Does the ventilation system on HP ENVY 17-ae120nd damage the screen in the long run?

[CMihai]

Thank you for reading this thread.

I am considering to buy an ENVY 17-ae120nd laptop (it's actually in the shopping cart) but there is one thing I am concerned about. I would like your help to clarify whether my concern is grounded or not.

ENVY 17-ae120nd (link to the product) has a ventilation system that goes very close to the screen (i.e., I attached a picture bellow). Do you think that the hot air can damage the screen around that area?

I really appreciate any help. 

The ventilation system on ENVY 17-ae120nd

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

No. I have some older laptops that still work and have the same configuration. There is a vent next to the screen. I actually think that it is designed for that vent to be the air inlet. I can't recall feeling hot air come out there. 

[CMihai]

Thank you very much for the input. It is the same ENVY? Otherwise, can you please include the model of your laptop to allow for comparison?

[Huffer]

These are old, old laptops like not even HP. I collect vintage machines. Sony uses that design for example. Have you bought the laptop? Can you feel hot air there? I am pretty sure not. 

[CMihai]

Thanks for the reply! It arrives tomorrow. I'll post back the what I find.

[CMihai]

Hi Huffer,

I came back with an update. I got the ENVY 17-ae120nd and I checked some things. First of all, the performance is mind-blowing. However, I noticed some things that aren't necessarily design flaws, but simply I am not comfortable with:

• the new lid design make is teeters any time I adjust it, touch it lightly or slightly reposition the laptop in my desk. It is not extreme, but considerably more prominent than my old ProBook 450 G1.
• one of the ventilators is making a wired noise. I think it is the vent because when I take the laptop up and I place it at different angles the noise changes, but is still there. When it goes idle the noise is gone.
• It turns out that those vents do exhaust hot air towards the screen. I measured the temperature at the base of the screen and I noticed that the temperature was close to the room temperature (i.e., 24). However, when I ran the processor at 100%, after 20 minutes, the temperature went 45+ (Celsius).

All in all, it is a great laptop, but it gives me the impression that it is not very solid to carry around every day. I am sending it back tomorrow morning and I am going for what I’ve been using for the past 5 years: ProBook.

You’ve helped me a great deal so far and I appreciate it. If you don’t mind I’d like to ask you one more question. I am considering the ProBook 450 G5 and the ProBook 470 G5.

• you already pointed me to the manual for the ProBook 450 G5 showing that I can easily add a second HDD.
• I would like to get the ProBook 450 G5 because it is smaller in size, but the fact that it doesn’t have a graphics card worries me, because I know I can’t simply add one later. On the other hand, the ProBook 470 G5 has a graphics card and I can also add a second HDD ass you pointed out in another post.

What would you recommend me? Is the build quality similar for the both notebooks I am considering? My 15” old ProBook 450 G1 held just fine---and I carried it a lot: bus, bike, plane etc.

Is the size a factor that influences the build quality in this case?

Sorry for asking so many questions. Perhaps using the ENVY 17-ae120nd for days days got me worried due to the way its lid teetered.

I really appreciate your help and opinion on this.

Note: I am ordering my HP products from this official HP store (link to store).

[Huffer]

The build quality on the Probooks 450 G5 and 470 G5 is going to be the same. They will be made out of the same materials and it will basically be like the difference in the old days between a Chevrolet Impala sedan and an Impala station wagon, same design just stretched out a bit. 

The 470 G5 has switchable discrete graphics. It is not a removeable upgradeable MXM video card as you get in the Zbook Mobile workstation models. Also an option on the 450 G5. Some of the motherboards used in the 2 models (470 G5/450 G5) are interchangeable. 

[CMihai]

Thank you for your reply. Sorry, but I am a bit confused by your message. 

Are you saying that this specific ProBook 450 G5 from the HP Netherlands online store (product link) comes equipped with switchable discrete graphics? Can you please confirm this because on the product specifications on the website there is no mention about it.

On the manual at page 19 there is some information about the part numbers---but how can I get them since they are not listed on the website. Two days ago I wrote to the sales department but they never got back with an answer.

If it indeed comes with switchable discrete graphics, it is excellent. As soon as I hear from you I'll place the order.

Thank you again!

[Huffer]

All 470 G5s have switchable discrete graphics. It is Optional on the 450 G5. I have no idea what they are selling in the Netherlands but if the specs say Intel graphics only that is plausible.