The Hewlett Packard 2.66 GHz Pavilion 764n Desktop Computer is Nice!
Written: May 29 '03 (Updated Oct 08 '03)
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Pros: Speed, hard drive space, RAM, DVD and CD-RW capabilities.
Cons: Might be too expensive for some, doesn't include a monitor.
The Bottom Line: The Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 764 n is a near top-of-the line desktop PC for a reasonable price.
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| Ironcladd's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Pavilion 764n (DA194A#ABA) PC Desk... |
The Hewlett Packard 2.66 GHz Pavilion 764n Desktop Computer is Nice!
by James Zaworski
Computers seem to be holding to this general trend: they are getting faster and faster, with larger memory and hard drive space, in a smaller size, and at a less and less expensive price. (I wish I knew this trend before I purchased my two desktop computers in 1995 and 1998 for a hefty $2000-3000 each!) I am not in the market for a new computer, having gotten a nice Laptop Computer last Christmas, but I recently had an opportunity to test drive the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 764n Desktop Computer, and I was impressed with its performance, speed, hard drive capacity, and memory capabilities. I was also impressed by the price that this nice desktop computer was listed at, and am very tempted to purchase such a desktop monster for myself. The amazing thing is that this Hewlett-Packard Pavilion is fully 10 times faster, has 20 times the hard drive space, has more than 10 times the RAM capacity, and costs 3 times less than my Hewlitt-Packard Pavilion 8176 that I purchased in 1998! If I were in the market now for a “top of the line model”, I would definitely consider this Hewlitt-Packard Pavilion 764 n. What follows is a table of information on this computer, followed by a review of what I consider to be its strong and weak points.
Information on the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 764n.
Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard.
Computer type: Desktop Tower
Processor Type: Intel Pentium 4
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition
Hard Drive Capacity: 120 GB
Processor Speed: 2.66 MHz
Installed Memory: 512 MB RAM
Installed Cache Memory: 512 KB
RAM Technology: DDR SDRAM
Expandable to: 2.0 GB RAM
Video RAM: 128 MB
USB Port Speed: 533 MHz
Modem: 56kb FAX modem
Networking: Ethernet, Fast Ethernet
Floppy Drive: 3.5” installed
CD-RW Drive: Installed, 12 x rewrite speed.
CD-ROM Read Speed: 48x
DVD-ROM speed: 8 x
Manufacturer Warranty: Yes, 1 year with extended packages available to suckers.
Cost: $1000 to $1100.
UPC Code: 808736440158
Input devices: Mouse and Keyboard included.
Monitor: Sold separately.
Review.
Things I liked about the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 764 n Desktop computer.
Lightning fast speed.
The 2.66 GHz Pentium 4 mobile processor is lightning fast! Everything you do on this computer is fast, fast, fast! Pages and programs open like lightning! Photos, multimedia files, word programs, all open extremely quickly, and smoothly. One thing speed is good for is computer gaming, which is why I got this laptop to begin with. All of your Direct X based games are handled easily by this computer’s processor.
Memory, sweet memory!
The base model of this has 512 MB of RAM installed on this baby, and boy, is it ever worth it! I have never “run out of memory”, real, or virtual, with this much RAM! I have had tons of things open, applications going, online downloading stuff, and playing a game, all at once, and never had a problem in performance, no matter what I was doing! The 512 MB of RAM that comes with it is adequate for most people, but for gamers, you might want more, (I’m talking hardcore gamers). The RAM is upgradeable to 2.0 GB!
DVD heaven and CD/R, CD/RW delights.
The DVD player on this is great. Watch a DVD movie, or play a DVD-ROM, and it works extremely well. The same unit is also a CD/RW unit, and it is the best one I have tried yet. I can copy a music CD with ease, or make my own music CD with no problem. Data CD’s, using drag and drop, are also done with ease on this model. I only wish it copied DVD’s (well, we always want what we can’t have!).
The Hard Drive/Storage Space.
This baby has a 120 GIGABYTE hard drive!!!!! I can’t believe they can pack that much into this small “tower” desktop computer. Prior to this, the biggest hard drive I have seen a computer was 80 Gb hard drive. It staggers the imagination, and the mind, to think that this Hewelitt-Packard tower can hold 20 times as much as my huge Hewlett-Packard Pavilion 8176 desktop tower, which I purchased in 1998! So, there is no need for extra storage, zip drives, etc. Of course, I have them, and use them for backup for work and school work purposes, just in case there is a crash. I can’t think that I even have enough software and data programs to fill 60 Gb, much less 120 GB. It’s incredible!
The BUS ports.
I love the versatility of having 4, not 2, serial BUS ports on this laptop. It is great, since you don’t have to keep unplugging and plugging in, the various devices (printers, zip drives, mice, etc.) that use the BUS port interface hookups. I have three of them in use with a spare (if I want to hook up a scanner or something else), BUS port free.
Operating System and Pre-installed Software.
The Windows XP Home edition is standard on this computer, as well as a pre-packaged software system. It looks like it has all the standards, like Encarta 2003, Works Suite 2003, Microsoft Word 2002, etc. It looks pretty complete.
Price.
The price of $1000 looks fair to me.
What I don’t like about this computer.
Price.
I didn’t like the fact that it appears the price doesn’t include the monitor. Also, you can shop around and find very similar desktop computers with similar specifications for up to $200 less than this one.
I also don’t like the one year warranty. I feel that a computer should come with at least a 3 year warranty.
All in all, if I were in the market to purchase a new desktop computer, I would consider the Hewlett-Packard Pavilion Desktop 764 n for sure. For a brand name computer, it looks pretty good, and my test drive came without any glitches.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1050
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Other
Processor speed: over 1000
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Ironcladd
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Member: James Zaworski
Location: Shenzhen, China
Reviews written: 506
Trusted by: 157 members
About Me:
I am an English teacher, Archeologist and Anthropologist.
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