Why I can no longer recommend HP laptops, at least with the "Infinity Display"

I have an HP HDX-16, purchased this last February (see my sig). It replaced a 4 year old ZD7000 which gave me no trouble whatsoever.

After only 5 months of use, the screen has become damaged. There are pockmarks on the display that correspond to features around the keyboard. For example, along the bottom of the screen is a line that matches up with some trim near the media/volume/wireless/etc buttons above the keyboard. At the top of the screen are marks that match up with the location of the touch pad.

I'm very diligent about carrying the laptop properly and it is not often moved. My previous HP laptop never had such marks; neither does my wife's laptop.

I think the problem is the Infinity Display, which is flush glass over the entire screen and surrounding border. My wife's computer doesn't have the flush glass and her screen looks great even though she carries it all over the place. I traveled extensively with my last laptop - no marks on it either.

I wrote to HP and here is the response I received:

I've always done all of the "Do" list and not the "don't" list.

It's clear I'm out of luck because, as the "don't" list points out, the marks are my fault since their design is flawless.

I'm putting this out there as a warning to others...avoid the Infinity Display, or look elsewhere (I also have trouble with the DVD drawer...the trim binds so I have to pop it off to get it open sometimes, but I don't use it enough for it to be an issue).

Paul

 

:laugh:

Glad I did not buy an HP for school.

 

Doesn't really help you now but this is what screen protectors are for:


They're necessary for many brands.

 

Did you ever hold the laptop in such a way as to apply pressure to the lid, say in the middle area?

 

It really does stink that you take care of your machine and you now have blemishes, however HP isn't alone in selling laptops where this can be a problem. I think your point about the infinity display being the culprit could well be right as it adds an extra layer of glass and would also mean slightly less clearance between the keyboard and screen when closed.

What Phil posted there is a good idea to have for any laptop you buy if you want to be sure no damage can possibly be done to the screen via the keyboard when the screen is closed.

 

I try to be careful in how I handle the laptop - in fact, the bag I carry it in has a hard side which I place the laptop against. The scuffs are at the top and the bottom though, not the middle.

As I said, I didn't have this issue with my zd7000 and I don't see any scuffs on my wife's non-Infinity screen, even though she carries her laptop about without a care in the world, and has a relatively flimsy soft-sided bag she totes it around in when leaving the house with it. The 1/8th of an inch her screen is recessed (similar to my old zd7000) seems to make a big difference.

Paul

 

The damage is completely unexpected as I've never seen anything similar in any laptop I've owned or used. It has to be the non-recessed nature of the screen...the blemishes line up too neatly with items on the body of the laptop.

Paul

 

can you post pictures on this thread for us to the blemishes?

 

I use the black fabric thing that came with my HDX. whenever I close it I put it between the screen and the keyboard.

 

Just a thought; have you ever left it in sleep mode and closed the lid for a long period of time?

 

No, I'm not a fan of sleep mode...I prefer to just shut down and start it up again when needed, or if I'm coming back in a while I leave it open and on.

After dinner I'll try to get some pictures up for the person who asked.

Paul

 

Ah well, just thought I'd ask; I've heard of a few poor souls who cooked their notebooks because they put it to sleep, but something jarred it and triggered a wake up, causing the thing to come back up to full power - not a good thing with the lid closed and the notebook stored in a confined space (like a backpack).

 

I've seen a similar effect on my dv4z with Infinity display, though it appears to be non-permanent. More like a condensation pattern. I bought an antiglare film from Photodon that, besides fixing the Infinity display's horrific glare, should protect the glass.

 

I've seen many posts from other owners of HP laptops with the Infinity display who have had similar problems-scratches on the screen from the keyboard and dust behind the glass. It's obviously a design flaw that HP is simply choosing to ignore. It's also the reason I ordered my dv7t with a non-Infinity screen. Unfortunately, you don't have that choice with the HDX series.

 

Sorry to hear that. Mine is 4 months old and screen is still perfect. Although I never travel with it and don't close the lid often. When I do, I use the black cloth screen protector thingy that came with it when shipped.

A thought is that maybe you can buy a screen protector and put it on there, as it might make the marks look less obvious.

 

Everyone keeps using the term "glass" - but glass shouldn't scratch or mar. Isn't the Infinity covering, then, plastic? Just wondering - my dv4t doesn't use an Infinity display and has no such problems.

 

This happens to all laptops in my experience.

 

I have had my dv5z for about 8 months now and I haven't had any major issues with the infinity display (other than the horrific glare that was mentioned by brianstretch). I haven't seen any pattern or marks on my screen from the keyboard.

 

I can confirm its plastic, not glass, as if I apply pressure to it, it bends.

 

Here are some pictures of the scratches on the plastic (not glass ):

Near the bottom. Ignore the dust specks...I'm out of screen cleaning wipes. The straight line, though it looks like dust, is actually damage.


Near top of screen. Ignore the smudge (lack of screen cleaning wipes again)...all those specks are damage. Note how the damage ends on the right in a straight vertical line. That seems to correspond to the touch pad.


Paul