Where is HP now, on a reliability scale?

[AnitaPeterson]

Hi folks,

I just read this article (http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/30/rahul-sood-envy-h8/#comments), and the comments mention how bad the entire HP Envy/Pavilion line has gotten over the years... Especially after HP bough Compaq...

At this point, based on both personal and second-hand experience, I cannot, in all good faith recommend any HP product (either laptop or desktop) to anyone among my friends and family.

Do you agree, or am I being too harsh?

 

[charlywiggin]

It's bad, good luck trying to find working drivers...

 

[An_Overdose]

Consumer end computers have mostly been junk. HP's business end have been decent, as the front page sometimes mentions them.

 

[Torn Mind]

Well, every company has their lemons, but HP disaster stories are something else and they are commonplace. I'm quite spooked by them, and I will not be getting an HP, ever.

 

[podspi]

It's hard to tell. I think HP sells predominately cheap computers, which will use cheap materials and be purchased by people who treat them poorly because they are disposable (or don't know better).

Personally, I have owned 3 HP laptops in the last 10 years and the worst issue I have had is 1 failed mechanical hard drive (replaced at no charge).

Of course, this is all anecdotal. I can tell you that an expensive Lenovo Thinkpad (not one of the cheaper newer ones) will of course be built better.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Their business laptops are very good but their consumer laptops are junk.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Ehh, mixed bag. On one hand, I had a lappy (a DV4) that quit barely after a year. on the other hand, I currently have a DV7 that is still going strong for nearly 2 years without any hardware issues. Driver support sucks a big fat one though. not once have they officially updated the graphics drivers for my DV7 (they have the 2010 Catalyst listed). Without a modded driver, I have several games that artifact like crazy, however, those modded drivers kills stability. :|

Budget laptops seem to be dubious overall. If you have the means, I Highly recommend against anything under $800. You may or may not get lucky, but if possible, I'd prefer not to play Russian PC Roulette.

 

[ImDonly1]

After the whole overheating nVidia chipsets and their lack of response, I will avoid HP.
Run hot and not reliable, IMO. Not sure about their business class notebooks, but their consumer ones I would pass on.

 

[stevech]

HP - Printers, PCs

Just say No.

 

[Zukatah_]

Agreed. No more HP for my family either. Problems after problems

 

[VirtualLarry]

after the whole overheating nvidia chipsets and their lack of response, i will avoid hp.
Run hot and not reliable, imo. Not sure about their business class notebooks, but their consumer ones i would pass on.

this. 100%.

 

[charlywiggin]

Oh yes, another printer breakdown....stay away!

 

[nforce4max]

Their ink is the most expensive liquid on the market and their build quality is often crap with few exceptions but their only saving grace is service manuals. Good luck with Sony or Asus when searching for those docs. Their main problem with their laptops is that they are almost all plastic and the cooling is terrible. Toshiba is even worse when it comes to repairs.

 

[stevech]

bought 4 or so HP printers over the years. Steady decline. Last straw on the last one was crappy software plus falls-apart-if-you-look-at-it plastic.

Epson 630 - been really good. Very happy. Good software. Everything HP was in the early days - pre-Bangalore.

 

[gorcorps]

I have yet to be burned by them, but I know some folks who have. My company issues us HP elitebooks and they do pretty well considering the type of abuse they get from some users.

 

[Pardus]

HP reliability has been terrible over the years, they are slow to adapt to change and consistently overpriced. Dell, Toshiba and Acer are throw away pc's, would avoid those.

My favorite laptops right now are: $1300/14" ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook, $800/14" ThinkPad T430u and the $700/13.3" IdeaPad Z380. These models will go 3-4 years without too many issues.

 

[max347]

It sounds like no one in this thread has ever owned an Elitebook. I swore by T60s until I got a chance to use a few elitebooks...these things are great.

On the Hp consumer lines- I would avoid those like the plague.

 

[gorcorps]

It sounds like no one in this thread has ever owned an Elitebook.

two posts above you

I have yet to be burned by them, but I know some folks who have. My company issues us HP elitebooks and they do pretty well considering the type of abuse they get from some users.

 

[rfeirstein]

Avoid HP. Many HP units are next to impossible to upgrade with new HD's and operating systems.

 

[JechtShot]

The only thing I would buy of HP would be their monitors, I have not had any issues on that end. I do computer repair on the side and I swear I always fix HP laptops more than any other brands and its always the same issue (overheating graphics chipset) or other overheating issues. I've noticed a pattern that's for sure...