Possibly The Best Laptop For The Money?
Written: Apr 27 '08 (Updated Apr 27 '08)
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Pros: Fast processor, extreme good looks, rugged construction, HP's history of quality, price.
Cons: Vista, 5400rpm HD, 1 gig of memory, annoying fan noise due to processor heat.
The Bottom Line: If you don't mind Vista, or can replace it with XP, and a fan doesn't bother you, this may well be the best value in a media laptop you'll find.
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| sounddude's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Pavilion dv6426us (GA378UA) PC Not... |
What I Think:
I've used computers for over 25 years. I've owned many laptops and this is by far the best Windows deck I've owned.
First off it's beautiful. Made well and rugged, lighter than most it's size, gorgeous bright screen, 15.4 WXGA, 160g HD. Built in 1.3 mp webcam and mic, Intel pro-wireless, 6 cell bat, and a boatload more included features. Mine also came with a Lightscribe DVD burner, HP's bootless QuickPlay software for playing the DVDs without having to use Windows.
The Hp dv6426us comes with three expansion ports, a Firewire port, three USB 2 ports, a 5-in-1 digital media reader, etc.
The only real drawback I've found on this laptop compared to all the many others I've owned is that it comes loaded with Windows Vista. This is my first Vista machine and I absolutely hate it. It totally fills the 1 gig memory the machine comes with even when idle. When something triggers the processor, it will go over 100%, no matter what the program. And the Vongo and other junk prepackaged with the machine slows it to a crawl. You'll have to rip all of that out to see the true speed this laptop really has.
Since I've had it, I've only used it for email on the road. But I plan this summer when things slow down to dump Vista and load either XP Pro or Vista Lite (an unauthorized stripped down version of Vista) onto the HP. Besides it getting a little warm on the bottom side due to the heat generated by the Intel Core Duo processor and the fans coming on and off the cool it, this is an unbelievable steal at this price.
I first saw this laptop being used by people in my line of work. This machine was showing up everywhere. So I asked each of these folks if they likes the machine and what were the main drawbacks. They all said they loved the machine and that the cons were few, mostly the warm underside and the fan noise. Some of the machines issued produce a high pitched whine, which if it's too troublesome, you can contact HP and exchange the laptop for a new (not refurbished one like Dell gets away with). At that time, it was selling for around $950.00 to $1,000.00. I just happened to see it on deep discount at Circuit City for $650.00. I grabbed the last one they had and after about nine months, I still love the deck.
It comes with the slower 5400 rpm hard drive and I may swap that out for the much faster 7200 rpm drive. And I'm definitely going to add another gig of memory. Unfortunately, this laptop has a limit of 2 gigs of memory.
It's not for gamers so if you are looking for a portable gaming machine, don't buy this one for that. But if you need an outstanding laptop for dirt cheap, this is the one to look at!
What It's Features Are:
Intel Core Duo T2450 2 GHz Processor
15.4 WXGA High-Definition BrightView Widescreen Display (1024 x 768)
160 GB 5400 rpm Hard Disc Drive
1024 mb DDR2 SDRAM memory (2 Dimm)
Intel PRO Wireless 3945 a/b/g 802 11a/b/g integrated Wireless LAN
Lightscribe Super Multi 8x DVD+/-RW Double Layer Supported
6-Cell battery
HP DVD/CD Quick Play
HP Mobile Remote Control
5-in-1 Digital Media Card Slot
ExpressCard/54 PC Expansion Card Slot
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with shared graphics memory
Windows Vista Home Premium OS
1.3mp Integrated Webcam
Integrated microphone
Mobile Stereo Earbud Headphones
Expansion Port 3
What I Like:
I love the styling. It's smart and professional looking and has lots of sex appeal too. The machine is built rugged and feels like it will take some abuse. It's easy to use. The buttons are well lit and marked and the keyboard feels good to the fingers, though some say it's a bit springy. Though only an XGA, the screen is bright, clear and easy to read with vibrant colors. The integrated sound is good enough for listening to mp3s and web radio on the road. I've not had the bottom panels off yet so I can't comment on easy of using the expansion ports or changing out memory. The DVD burner is easy to use with the enclosed cheapo burning software. I would recommend you replace it with what you are used to using to burn CDs and DVDs. Once you uninstall all of the garbage out of the machine and cheap unnecessary programs that try to load at boot time, this machine flies with speed. Even though it's not a feather weight (around 6 and a half pounds), it's very totable and can even be used on your lap.
What I Don't Like:
VISTA! Sorry but this is a terrible OS. Windows really shot itself in the foot with this. I've not talked to one person since this came out who likes it, even a little. Sure the graphics are cute, but you don't buy a computer for animated Mac style graphics. The new built in high security system is a joke. What it is is merely a series of questions when you click a button. It's like this:
Operator: Clicked a button to do something
Windows Security: Are you sure you wanted to do that?
Operator: Yes, click
Windows Security: Are you REALLY sure you wanted to do that?
Operator: YES! Click
Windows Security: Windows Security thinks this is an unauthorized attempt to access this computer. Access denied
Operator: BUT I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS COMPUTER!!!
And this happens for every single thing you try to do in Vista. So you end up turning the High Security system off. Which right there tells you how secure it is. When I got this laptop and started immediately having trouble with Vista, I went online and found numerous blogs and articles saying the same thing. And there are no fixes for just being a big, poorly written, bloated operating system. What these IT experts did was either use Vista Lite, a stripped down version of Vista, or wipe the whole hard drive clean and "upgrade" to Windows XP Pro, which is what I use on my desktop and really love. That's probably what I will do when I get the chance.
This computer comes with the Intel Core Duo processor. This is not the same as the Core 2 Duo, which runs a lot cooler than the Core Duo. So what that means is more internal heat which will eventually affect the components and may shorten their lifespan. But the main affect is a very warm bottom on the computer which can get uncomfortable if you sit it for long periods of time on your legs or lap. It won't burn you but it does get warm. The second result is fans. There are several, including a pretty soft one that stays on all the time. When you start running multiple programs, especially graphic intensive ones, or have multiple windows open, the fans come on and at their extreme, they really scream. If there is anything I would label a design flaw with this machine, it would be this heat issue and the fan noise. But for me, it's a minor annoyance for what I use this laptop for.
My Conclusions:
All in all, I love this laptop computer. It's exactly what I was looking for with a cross of the high end media features and the zip of a gaming machine, plus the simplicity of a standard use notebook. If you consider buying this computer, before you load it up with software and programs, give yourself a break-in period to see if you will be happy with Vista. Most folks aren't but most also are not up to the task of replacing their operating system from scratch, and then reloading all the software and programs back into the machine, and then trouble shooting the new installation looking for drivers for the hardware that may not be supported automatically by XP. An option is to have the store where you buy it do that swap out for you. Know this, that they will charge you to reload your computer, AND you will have to pay for the other OS. Most non-professionals just tough out Vista and all of it's problems. If you keep it, you'll definitely need to replace the memory with two new sticks of 1gig high speed RAM. That's around another $200.00 to do that since the 1gig that comes with the machine is really two sticks of 500megs so you won't be able to use it. You could then always sell the 1gig on eBay.
Good luck!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 650.00
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
Screen Size: Greater than 15 inches
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Epinions.com ID:
sounddude
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Member: Rockin' Rob
Location: Florida
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Production sound mixer for film & television, published reviewer & writer, (Chuck Norris lookalike).
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