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Don't fix this laptop: the HP 14-fq1035cl hinges problem
Short answer: the HP 14-fq1035cl has hinges held in weak plastic that crack after about 6 months to a year of use. When you can buy a brand new one for about $500, fixing it does not make sense. Put that money toward a commercial-grade laptop instead, like an HP ZBook, a MacBook, or a used ZBook.
A customer was going to bring me this HP laptop and sent me pictures and a video asking how much it would be to fix the crack. In the video I show you what happens to this model, and how to tell a good HP from a bad one so you don't make the same mistake.
What goes wrong with the HP 14-fq1035cl hinges
The hinge area is all plastic and everything inside is very weak. The hinges break in the area where they attach to the case, and it happens on both sides. On the laptop I show, the crack appeared after maybe about a year, and sometimes you get this problem even after 6 months.
From the outside it looks nice. The lid looks like metal (most likely it is plastic), so people see an HP laptop that looks great for $500 and give it a try.
Why I would not fix it
This model sells brand new for about $500. Once the hinge area cracks, the owner has to be very careful every time the laptop is opened, otherwise it will crack all the way. Paying for a repair on a cheap laptop that will keep having the same weak plastic does not make sense. That is why, in my opinion, this type of computer is trash.
If you already have one, be very careful when you open and close it.
Consumer vs commercial-grade laptops
HP, like most brands, has two types of laptops:
- End-user (consumer) laptops: lower quality, usually under $1,000.
- Commercial-grade laptops: good quality, around $2,000 and above.
If you search Google for just "HP laptop" you usually see the cheapest ones, $200, $400, $469, and most people fall into that trap. Most laptops that are not ZBooks will not last more than a year before you start having issues. If you search "HP workstation laptop" you see the ZBook line, with prices around $2,000 to $3,000 and more. On HP's website ZBook laptops go from about $3,800 to $6,000 and come with three years of warranty. My advice: don't look so much at the specs, look at the grade. If you buy trash, you get trash results.
Also be careful with the "best laptop" videos online. Many of them come from faceless channels that show pictures and specs but are not technicians and don't fix anything.
Apple laptops: aluminum and solid hinges
Apple also makes very good laptops. They are made of aluminum, and I have never seen an Apple laptop with broken hinges; it would be very rare. I have had many and never had any issues. The 16-inch model is about $2,500 and above. If you want something cheaper, the 14-inch is about $1,600.
On a budget? Buy a used HP ZBook
If you don't have that much money, look on eBay for something like an HP ZBook 15 G5. These are older laptops (around 10 years old) for less than $300, with good specs like an i7, 32 GB of RAM and a 500 GB SSD. I have a computer similar to this and it flies.
Worried that an old laptop can't run Windows 11? Download Rufus from rufus.ie, download the Windows ISO and follow the instructions to patch the ISO so you can install Windows 11 on any computer. I have done it on many computers, for myself and for customers.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the HP 14-fq1035cl hinges break?
The hinge area is all plastic and very weak. The plastic cracks where the hinges attach, on both sides, often after 6 months to a year of use.
Is it worth repairing a cracked hinge on this laptop?
In my opinion, no. A brand new one costs about $500, so it is better to put the money toward a better, commercial-grade laptop.
What laptop should I buy instead?
A commercial-grade laptop like an HP ZBook, or an Apple laptop, which is made of aluminum. On a budget, a used HP ZBook 15 G5 on eBay can cost less than $300.
Can an old ZBook run Windows 11?
Yes. Use Rufus (rufus.ie) with the Windows ISO and follow the instructions to patch it, so you can install Windows 11 on any computer.