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    8730w versus 8740w....

    Discussion in 'HP Business Class Notebooks' started by JollySam, Nov 3, 2010.

  1. JollySam

    JollySam Notebook Consultant

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    Hi All,

    I have just been offered a very good deal on a 8730w. I know it is now end of line, but what this the essential differences?

    Also I have been offered a 8540w with i7 720, 4 x 2GB RAM, nVidia 1800m, Bluray, FHD Panel, 500GB HDD, 64bit Win Pro. Special build that has been returned. The spec looks great, but obviously with a 15'' panel which is good for portability, but less real estate..

    Any thoughts appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Sam
     
    JollySam, Nov 3, 2010
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  2. Sotton

    Sotton Notebook Evangelist

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    it depends, if you can get a Quadcore QX9300 8730w with Dreamcolor and W7 I would say it is a good deal. But others are maybe too slow for a current machine and you may get only Vista. And you do not get USB 3.0.

    But it depends on how much money you will spend and what you can get for that.

    The 8540w may run hotter (and louder) and it has the lower resolution 1920x1080 (instead 1920 x 1200) on a smaller screen and slower graphics.

    Personally I would not go back to 15" (using my 17" 8730w for 2 years now and before that 15" WUXGA)
     
    Sotton, Nov 3, 2010
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  3. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    A lot depends on what options come in the 8730w. The graphics cards will be a generation older, obviously, and you'll be using Core 2 CPUs (which are still quite powerful, mind). As stated above, you will only have USB 2.0, but you'll still have the firewire and eSATA. It's possibly worth noting, if you get one, that the Dreamcolor screen in the 8730w is not an IPS panel; it's an 8-bit RGB TN panel, which makes it relatively equal to the RGB panels of the M6500/M6400, and the W700/W701.
     
    Judicator, Nov 3, 2010
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  4. JollySam

    JollySam Notebook Consultant

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    it depends, if you can get a Quadcore QX9300 8730w with Dreamcolor and W7 I would say it is a good deal. But others are maybe too slow for a current machine and you may get only Vista. And you do not get USB 3.0.

    But it depends on how much money you will spend and what you can get for that.

    The 8540w may run hotter (and louder) and it has the lower resolution 1920x1080 (instead 1920 x 1200) on a smaller screen and slower graphics.

    I think this is particularly valid for me as I get older and my eyes get more strained and also using higher resolutions !! Interesting points about 8540w running hotter and louder. I would not welcome this. This is new to me.

    Also I note the weight difference is only .5kg, hardly a big deal.

    OK my hunch for waiting for a WD941EA to come up or something similar is probably right.

    Cheers,

    Sam
     
    JollySam, Nov 3, 2010
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