Sure View (privacy screen) NOT working on G6 Elitebooks

[siebed]

I'd like to warn all of you when buying the last generation (G6) of Elitebooks with a privacy screen (SureView) option. The privacy screen does not work properly. It is basically "stuck in privacy mode" forever, with narrow viewing angles at all times.

While the HP website advertises that it can be disabled using the f2 button, in reality nothing happens except for the brightness going up or down. The viewing angle always remains the same (extremely narrow). This requires you to constantly adapt the orientation of the lid to your position and makes it impossible to look at the screen with more than one person. Even when sitting exactly in front of the screen, brightness must be set really high to be able to read everything properly.

This failure has so far only been encountered with the newer "6th generation" Elitebooks (735 G6/ 745 G6/ 840 G6/ 830 G6/ x360 1040 G6). It has been reported several times on the forum (see links below) but HP has not yet responded or admitted the issue. Unbelievable how HP is actually still selling this "Sure View" screen as a paid option, while in reality it is a downgrade in every way. To make matters worse, I posted this message yesterday and the day before on this forum and they got removed each time - without notice. The old link still exists, but the content is no longer accessible. This time, I'll take a screenshot of my post and repost it immediately when removed again.

More people with the same issue, never addressed.:

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-Notebooks/Screen-Narrow-Viewing-Angle-on-HP-EliteBook-840-G6/... 

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-Notebooks/Elitebook-x360-1040-G6-privacy-screen-not-working/m... 

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-Notebooks/Privacy-screen-has-a-terrible-viewing-angle-even-wh... 

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/Extremely-narrow-viewing-angle/m-p/73... 

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/HP-EliteBook-735-G6-Sureview-always-o... 

- https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Video-Display-and-Touch/SureView-doesn-t-work-does-the-laptop... 

[Finding_help123]

I legit made an account just so I could say YES. I have this SAME ISSUE. Brand new from my company. Wow, for me all F2 does is it dims my screen

[Piote]

Hi!

Thanks for raising this issue, as there's very little in the Internet about this viewing angles problem.

I am wondering, if the issue concerns only the screens with Sure View or all of the anti-glare ones?

Reading as many reviews as I could find, I think that it's rather a matter of Sure View technology. The anti-glare screens without Sure View seem not to have this issue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziyyj-H7Jwc or https://www.notebookcheck.net/HP-Elitebook-x360-1040-G5-i7-8650U-FHD-Convertible-Review.406241.0.htm...).

I found some other source on the other hand, that stated it's because of the anti-glare coating.

Do you happen to know how the anti-glare screens WITHOUT Sure View perform regarding the viewing angles?

[siebed]

I also think that the problem lies with all the privacy screens on the newer (6th) generation Elitebooks. A shame that HP is not doing anything about it.

[VintheValley]

I have the same problem.

Have you found any answers?

[Gevix]

I have the same problem

[ns_PL]

Yes, I have the same problem, G6 Sure View is a total crap. HP should change displays as a service action for ALL G6 displays.

There are useless, sure view switch makes nothing, this display shouldn't be in 100$ notebook ...

[srca]

May 2020. I just got a new G6 with SureView. The problem is still there. It is not usable unless you want to sit rigidly in front of the screen and do not move an inch up, down, left or right. I am amazed they are selling this.

[srca]

Unfortunately I came here too late. One does not expect to buy an Elitebook with a "feature" that turns the laptop into unusable. Sure View  G3 is an absolute disaster. I have a computer that costs about 1400 euros and I will only be able to use it plugged into an external screen. I had around 7 laptops in my life and this Elitebook, the last one I got has the worse screen ever. How is it possible that they claim that everything is ok with the screen? When the Sure View "feature" is off you cannot move the head 20 cm. The light is completely nonuniform around the screen even without moving the head. I am so disappointed upon HP that I cannot even talk clear.

I see several reviews on the Internet that they only mention that one can buy the machine with Sure View. Did they actually check any computer with the 3rd generation of Sure View?

[ns_PL]

"I see several reviews on the Internet that they only mention that one can buy the machine with Sure View. Did they actually check any computer with the 3rd generation of Sure View?"

They are well paid. And HP won't give new models to reviewers who made a bad review of old models. So reviewers are saying that screen is "not bad at all". They simply wants to write in future a review of HP notebooks, not cheap brands like CHUWI, Jumper ....

Real user's opinions are simple and clear - Sure View screen is a piece of garbage, HP should change it and apologize for selling this. But ... $$ looks OK for HP - $1 worth screen sold as a extra paid "feature" ... 

To be fair HP should give an option to free change to non Sure View screen.