Lady Luck Strikes! HP Pavilion n5195 Computer
Written: Apr 09 '01
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Pros: Can be upgraded, 700 PIII Processor and has the HP Warranty
Cons: What could be a con on a garage sale computer for $350?
The Bottom Line: I think it is a great little notebook. I wouldn't recommend it for carrying long distances but it is plenty light enough for plane travel.
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| djgeiger's Full Review: Hewlett Packard HP Pavilion N5195 (F1942A#ABA) PC ... |
Just ever so often a person gets lucky. Not very darned often but evidently lady luck strikes once in a great while. I keep a pretty good watch at garage sales for good bargains. Especially computers and other items we might need in our office. Or by a remote chance a good deal that can be resold for profit at Ebay or Ubid.
Up in the foothills where we enjoy driving around we came upon a sign garage sale. We figure it would be worth a look-see so we followed the series of signs through the winding hills. Finally we find the garage sale. I usually scope out the sale before even getting out of the car. If I see mostly baby clothes and baby equipment we usually head out. This time I see quite a wide assortment of stuff including office equipment. So we head on up the driveway. A young woman greets us. She’s smiling but has a sad quality about her.
My eyes are wondering ahead of me wondering if I’d find a treasure or two. It doesn’t take me long to realize that I am looking at many items that belonged to a man. Perhaps her husband has passed away?
I spy a desktop computer way in the back on an old antique desk. I head back to take a look. The desktop is a bargain but nothing I am interested in. Then out the corner of my eye I see a small black object that is beckoning me. Come here! A laptop! A laptop for only $350.00. I think to myself this one must be ancient with little dinosaur feet prints all over it. I pick it up. Hey, it’s pretty light. This can't be very old! I look a little further and realize I have my hands on a HP Pavilion n5195 notebook. Oh my this little beauty is still selling new for around $2000 dollars. I could buy it to use or buy it to sale. Either way if this baby boots up and greets me with a traditional TADA! It’s mine!
I ask the young women if she minds if I check it out. She tells me sure there is a plug right behind the desk. I turn it on and watch the start up screen and realize it is a PIII 700. Windows ME greets me with its bright chipper colors. I smile to myself and tell her I would like to purchase it.
By now I’m looking in her sad eyes again and realize I am going to have one of those awful moral attacks. Mam, this computer is worth a bit more than you are asking for it. She looks me in the eye and tells me she is aware of that but wants to get everything sold so that she can move on with her life. She obviously looks like she needs someone to talk to, perhaps a stranger will do. She tells us of her husband who recently passed away of cancer. The long hard battle he had lost leaving her and two young children. We have a nice chat. As we leave she reaches down and caresses the laptop as if saying goodbye to a few special memories.
We bring it home and give it a good look over. It has a 700 Pentium processor and 128MB SDRAM at 100Mhz. There is an 8X-speed DVD-ROM drive and get this it works without booting the notebook. It has a 20.0 Enhanced-IDE hard drive and a 3 1/2 1.44-MB floppy.
The display 15.1-inch XGA TFT video card S3 Savage Ix 128-bit AGP2x graphics with 3D hardware acceleration. Comparing the display to my Compaq Presario 1200 I have to say I think it is pretty sharp. The Compaq weights in just slightly lighter than the Pavilion n5195 notebook. The Compaq Presario is 7.3 and the HP Pavilion is 7.7. The Compaq has a 600 MHz Intel Celeron processor and the Pavilion 700 and 128 of SDRAM.
The Pavilion came with a Built-in 10/100 Ethernet port and the Compaq didn’t. We have cable modems in our desktops so this will be nice to network right in to our existing systems. My Compaq can continue traveling with us and the Pavilion can give us addition computer support at home. The Pavilion came with a Built-in Mini-PCI modem V.90 56Kbps.
Comparing the two machines the Pavilion feels much faster than the Compaq. The difference between the 600 and 700? Or is it the difference in ram? The Compaq has 64 MB of SDRAM at 66Mhz upgradeable to 320 MB the Pavilion 128MB SDRAM at 100Mhz. The Pavilion runs graphic intensive programs and multi media a bit more smoother than the Compaq.
I have learned to love the touch pad on the Compaq. I also love the touch pad on the Pavilion with a nice comfy hand rest. Near the touch pad is an On/Off and Up/Down scroll key.
The audio supports are 16-bit SoundBlaster Pro Compatible with two built-in stereo speakers and acoustic chamber by Polk Audio communications. We also found that it had 2 USB, 1 serial, 1 parallel, 1 composite TV out, 1 port replicator connector, 1 RJ-11 modem jack, 1 microphone, 1 headphone, 1 PS2 mouse/keyboard port, and Kensington lock compatible. Pc card slots 2 type I or type II slots or 1 type III slot. Power Universal AC adapter, built-in Lithium-Ion or Nickel Metal Hydride battery. Low battery warning. ACPI 1.0b compliant. Keyboard and pointing device Keyboard: 87/88 key, full-size, spill resistant keyboard supports Windows and function keys and a partridge in a pear tree.
Installed software:
Operating system - Microsoft® Windows Millennium Edition
Productivity and finance - Microsoft ® Money 2000
Word Processor - Microsoft ® Works 2000
The thingy that you need when you download taxes - Adobe ® Acrobat ® Reader 4.0
and last but not least - Quicken ® Basic 2000
• Quicklink III Fax Software education and entertainment • Microsoft ® Encarta ® World Encyclopedia 2000
• Music Match MP3 Player internet and online • Easy Internet Signup
• Microsoft ® Internet Explorer 5.0
• Microsoft ® Outlook Express
• CompuServe ®
• AOL ®
• AT&T WorldNet ®
The one thing I do love about HP Hewlett Packard is that they stand up behind their warranties. Over the years we have had a couple occasions to make use of the HP warranty. Both times we were completely satisfied. The first time was my 500 Office Jet. Some little tidbit broke on it and I’ll be darned if I can remember what it was but the Office Jet was replace. Recently my husband’s HP 8668C-kept turning it’s self off and then finally turned it’s self off for the final time. We call HP on their 24/7-support line and they immediately sent out postage paid box by Federal Express. We got the machine out and had it returned in a week’s time.
HP Warranty
“• 1yr US Limited Warranty for HP Pavilion notebooks: parts and labor
• 24/7 telephone technical support during warranty period.
• 72-hour door-to-door standard repair with free pickup and delivery (Continental U.S. only).
• Free software updates and support info on HP Customer Care Web site.
• Electronic registration”
Though the warranty was meant for the original purchasing party I still like the HP warranty.
This is a decent little notebook and to find it at a garage price is unbelievable. It runs fabulously. The battery lasts for quite a while. I’ve tortured it by running most of the applications for at least two hours before I get a power low light. The sound isn’t bad for a laptop. Not real tinny like some I’ve heard. I’m still looking for the ultimate ultra light. Face it, 7.3 or 7.7 just isn’t light enough for travel or hiking. I also need to find a notebook that is salt water proof. Opps, that’s another story!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 350.00
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 601-700
Screen Size: 15
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
djgeiger
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Member: Diana Geiger
Location: Huron, South Dakota USA
Reviews written: 150
Trusted by: 344 members
About Me:
I am a writer and the Exotic Pets Editor for BellaOnline.com.
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