HP DV4 or dv5 Quality?

I am not quite ready yet to get one of these, but if the right amazing deal showed up this summer I might be. Big question though. For those of you who have one, do you feel the quality/reliability is pretty decent for this price range laptop? My only other possible choice is a Dell XPS M1330 but doubt I will find one in the price range I am thinking of. Also, a distant possible 3rd choice is a Asus.

Thanks for the input.

 

In my opinion, I'd say the quality of the dv5 is very good. Havent use the dv4

 

Thank you for your input

 

I'm not sure where you want to get a dv5 since HP no longer sells that model. I've got the dv4t and I can tell you it is a very solid notebook with impressive performance and battery life. Feel free to read my review of the dv4t here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=373173

You might also want to take a look at the dv3t. It's got the same top-end performance as the dv4t, and is one of the most portable notebooks out there.

As far as price goes, I "almost" managed to pick up that top-end dv4t for $1400 out the door. HP regularly throws out a 30%-off coupon, so you may want to wait a bit before you order.

 

HP still lists the DV5 special edition on their US web site. I also noticed you can still configure that with the higher resolution screen.. but it looks like there is no nvidia option anymore. But they have a 200 instant rebate on it and they are like 700 bucks.. looks like a good deal IMO. Love that 16:10 screen. I'm thinking the build quality is around the same as the DV4.. both have the 16:10 screen. Its all amounts to wanting a 14" or 15.4" screen and a lb more or less of weight. Both should handle a twelve cell.

Also you have to remember there are still DV5's floating around from online vendors etc.. A friend from the Fiji islands told me he wanted to buy a DV5 today and it was like 4000 Fiji dollars.. which is like 1800 USD. Even with the insane duties they have that sounded like they were trying to rip him off another grand.. Laptops are a real luxury over there. It had a 9200m and t6400. I told him about the 700 dollar deal here and it just about made him cry.

 

I am trying to snag a deal with either BB or NewEgg sometime in the next few months hopefully. Do you think the dv4 -- I mean just the regular, not the T version is still pretty decent performance and quality?

 

There's a $400 off coupon now if you didn't know already, but must configure above $1200...IMO not as good as the $250 off stackable one earlier, but the total should come out similar as the 30% off coupon.

 

It needs to be configured above $1,199. Which means that you can use it on a $1200 configured laptop for a total of $800 (plus taxes).

 

my dv5 is built well. Only niggle I have is with the keyboard, it feels a little cheaper and more plastic than my last laptop which was a Compaq with a good grippy keyboard. This laptop has clocked up who knows how many hours of COD4 gameplay (a lot) over the last 5-6 months and runs fine. Gets quite toasty on the left palm rest but the performance is worth it. The volume up down touch buttons aren't that wonderful as they used to play up as if they were still being pressed. Now with a clean vista install and without installing the unnecessary software to operate them they work fine. The fit and finish is good in my opinion.

edit - I see the custom dv5 offered on the HP website only has intel 4500MHD graphics. That would definitely not cut it for me.

 

Yea that's what I said...but the previous $250 off stackable coupon only requires to configure aboe $1099, and combined with the usual $150 or $200 instant saving then the total saving becomes either $400 or $450.

I'm interested in the dv5tse as well strictly due to the 16:10 screen in 1680x1050...but the $1200 minimum config of the current coupon is too much for a laptop without discrete graphic. With the $250 off stackable coupon, I can get the spec I want @ $1100 for $650.

dv4tse with the same spec as dv4t is actually cheaper... I'm surprised HP still doesn't allow the coupons be used with the dv4tse since they already started to clear their inventory of 16:10 laptops.

 

I just got a dv4-1283cl. It feels soooooo much more solid than the Dell Studio 15 I use.

 

Good to know! I was looking at both today at BB and had the same feeling.
To me it felt like a much sturdier build to the HP.