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HP ENVY 14" Laptop 3200x1800 (Intel i5 4200U/500 GB/8 GB/W8) $699

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 24th, 2014 3:04 pm
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May 25, 2009
9113 posts
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fightbriz wrote: I think most people will be using this scaled to 200%, so basically you get the screen real estate equivalent to a 1600x900 laptop screen right? Yes it will be a lot sharper, but that's how scaling works right? Does anyone know if everything scales correctly? I was viewing webpages on a demo unit in the store and things looked sort of weird, as if things weren't scaling properly or something (images were a bit blurry etc...)
Depends on what you use, not everything will scale correctly. This is still an issue with Windows 8.1 and with various apps... although it seems to have been improved in the most recent Windows update. Chrome does not scale well or properly, but IE and Firefox has no problems. Only a handful of Adobe programs will scale properly as well, Lightroom works fine, I think maybe Photoshop Elements but Photoshop itself does not. There's a lot more, I'd suggest you Google it up. You can get more information from the various Yoga 2 Pro and Dell XPS 15 threads out there (both systems has the hi-res 3200x1600 screens).
"God's in His heaven. All's right with the world." - Robert Browning (1812-1889)
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Sep 29, 2009
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napoleon1769 wrote: Can you even use that resolution at so amll screen szize?
For a well-written OS, a higher-DPI screen should mean everything looks no smaller and no worse than it did on a lower-resolution, and frequently better. However we all know Windows is not a well-written OS.

So what it comes down to is, any software that you can convince to draw objects at a readable size will look either passable or great. Any software that is not taking advantage of the proper APIs will be more likely to be squinty and unreadable.

Note that Metro apps will probably scale consistently better than desktop apps.
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Apr 21, 2004
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queerasmoi wrote: For a well-written OS, a higher-DPI screen should mean everything looks no smaller and no worse than it did on a lower-resolution, and frequently better. However we all know Windows is not a well-written OS.

So what it comes down to is, any software that you can convince to draw objects at a readable size will look either passable or great. Any software that is not taking advantage of the proper APIs will be more likely to be squinty and unreadable.

Note that Metro apps will probably scale consistently better than desktop apps.
Will this make for a cheap hackintosh with super retina display? Too bad, the hack breaks down every time OSX has to be upgraded. Haha.
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Aug 4, 2006
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So whats the final consensus? Good deal even with the issues brought up?
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Aug 21, 2005
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Code: Select all

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=uk&lc=en&docname=c03965857
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/docu ... =c03965857

HP hs3110 HSPA+ Mobile Module was a T-Mo/AT&T compatible part. This laptop comes with the hs3114, which shares drives with the hs3110. The drivers list it as a Huawei part. I'd place my bets on this working on all major carriers in Canada.

24GB SSD, 500GB hard drive.


At 4.66 lbs, this thing is really really heavy.

Final consensus is that since there's color reproduction issues with the screen, the extra premium isn't really worth paying for.
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Sep 29, 2009
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The link you posted is from the UK site btw.

The consensus seems to be that customers are upset if they paid a premium price for this device due to its drawbacks. However at a significant discount, now you're comparing it against models with much lower specs.

In regards to weight you're basically getting a form factor that weighs more like a conventional notebook even though it is missing a DVD drive. If you're comparing with, say, a Macbook Air you'll find it heavy. It's comparable in weight to the 13.3" (non-retina) MacBook Pro. but heavier than the Retina version which has slimmed down due to the removal of the SuperDrive.
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Sep 29, 2009
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Finally my UPS tracking info is showing something. Put in the order Friday morning. For days it was just showing that the label was printed but awaiting UPS receiving the package.

Now it is showing:
Ontario, CA, United States 04/14/2014 7:17 P.M. Origin Scan
United States 04/11/2014 7:57 P.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS

Yet also: Scheduled Delivery:
Tuesday, 04/15/2014, By End of Day

So either they accepted the package in California tonight and put it on a plane to Vancouver or Seattle, or it actually did go onto a truck on the 11-12th and has been making its way north this whole time. Would be great if I do get it tomorrow.
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Sep 29, 2009
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Just arrived today! Have not even turned it on yet.

This appears to be EXACTLY the US model. By "exactly" I mean that there is a T-Mobile "Free 4G" sticker on the box, and an "Activate your free 4G service now" paper slip in the box. And a matching sticker on the screen. So that would lead to the conclusion that the WWAN module is locked to T-Mobile even when sold to Canada. Unfortunately customers have reported zero success getting any vendor, official, or not, to unlock it. Anyway the price was good without the WWAN but that is worth reporting. There is a full-size T-Mobile mini SIM (not micro) pre-inserted into the SIM slot.

It is definitely solid and weighty like a full-size notebook rather than an ultrabook. I think I can live with that for my needs.

Update: Yes I tried my WIND SIM and Windows reported "Locked" and asked me for an unlock PIN.
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Sep 29, 2009
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Well... my first impressions are already heavily negative because I can't use the damn thing :(

It's been stuck on "Sign in to your Microsoft account" with a spinning circle beside "Please wait" for more than 30 minutes now. I cannot turn it off. I have tried holding down the power key for 90 seconds and it does not turn off. Both Microsoft and HP tell me the only way they know how to shut it off is by holding the power key. Microsoft's alternative is to bring it into an MS Store or send it back. HP's alternative is to have someone from HP come pick it up.

Folks, I'm two weeks from moving out of town. I have packing to do. I bought a new computer so I can pack up my desktop and be portable on the road. Now I am being asked to waste more of my time. This is a lousy outcome all around.
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After some time in the shower (me, not the computer!) it finally told me there was a problem setting up the account and allowed me to create a local one (which is what I wanted anyway).

OK I'm finally in. Yeah the yellows are off. Otherwise the screen looks pretty nice.
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Apr 27, 2004
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queerasmoi wrote: After some time in the shower (me, not the computer!) it finally told me there was a problem setting up the account and allowed me to create a local one (which is what I wanted anyway).

OK I'm finally in. Yeah the yellows are off. Otherwise the screen looks pretty nice.
Yeah, I got one too. And I didn't have any problems getting Windows to start the first time, once it's going, it's pretty quick. I ended up putting 16GB RAM and removing both the mSATA 24GB cache and 500GB hard drive and putting an SSD into it. The screen is crisp... but as many reported the yellows are off. I hope there's a bios update to quasi-fix this but I'm not holding my breath. At $699 price point, I'm not complaining too much. I could have bought a Yoga 2 Pro for 2X the price, and had worse upgrade options. Yeah the Yoga is lighter but still have the same pentile screen issues, which they claim to have fixed yet still many complaints.
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Nov 13, 2009
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What's the colour of this laptop? Is it black as in the pictures or white?
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Yeah, once it got up and running I decided to test out playing Hearthstone and it's very smooth, looks gorgeous. I suppose I'll keep it :)
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99dmg wrote: What's the colour of this laptop? Is it black as in the pictures or white?
Oh good point. No it's nothing like the photo. Screen looks the same. Body is light grey metal. Underside is black.
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hub
queerasmoi wrote: Oh good point. No it's nothing like the photo. Screen looks the same. Body is light grey metal. Underside is black.
How is the build quality compared to a Macbook Pro?
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Colin0317 wrote: hub

How is the build quality compared to a Macbook Pro?
Never owned one, can't tell you. Feels very solid. I like the keyboard.

Also it turns out the power button on this unit needs to be pressed very hard. That explains why I couldn't shut it down earlier. A light press will not turn the machine on from a powered off state.
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Thank you! How is the performance? Would you recommend this laptop over any current deals?
queerasmoi wrote: Never owned one, can't tell you. Feels very solid. I like the keyboard.

Also it turns out the power button on this unit needs to be pressed very hard. That explains why I couldn't shut it down earlier. A light press will not turn the machine on from a powered off state.
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Apr 27, 2004
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99dmg wrote: What's the colour of this laptop? Is it black as in the pictures or white?
It's silver, it's pretty heavy grade aluminum, virtually no flex at all.
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Colin0317 wrote: hub

How is the build quality compared to a Macbook Pro?
I think it has a solid build quality. The MacBook Pro 13 is a lighter though. This thing is approx. 4.6 lbs. I like this keyboard a lot better than the MacBook.

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