Overheating gaming laptop not designed for games

[BenEchols]

I bought a laptop that is overheating and customer support won't help me with it.  Here is the letter I wrote to the CEO Mr. Hurd -

Hello Mr Hurd,

 I am writing this letter in response to a terrible customer experience I have just had with Hewlett Packard Customer Support. While I would like to get straight to what happened today (which is what my real complaint is about) I need to tell the back story and how I got to calling in today.

I purchased a HP Pavilion DV7T Quad Series laptop about 7 months ago to use as a gaming machine, a multimedia platform, and as a software development platform. Since I first bought the laptop it has always run hot, but I expected that because it is used for intensive computing. A little over a month ago I started playing an older game and I noticed the laptop getting so hot that it almost burned me to touch. I installed temp monitoring programs and found the CPU hitting temperatures of 200-210 degrees F (40-50degrees over the manufacturer’s recommended maximum temp of 164F).

At that point I called up customer support to see if there was anything I could do to make it cool down. I followed many steps none of which helped which led the guy on the phone to have me send my laptop to the repair shop. This is my only laptop and I use it daily and didn't want to send it in, but I did because he assured me that it would be repaired. However when the laptop came back I found out that not only was it still overheating but that the repair center had done nothing to the laptop. I called tech support again and talked to the case manager Julio about it. He said he was leaving work soon and would call me back within 24 hours. Two days later he hadn't called so I called back and couldn't get him, but was told he would call within 48 hours. Three days after that I called again because I still hadn't received a call. The conversation this time ended with him having a local HP engineer come to my house to look at my laptop.

I showed the engineer that when playing games the temperature of the computer would go up (the engineer only observed up to 194F - still 30 degrees over recommended) and we attempted to call Julio but he was not yet in. I received a call back not long after from Julio who stated that there was nothing that could be done about the overheating because it was my fault for running applications that the computer "couldn't handle". However, even with the game running the CPU would only sit around 25% usage. I told him that I wanted a computer that could play games without overheating and he told me I would have to buy a better computer. I told him I would be willing to exchange my computer for one that worked or I would like to return it so I can buy a computer that will work because the only reason I bought this computer was to play games and watch movies (And it was advertised as being able to do that). He told me there was nothing I could do and so I told him I would call him back.

A little while later I called him back and stated that I bought a laptop to use as a gaming machine and development platform so I purchased the one advertised as "high performance gaming machine". That laptop is not able to perform its advertised capabilities without overheating and as such I would like to either return or exchange it. He said he couldn't do that and also inferred that I was trying to cheat HP because I had taken 7 months to call them about the issue. So I asked him if I could talk to his manager. He stated that he did not have a manager and that there was no one else I could talk to. I asked who I could call other than him above him and he gave me the corporate phone number. He ended the conversation saying that he would find another case manager to double check with.

I called the corporate number and ended up in contact with an "Executive Support Team" or something in Palo Alto. I described my issue with a lady there and she told me that she couldn't do anything but she could put me in touch with the case manager Julio about getting it repaired. I told her that it didn't need repairs - I had already sent it into the repair place and had a guy in my house look at it, and there was nothing broken with it, the laptop simply couldn't handle playing games without overheating even though it was advertised as a gaming laptop. She said that if the laptop was not broken and it really couldn't handle what it was advertised as being able to handle then I "might have a case". With that she said that she would try to find someone to call me back.

I then went on HP's website and found lots of references to "gaming" with the laptop I had purchased and called back the Executive team to send them what I found. The next person I talked to ended up just forwarding me to a Case Manager who told me that all case managers were busy and I would get a call back within 48 hours unless I wanted to talk to Julio again. I didn't so she hung up.

About an hour later I received a call from another case manager who told me he was sorry but all I can do is send it in for repairs. I asked him if anything was broken - because multiple engineers of HP said that it wasn't broken. He said that it wasn't broken but that was all he could do. I told him that the laptop was overheating still and he said that was because I was running too many programs and that the laptop wasn't designed to handle that. I told him I am on the HP website now and it says that my laptop was designed for high performance gaming. He said it didn't matter and asked if I would like to send it in for repairs. I said no, I wouldn't but I would like to exchange it for one that could play games or I would like to return it because I didn't want a laptop that can't do what it says it can do. He told me that my 21 day return was over and I didn't send it in so there was nothing he could do, but I could send it in for repairs. I told him I didn't want to repair it because nothing was broken, I just wanted a laptop that works. He said "there is nothing I can do - have a good day sir" and that was the end of the conversation.

I apologize for the length of the story but I wanted to show what happened and why I am so frustrated. I am upset that I bought a laptop that was marketed as a "gaming laptop" that is unable to even play a movie without overheating a little, and playing games it overheats a lot. What I am most upset about is how completely unhelpful support was especially continually offering to take my laptop in for repairs when they already know that it is not broken. I am also very bothered by the subtle suggestions that I am somehow trying to cheat HP.  I wish that the customer support had treated me with just slightly more respect.

I would love to be able to return this laptop so that I can buy something different but even if I can't I hope this letter gives a little perspective on how customers are being treated by customer support.

Thank you for your time,

Ben Echols

[Lucky_14]

Yer mate same thing happens to me start playing sniper Ghost Warrior then the the screen shuts down and this very hot any help would be greatful. 

[aur1n]

my sympathies as I am stuck in the exact same boat as you, my dv7 is just over a month old and runs at temps thats currently burning my hand. unaaceptable since I can not game on a gaming pc.

[SpiritHorizon5]

I have the Dv6t model, with the i7 720QM and GT 230M. Lots of high performance computers run hot. Although you may be one of the few that either got one with a faulty fan, or haven't updated the BIOS or video drivers (as sometimes this can correct problems like this). My system does run hot, much hotter than my desktop with more powerful components. But it's a laptop, so you are going to expect that. I don't know what settings you have your computer at either.

My laptop runs hot, but I use an external keyboard and have it propped up on a stand (so I am using it as a portable desktop not a laptop because I don't need to carry it around places yet). The GPU rarely runs beyond 70*C, and that's playing games for an hour or so. They may be right in that the system itself wasn't specifically designed as a gaming device, although any laptop with a discrete GPU can play games (just not at high settings and forget playing ones like Metro 2033 on a GT 230M or below). It's a multimedia machine that can play games, but HP didn't design it for gaming (if you want gaming, there's other manufacturers who make gaming laptops). 

Try putting it on a stand, using a high powered cooling fan (Thermaltake makes some, like $50 but worth it) and an external keyboard. Even without an external keyboard, my palm rarely gets hot, so as I said, it could just be something wrong with yours. And don't push the GPU too much, it's not specifically designed for high end gaming (I don't know what game you were playing, but certain settings the GPU just can't handle, even slightly older games). 

[aur1n]

Agreed  with Spirit, I have the same Cpu and Gpu as you, updated my BIoS about a week ago , didnt really work. Im not playing anything hectic with it, world of warcraft on medium settings is as far as I am pushing it. What did work though (and I might add if anyone else has this problem) is to turn your CPU speed down by 1% under the power settings. On the i7 that these guys have its really a small price  to pay that you dont really notice performance difference at all, and my temps went down by 10-15degrees.

I feel HP really just had a bad designing concept when they made their latest range, as my friend as a slightly older model with more or less the same specs and runs 30degrees cooler then what my system runs at 100%. the vents were wider, upper and bigger to start with so maybe theres a zing idea for HP.

As for the broken fan, maybe but as I am staying in South Africa, its better just to stick it out cause HP Customer care in Johannesburg is terrrible, had a lady called Pocha I think, that put the phone down in my ear.

Luckily still have a great desktop pc , which i was thinking of selling cause I was hoping the dv7 might take its place, guess not bummer...

[JTChal]

Hey, I'm only fifteen years old, but I'm all about computers. I too purchased the HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Notebook PC because it was advertised as a high performance gaming laptop. I play a game called RuneScape, often steriotyped to be the most simplistic, pathetic game on the web. Nonetheless, when I run RuneScape alone with no other programs, The left side of my laptop below the power button becomes so overheated it is painful to the touch.

I was hoping to find a number I could call for personal assistance but was unable to. I love my laptop for everything else, but the heat is inconvenient and I would like to have heard that its repairable.

[Alamedaitu1048]

i just bought one notebook compaq under $400 and my son was playing simcity simulator.

it requires dx9 so it is not that old and i did not notice any heat problem, but i will check the keyboard next time.

[Antony_Lee]

Hello Ben,

  Hurd had resign. lol.

[rcallen]

I've the same Laptop and use a Cooler Master Laptop Cooler, a Fit GPU cooler and have upgraded the BIOS with the latest update that was posted on the HP website and dated 06-11-2010. Good luck.

[yuri-b]

is the screen shutting down an overheating problem?

I've been doing some gaming on my pc for a while (got it just under a year ago), just recently started a new game, and 2+ weeks fine, whith no issue, then all of a sudden the screen goes black (but still power/light to it, so it's not a "dead" screen) with ALL my games - not just the new one?!?!?

did I just push it a little too far?

computer does get hot, but not to the point to scalding as some other people have reported.

I was playing on the "auto detect" settings.

O,O thanks

B