envy hinges

[midnitemushroom]

I've read some of your posts concerning this issue and I just jot off of the phone with HP.  

$440 bucks to fix a defective manufacturing issue? Really, I suppose that my next laptop may NOT be an HP.

can any of y'all recommend another manufacturer?  I really love my envy - but if I have to put up with quality defects, I have to look at other options.

is this normal "wear and tear" or is this a manufacturing defect with the plastic / composite material used inside?

some of the other photos (by other users) show more detail - but you can see my dilemma?

[asmita6658]

Hi @midnitemushroom

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[midnitemushroom]

thank you @Asmita6658,

I have been a loyal HP customer for quite some time, and until fairly recently have had no complaints.  my other laptops (despite their age) have NOT had the hinge issues mentioned above and in other postings.

I've done some preliminary research, and this is what I've found:

the "average" lifespan of a laptop computer is 3-5 years.  generally the battery, or software will become obsolete.  with "light" usage and proper care, many of my laptops (HP) are still around the house and my son is even using one of them heavily for his grade-school assignments.  Again, no issues with the hinges / housing / etc.

if the battery is still good, you can make it work - but for a while one had to continuously upgrade components to run the latest & greatest MS product(s).

HP, as a generalized statement, costs a little more - but you get better quality / longevity. If none of my previous laptops have had body/hardware issues, then I will (and did...repeatedly) return to HP for my next products (printers included here too).  

When I recently elected to return to school, I wanted to purchase the best, most reliable product made by a manufacturer that had never "let me down" from a quality standpoint.  Based solely on past experiences with HP products, I went for the top of the line model (at the time - @ 18 months ago?) and decided on my ENVY 17 - a beautiful machine with a HUGE display and visually stunning silver finish. As an added bonus, it came with the Bang & Olufsen sound package.

and now one can imagine my dismay - I'm visually repulsed every time I stare at the crack in my Envy's body (see pic).  Now I have a machine with a huge crack (that's growing) that's become visually repulsive high lighted by that annoying sound of cracking plastic/composite (many of your readers are familiar with this sound).

somewhere - there are machines with the sole purpose of opening & closing things.  (think BASF or similar).  there is somebody recording this data in order to (hopefully) provide a numerical value for how long the hinge / body / etc. will last.

If humans can make automobile doors that last decades (hinges made out of some sort of plastic composite material) then why did the numerous hinges in these posts fail?  

I refuse to believe that "normal usage" means a mechanical failure @ 18 months.

I look forward to hearing from the  "appropriate team within HP".

kindest regards.