My HP Hell Experience #2

[Crimsoned]

In light of the previous post with the title "My HP Hell Experience" I decided to post my own Service review.
KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE MORE COMPLAINTS BUT FIGURED IT WOULD BE TOO LONG OF A POST INCLUDING: Several "call us back our systems are down" excuses, transferring to wrong departments, and others.

Background:

Spoiler :

I purchased an Envy 17 on 2/23/2011, yes that's less then a month ago. I received and was quite happy with it until I noticed it overheated drastically, and had obviously quality concern issues.

Issues:

Spoiler :

1. Temperatures easily hit 96c~ for the CPU, and over 95c for the GPU while playing a simple game of League of Legends (uses perhaps 80%~ CPU maybe less, and more then likely uses less then 100% of GPU usage).
2. Game throttling occurs every 20-30 minutes, probably from where the CPU downclocks itself to reduce TDP and cool it self.
3. Quality control issues: a gap between aluminum trim and palm rest on the let side allowing a light to shine through. Power button misaligned, and rust stain on one of the hinges (confirmed rust stain, removed via using oil+cloth and sure enough came back).
4. High component temperatures (CPU and GPU) can lead to other components failing such as HDD's/Ram/Motherboards/etc etc.

The Call
So I call in 1 week into using the notebook, after negotiations with Newegg (first they agreed to a store credit refund, but soon realized they would end up making me loose $100-$200 in shipping and other charges- so I told them no and they had lost a customer- wasnt first time Newegg screwed me over).

I speak with the regular support people, and I am run around with what I consider to this day the absolute worst fix given by a manufacturer. I was told to disable all services/programs on start up: This means no media buttons, no power options, no brightness settings, no internet, no nothing. Basically a netbook with a dim LCD and straight up locked usage. While it did knock out 5 Celsius from the temperatures, it also made the laptop nonfunctional.
I call in again and a repair is quickly set up.
I receive the box on Tuesday 3/8/2011 and ship it the same day. HP has it by Tuesday 9th of March.
I do more research meanwhile and find out the Envy 17 has a poor cooling system compared to every other notebook of similar specs that is in production and being sold.

Through out the process I check repair status and find out on Friday that HP wished to contact me. There are problems with getting a hold of me so I call in.

HP's Run arounds

Spoiler :

The regular support agent tells me there was nothing with the notebook and after a few attempts to request contact with a technician and then a supervisor the support agent transfers me to contact a super visor. Low and behold HP's famous wrong department transfer.
Just as I said it the guy transfers me to a wrong department which then transfers me back to the Regular Envy support line. I hang up, and call another number.
A nice young lady answers the phone, and basically tells me almost embarrassed that their department wouldn't be able to:
Be able to put me through a supervisor.
Let me speak with a technician.
Do anything other then tell me what they have on screen.
Cannot give me any other number to call to escalate the issue.
Or to sum it up do anything but just set up repair orders or escalate the issue if it appears again.

I tell her to please make a note that if I received the notebook without the repair center first contacting me (Which was promised before hand), I would simply find an alternative to having this issue resolved including and more then likely follow up with a lawsuit with past records of 5 other HP notebooks+their delay attempts as well as a record of overheating=bad which would be enough to warrant it as the laptop was within 30 day purchase date, as well as past history.

HP's "FIX"

Spoiler :

Apparently my note probably scared the repair department and when I check the next day I notice HP had "successfully replicated the issue and repaired or replaced the notebook". I call in to see why I had not been contacted and what was fixed. I am told the fan had been replaced and the issue which was replicated had been fixed. I received the repaired laptop just 3 days ago on Monday the 14th of March.
Now on Monday I picked up the unit after missing the delivery@ a Fedex office. It was night, so I never got to really mess with it other then to turn it on to insure it worked.
The 2nd day was a busy one and I spent most of the day installing windows on a new 500gb 7200 RPM hard drive I had purchased to take the place of the slow 5200 RPM hard drive that came with the notebook.
Throughout this time the notebook had been either in my cushioned protective backpack, or on a desk. -important-

Damage from HP repair

Today I finally check the notebook on the morning and find a nick in the aluminum trim, and a scratch on the LCD. HP way to go, I send in a pristine notebook and get back a damaged one. Now the nick and scratch were minor so I let it go and began to now check the laptop's temperatures. Actually I did not even bother to mention it to HP as they truly are minor, albeit I was a bit bugged they did not replace them.

The temperature issue was not remedied. I was still idling at over 70c, and on a quick Prime95 load reached 93c in less then 3 minutes on Prime95, without any GPU load.

I call HP explain my situation on how this notebook has been useless and my research concluded: poor thermal design (3 heatpipes (2 shared between CPU/GPU) and 1 fan.
I am told basically they will set up a repair order again, and will have an observational period which means they get to keep it for a while and play "switch parts until it's magically fixed" game.
I tell them it is unacceptable on a notebook less then a month old, and wish to speak with someone who can breathe without first asking for permission.

The Case Manager

Spoiler :

Now in the past Case managers have almost always been worse then useless this is from dealing with out own Hp laptops and customer's own laptops for warranty repair. They have been deceitful, right down liars who's primary purpose has been to delay the repair or solution and then secondary purpose minimize the loss and rip off clients (inferior laptop replacements).

This time it was much more different, and I will say it was completely easier and took less then 40 minutes to reach a resolution.
The support agent that attended me, and heard me rant for a good 5 minutes setup a Case manager request and informed me since at the moment Case managers are out I would be called within 2-3 hours. So I wait, and wait. 3 hours go by, I decide to check my email to pull up some information so I could call in again and there was an email from a Case Manager saying they had tried to contact me. I was surprised and quite happy they had actually tried to contact me but were not able to.

Now it was NOT their fault that they could not contact it in fact it is my fault for having a blocked call feature on my phone which blocks many commercial phone numbers from calling my phone.

I call in, and ask to speak with Mario, my Case manager however I am told my by a woman named Katy that he is busy but she can help me out as she is a Case Manager herself. I say that is perfectly fine, and she asks me for information on my situation so she can by pass reading notes.
We discuss the issue with my notebook, my research, and my own experience as a computer technician (having serviced hundreds of laptops). She tells me HP has less then a 1% failure rate on their laptops, which is a blatant lie or a very deceitful statistic. After a while she falters and cuts down to the chase, and says that from what she understands I don't want a repair knowing it will be useless (she acknowledged this herself mind you) and that I did not want the laptop in the condition it was in nor was I interested in another Envy 17.

I tell her frankly I am looking to get a refund or a replacement model. She says a replacement model can be done since it is their policy that if a notebook is sent in for repair within 60 days of purchase you have the right to ask for a replacement.
So she begins to tell me what they can offer that more closely matches my Envy 17.
The DV7 Quad Edition (Sandy Bridge)
Or she suggests if I don't mind the smaller screen etc the Envy 14 (non Sandy Bridge).
I tell her the Envy 14 had caught my attention in the past but with the recent Radiance discontinuance that soon went out of the question.
The DV7 had little information in terms of the HD 6770 mobility so we conclude it's best if I take a look at the options and call back.
Both options were tempting however upon close inspection I found out the Quad Edition DV7 was stuck with: No Backlit keyboard, no 1080p screen, no Infinity display, considerably weaker GPU, limited software options, and possible chance of it being a plastic/metal laptop vs all metal on the Envy. In the end even a fully upgraded DV7 wouldnt be able to satisfy my needs.

The choice

So I call in a request a refund. Since then I have researched, did some very rough calculations and figured I'd ask for an Envy 17 Sandy Bridge replacement which should by all technical aspect provide cooler temperatures due to the Sandy Bridge architecture, cool sense technology etc.

The Resolution- Waiting to receive order confirmation/status.

I then think about it and figure I'd ask for a replacement model instead.
I spoke with Case Manager Katy. I asked her if it would be possible to receive an Envy 17 SB as a replacement, she said it would certainly be a choice and she would email me the configuration (still waiting for it- it has been 2 hours however I am sure she has other customers.
Hopefully they don't try sticking me with an inferior speced Envy 17 and actually match spec for spec my Envy 17.

UPDATE
Okay got off the phone again today 3/17/2011 (5 minutes ago) and told her basically the processor and battery specifications were wrong (she offered absolutely no resistance and from what I understood she honestly had made a mistaken). She immediately sent me a revised specifications with a quad core processor+6/9 cell battery.

Here is what I am getting: Now I just need to wait until the order goes through and I receive a way to check the status.

HP ENVY 17 customizable Notebook PC

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
2nd generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM (2.0 GHz, 6MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.9 GHz
1GB Radeon(TM) HD 6850M GDDR5 Graphics [HDMI]
6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
1TB 5400RPM Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
No Additional Office Software
One 6-Cell and One 9-Cell Lithium Ion Battery
17.3" diagonal Full HD HP 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 Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

Another update: 4/6/2011
After receiving an email from my Case Manager about my order being delayed an additional 2 weeks I asked for a refund. Unfortunately HP's convoluted manner of dealing with refunds would have me waiting far longer then waiting for the replacement.
So I have been stuck with an Envy 17 which is unsuitable for anything other then playing around on facebook, or playing games as doing real work is just about as risky as driving without a seat belt. Occasional lock ups (one is alone unacceptable in a business environment), and throttling of the components (slowing down) make it a very unstable system.

At this point I am going to go ahead and buy a 2nd notebook (an additional expense that HP has indirectly caused by producing some of the worst customer support, and computer reliability I have yet to see.

Now I understand that it is illogical to think that a single case should result in my following conclusion but please keep this in mind. I have worked with thousands of computers. I have dealt with every manufacturer, except directly with Sager (dealt with Vendor). I have already gone through 5 personal HP notebooks through support/resolution etc, and dealt with dozens of computers on behalf of clients. HP has officially been the worst.


See Bottom

At this point as a computer technician, I personally am confident HP should be avoided for any type of market, personal or business. Not only because their support is terrible but because their unreliability of their systems makes you have to rely on that terrible support.

In the end the best way I can sum up HP is with a quote I came up with when I was speaking to my sister about fast food restaurants. We had just come from Braums, and they had of course messed up on our order, as they had every time we'd gone there.
So we began to delicately gather our experiences on who the more consistant and reliable fast food restaurant was. To make it short we found that no restaurant but one earned the title of most consistent and reliable. Braums.

Braums is in fact the most consistent and reliable Fast Food restaurant we have yet to see in that every time you go there, you will be disappointed.

So to end it.
HP is the most reliable and consistent consumer and business company we have yet to try in that EVERY TIME WE OR OUR CLIENTS HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED BY THEIR SERVICE OR RESOLUTIONS.

So HP have a good one because I will become the most reliable and consistent consumer in that I will not buy HP again, and I will be sure not to recommend my Client's an HP product nor service.

This may not even hurt you in any way however my intention is not to hurt you. In fact I wish you would do better in your service and products so that others won't be left out to hang to whatever sanity then have left when they deal with you. My intention to inform people to save them the grief of dealing with you, HP.

Luis G.
A human who spends too much time on computers.

Final update- 4/13/2011

Well I got the laptop on the 12th, and been rocking it ever since. So far the laptop runs significantly cooler and gives excellent battery life nearly 6 hours with the 9 cell battery using the Intel graphics and 30% brightness as well as using the speakers for a good chunk of time.

Overall I am pretty excited about the notebook as it also performs better in most games then the previous Envy 17 I had.
The only issue thus far is an annoying hiss I heard on my JVC HA-RX900 headphones, however from my reading it seems it may an issue with the way the headphone connects and the way the Envy's jack is receiving power. A bit annoying but I can always get other headphones.
4/14/2011
Okay the issue has not gone away even after playing around with just about all HP drivers. It's regretfully annoying. I am going to contact the case manager and will likely get it fixed.

Alright complete disaster, and conclusion to this hellish experience.

Basically the new replacement system was bad. It throttled for no reason causing it to slow down to a complete crawl (mouse froze, etc), more than likely the motherboard. Case Manager offered no real solution to the problem (repair, or replacement- taking 1 week or a few weeks accordingly).

I decided to get a refund, as HP has yet to fulfill their part of the deal. While I could always resell the laptop for quite a bit more ($300-$500 more) then what I will get from the refund, I am afraid I cannot in good conscious sell someone a laptop that will likely fail due to the terrible quality, QC, and support of HP.

Overall I am incredibly disappointed in HP's Quality Control, support, and resolutions. I never should have taken a chance with HP given their previous history with 5 other notebooks I've dealt with from HP.

Once again in conclusion:
I highly recommend as a computer technician to avoid all of HP's consumer laptops, and desktops. Their support, quality control (Envy being their top of the line) are all subpar compared to other manufacturers, hell even Dell's consumer line isn't this bad.

[temka-0622]

HI, OMG that is totally UNACCEPTABLE! I read through your post and I think HP should be shamed...seriously, Make sure u get the replacement!
U should really sue them if they don't

[Bobmitch]

I guess my question is...if they are offering a replacement...fine...but get Envy 17 for Envy 17. They can match each element of your machine up with what is available in the Sandy Bridge one. Video cards match up...just newer generation. HDD...that's a funky one...but worse case scenario is the 1TB 5400 rpm...which you can replace if you want. WHY do you have to step down from an Envy into a DV7???? That just doesn't make any logical sense. Call customer care...keep escalating until you reach someone who can make a decision and make things happen. DO NOT TAKE NO for an answer. It's your money!!!

[Killa Joe]

Call customer care...keep escalating until you reach someone who can make a decision and make things happen. DO NOT TAKE NO for an answer. It's your money!!!

Bobmitch, glad you got it and passing what we learned to others, very cool of you.

KJ

[Crimsoned]

Updated.

I know about the Dv7, that is why I denied it. Anyways it seems they will do the replacement with the Sandy Bridge Envy 17, they will not budge me.

Now I just hope the whole transaction can be done quickly and painlessly.

[Bobmitch]

Please define they won't budge me!

Are you saying that they WILL send you a new Envy?

[Crimsoned]

They will send me an equivalent or better Envy (preferably equivalent) or will satisfy by decision for a refund, that is what I meant that they will not budge me.

They have indeed confirmed an Envy 17 SB model as a replacement unit and I received the replacement's specifications for it.

Basically it's all the same as my current unit except for two parts.
1. The processor offered is a dual core vs a quad core that I have now. Probable accident since both the dual core/quad cores are i7 so it was likely a honest mistake.
2. The battery option they offered did not match my original unit which was a 6 cell+ 9 cell extended battery, instead they offered me just a singe 6 cell battery.

I sent an email saying if those two parts could be changed I would agree to the replacement, otherwise we go 1 vs 1 no gloves on. Just kidding!

So far I am VERY surprised how the case manager is handling the situation. Everything is answered, or I am called back in a very reasonable time frame and the resolution discussions were relatively brief.

Would I still buy or recommend HP to my customer base (hundreds)? Probably not, but I will give them a chance to redeem themselves with this resolution. Hopefully it is swift, and more importantly fair for BOTH parties.

[Bobmitch]

If you have the i7 720 or i7 740, then you should at least get i7 2630QM. Granted a bit much faster than the old generation...but it is entry level to the Envy.

[amtbr]

This and my own experiences w/ HP are reasons NEVER TO BUY AN HP LAPTOP.

Dealing with HP has been the worst consumer experience I have had in years. Awful awful company.

[Killa Joe]

This and my own experiences w/ HP are reasons NEVER TO BUY AN HP LAPTOP.

Dealing with HP has been the worst consumer experience I have had in years. Awful awful company.

Well....(guess we all have stories of different companies) the only thing about HP I wish never happened was them getting together with Compaq. Now Compaq...that is a nightmare company, but yeah....I won't bother you with my horror story here, maybe another time.

KJ