP has some documentation and some techs who think it's the 28nm GPU but I would have to agree that it makes zero sense for AMD not to tell the whole world that they've got the 28nm line ready if it is ready.

 

Well, I just ordered the base Envy 15 with upgraded i7 and 1080p display! Hoping I thoroughly enjoy the laptop, but if not, does anyone know return policy on these? I saw 21 days, but wasn't sure if hidden "restocking" fees were a part of that policy?

 

Mine appears to have been switched from "Order dropped to factory" to "In production". It still lists a December 26th estimated ship date, which seems like awfully long time to me.... my original Envy 14 certainly didn't take anywhere near 16 days to build, nor has any other pre-built computer I've ever purchased.

Perhaps they purposefully overestimated the ship date to after Christmas to avoid any issues where people didn't receive their machine in time for the holidays? I can only hope.

 

How much did you pay? Was the 33% coupon still legit?

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

Yes, total $1071.99 (pretax) with coupon code (33%)

 

Does anyone know whether the ENVY 15 has Bluetooth 3.0 or 4.0? Also, how many megapixels does the webcam have? Hopefully at least 2 megapixels? Does this have dual-mics built in?

Also -- I had a chance to play with this laptop at GDGT Live briefly. It's pretty well built. When it's open, it looks a lot like the latest MacBook Pro 15. However when closed, it's quite different. It is definitely heavier and thicker than the MBP. I also wasn't too happy with the rather boring matte finish on the top.

I tried bugging the HP rep for details about the video card, but he said he was not allowed to say when I asked him. He also didn't know much about the machine aside from dishing out some marketing BS.

 

BT 3.0, 1280x720 if I remember correctly (something like that), dual mic

 

Actually AMD/nVidia have no control over the delay in THIS instance, TSMC who is the Fab (place where chips are produced) for the chips has had trouble bringing 28nm online and ready for production. These possible could be 28nm (I don't think they are), with the problems with the process coming online, makes it only usable at first for simpler chips, which translates to the lower line GPUs. But these (7400, 7500, and 7600 series) do have the possibility of coming off the line first at 28nm because they are far simpler than the higher lineups to produce. So though I agree that they are most likely 40nm, they could have the possibility of being the first 28nm off the line (more efficient process means lower power and higher performance, we might find out these compete with the 6850 and in a much lower power envelop if 28nm).

If they are still on 40nm, that might not be so bad, since the process is very very mature and they can get better efficiency and yields out of it whereas the 28nm has low yields and issues cause lower performance than otherwise possible.

 

Why 2 megapixels, that is near 1080p. It is 720p, which most people can't tell the difference up to a 37 inch TV between 720p and 1080p. Plus when it comes to cameras, as a photography, I will tell you megapixel and resolution does not equal quality. Apple iPhone 4's 5 megapixel sensor took much better photos than other cell phone cameras from other companies that were between 8-12 megapixels, why you ask, much better quality pixels and better details per pixel. The amount of pixels have little to nothing do with quality directly. You ask most photographers with a technical background and knowledge of cameras and they will tell you that megapixel is a very antiquated system for measuring photo quality, it became irrelevant after 1-3 megapixel era of DSLR when sensors divulged from each other in how they were made and the technology that is in them. Sorry photographer rant over, just the idea that most people think more pixels equals quality is wrong and it bothers me that everyone buys that marketing BS.

I believe Rubenstein is correct here with these.

 

I'm itching to buy this laptop, but I'm hoping that the Southern Islands gpus eventually make their way into the lineup. The only thing I'm worried about is the IPS Radiance screen disappearing by the time (if) it happens. I have a first-gen Envy 14 (i7) with Radiance and while it's still going strong I'd like to be able to play some newer games on it - but I refuse to go back to a regular screen!

 

I'm a photography enthusiastic myself. Completely agree with you on the whole megapixel spiel. However, some many of these laptops have horrendously low 0.3 megapixel resolution. Ideally, we would want a better sensor that can capture more light AND a good number of megapixels doesn't hurt.

P.S. Thanks for the confirmation on the Dual Microphones. I was hoping possibly for Bluetooth 4.0 as the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus both have it.

 

I was unaware that some laptops came with .3 megapixel resolution, I guess my buying higher-end laptops have never found that issue. I personally would rather an excellent 720p webcam over a mediocre 1080p webcam. With this laptop being the high end model, I would like to think we wouldn't have to worry about the quality of the webcam.

 

Guys, can you update first post with all known details? Will there be IPS screen? Will both 15 and 17 will have it? What about GPU?

 

Hi chaps,

New member here (though I have lurked in the past)...I had a quick question.

Why do HP UK not offer a custom build service whereas it seems HP US do?

I am in the market for a new laptop and would like to spec up an Envy-15 however we only seem to have the 14 and 17 available in the UK and both of those are pre-configured.

Any help would be much appreciated.

tn.

 

Unfortunately, HP isn't the only computer company that tends to release its products earlier in the US than other markets, nor is it the only that offers CTO (configure to order) service exclusively in the US. It might be preferential treatment, it might be because many of the companies that do so are based in the US, or it might be due to consumer demand, but that's just how it is.

I think the question of when the Envy 15 will be available in the UK was asked earlier, but I don't recall whether there was an answer or just speculation in response.

 

gcrussell,

Thank you for your response.

I think I may get forced down the Dell route as they do offer a CTO service in the UK for most of their range.

 

You'll need to get your own.

 

Do you think Envy 15 will have a decent graphic card or it won't be a gaming laptop?

 

Maybe matte screen inside with glossy screen cover outside.

 

@Gatehouse: Where do you have your information about the screen from? I read the link to the other thread where you discussed that topic as well, and I also did not find any sources.

 

+1 This would be great, but I think you can't do that in this forum. Is there any mod who could chage that?

 

From all the information from anandtech, the clip from The Verge and other info I found seems to pan this out.

I could be wrong and hope I am but until someone has one in their hands we will not know for sure.

How can tell if the new GPU is 28nm or 40nm for sure once you get the laptop?

Gatehouse:

How do you know for sure it is a LG screen? Yes that model you posted should be anti-glare. Some say it is a screen HP made.


Rubenstein:

Hopefully Darren will have all the anwsers soon.

 

I was just asking because there is no reliable source yet as far as we know. It looks like 7690XT and IPS and so on, but it's not confirmed.

28nm or 40nm, I am not shure, it might be shown in some GPU tweaking tools. But does it really matter? I would focus on real world performance. And we'll find out which one it is one day, so you'll get your answer anyhow.

 

Any official reviews out yet? Seems kinda strange that we haven't seen any at this point and time.....

 

Lol, did you read any of the last posts? Do you think we would have all these debates is there was a review out? Besides that, google is your friend.

And it is not strange at all that we have no review that, the only laptops I know that get reviews that early are Apple machines and a handful of others (like some Ultrabooks)

 

Well tommorow we have a little more info from The Verge that will be broadcast.

 

I posted this somewhere else...not sure where it went. The initial release of the mobile 7000 series is another re-badge of the 6000 series. Basically the .28 nm chips are not out yet. They will be released with the desktop graphics cards. Here is some info on the mobile graphics

AnandTech - Introducing AMD?s Radeon 7000M and NVIDIA?s GeForce 600M Mobile GPUs

 

I have a feeling that more than just the verge review/impressions will be made public tomorrow.

 

what else?

 

Maybe the actual specs will be released by HP and/or other early reviewers.

 

Verge isn't the only blog/reviewer with their review copy in right now.

 

maybe. hopefully. we'll see. As long as they did not screw up something too badly, I'll be fine, whatever the graphic card will be in the end.
I just saw that C&C Generals 2 is coming 2013, so I'll need a desktop PC then as well anyway

 

I want to thank everyone for their input.

We may be wrong sometimes but at least we have the most current info on the new ENVY's than any other website.

Thanks
Edward

 

The Dell model that most closely lines up with the Envy is the Dell XPS Series.

You might want to do some web searches for Dell XPS and USB 3.0 problems before buying one. I do not know if Dell has ever truly resolved the problems, but after reading 60+ pages of web forum complaints from owners who, many have even had their entire motherboards replaced, some multiple times, and still have the problems.... well that was a showstopper for me, and why I turned to the HP Envy, which was all but unknown to me until just a couple weeks ago. Now I have two of them on order

 

Here is the one I built a little while ago. Still working great. Now back on topic.

 

Not even close... in terms of design.

 

What a minefield.

Seeing as 2012 is just around the corner I may hold out and see what the 2012 line-ups from both manufacturers brings.

However, Dell have some great offers on at the moment on the XPS 15.

I spec one up earlier with a 2670QM, 6GB RAM (will upgrade myself), 1080p screen, BD-ROM, DVB-T tuner and a couple of other bits and bobs and it came in at under £1,000 inc. taxes and delivery.

They're also doing 15% off Alienware systems too. Just wish they did a 15" version. 17" machines are a PITA when you're on the move.

 

yeh the XPS line is straight up trashy when compared to the Envy line.

i always told myself that i'd never go back to dell or hp, but this Envy line is very impressive and i couldnt resist.