Waiting for Envy 17 3D SB thread

HP ENVY 17 3D series | HP Official Store

Did I miss a post, it appears that the Envy 17 3D with Sandy Bridge was released?

 

well don't that beat all. Dv7 is released but no 256GB SDD and no 1080p, in spite of the Asia rumor. And to top it off, Sandy Bridge Envy 3D is released and yet no 'non-3D' 'Sandy Bridge Eny - no doubt imho because this one is too similar to the Dv7 just released!

 

I hope there's a few errors there cuz I don't see any mention of USB 3.0

Nor a 256 GB SSD....

 

I think they are still updating their online store so some things are going to be off. Even the dv6 and dv7's don't match the new designs showed off earlier this year in the U.S., not in Asia. That and the Envy 14 is still using last year's hardware while the Envy 14 Beats Edition is completely missing. I really wanted to see what HP was going to do with both of those (like finally adding a Blu-ray drive) before pulling the trigger on something.

 

How can HP Envy 17 3D not have i7 2720?!

 

Ordered. ETA 3/18

 

What did you get? I mean I think they are gonna be adding stuff throughout the day...it might be better to wait don't you think?

 

Oh I guess I was wrong. 4 years sounded too good to be true, so only one year more. Yeah, 3 years still great for a laptop. Thanks Hosswine.
KJ

 

ME!!! >>>>>

Wow, ok so they just sneak the Envy 17 3D SB edition out on Feb 27th as promised...of couse HP never called me once again to let me know, as I was one of those on the preorder lists.... Anyway....

Yes, unless I'm dreaming, it really is out and by the looks of the first page they have not updated the specs. Scroll down, it still says HDMI 1.3c NO! This is not acceptable. Hopefully it will be corrected soon. And also those mentioning SSDs, and other specs...lets see..


KJ

 

Envy 17 3D
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• No Additional Office Software
• 2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2820QM (2.3 GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz
• 1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
• One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 3D Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
• HP TrueVision HD Webcam
• Intel 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth(R)
• Backlit Keyboard
• Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 9 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 9
• HP 3D Active Shutter Glasses
• HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

got $300 discount for calling and asking for it (and, naturally, configuring over the phone).

 

vviz nice! That is what I'd like to configure, thanks for letting us know they gave you $300 off....argh..and the first time I only got $ 150. If they are going to only give me $150 I'm gonna have to call again until a cool rep will comply.

P.S. I'm still gonna wait a bit until HP has updated the specs. This HDMI issue has to be sorted out....


KJ

 

Maybe it's just me and my i-need-to-have-it-right-away-can't-wait-any-longer craze but, for some reasons, i'm getting a feeling that the config page won't be changing, they will update the spec page and the photos (I sure as hell hope they change the design to allow for better airflow).

Besides, who here received the built-to-order unit and kept it on the first try without replacing? Not me, my third envy 3d arrived on friday (yes, the previous config) and it's already packed to go back to follow its two predecessors: horrible build with the ports panel on the left side sticking out for about 2 millimeters and a stuck pixel on the screen that i was able to massage out for the duration of testing but it showed up again. Somehow the pessimist in me says the trend might continue.

 

Ouch 3 duds? I went through 2 orginal Envy 3Ds. First one had the Metal warps. Second was ok, but found out about the SB coming out soon.

vviz, anyway, with your build and the $300 off, did it come out to with taxes @ $1930.94 ???

P.S. I will call tomorrow to confirm if it has HDMI 1.4....oh well guess not Bluray burner....but from our previous conversations I think we realzied only tray loading drives have the writer, not the slot....


KJ

 

Finally!! I've been waiting sooooo long for this new laptop!!
I hope they update their specs very soon on their website so I can order!
With a coupon of course

 

Someone in the New dv6/dv7 thread said that they spoke with a representative who claimed that the refresh would up and fully complete at 4PM Easter Time (YEAH East Coast time!)....

And someone posted a link with the new manuals. Not to get too excited but I did see USB 3.0 for the Envy 17 3D SB version...

 

It came out to be like this:

Subtotal: $1784.99
FL taxes: $109.44
2 day shipping: $39.00 (to be refunded upon shipment as only 1 coupon can be applied to the order)

grand total: $1933.43 so far, naturally will know more on the shipment fee refund close to 3/18.

I honestly believe the hdmi 1.4 will be gracing the spec page eventually but on the burner... yeah, looks like only trays can burn... But, as they say, "hope dies last" There's always something to wish for

 

1080p end up being just a dream for the DV7 which make this really nice 17.3''(!) laptop worthless even with the ATI 6770.

And it looks like Envy 17 is getting nothing more than a specs boost and not a refresh.

So in summary the cheaper DV7 will offer better sound experience with 4 speakers and sub-woofer plus new generation of beats audio, Envy 17 has the old Beats system and only 2 speakers, fingerprint reader and BluRay burner are available for the Pavilion, Envy 17 has neither option. Pavilion lacks 1080p screen which you can only get with the Envy 17. Finally the Envy stuck with the same year old design

And I ask the simple question. Who is telling me that HP will not release a completely new Envy in a month?? They did exactly the same with Pavilion in January. They released the last years model with SB and after a month they discontinued it to release a completely new version of this laptop.

I am finally happy that I see the SB edition Envy appearing and hopefully will include the CoolSense technology but seriously guys I personally feel nothing but exited right now...

All this for a premium $2000+++ notebook.
Dear HP where is the respect your their high-value customers??

 

At this point I'm leaning towards the dv7....I THINK I can deal with the smaller resolution....at least I hope so

 

nMIK-3, scary thought indeed. HP has done that in the past. Either way what will you do? One can play the waiting game for years and yes, HP and other computer companies will continue to improve products/specs.

I too wish we had a fingerprint reader, two 3.0 USB, Bluray writer, but then again....if you step back and look at the Envy 17 3D SB edition as a whole....it is attractive (assuming one gets a well build unit! LOL)

I intend to order one of these babies as long as the HDMI 1.4 is there and they extend to me at leat the $300 discount that vizz was lucky enough to get. I will go by my past experience with HP to make sure I get the answers and the price I'm willing to pay. Good luck to everyone, and stay tuned to these threads to see what develops.....remember, so now we order, then after March 18th people will be giving their reviews of the SB Envy 17 3D!!!!

KJ

 

I'd think twice TheAtreidesHawk....if you really want to enjoy a Bluray movie..yeah.... Believe me, I was never one for movie watching, but once I saw my first Bluray on the old Envy 17 3D I swore I'd never go back to a lower res.

I can live without a fingerprint reader, two USB 3.0 ports, or a bluray writer, but NEVER again without a sexy 1080p screen!

KJ

 

Pricing looks OK, honestly I was expecting a bit more (in terms of features / updates), but I guess everyone else was too.

Even without coolsense, unless there is any indication that SOMETHING was done to address the cooling issues, no matter how minor that's really the only thing making me a bit nervous. I'll probably end up buying one tonight, hope I don't regret it.

I think 1 USB3 port is enough to get by for the next year or so. I don't care about onboard speakers, my headphone rig cost more than the damn laptop.

 

I'm honestly not buying this thing. I may just wait another month cuz this looks very fishy to me.....

I think HP has more to reveal and is just getting rid of old stock....

 

I don't think they're done updating the information. Since from the Envy "Overview" page it still says ATI 5850 blablabla the old info.
So I'm pretty sure they're still updating but I'm calling right now if they get me a 300$ off like viv did I'm buying right away LOL

Just called. I was only able to get a 100$ off
Called the 2nd time no discount at all
Called the 3rd time about 250$-300$ off bought it right away. (same exact config as viv)

 

hmm... this is the january 4 announced envy. here is the datasheet. I'm gonna wait a bit here -- the gap between DV7 and Envy is too small to be sustainable, imho. The other thing that strikes me odd is that the non-3D Envy is still the old one...

and how can there be 22 customer reviews already?

 

... still no 256GB SSD
... still no 16GB RAM
... still forces you to buy photoshop elements

nice upgrade, but doesn't wow

 

well it is disappointing --- I don't think its sustainable (too many competitors are offering 1080p displays in this price/performance category). I guess what we learned here is that when a rumor site says "full HD" they don't mean FHD

yes something isn't quite right. Its supposed to have CoolSense and probably does (this is the January 4 announced product). The difference between a refresh and a specs boost is debatable, but this does appear to be what HP promised 2 months back. I believe the absence of HDMI 1.4 is suspect (note the spec sheet doesn't have the GP right either...), so I think more information will be coming...

not me! I agree your observation is quite correct (if they did a major re-do of the Pavilion in 2 months they can do it to the Envy). And if you ask me they need to in order to stay competitive with Dell.

honestly this feels (to me) like a bridging solution, and we'll have to wait for the next volley in the game for HP to leapfrog Dell.

when you order, ask HP to describe Coolsense and refer to the Jan 4 press release. ask them what the press release means and what exactly has been done to the Envy. Ask them about HDMI 1.4. Ask them if Coolsense is just software or have they really made some physical changes to the venting, etc.

I'm waiting too. the information we have in our hands does not match with even the January 4 press release. I think we need to wait a few days to see if more information comes (like. what's up with the non-3D Envy?)

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-envy-hdx/558351-finally-hp-envy-17-refresh.html

there it is, and its a fail, because of the gpu.

 

dlleno, I'm with you on this. I'm gonna wait a bit so eveything on their site is updated and let the "dust" settle as they say. Lol. I waited this long...I figure maybe I'll get the next DV7 from Costco to hold me over until its all settled. Yeah, I really am that patient...but the Envy 17 3D SB will be mine soon.


KJ

 

I just dont get it,
Y in the world for the quiet release? I cant find any info about the new dv7 dv6 or the envy stressing about new design or new processor. I dont even know its a new model untill I see the 2630 processor....theres been numerous commercials about the beats audio, and now this whole new thing comes and nothing??

Im more leading to the new xps now...

 

Clearance sale IMO....I'm not buying until I see some real improvements that either match or surpass the SB dv6/dv7 Quad Editions....

 

That's almost funny borderline sad. Also as noodle9527 pointed out...this was done quietly at night.... I mean really? Why take down the splash page yet leave the DV6/7 up? Specs not given for this...its rather a bitter sweet moment...leaving us in a bit of a confused state. The anticipation was so great. Rather than bring the new Envy 17 3D SB out with a bang.....a snake's slither is what we got.

Either way, I don't mind as much the way it came out, but will it have all the goods we have been waiting for? So far it doesn't look so good because the spec page is still behind and we are left wondering what the final product will look like. Also I can't help but wonder like the rest of you guys if HP is gonna sneak another refresh to the refresh of the Envy 17 3D SB edition in a month or two...its anyone's guess.

All I can say is, if you must have one ok, but if you think you can wait a week or so just to get the answers we've been waiting for all this time than do that. I just can't see myself take the plunge for the 3rd time with this lap and be dissapointed a bit. So I want to know what I am getting into....

KJ

 

DV7 looks good, especially if it comes with the ATI 6770, but there is no way on earth I am getting a high-end 17.3 inch laptop without 1080p display. Seriously I tried and I do not feel comfortable at all working on a 1600X900 resolution on that big screen.

Second there is also NO WAY I am going to spend $2000+ for an Envy to get 1080p monitor, all this money for a laptop that offers nothing more that the last years design and specs when at the same time the lower category Pavilion gets modern body design, 4 speakers, BluRay burner and finger print reader. All for less money.

I gave HP a lot of time and I was patient but my patient sadly is running over..

 

Well maybe they will get an update soon if not I will go with the XPS 17 3D, or DV7 (if the refresh looks good). I don’t want to go past JUNE (LOL) because I know what’s going to happen in my case I will end up waiting until the FALL/Holiday 2011 upgrade. And then my mind will start to tell me “NO” you waited this long why not wait a couple more months because the 2012 notebooks will likely bring more changes than usual. I mean besides new processors “IVY BRIDGE” and new graphics cards, upgraded SSD’s and whatever else you’ll have 4 USB 3.0 ports and even possibly the new “THUNDERBOLT PORT” you don’t get all new USB versions and THUNDERBOLT PORT connections every year you know.

That’s what’s going to be going through my mind if I wait until the fall 2011 ENVY 17.

No No No …I refuse to fall further into that perpetual waiting game

 

I just did an interesting comparison of similarly-equipped (as possible) DV7 and Envy 17 3D. The assumption is that both have similar coolsense, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.0, and equipped with the same processor and RAM, 160GB SSD + a 7200 rpm HDD, and no blu-ray writer.

For a price tag pushing $600 extra (about a 30% increase) , the Envy 17 3D gets you:

6850 GP
140GB more 7200 RPM drive
1080p 3D
backlit keyboard

And it's too soon to know what clickpad this new Envy has. I worry its still the old one. I just can't get this thought out of my head that the envy 17 3D released today is not intended to be a competitive statement (for, clearly it isn't), and that the next round will yield more wow goodies like clickpad 3, 16 GB RAM, 256GB SDD, blu-ray writer, 1600MHz RAM, etc..

 

Haha that was my thought too. The waiting game never ends if you keep wanting to have something better and having the thought that something better will be out in another few months, I'll probably nvr ever get a new laptop and get stucked with my 7 yrs old laptop. I know in a few months something better is gonna get released or refreshed so I just bought the SB Envy 17 3D that's out right now and most likely if I'm satified with it, I'll locked myself out of all these upgrades/whatever for another few years until I need a new laptop again

 

You my friend are smart. Lol, yeah...I'm done waiting for the long run...I will get this...but I must iron out what this refresh really includes, get a good deal, and I'll be happy for the next couple years or so.

KJ

 

I definitely want one of these, but I'm kinda wondering if they finally have switchable gfx and if they run cooler than the previous ones.

 

HP's Quad Edition dv6t and dv7t laptops now available, Radeon HD graphics and Core i7 CPUs in tow -- Engadget

I don't know HP website is a whole mess. Either the people who edit the sites are high when they're editing it or they don't know what their doing. The pictures don't correspond, the information don't correspond either LOL But when the coupons ends which is 2/28 and 3/2 might be a good date when they might be changes. Like how they mess the website up the day after president sale ends.

 

I won't hold my breath on the switchable graphics. Envy 17 3d comes with the 120Hz screen that integrated graphics (hd3000) just can't support. That's why the Alienware M17xR3 3d didn't have the integrated graphics ("not detected" in the bios) while the non-3d ones have it, regardless if they are built with nVidia or ATI.

A guy from nVidia came to the "where's my integrated graphics" forum on alienware side and explained it.

I don't expect the new envy will come with switchable graphics but am more than willing to be proven wrong when my unit arrives

 

I think the only mistake they made was to confuse the term "full HD", which can mean different things to different people. It means 1080p in HP lingo, so naturally I thought that meant DVs were coming with 1080p displays, but it was not to be... and for the price I'm not surprised.

The other implication here is that, contrary to speculation, the Envy line has to stay; otherwise HP has no (Sandy Bridge) 1080p solution without paying the 3D premium. This tells me that the std Envy is gonna get refreshed here soon. I just wish they would make photoshop elements an option instead of pre-installed. ugh

 

The on-chip graphics won't support 3D or DX11, but other than that, the graphics will be switchable between Intel and Radeon for power consumption.

 

I can think of a few reaons to wait in the short term:

• if you don't care about 3D, one should wait for additional clarity around the std Envy
• Wait to see how well HP implimented CoolSense
• wait to see if they have updated the clickpad
• see if they are really providing only HDMI 1.3c or if it is 1.4
• give yourself some time to read the datasheet!
• you dont' want to get caught in the "quick ship model" trap -- even on the updated Envy 3D CTO page, quick-ship models are NOT sandy bridge models!
• you want to make sure that the $255 price increase is worth it*

*$255 increase comparing 1/24/11 price to 2/28/11 price for identically configured (loaded) Envy 3D. The new model gives you Sandy Bridge, coolsense, Widi, HDMI 1.4 (maybe. hoping datasheet is wrong), switchable 6850 GP ( DX11 or 3D not available "on chip"), Eyefinity, and USB 3.0

 

I know I started this thread and had planned on getting the updated Envy 17 3D with Sandy Bridge. However, after having had both an original Envy 17 3D and the M17xR3 w/3D, I've decided that I'm going to reorder a M17xR3 when it becomes available with the 6970M GPU without 3D. I will try to get an external 3D monitor if it works but I really want the battery life of 5+ hours that running integrated GPU allows and with M17xR3 you can not run integrated GPU with 3D. And, even if the new Envy 17 3D can, I'm worried about the potential heat issues.

On top of that, my 15% coupon expired 1/31/2011 so there doesn't seem to be any significant discounts so that Envy 17 3D isn't much cheaper than the M17xR3.

 

On the battery life -- if the M17x provides substantially greater battery life with the stronger GPU, then it must be one monster of a package. And if it cools that 6970 better than HP CoolSense cools the 6850 then it must have a bigger fan or two fans (I haven't checked -- is that true?) and more/bigger airways, which will make it even bigger and noiser. But those things could be small penalties for the stronger GPU if thats what you are looking for. I Have a hunch HP stuck with the 6850 so that the Envy could remain small and thin and single-fan. I doubt that the Envy package itself, CoolSense notwithstanding, could tolerate a 6970, along with other things normally associated with 16 GB RAM, under heavy use. So HP may be sticking to its form factor commitment here, and expecting the mainstream to prefer this over the additional power normally associated with heavy gaming.

The Envy will not support 3D under integrated graphics either -- that is a Sandy Bridge limitation that will not likely be addressed until the next gen Ivy Bridge processors arrive later this year (from Intel)

Assuming the std (no 3d) envy will be here soon, we can be confident that it's GPU will still be the 6850 and that it will only support 8GB RAM. These limitations are the only real ones as I see it, compared to the M17, and they are consistent with the physical size of the product, so it would seem.

 

In the final analysis, I felt the DV7 Quad SB fit my needs better than the Envy 17 3D. The battery life and heat management issues on the Envy 3D don't seem to be addressed in this refresh. Of course if HP comes out with a 1080p non-3D version in the next 3 months, back to Costco this baby goes...


2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
640GB 7200RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 6570 GDDR5 graphics [HDMI, VGA]
Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN
17.3" diagonal HD+ HP BrightView LED Display (1600 x 900)
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
No Additional Office Software
6-Cell Lithium-Ion Battery (standard) - Up to 3.0 hours of battery life +++
Standard Keyboard
FREE Upgrade to Blu-ray player & SuperMulti DVD burner
HP TrueVision Webcam with Integrated Digital Microphone + HP SimplePass Fingerprint Reader
No additional security software

 

Wow, very disappointed in the what little information was released for the new SB Envy. The price for the SSD option is absurb if you price out a 128GB OCZ or Crucial + 500GB Seagate Momentus separately; also, it's like $200 more for the ssd option on the Envy than it is on the DV7. Dell is just as expensive but they give you a 256GB SSD instead of a 160GB. Hearing about the horrors of proprietary internal HP drive connectors makes me even wonder if it's worth trying to order a stock unit and upgrade it manually.

Oh well, I guess HP made my decision very easy by waiting for the release of the new Alienware. As much as I like the style of the Envy, I'm not willing to pay almost 3k for it when Alienware is about the same price. I was hoping to keep my new purchase to around $2200, but I can't stand the design of the Dell XPS 17 3D, Asus hasn't issued any updates to their notebooks, and Lenovo is just blehhh.

I'd actually consider buying a new DV7 Quad if it had a 1080 screen.

I wish Sony didn't pull that $100 trade-in program campaign so soon.

 

uh...,., lets take a deep breath and avoid jumping to conclusions here. I'd be interested to know on what basis this claim is made? HP promised both a hardware and a software enhancement (Coolsense) to the Envy's cooling system, and stated quite clearly in the January 4 press release, that Envy 17 was getting CoolSense. Moreover, the current HP splash page (scroll to Envy 17) is pretty specific as well that the Envy 17 "Features HP CoolSense Technology – advanced hardware and intelligent cooling software for a noticeably cooler notebook"

Its true that we don't yet have confirmation as to the actual implimented solution or its effectivelness but holy Hereforeds, Harold, its just not correct to state that heat management has not been addressed.

 

Envy 17 is not a strong gaming laptop but the form factor and visual appeal is excellent. A review was done with the 6970M on the M17xR3 by laptopmag.com. Battery life was just over 5 hours with web browsing. I haven't had any problems with cooling on the M17xR3. There are 2 fans - one for the CPU and one for the GPU. Both pull cool air from underneath the laptop but expel the hot air out of the back where it can't easily get drawn back into the intake like the Envy 17. I use my laptop alot in bed with a small lap table and I never felt any heat when using the M17xR3 - the keyboard stayed cool even during gaming. Sweaty palms while playing a game on the Envy 17 just doesn't make it a good gaming platform.

I should mention there are some other good choices coming up - The Elitebook 8560p and the Dell M6600 which could change my decision...

 

what would you like to know? the datasheet is pretty detailed, although I do agree that more information on the actual CoolSense implimentation, and the click pad would have been good....

I hear you on the price of SSD! its a $630 addition, compared to a single rotating 7200 rpm drive! for that price it should be a 256GB. I just saw a Samsung 256GB SSD for $500 out on Amazon. Something is goofy here -- maybe they have too many of the 160s around I don't know, but that's a pretty hard pill to swallow. The thing is, you could add one after market but you wouldn't save more than $200 or so, and you'd loose formal HP support for the configuration.

and you'll get a stronger GP, 16GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a larger/noiser package!

$2289.99 will buy a fully loaded Envy 17 3D, complete with SSD and 640GB 7200 rpm drive, and 8GB RAM. in a thinner/lighter/quieter package than the Dell. But the Dell will give you 16GB RAM, 256GB SDD options.

I've thought about that too. I don't get the similarity between Envy and DV right now. The price difference is $445 (fully loaded Envy 3D vs DV7-quad. no br writer), and what you get is 1080p 3D, slightly bigger HDD, stronger 6850 GP, and Photoshop Elements. I'm not sure thats worth it, so I'm waiting to see what the non 3D Envy will look like -- it will be an industry chuckle, in my opinion, if the std Envy 17 can't offer 1080p for less than a similarly-equipped Envy 17 3D, which is the case today.

 

5 hrs battery life with web browsing -- not bad, but you gotta consider that this use case is pretty light and greatly underutilizes the GP. I wonder what will HP's (smaller battery) Envy 17 do under integrated graphics with the discrete GP powered down.

yea I hear you on the gaming. its true that HP never intended the Envy to be the strongest gaming platform. they appear to be leaving that to Dell, for whatever reason. The jurry is still out on how effective Coolsense is on the Envy. But thinking through this a bit more, one can clearly differentiate the two product lines. HP Envy has clearly chosen a weaker GP and a single fan just to keep the package size and noise down. it will be interesting to see how the moderate gamers evaluate the heat situation.