This spiffy little notebook (it only weighs 6.8 lbs) meets every need we have in a laptop. The dual processors generate speed you may never have expected in a product at this price point. And the 15.4" Widescreen gives a brilliantly sharp and clear picture which you really appreciate when utilizing the powerful graphics and watching DVDs. Using the built-in webcam is a breeze and I believe the possibilities for utilizing it for countless projects are endless.

We made the choice to buy this particular laptop based on 3 things. The research we had done on notebooks and different manufacturers. The features we knew we would use were there with additional features we found intriguing. And most important to us, we have had very good experience with HP in the past. Their customer support is exceptionally good.

I was a little afraid of the Vista Home Premium packaged in with the notebook, I need not have been. They seem to have gotten most of the glitches I had heard about taken care of. We certainly haven't had a problem yet. The software bundle this HP comes with contains: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Works, Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial) and Internet Explorer, Norton® Internet Security 2007 (with 60 days of live update), HP PhotoSmart Essentials and QuickPlay Muvee autoProducer Basic Edition, Adobe® Acrobat Reader®, Roxio Creator 9 Basic and Real Rhapsody.

We have yet to run it on battery for more than 2 hours, so I can not tell you exactly how long the battery holds its charge. I ran the battery down to 5% once and it took about an hour to recharge back to 100%. That's the best I can do for you on battery information at this time.

One feature we have not tried, but plan to, is the 5-in-1 media card reader, it is compatible with Secure Digital, xD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and MutliMedia Card.

This computer comes with an ExpressCard/54 slot. It is compatible with both ExpressCard/54 and ExpressCard/34.

As for the basics, with the exception of a dedicated external media control and menu (positioned as one additional row of keys at the top ), the keyboard has a standard layout. They also included a small remote for use with media. While this notebook does get warm, it is a long way from hot. Example: it feels quite comfortable on my lap, warm but not burning hot. As for the fan, I would call it very quiet. The noise of it is not in the least distracting and it does not run continuously.

Every feature we have used worked just the way it should.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 849.99
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
Screen Size: Greater than 15 inches
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50