Great Entry Level Computer
Written: Dec 08 '00
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Pros: CD-RW, Ethernet, Good Quality, Great Price
Cons: Poor Speakers, Not very upgradeable
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| daomaha's Full Review: Hewlett Packard HP Pavilion 6745C (P1442A#ABA) PC ... |
I am a longtime Macintosh user and bought this computer as a supplement to my Macintosh. I'm so happy with its speed that I am using it as my main web surfing machine now. It's a reasonably up to date model but it's being cleared out, so a good deal can be found on it. (I paid $499 for mine.) For the price I am ecstatic with its speed. It seems a bit faster than my 400MHz G3 Macintosh.
This is clearly an entry level machine. You can pay more to get faster and better, but in my opinion, this machine is a great entry level machine. The 20GB hard drive is ample in size. The 700MHz processor is zippy. You should most definitely upgrade the RAM. I added 128MB to mine immediately after I got it. Installation of RAM was a bit time consuming because the motherboard is not easily accessible, but the average person should be able to do it. 64MB is inadequate unless you plan to run only one program at a time.
The CD-RW is a nice touch. It's a Mitsumi model (CR-4804TE) and doesn't appear as sturdy as the CD-RW that's in the 6746C, but is probably fine. No air seems to be drawn into it from the cooling fan so it should remain relatively dust free. It has an ethernet port to hook up a cable modem. It has a 56K modem built in, but a cable modem makes surfing so much faster. I can't stress how zippy this computer feels when surfing with a cable modem.
I am running the computer with a 19" Trinitron monitor at 1024x768 resolution with a refresh rate of 85Hz. The image is nice and stable. I wouldn't recommend anything less than a 17" monitor these days. A nice monitor can really make a difference in how a computer is perceived. This computer shines with a big monitor.
The computer is generally well constructed. I have heard the keyboard described as "cheap", but I disagree. It’s lightweight, but sturdy. I have seen much worse. The only truly "cheap" thing about the system is the speakers. I didn't even bother to unpack them. They are cheap, un-powered speakers. If sound is important to you, I would plan on buying a pair of powered speakers. I run the audio out through my home stereo system. That is really the way to go if you want to listen to music with this computer.
The computer is not very upgradeable, but that is in keeping with its entry level price. The processor can not be upgraded. There is only one memory slot (use it wisely and install at least 128MB in it). There is only one free PCI slot and one free 3.5" bay. The power supply is on the low side (90 W) so upgradeablity is hampered because of it. I have heard that the latest Voodoo card this system can handle because of the small power supply is a Voodoo 3. This would not make the best gaming machine.
As long as limitations of the system are kept in mind, this would make a great home computer. I highly recommend it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 499
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Celeron
Processor speed: 601-700
RAM: 64
Internal Storage: CD-RW
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
daomaha
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Reviews written: 1
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