*HP ENVY 17 & 17 3D (1XXX series) Owners Lounge*

[divertankado]

Originally Posted by flyguyjake

go to bing dot com and search for laptop. Look for 25% HP link in the top results.

Ok... it was because I had my adblocker activated that is why I couldn't see the 25% off.

[Shiboe]

Originally Posted by facethenorth

Can anyone tell me if its really worth it to get an HP Envy 17" because right now theres alot of negative feedback about heat issues, build quality, and some software issues. I'm really thinking of getting a macbook because of the quality of the chassis compared to HP Envy 17. Do most owners have openings or warps and wobbles or anyother physical defects on their laptop? And does anyone know the heat comparison with the macbook pro vs hp envy?

You get 21 days to test should you care to, you're the best person to tell if you should get it or not.

The Envy 17 is quite a bit hotter than the MBP on the top and side, slightly so on the bottom (comparing to GF's older 17 inch, new i7s are probably hotter but I would wager E17 still has it beat). Best bet is to go for an i5 + SSD. If that's not a viable option for you, I'd say look elsewhere.

I love the looks, but practical usability comes first. If you like osx though, I would definitely just get a MBP. I want/need windows, and MBP windows version doesn't cut it for me.

[koopal]

Originally Posted by yukstin

Just used real temp on my processor. Picture is below. Not sure if this is good or bad. Had the laptop on surfing for about an hour before taking this screen. Have the laptop in my lap in bed the whole time, it is not warm enough for me to want to move to a desk, bottom is warm but not "hot" as I have said before. Typing away with no issues from left palm rest. By the way I don't like heat so I'd be the first to complain if I thought there was a serious issue.

Is there a way to test SSD temps or something?

edit: I'm still using the initial BIOS that came with the laptop. F.04 I think. Will update new BIOS tomorrow or Thursday and will update.

Those temps are INSANELY low IMO, certainly gives me hope that your i5 + SSD combo could be THE trick to beat the heat issue.

And you can probably find out the temp of the SSD with something like HD Tune.

Thanks for the screenshot!

[jaxxy]

Originally Posted by kiwi_style

@jaxxy what model number is your current one? 1006-tx? Just ask them what the model number of the replacement and if it's different to your current unit then that will be G2. It may be something similar to the one they will order for me 1019-tx. It should be, most likely avaliable in NZ and Aus at the same time in early July.

Mine is 1002tx, sales person wasn't aware of a newer model but he will investigate for me.

[2.0™]

Originally Posted by yukstin

Just used real temp on my processor. Picture is below. Not sure if this is good or bad. Had the laptop on surfing for about an hour before taking this screen. Have the laptop in my lap in bed the whole time, it is not warm enough for me to want to move to a desk, bottom is warm but not "hot" as I have said before. Typing away with no issues from left palm rest. By the way I don't like heat so I'd be the first to complain if I thought there was a serious issue.

Is there a way to test SSD temps or something?

edit: I'm still using the initial BIOS that came with the laptop. F.04 I think. Will update new BIOS tomorrow or Thursday and will update.

If your SSD has a temp sensor, HW Monitor will display it: CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

[BennyPac]

Envy 17 Heat Tests, Idle/Load, Flat Surface/Laptop Cooler


***********************************************
UPDATE July 1, 2010: The following post repeats these tests, but after a bios update. Most temps actually went up:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-o...ml#post6419386
***********************************************

***********************************************
Update #2
Warning: If anyone chooses to repeat this test, you must remember to reboot following the test using the three system stressing applications at the same time.

This warning was included in my first run (below with red warnings), but I was fooled after the second run and my system drive crashed. Most data was lost and a complete factory install was needed.

To repeat my original observation (below), the intense test caused explorer.exe to fail. This is normally fixed with a reboot.

In my first test, I saw the desktop disappear, so I rebooted.

In my second test, the desktop remained intact and I wrongly concluded that the bios update had resolved the problem. I ran the laptop for another 12 - 18 hours and then attempted to pair the bluetooth device. Some drivers attempted to load, but they failed and that is when the laptop crashed.

Be safe and reboot after a stress test like the kind I ran.

***********************************************

SUMMARY: My Envy 17 left palm rest is warm to hot, but this is not an inconvenience. A laptop cooler can cool the Envy 17's CPU and GPU by about 3°C/5°F at idle, and can cool about 14°C/25°F at high load. Oddly, hard drive temperatures do not directly respond to the use of a cooler, but these temperatures are modest on my Envy 17.

The peak CPU temperature under load was 87°C/188°F.
The peak GPU temperature under load was 98°C/208°F.

I am still seeking documentation that declares what a good temperature should be for the CPU and GPU.

Other reviews of graphic boards using the same GPU suggest that these temperatures are a bit high.
Sapphire?s Radeon HD 5850 Toxic Edition: Our First Fully-Custom 5850 - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News
AMD?s Radeon HD 5850: The Other Shoe Drops - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

The laptop cooler does diminish the heat when it is needed.

The data from my tests are included in text and pictures below.

FULL REPORT:
I received my Envy 17 on June 14, 2010. I ordered it May 19 and was one of the many who experienced multiple missed ship dates. Some members here reported heat in the left palm rest, so I measured mine after 1 hour of idle activity when I first turned the laptop on. The left palm rest was 39°C/102°F.

This heat did not trouble me per se. It could be bad and only increase as I used the computer. Then again, it could be unimportant because the extra heat from using the computer would trigger the fan which would reduce the heat. After all, automobile engines continue to heat up after they are turned off. That's why modern cars have electric fans that turn on even after the engine is off and the driver has left to get the groceries.

My subjective term for 39°C/102°F is, tolerably hot. Your subjective term for this temperature is whatever you choose it to be. I decided to conduct a detailed test of this heating for my own evaluation of my computer.

In the interest of thoroughness, please forgive my stating the obvious.

Important Facts:
1) Heat is a result of combined heat sources (CPU, GPU, Hard Drive, other components) and Heat Distributors (Vents and Fans). Heat sources vary in their heat production and Heat Distributors vary in their heat distribution (the Envy's fan changes speed to address immediate cooling needs). So, configuration matters when comparing individual laptops.
2) A person's subjective interpretation as to what is "too hot" belongs to that person. He or She doesn't have to justify a decision to accept or reject a laptop because of heat to anyone else.
3) Even identically configured laptops may have different heat signatures because of variable quality in manufacturing.

With these facts in mind, please use the test results below as you wish. The results are presented in text and in pictures of the laptop screen as it displayed the data. Do note the maximum temperatures, where available. Although temperatures rose in general, they did fluctuate and a temperature at the end of the twenty minute test period was not always the maximum temperature.

Minimum and Maximum temperatures were reset with each test.

Test Description:
Envy 17 Configuration:

• Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-720QM Quad Core processor (1.6GHz, 6MB L3 Cache)
• 8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5850 Graphics
• 17.3" diagonal Full HD HP Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1920x1080)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support

• The Factory bios was tested. A newer bios is available from HP, but is not loaded.
• NO Blueray, NO Secondary hard drive, and NO SSD.

Tests were conducted with AC power (and battery, 6 cell, flush fit to laptop case).
Testing Room Temperature: 24°C/75°F

Tools-Hardware

• Remote Thermometer (White), Integer values (nnn°), Stores Max Temp
• Remote Thermometer (Black), Integer with single decimal values (nnn.n°)
• One Flat Table
• One Thermaltake Notebook Cooler

Amazon.com: Thermaltake CLN0009 Massive23 ST 23cm Notebook Cooler (Black ): Electronics

Tools-Software
Temperature and Activity Monitors:

• CPUID-HWMonitor, CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting
• All CPU Meter (Windows Gadget), Windows Gadgets - All CPU Meter

Stress Executables
For GPU: FurMark v1.8.2
[GPU Tool] FurMark 1.8.2 Available - 3D Tech News, Pixel Hacking, Data Visualization and 3D Programming - Geeks3D.com
Test Used: Stability Test

For CPU: IntelBurn Test v2.5
IntelBurnTest v2.50 - The new CPU stress-testing program for AMD and Intel CPUs - Ultimate Filez Forum
Test Used: Stress Level=Very High, Threads=8

For Hard Drive: SeaTools for Windows
SeaTools | Seagate
Test Used: Basic Test|Long Generic

Testing Plan: Compare Idle and Load temperatures under two conditions:

1. Laptop sitting on a flat table on its own feet.
2. Laptop sitting on a cooler, modified to add extra air space (about 3/16 of an inch) between the fan and the laptop. This better distributes the cooler fan air to the laptop vent air intakes.

• "Idle" was defined as 10 minutes of no temperature change following what appeared to be a stable, inactive state (no keyboard or mouse inputs, CPU jumping between 1%-4%, mostly 1% & 2%.
• "Load" is 100% activity for all 8 CPU threads with heavy GPU and Hard Drive activity.

WARNING WARNING: Although each of the above software programs are described by their creators as stable, this test combining them all resulted in terminating one of the Windows explorer.exe processes. I don't know why. For those who don't know, Windows explorer.exe is more than the file manager window we all know. Explorer.exe is a part of the Windows OS itself and manages communication between drives, the kernel, and applications. When it fails, previously loaded programs can be left as inaccessible orphans or otherwise become corrupted.

Failure Symptoms:

• Autohide taskbar non-responsive
• Some taskbar icons of loaded programs disappear from taskbar (like Bluetooth, ATI Catalyst, Beats Audio etc).
• Previously loaded programs inaccessible, but visible with Task Manager.
• Microsoft Windows Key invokes Program/Shutdown Menu and Taskbar, but subsequent mouse clicks fail.

Failure Fix:

1. Previously loaded programs must be closed via Task Manager
2. Laptop must be rebooted via Ctrl-Alt-Delete interface

----------------------------------------------------------

Test with Desk Beneath Laptop
Temperatures After 10 minutes Idle (CPU 1%-4%, mostly 1% & 2%)

CPU`````Value``````Min````````Max
Core #0 57°C/134°F 56°C/132°F 62°C/143°F
Core #1 55°C/131°F 55°C/131°F 55°C/131°F
Core #2 58°C/136°F 57°C/134°F 58°C/136°F
Core #3 58°C/136°F 55°C/131°F 58°C/136°F

`````````Value``````Min````````Max
GPU Core 68°C/153°F 68°C/153°F 68°C/154°F (yes, 154F--rounding)

Hard Drive ST950042AS (HP's Primary 500Gig Drive)
`````````Value`````Min```````Max
Assembly 34°C/93°F 34°C/93°F 34°C/93°F
Air Flow 34°C/93°F 34°C/93°F 34°C/93°F

External Sensors:
Exhaust Air 45°C/113°F
Palm Rest Contact 33°C/90.5°F
----------------------
Test with Desk Beneath Laptop
Temperatures After 20 minutes Heavy CPU, GPU, and Disk Activity

CPU`````Value``````Min````````Max
Core #0 79°C/174°F 56°C/132°F 87°C/188°F
Core #1 77°C/170°F 55°C/131°F 83°C/181°F
Core #2 80°C/176°F 57°C/134°F 86°C/186°F
Core #3 77°C/170°F 55°C/131°F 82°C/179°F

`````````Value``````Min`````````Max
GPU Core 90°C/193°F 68°C/153°F 98°C/208°F

Hard Drive ST950042AS (HP's Primary 500Gig Drive)
``````````Value``````Min```````Max
Assembly 39°C/102°F 34°C/93°F 39°C/102°F
Air Flow 39°C/102°F 34°C/93°F 39°C/102°F

External Sensors:
Exhaust Air 59°C/138F, max 60°C/140°F
Palm Rest Contact 34°C/94.0°F

Cool Down Issues Part 1: All temperatures began to drop immediately when the testing software was turned off, except for the Palm Rest. This temperature slowly rose for an additional 17 minutes, peaking at 36°C/96.0°F.

Once high, the Palm Rest temperature would not decrease to the level of the first reading.

----------------------------------------------------------
Test with Laptop Cooler and Raised "legs" Beneath Laptop
Temperatures After 10 minutes Idle (CPU 1%-4%, mostly 1% & 2%)

CPU`````Value``````Min````````Max
Core #0 59°C/138°F 59°C/138°F 60°C/140°F
Core #1 59°C/138°F 58°C/136°F 59°C/138°F
Core #2 61°C/141°F 61°C/141°F 61°C/141°F
Core #3 62°C/143°F 59°C/138°F 62°C/143°F

`````````Value``````Min````````Max
GPU Core 71°C/159°F 71°C/159°F 72°C/160°F

Hard Drive ST950042AS (HP's Primary 500Gig Drive)
`````````Value`````Min```````Max
Assembly 36°C/96°F 36°C/96°F 36°C/96°F
Air Flow 36°C/96°F 36°C/96°F 36°C/96°F

External Sensors:
Exhaust Air 34°C/93°F
Palm Rest Contact 35°C/94.9°F
----------------------
Test with Laptop Cooler and Raised "legs" Beneath Laptop
Temperatures After 20 minutes Heavy CPU, GPU, and Disk Activity

CPU`````Value``````Min````````Max
Core #0 71°C/159°F 42°C/107°F 72°C/161°F
Core #1 67°C/152°F 41°C/105°F 68°C/154°F
Core #2 72°C/161°F 44°C/111°F 73°C/163°F
Core #3 67°C/152°F 42°C/107°F 68°C/154°F

`````````Value``````Min````````Max
GPU Core 77°C/169°F 54°C/129°F 84°C/183°F

Hard Drive ST950042AS (HP's Primary 500Gig Drive)
`````````Value``````Min```````Max
Assembly 40°C/104°F 32°C/89°F 40°C/104°F
Air Flow 40°C/104°F 32°C/89°F 40°C/104°F

External Sensors:
Exhaust Air 45°C/113F, max 47°C/117°F
Palm Rest Contact 40°C/104.2°F

Cool Down Issues Part 2: This time, the Palm Rest temperature rose to 40°C/104.6°F in a couple minutes, but then dropped to 37°C/98.1°F after 17 minutes.

Pictures


The white thermometer reads the exhaust air. The black thermometer reads the left palm rest case. Both thermometers use a sensor at the end of a wire. The black sensor is hidden beneath the books added for weight to ensure a firm contact. The bible and writings of Augustine were chosen because they were nearby, but if you want to infer from the nature of these books that the data presented here is accurate, I won't stop you. The exact significance of the kitchen meat mallet is a bit trickier to glean, but it is heavy. (Right Click Image for Detail)


Here is the black sensor without the weights. (Right Click Image for Detail)


The white sensor is near, but not touching, the case. (Right Click Image for Detail)


The laptop cooler is modified to raise the laptop from the cooler's surface by about 3/16 of an inch. The "legs" made of tape and cord are placed to avoid the vents of the laptop. The black material on the tape is a dried latex applied like wet paint. It adds friction to the surface. (Right Click Image for Detail)


Envy 17 on desk: Idle (Right Click Image for Detail)


Envy 17 on desk: Loaded (CPU 100%, GPU & HD Running) (Right Click Image for Detail)



Envy 17 on Cooler: Idle (Right Click Image for Detail)



Envy 17 on Cooler: Loaded (CPU 100%, GPU & HD Running) (Right Click Image for Detail)

[ms960]

Originally Posted by yukstin

I think I'm one of the only ones not having any heating issues with the i5. I have played WoW for several hours and yes the left palm rest gets warm but it doesn't get "hot" to the point where I can't rest my hand on it. Am I less sensitive to heat? Maybe I dunno but the only part that gets hot to the point of not being able to touch it is the exhaust on the side and that is only after several hours of gaming.

I feel really bad for many people having problems because I just haven't had any, this laptop is perfect.

I have the i5-540 and, while it's on a cooling pad, I haven't had a single issue with heat. The laptop is barely warm to the touch. Granted, I haven't really put it through it's paces, but I didn't buy it to game, so heat doesn't appear to be an issue at all for me.

Overall, I haven't had a single problem or reason to complain. It came with a dead 6-cell battery, but HP promptly replaced that (at no cost). The fit and finish are very good, no wobbles, no heat, no nothing other than a great laptop. Sorry guys.

[Lifebylife]

Originally Posted by BennyPac

Envy 17 Heat Tests, Idle/Load, Flat Surface/Laptop Cooler

Thanksssss !!!!

YOU ARE FABOULOS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A super review of the heat question, very very well done.

Now if, when you'll have time, you can continue with benchmarking, frames per seconds, youtube video, advantages, disadvantages, vs G73JH, final thinkings, ecc. ecc. ...

For now only a word for you : MYTHIC !!!!!

[JayBat]

Anyone else notice if their E17 get very sluggish when not plugged in to AC power. I was doing a light testing of the battery life by just playing the sample windows video, stretched to 75% of the screen, on loop, and when not plugged in, it stopped playing fluidly and eventually stops. Clean install of Windows 7. i7 820QM. 8GB ram. 256GB SSD. There should be no reason it can't handle playing hd video just on batteries.

Aside from the heat, which I can tolerate knowing there's supposedly a lot of power under the hood, that's the top reason for me to return this and await news of the 2nd gen.

[GadgetsNut]

Originally Posted by JayBat

Anyone else notice if their E17 get very sluggish when not plugged in to AC power. I was doing a light testing of the battery life by just playing the sample windows video, stretched to 75% of the screen, on loop, and when not plugged in, it stopped playing fluidly and eventually stops. Clean install of Windows 7. i7 820QM. 8GB ram. 256GB SSD. There should be no reason it can't handle playing hd video just on batteries.

Aside from the heat, which I can tolerate knowing there's supposedly a lot of power under the hood, that's the top reason for me to return this and await news of the 2nd gen.

I guess this answers my question from here...

I have an Envy 15. When running on battery the CPU is stuck at 1.2GHz because the multiplier is locked at 9x, and it feels very sluggish at times. This is designed to preserve battery life. Yes it sucks!

Can you try this, run CPUZ and a CPU-intensive program (wprime, prime95, etc), have your charger plugged in when you start, then unplug the charger while the program is running. See if your CPU speed drops.