I've been looking at all three of those laptops for quite some time and I am not sure which one to really choose. I was wondering which one is perfect for a college student? I would be using it at home and sometimes taking it to school. I noticed the Dv5z and Dv5t are about $40-50 difference in price. Is the Dv5t worth the extra 40-50 dollars? Also is Dv4t the newer version?
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Dv4t is 14.1", the 5's are 15.4"
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I am aware of that but is the Dv4t worth the extra price?
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The Dv5t has a better video card option(nVidia 9600m GT), and has an Intel processor vs the Dv5z which has an AMD processor.
Generally Intel processors run cooler, and are faster, clock for clock. For example a 2.0ghz Intel processor would be more efficient than an AMD 2.0ghz processor.
I'm not saying the AMD processors are weak, just that Intels are a bit faster. Though AMD versions are cheaper, and more "bang for the buck."
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allfiredup Notebook Virtuoso
dv4t- 13.15" Wide, 9.45" Deep, 1.34"-1.57" High, 5.18lbs
dv5t- 14.05" Wide, 10.2" Deep, 1.37"-1.65" High, 5.83lbs
That makes the dv5t 0.9" wider, 0.75" deeper and 0.65lbs heavier than the dv4t.
Something unique that the dv4t offers is the option of an LED-backlit display. It is a $100 option over the standard display, but it will reduce the dv4t's weight slightly (possibly getting it under the 5lb mark). The real benefit is energy efficiency- at maximum brightness, an LED-backlit display uses 43% less power (battery) than a traditional CCFL-backlit unit (which is standard on the dv4t and dv5t). The LED will also provide a superior image compared to the standard display. It's well worth the $100 cost, given the benefits.
It is also commonly reported that LED display are more reliable and will last much longer than the CCFL variety found on most laptops. -
brianstretch Notebook Virtuoso
If you're buying a dv4 you should get the dv4z to get its ATI Radeon 3200 integrated graphics. Excellent power efficient chipset. Be sure to get the LED screen (which my retail model didn't offer, sigh), 802.11n and Bluetooth, 12 cell battery (aids cooling by propping up the back), Turion Ultra CPU and maybe Blu-ray. A dv4z with its HDMI port would make a very good portable Blu-ray player.
For the dv5 series... HP has once again denied their AMD notebooks a midrange GPU, so if you're into gaming the dv5t with 9600 would be a better choice if you can put up with the GPU's heat. Otherwise I'd get a dv5z with Radeon 3450 upgrade (also gets you gigabit Ethernet). -
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allfiredup Notebook Virtuoso
In a nutshell- AMD gaming/graphics performance is a great value, but the Intel platform is the better performer in all other categories. It comes down to deciding if the superior performance of the Intel models is worth the expense. Lately, though, HP has been pricing their "t" and "z" models very close to one another...in which case, the Intel with a dedicated nVIDIA graphics card is the best of both worlds! -
I have dv5z with 2.3 ghz ZM84 and HD 3450 512mb video card. It is nice machine.
Problem with the dv5z line is that the dv5t line is that heat management, power management, and performance are better on the t line for everything except the integrated graphics version, where Puma is better for graphics.
t is only slightly more expensive than z where HP is concerned so the only reason to buy the AMD version is if you hat Intel and want to support AMD.
Intel is better, at least it is at this point in time.
dv4 series is just the right size IMO. -
Thanks for all your help everyone. I just purchased the dv4t using the 40% cashback from live.com. Took me over 4+ hours to finally get through but hopefully everything is right.
Thanks again.
Dv5z vs Dv5t vs Dv4t
Discussion in 'HP' started by Animal1234, Nov 27, 2008.