DV2000 users: need your feedback

I know there's already a lot of DV2000 related threads already but I need your feedback at the moment.

It's kind of urgent since I plan on buying the DV2040CA (model info: http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10076798&catid=20354#) tomorrow but I've been reading all the related threads for the past 2 days and I noticed a lot of people are experiencing problems such as the touchpad, the left and right buttons, the battery??, the IE homepage config etc.

Well, I plan to buy the HP notebook with just the regular warranty it comes with (1 year) and I do hope that my notebook will last me at last 2 years.. but with so many problems I've been reading, I am having second thoughts about purchasing the notebook (even though I really like the shiny finishing, size and weight of it!).

So have these problems occurred to everyone that purchased the DV2000 or are there some lucky ones who haven't received problems at all? And if you experienced the problem, when did the problems start showing up? (I was thinking that if I do purchase it, I don't want the problems to come up after the exchange/refund policy date).

Any other advice or inputs you have regarding the DV2000, please feel free to share and let me know!!

 

My advice? Buy it at Costco. For another $80, you can get 2 more years of warranty. That gives you a total of 3 years. If anything is bound to break, it should in the first three years.

 

Hi. i just got my DV2020 from BestBuy. It's been three days (only?) and haven't really noticed "problems." Then again, I don't have enough experience as a notebook user to pick up all the small details. What were the specific problems that were posted by other users? I gotta be aware!!! (or is it too late now?)

At the moment, I can tell you these things I LIKED, about DV2000.
-The pad area stays "cool". Only HD area get mildy warm.
-The quick play/touch botton areas are very convinient.
-light weight
-love the wavy pattern
-wireless internet is working great
-Fan noise - kicks in gently and in a low noise. But hear-able in a dead quite room.
-No light leakage. (Whatever this means. It seems to be quite important, as always mentioned in reviews. Why is that?)
-hmm, what else?

ANNOYING things (some May be common to all notebooks):
-moving up and down scrollbars within a larger scrollbar. They move together. Writing this in QuickReply was a bit annoying.
-Underside (HD) gets very warm. But not "burning hot." I think.
-noise coming from playing music/etc. Loud enough.
-Quicktouch buttons. (I was only sweeping my hands across! Once ON, had to OFF it. Uhh.
-

OTHER THINGS: Either LIKE IT! or STOP IT!
-when curser is resting on a link or email address, link or new window pops up.
-when word/text is clicked, it gets highlighted. But I don;t exactly know what I did to make it happen so.( is this one of the noted troubles?)
-

I don't know if these help. I was gonna get Toshiba A100 if not DV2020. I like my HP, but I do think that (realize now that ), I would haved liked a wider screen because everything is compared to my giant desk monitor (still only 14-15"). Still, like the wider space, as I can have bunch of windows open at the same time.

More things later.

 

I don't think this was one of the noted troubles.
The other users mentioned something about the touchpad moves up and down, and jitters?


Thanks for your info!! It was greatly appreciated!! It has given me more hope and faith, lol.

 

What do you recommend? The Intel Core Duo or the AMD Turion 64 X2?

 

I have used both and settled on the Turion X2. I had a dv2000t with the T2500(returned it due to the touchpad issues) and now have the TL 50. Honestly for everyday use I couldnt find any noticable differences in performance for everyday applications even when comparing the 1.6GHz TX2 with the 2GHz CD. Maybe more complex programs might show the Core Duo being better but IMHO for my uses, I think both are very good processors. Battery life with the TX2 aint that bad either. According to the review of the dv2000t(CD + GMA950), the battery lasted around 2:30min with the Wifi on and low brightness. Thats pretty much around the same battery life I am getting with the TX2.

I would say this - avoid the GMA 950, if possible. The 6150 with the TX2 is a better integrated solution when compared to the Intel, but if you need dedicated graphics (Go7200), then the dv2000t is the better/only choice othet than considering the dv6000.

 

I also have another question.. so the notebook (and like most notebooks), it comes with the 1 year warranty already. When I purchase the warranty recommended from the store (1 year, 2 years or 3 years).. that goes on top of the 1 year warranty right?
So if I buy 1 more year, and along with my original 1 year warranty, that would equals to two years warranty?

Sorry if I sound noob and the answer is "Of course!!".. I just want to make sure.

 

About the store warrantly.

Do you mean extened manufacturer's warranty or the service plan from the retail store you buy the products from?

If it's the latter, then the service plan starts the day you buy the notebook/or when you buy the service plan. So If I got a DV2000 August 9, then the 1 year HP warraty ends Aug 9 2007. 2 year service with BB ends at Aug 9 2008.
The reason for people to buy store service plans are to get help from things/problems not covered in HP warranty. That's why.

Some people get products and get a lot of problems and the service purchase is worth it.
Some people, buy it but think it's waste of money, because lucky for them, they never get any problems.

Totally up to you to get additional service. It sure beats buying a new notebook or paying costly replacement parts.

Some things are neither covered by HP or store(BB or Future shop, etc.).
Hmmmmm, let's say, there was a flood or the ceiling fell, and killed the notebook. Both won't cover it, eventhough it's not "negligence" or "natural degradation". But it is possible that your Credit card company might help you with it. (if you bought it with it.)

I'm not 100% sure. but something close to that.

I hope that that's what you were asking about.

ALSO, I am paronoid about the jumpy cursors. Is it really happening or am I seeing things?

Time will tell.

Bye.

 

Well, I just checked again and the 2 year additional warranty offered by costco is only $68. $68!!!! That means you get 2 years on top of the original 1. To me, that's money well spent.

From what I've read so far, it seems that HP is turning it's rep around and the machines they build are better than before. Still, my main concern is still the DVD player or the motherboard overheating and dying from leaving the computer on for days on end.

 

Oh ok, I get the warranty thing now. So the HP warranty and the extended warranty available at stores are somewhat different. Yeah, I just asked someone regarding the 1 Year Repair warranty at Staples and if I buy it now, it will end in 2007. I will have to look into what the HP warranty includes.

Yeah, the warranty is quite expensive especially at Best Buy (so that's why I am in a dilemma) and I am aware that BB makes a lot of money through selling the extended warranty.

About the warranty at Costco, unfortuntately the Costco locations in Canada especially the one near my area has really limited models of notebook/desktops. I don't think the Costco.ca has this model I want either.

*

Hey guys,

I just purchased my DV2040 today! I haven't played aorund with it.. only to check the wi-fi access, made sure the quick play buttons worked, the touchpad and mouse buttons worked etc... so far, everything is fine.

Some said they didn't like the mouse buttons, but honestly, I kind of like it. I had a NEC notebook a few years ago and it had that clicking noise. I think with this button, it'll be more quieter so that's why I think it's better. But then again, I am not super picky.

I think the only thing that bugs me is all the things installed with it and all the shortcuts that's already present in my desktop.. which I will fix later. And I don't like how there's so many icons on the right tray.

I also tried the webcam, which is kind of neat. I can't really comment on the quality yet since it was kind of dark when I tried it.

Oh, and before I didn't know the quick play buttons near the top of the keyboard was 'touch sensored'.. and I kept looking around for the volume scroll thing since the volume was really loud. I was starting to worry that it didn't had that? lol. How embarrassing.
I also heard from a reviewer that the speaker isn't great. I don't know but it seems fine to me.

More later when I play around with it tomorrow!