NOW AVAILABLE: ENVY 15-32XX Intel Ivy Bridge (AMD 7750M)

yay finally an update....

anyone else??

I don't c how they are going to get it through alaska, go through customs, and get it down to chicago all in a day...

 

Yeah mine was updated as well. I called Fed Ex at 4:30am my time before I went to the gym to complain. When I got home I was happy to see that my laptop is in fact moving It's doubtful that it will clear customs and reach my door tomorrow though. I don't think Fed Ex does Saturday deliveries where I live either so I might have to wait till Monday.

I sure hope this computer was worth the wait. I already got the refund for the DV7 I returned and I ordered that only a couple days before the Envy.

 

well fedex did come to me for my accessories with this on a saturday so hopefully it brings laptop too :S

 

Man, my laptop is totally going to get from Alaska to my doorstep in about 15 hours. It traveled all night. This morning at 4:30 it was at its final destination before coming to my house. I can't believe FedEx got it out that fast. I should have my laptop in a few hours. Anyone else?

 

Well update on shipping info again. I didn't get the faster shipping, I got the free one. So this is how free shipping looks:
Jun 21, 2012 3:25 AM
At destination sort facility
LOS ANGELES, CA

Jun 21, 2012 2:22 AM
Departed FedEx location
OAKLAND, CA

Jun 20, 2012 10:10 PM
Arrived at FedEx location
OAKLAND, CA

Jun 20, 2012 4:43 PM
Departed FedEx location
ANCHORAGE, AK

Jun 20, 2012 1:48 PM
International shipment release - Import
ANCHORAGE, AK

Jun 20, 2012 1:05 PM
Arrived at FedEx location
ANCHORAGE, AK

 

Are there any reviews for the envy 15 out yet? I want to take a look at some.

EDIT: Also notebookreview user reviews would be cool too

 

There are some in-depth reviews for the ENVY 15 3XXX series (Sandy Bridge), but none yet for the Ivy Bridge models. We're all just getting them in now. It won't be long, however, before some major tech company gets their hands on one and gives it a good run-down.

 

Mine still says clearance delay. Guess I gotta yell at someone today. *sigh*

 

As long as there are no problems with my laptop I will not mind waiting an extra weekend if I have to. But if I have problems with my screen hinge or build quality in some other way I will be pissed.

 

Bought an Envy a few days ago over the Dell XPS 15, and here's what I got:

Envy15
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 3rd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM Processor (2.3 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache)
• 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 7750M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• 8GB 1600DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 256GB Solid State Drive
• Microsoft(R) Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word/Excel(R) only, No PowerPoint(R)/Outlook(R)
• FREE 2-year Norton Internet Security subscription (a $99 value). Pre-installed.
• 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery - Up to 10.25 hours of battery life +++
• 15.6-inch diagonal Radiance Full HD Infinity LED-backlit Display (1920 x 1080)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• 720p HD video streaming webcam supports Skype
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R) with Wireless Display Support
• Full-size Radiance backlit keyboard
• Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 10
• 2 year limited warranty included
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

I paid $1422. Did anyone get a better price for a similar system?

 

From a previous post I made with some small updates:

Envy 15 32XX Impresions

Build Quality: 5/5
The laptop is solid. Materials feel sturdy with no flex or creaks. I had misgivings about the black front instead of the typical laser-etched pattern because of finger prints but there's a slight texture to it that should help it fend off oil. I do have a tiny bit of keyboard flex, but nothing out of the ordinary. I'm pretty sure all laptop keyboards will give if you put pressure on them. While in use there is no flex whatsoever. I believe I'm one of the lucky ones as my unit has no dented USB ports and looks to be immaculate all around.

update: I ended up noticing that the metal around the volume knob, where it indents into the circle, is not completely flush. Not a big deal, but worth reporting.

Display: 4/5
First off I'm comparing this to a first-gen Envy 14 with Radiance which could be overly vibrant. Reds do look red. Overall I feel there's a slight yellow hue and I've noticed that blues look a bit off (pastel-ish) but this might only be in comparison the the Radiance display. Text is sharp and crisp - definitely a must have upgrade. If you're coming from a Radiance it's also worth noting that the Radiance is MUCH brighter. When I get a good source to compare it to I'll update this section.

From another thread Byuunbi managed to find the part number for the previous panel: LP156WF4 (SL)(B2) and received a response from an HP engineer that they have been receiving new panels that correct the color issue: LP156WF SL-B6. There's the possibility that the 32XX models have shipped with the new panels but no way to check the part number without dismantling the laptop. Checking Device Manager for the hardware ID the panel is LGD037E on the 32XX and LGD0323 on the 30XX.

update: I've started a thread & poll to talk about the new screen. Unfortunately my camera is out on loan and I can't get any good photos up for people. Another member of the forum is having his Sandy Bridge Envy screen replaced by HP - most likely to the Ivy Bridge screen so it'll be interesting to see his results.

Graphics & Gaming: 4/5
I'll be testing this more with different games when I get the chance.

Diablo 3: with all settings on max nets me ~45fps and drops to ~25-30fps on large fights. I'm a bit disappointed as I was hoping to get a solid 50-60fps at max. I've since elected to turn off anti-aliasing and set shadow details and clutter to medium. Now I'm getting ~50-60fps and ~40-45fps on intense scenes.

The Witcher 2: this game is a monster to run, but looks gorgeous. It takes a lot more to run it than Crysis or Skyrim. I wanted to be able to play it at 1080p, which is possible if you turn down other settings and dont' mind 20fps. The game is playable at 1600x900, but I'd recommend going down to 1280x720. Resource heavy settings like ubersampling and SSAO have to be turned off and you'll want to turn down others like shadow and light detail. With these settings the game still looks good and is playable at a pretty consistent 30fps.

Keyboard: 4/5
As far as laptops goes this is one of the most pleasant keybaords I've used. Keys have a good amount of bounce and travel and the backlighting is sharp and bright. The only keyboard I've used that bests it are the Lenovo T series and the MacBook.

update: I discovered thet the backlight levels can be adjusted by holding the backlight key and the arrow keys. There are 3 levels and I currently have it set on low. The default is max and for my use there's no need for the keyboard to be that bright.

Trackpad: 3/5
Average. Not as bad as some have reported, but it's still far from the best. The buttons are stiff and I've suffered the occasional cursor jump. If you're coming from a shoddy laptop trackpad I'd say it's an improvement from what they've made in the past but not by much.

update: after using it for a week I've begun to like it more. The material is still rough and your finger doesn't glide which is probably my biggest complaint, but once its familiar it doesn't become as bothersome.

Sound: 5/5
Other than the Dell models that ship with the JBL 6 speaker setups this is the best I've heard. It can get quite loud and be heard all over an apartment clearly. The Beats audio dial is pleasant, although a little loose for my liking.

Battery: 3.5/5 - still testing
For the initial run I got abount 3 hours 38 min of constant use e.g. web browsing, installing software, playing Hulu. I'm impressed with it especially since my Envy 14 dies out around 2, but it's nowhere near the 10.5 hour mark on the spec sheet - maybe if you're just word processing. I'll update this section as the laptop gets more usage in heavy and light scenarios.

update: I haven't been recording the results but after about 2-3 drains the battery life seems to be around 4 hours depending on your usage. I typically have music or a video going on.

Temperature: 4/5
Runs cool at ~40-45c and tops out at ~80c running Diablo 3. Considering my Envy 14 runs at ~60c to 90c I'm quite happy. The fans are a relatively quiet white noise. You'll hear them but they aren't bothersome.

 

To sshollan (sorry everyone, can't send a PM)

Hey! If you don't want your new envy 15, would you do me a favour and sell it to me instead? I'm in the UK and HP won't be selling this laptops here anytime soon. I have a friend living in the US who'll be visiting me in two weeks and who agreed to deliver a laptop for me. But with the delays it is too risky to order one directly.

If you're interested, email me. Email: v.lapin (at) leeds.ac.uk

 

Ding dong went the doorbell at 11:30 EST

Finally here! Time to go hermit away until I'm satisfied that everything is in proper order. Also, can anyone explain that "soft-format" thing I read about earlier? The one that supposedly just gets rid of bloatware but keeps all the important stuff?

 

lucky luckyyy hopefully i can say the same tmrw. its called minimal recovery or something and should probably be in the bios. make those recovery disks first.

 

Do I absolutely need the recovery disks? Or are they optional?

 

What I heard was you could use the recovery disk to do the minimal install. Something like the pure OS without anything from HP.

 

My envy is on the local fedex van!

 

My Envy is still sitting at the bar at Shanghai International getting lousy drunk. It apparently has a fear of flying.

 

So, can anyone who's done the Minimized Image Recovery iterate on the process for me? I don't wanna take the chance and screw anything up

 

You can't screw it up. Hit F11 when you boot up, select minimal recovery. It takes care of everything. You MIGHT want to backup the swsetup folder before hand, which contains all drivers. I don't remember if this is restored.

The recovery disc are optional but recommended. I believe you can still create them after you do a minimal recovery, but I'm not sure. Once you create them you can delete the recovery partition on your HDD.

 

Thanks for the reviews

 

Mine to, I'm excited haha

 

um sir, ur in the wrong thread

 

Yup edited lol. Had both open in different tabs.

 

Mine apparently doesn't want to leave Alaska...

Last update was yesterday at 16:41

"In Transit" - Alaska

Anybody have the same thing?

Suppose to be delivered today by 16:30...still haven't received a delay notice either.

 

It's probably going through customs. That's what happened to mine, but it was released a little while ago. HP has to send FedEx paper work and stuff before it can be cleared.

 

Have it in hand! Doing the minimal recovery.

 

Just got my Envy 15. I'll have benchmarks for Crysis 2, Battlefield 3, and Skyrim up as soon as they download, lol

 

Sweet! Let's us know all the juicy details as soon as you find out!

 

I just hope the colors are good on mine...

I'm a graphic designer who doesn't like Apple's crazy prices...This was one of the best laptops on the market with a great screen. Hope this treats me well!

Also, it will be nice to play some BF3 on the go!

 

yay my envy has made it to alaska! Now hopefully it goes through customs fast so then I can has by tmrw

 

Envy arrived in Anchorage and was escorted off the plane by Homeland Security for being drunk and disorderly during the flight.

 

So is mine, guess were in the same batch

 

Congrats! I know it's been a long journey for you and your Envy. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

 

uh oh i think mine might have assisted urs

yup when did u order?

haha thanks

 

To those of you receiving your Envy, please respond about the colors on the thread here!

 

I ordered 6/10

 

and i ordered on 6/3 within a few hours of the page being refreshed. Great HP service . anyway another update yay! My envy has proven not to be a terrorist and it has passed through customs. Next stop Indiana I believe

 

Mine was at 1:58PM haha. On the same shipment though, mine is coming to MN.

 

Crysis 2 runs quite good. I hadn't installed fraps yet so I don't have exact benches, but I was playing 1600x900 on Very High with post-processing on Extreme. I'm downloading Skyrim now and I'll have exact fps rates and the like once I've gotten that all sorted. One thing that happened when I was playing Crysis 2 was that every time I got to a new section, framerate would drop to like 1 fps and I would have to reopen it. Maybe this is a switchable graphics issue? I'll have to sort that out.

 

Got mine a while ago and it's amazing. Don't have any intense games to test out so can't help on anything really. Touchpad isn't as bad as I've heard.

 

Got mine too. The damn right speaker is bent in. I'm gonna send it back to HP. Kinda pissed about it. But otherwise, this computer is flat-out amazing. Best keyboard I've ever used. Blues are a bit faded, just not as deep as on my older VAIO. But the screen is still beautiful and bright. And the trackpad, once you install the updated drivers, is actually fantastic.

 

So far so good. Installed a bunch of apps. Blazing fast! Mine has no dent, no scratch or anything. I have to say the keyboard flexes a little bit but definitely acceptable.

 

Just thought I would try to contribute to all the new ENVY owners. Haven't got mine yet, it's currently sitting in Anchorage also, but those that have it might be interested in trying this out right here: Lucidlogix with the multi gpu solution

Check it out, it could help boost those frame rates even ever so slightly. I've yet to find any downfalls, so there seems to be no harm in at least trying it. Here's a set of benchmarks using an i7-3770k and several different graphics cards, including the AMD Radeon HD 7750 Virtu Universal MVP Review | Hardware Secrets

 

oh mine is coming to chicago area but I heard indiana is like the major section.

thats good to hear its already more powerful then my desktop haha. most likely because the desktop 7750 is close to 6770 in performance. my cpu on the other hand is trash.

how do we install/ download this?? I wanna try on my desktop

 

Oh that doesn't sound good :/... So does the 32xx have manual switching of gpu in the bios setting? I know 3xxx does but people complained in envy 17 32xx forum it doesn't :/....

Also mines sitting at anchorage, already passed customs. I wonder if it will get here in Ohio tomorrow like it should D:... Around Dayton area... Wonder what the flight will be... There's a FedEx facility very close to my house and close to Dayton airport... :3

 

I think the flight goes to a central center and then its driven to ur local center. i think... mine still says in alaska

 

Can you please tell where you got the drivers for the trackpad?.

Thanks!!

 

At this point it doesn't, so I'm kind of annoyed about that, as I can't play Shogun 2 Fall of the Samurai, due to an annoying bug that keeps the game from recognizing the discrete GPU in any computer with switchable graphics if dynamic switching is enabled.

I'm sure it will be updated eventually. But I started playing Tribes: Ascend, so I'm distracted from that.

 

did u try manually assigning the game to dedicated?