ONE SINGLE KEY FELL OFF THE KEYBOARD = US$260 !

[mau1964]

This email is simply to warn the HP community of a major flaw in the design of the Spectre's keyboard.  I loved this notebook dearly until ONE SINGLE KEY fell off the keyboard.  It is impossible to place it back in position, yet I've been told by HP that I must exchange the ENTIRE KEYBOARD for a "mere" US$260 (plus taxes, plus shipping).  It is important to note that the key which fell off (I still have it), probably costs less than US$1 to produce.  So what is going on? This is the OPPOSITE of green (inteligent) design.  Why should something which cost about US$1 to produce lead to a consumer expenditure of US$260.  As I mentioned, I loved this notebook, but now Ill never purchase another HP product.

[Barachiel]

Hi @mau1964 ,

Welcome to HP Forums, 

This is a great place to get support, find answers and tips, 

Thank you for posting your query, I'll be more than glad to help you out 🙂 

I have escalated your concern to HP's Support Team in your region to have it reviewed for available options (if any). 

You should be contacted within 4 business days (Excluding Holidays & Weekends). 

Response times may vary by region. 

Please send a Private Message, if you aren't contacted within 4-5 business days.  

Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (such as serial numbers and case details).

And Feel free to post your query for any other assistance as well, 

It's been a pleasure interacting with you and I hope you have a good day ahead. 🙂

[mau1964]

Dear Brachiel,

Thank you for your feedback, but the "support team in my region" already contacted my last month and, basically, told me there was nothing they could do, that is, I would have to exchance the entire keyboard.  Again: the single key which fell off probably cost less than US$1 to fabricate, thus it is insane to spend over US$260 on an entire keyboard.  What I need is for HP to SHIP ME the key!  I wish I could send you a photo, for it is really a simple matter, a trivial bit o plastic which probably broke the bit which attached it to the inner plastic (underneath the keys).  LITERALLY ALL I NEED TO SOLVE THE ISSUE IS ONE NEW KEY (ARROW FACE DOWN). I DONT EVEN NEED TECH SUPPORT TO PLACE THE KEY BACK IN THE KEYBOARD.  It is a trivial matter, which you could visiualize it via a photo.  Im betting that HP's cost is less than US$1.  Meawhile, I have already sent a description of this matter to several consumer websites (e.g., consumer report, amazon.com, best buy, etc). 

[Huffer]

OK Mr. Bold print. This is not trivial. You cannot even begin to fathom the logistics that would be involved in making every single key for every HP laptop available to everyone who breaks a key. So your $1 per key is way, way off.

Also, the key did not "fall off" it was knocked off, active not passive. So this is not a warranty issue it is you looking to replace something that you broke. HP has no stock of single keys. This is well known to people who work on laptops. You can find internet entrepeneurs who sell individual keys on ebay and such for $6 or $7 per key. Also if you have never replaced an individual key on a laptop keyboard it may not be as easy as you think it is. 

So I hope you get some help somewhere and if you wish to stay around here and lighten up on the sense of entitlement I have helped lots of folks through this at a least possible cost point. I will acknowledge this became much harder once laptops got real skinny which is what the consumer wants, and keyboards had to be embedded in the top cover and are no longer separately removeable. If you looked at the service manal for your laptop you could see what a chore it is to get to the keyboard. These last 2 points explain as much as it can be explained why a busted key costs $260 to replace. I agree that is unconscionable but it is what it is. To get by cheaper it has to be done by unconventional methods. By the way also you would run into this same thing with other manufacturers' thin laptop models. 

And don't bother to flame back at me for telling it as it is. I frankly don't care if you ever buy another HP since I do not work for them and you can continue to believe you are accomplishing something with reporting anything to "consumer websites". 

[mau1964]

I wont bother with most of your message for various reasons, afterall you appear to be both an expert in computer design and economics. A very rare, multi talented, non-hp employee.  Nonetheless, you sort of "bury" the ultimate truth in two phrases in the middle of your text: "... why a busted key costs $260 to replace. I agree that is *unconscionable* but it is what it is." Unconscionable is a very specific term, one which i believe actually summarizes the situation extremely well... you could have left it at that!

BTW, the laptop never left my desk, nor is it touched by children, etc.  Yes, plastic key must have broken while I was using the notebook (I never denied that) and I am a "heavy user" (who isnt these days?), but there was no great impact, etc, it simply broke after 18 months of typing. That does not seem bode well for its manufacturing. 

Lastly, you might be right, i.e., perhaps all other companies have the same *unconscionable* attitude in their
keyboard design. Perhaps there is not "smart" way to go about except charging consumers over US$260 for ONE SINGLE KEY. Lets not forget, this is the issue: US$260 due to one single key falling off. (Which you think is *unconscionable*, yet seem to defend this production design...bizarre??) Nonetheless, I am not an expert in various computer models but I will at least attempt not to make the same mistake twice, i.e., Ill try my luck elswhere.

[Huffer]

Good call...and again I am not defending anything just explaining how the market works and for the record I offered to help you find a way to get this fixed for well less than $260 and you did not inquire about that. 

[mau1964]

I did try to follow one suggestion which you mentioned (and which had not occured to me), that is, looking at ebay.  However, after a long search, the only seller (from Latvia!) responded negatively, i.e., he no longer has anything for that model.   I did take the notebook to a local tech (I live in South America) and he told me that he could fix it quickly if he had a new key.  If you have any suggestion as to how I may purchase such a substitute it would be wonderfull.

By the way, as for my (previous) tone, you should take into account that this notebook cost me the equivalent of one salary.  I teach at a local university and believe me when I tell you that professors from private colleges are not well paid down here. Moreover, I require the notebook on a daily basis for work, not for playing games. Thus, having spent what to me is a *very* large sum of money, how could I not be upset at having to spend US$260 due to one single key? (the term upset is a "diplomatic understatement") Anyway, I did not think HP handled this well.  Perhaps other companies would lead to the same situation... cheers, M.

[Huffer]

I understand you are upset and sympathize and on the surface it sounds like a simple thing to you. Just go get a key and send it to me. But there is no mechanism in the organization to do that. Maybe there should be but I am about 100% sure it is not going to happen. If you want me to I will look for a key for you but seems like the entrepeneurial key sellers shy away from these newer models with the island type keyboards. I am about 90% sure I can find you a keyboard for $50 or less. Which color and language keyboard do you have? And where in South America would it have to be shipped? 

[mau1964]

I did find this link:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEW-FOR-HP-Spectre-x360-15-ap000-15t-ap000-Keyboard-Backlit-Silver-US-no-Fra...

but was not 100% it is the precise fit for my model.  Seems like the right one, but I would hate
to be wrong and order an incorrect model...

It costs about US$33, customs will likely charge me 100% tax + local tech.
Still perhaps its worth spending about US$100...

Also not sure these guys will ship to Brasil.

Details about my machine:

Spectre 360 15" ,   Serial number: 5CD6213ZQN Product number:T6T09UAHP 0800-709-7751 Product: ID: T6T09UA#ABA

thanks, M.

[Huffer]

That's the right keyboard but that seller only allows local pickup in Oshkosh WI. 

This one ships worldwide:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/841266-001-D1-TOP-COVER-W-KB-SVR-ISK-BL-US-and-minor-scratches/162882187830...

More:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-for-HP-Spectre-x360-15-ap000-15t-ap000-US-Keyboard-backlit-Silver-No-fr...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-for-HP-Spectre-15-ap000-15t-ap000-15-ap062nr-US-Keyboard-backlit-Silver...

Told you I can find the keyboard for less than $50

I think you would plan to try to take this to your tech guy and he would try to harvest the key from the keyboard and transplant it and, failing that replace the keyboard or keyboard and top cover with one of these.