*HP HDX18 Owners Lounge*

Boasting 512MB Nvidia graphics cards and true 1080p widescreen displays, the new HP HDX18 is available September 2008.

HP today unveiled two new HDX notebook PCs for multimedia enthusiasts, including the HP HDX18 and HP HDX16 ( compare specs). The HP HDX18 and HP HDX16 offer entertainment functionality such as an integrated TV tuner, Altec Lansing speakers with integrated triple bass sub-woofer and Dolby Home Theater.

Featuring a slick titanium design and widescreen 18.4" and 16" displays with BrightView Infinity, the HP HDX18 and HP HDX16 are equipped with Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics cards with 512MB dedicated video memory and HP MediaSmart software. The HP HDX18 will be pre-configured with a Blu-ray disc drive, and its screen can display full HD (1080p) content. The HP HDX16 can be configured with either a 720p or 1080p display. Both notebooks have HDMI ports, as well as built-in Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity.

The HP HDX18 and HP HDX16 are powered by 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processors, 4GB DDR2 RAM and Windows Vista Home Premium. The HP HDX18 sports a 500GB hard drive (2 x 250GB 5400 RPM), while the HP HDX16 should offer a storage capacity of 320GB.

The HP HDX18 and HP HDX16 will be available in late September 2008, starting at $1550 and $1300, respectively.





Keep the ball rolling!

 

What kind of video memory does HP plan to use for the HDX16 and HDX18? DDR2 or DDR3? DDR2 doesn't seem entirely practicial for the HDX gaming series, but the fact that they only mention "512MB dedicated video memory" worries me.

 

Hopefully they will also have the Nvidia 9800m GTS as an option.

 

This notebook looks really nice

 

Well I dont think they r using DDR3 for the 9600M GT, if they were I think the word wud hv been around, but in order to live up with the expectations of HDX users, HP will hv to come with a better GPU, 9800M GT or sumthing with DDR3

 

AFAIK they are using DDR3 1066 for main RAM and GDDR3 for VRAM

 

All I see that stands out is the glass covered flush screen. Now make a double hinged 20" model and I'll buy one.

 

So I'm thinking that the 18' maxed out will easily approach $3,000. Especially if 9800 is offered as an option.

Love the swirly designs on the notebook?

And rcll are those pics of this new HDX or an older model? Personally I hate that hinge....

 

The post before yours has the old 20.1" HDX pictured with the large hinge--that either you loved or couldn't imagine lugging around its over 15 pound weight and physical size. Hopefully the new 18.4" HDX pictured in the first post will be configurable with higher end CPU and GPU options that helped make the original to be known as "the Dragon."

 

Thanks for the info....

Why was the first poster banned?

 

It's a bloody shame but he was multinicking and using those nicks to troll a thread. Got reported. Was a decent guy at first then went haywire. Hope he comes back all calmed down.

 

Perhaps it was one of the obscurants...

 

Gotta say that I am not too impressed with the 16" HDX specs...

 

Sorry I dont know all the newage terms. What is "multinicking?"

 

Multinicking:

Having multiple user names and deliberately pretending that they are not the same person.

Trolling:

An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial and irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion

 

Well thank you for that! Troll I did know, since every messageboard I'm a member of seems to have them. Until this day, I didn't know there was a term for having multiple usernames, however.

 

Are these up for order yet? The HDX 18t I mean. I'm looking at the 16' right now. If I can get the 18' for the same price I may just say **** it and return the dv7t just for this one....

I want to configure one and see how expensive it is and whether I can use this coupon with it....

 

BTW, this guy is the thread starter, HDX18. This is his latest nick. One of several that have been banned: rumba, ArleneP, gingernewb, etc.

Do I own an HDX? LOL. Don't be silly, rumba/strummer. You know I do.

And no, rumba/strummer, I didn't report you. You pissed other people off who grew tired of your silly game.

 

Not up yet. Figure by Monday they should be up.

 

I hope sooner cuz I really like the design of it. And if I can get the same specs but with a better design and nice layout I may just get it.

 

Yeah, hopefully before the following coupon expires:

$500 web-only coupon for the purchase of a customized HP Pavilion Notebook PC greater than $1399 at the HP Home & Home Office Store.

NB0915

Expires 9/22.

Not sure if it's stackable, though. Meaning $500 + instant savings. It might just be $500 - instant savings.

I suppose this is the coupon you were referring to.

 

What a chance wasted!

That 18” would have rocked with one of the 9800 series GPU's, and the 16” with a 9700 series GPU.

 

Makes me wonder what Voodoo is coming out with that HP didn't want to step on their toes with better GPU's than the Pavillions.

 

I really would rather get the HDX18 than the HDX16 but I was measuring laptops last night (I have an 9700T and just returned the DV7t) but the HDX18 is just so big....but if the price isn't that big of a difference, I guess I would get the HDX18. I do hope it gets posted soon. I go on a business trip sunday, so I'd prefer to order before then.

 

Well I saw the dv7t that was damaged first time and it was tiny compared to the 17 sony vaio I had previously....

So I'm think the HDX 18' won't really be that large to be honest. If they keep it relatively close to the dv7t range.

And I think the graphics card is perfectly fine. Yeah it would be nice to have the option for a better card but I think I'll be pleased with the 9600. I had the 8600 in the vaio and it look absolutely beautiful....

 

Has the build quality improved at all on the newer non-business HP notebooks?

 

As a purchaser of something yesterday with that coupon, I can vouch for the fact that it does NOT stack. If you apply the coupon, instant savings disappear.

 

I can't vouch for the validity of the claim or where he got his info, but whitetigerx7 over at LV2G claims the following (BTW, the first part of quote references the new HP specific modded INF for LV2G video drivers:

"I finally got enough time to get a new INF completed and uploaded. Remember if you have problems please report them and if you can offer a fix please do so.

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index....showtopic=15094

There is some sad news to report. It would seem VoodooPC has chosen in their latest lineup of Mobility products to NOT continue support of Nvidia or even ATi based graphics processors instead choosing to adhere to Intel's iron clad specification for the Centrino specification of their latest CPU, GPU, WiFi, and Motherboard series. Ironically VoodooPC has always been a full supporter of Nvidia and ATi based products for maximum gaming performance. It's a shame one of the best vendors of high-end laptops has instead chosen to go low-end.

It would also seem HP has also chosen an alternate route for their Pavilion and Presario lineup as well limiting some products to onboard/motherboard embedded chipsets especially those of AMD flavors."

 

Please re-post link

 

Sorry, don't know what happened to it.

http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=20618

 

Now it doesn’t make any sense what so ever not to have used a 9800 base graphics card in the HDX 18” model.

 

Agreed. Hopefully HP will do the right thing and release a 9800 series card as an option for the HDX 18 upon its release. My purchase is dependent on them doing this.

 

This is just an educated guess, but I would imagine it has to do with thermal properties and keeping power usage need to a lower level than the Dragon. Since they decided to go "more portable", they probably didn't want to have to use the 180 watt brick that weighs so much. I mean they cut like 6 or 7 pounds off the weight of the unit itself, probably wanted to streamline the power brick some too.

 

Yep, excellent observation. Guess it shouldn't be expected to have more than a 9700M GT.

 

This is just a quick question. Do any of you guys know how much of the laptop can be upgraded (i.e. Processor, GPU etc.)?

 

Processor, RAM, HD. That's really it. LCD can also be changed.

GPU is a tough one. You can if say HP later offers a better GPU for the same unit. You'll have to upgrade the BIOS at least, change the Mobo at most.

 

120 watt PSU would have been very duable, considering that is what I'm using with the machine I have now. And if someone really wanted to be that darn mobile with a 18" notebook, then buy an even smaller one from somewhere else. The GPU is what will give that notebook longevity to match what it has to offer, and I'm sure even if they had of put a bigger PSU, it wouldn't have stopped the masses from jumping all over that lovely piece of machinery equiped with an 9800M GT.

 

GeForce 9700M GTS ?

 

Do we have any time line when this will be released?

 

I have no idea but I'm dying with anticipation. I just got my dv7t in the mail and I'm planning on returning it for the HDX 18t if I can get a good price for it.

The only issue is whether my Belkin sleeve I bought for my sony vaio (17') will fit this 18' laptop?

The vaio was HUGE and the dv7t I saw was really small compared to it so I'm hoping the 18 inch HDX isn't too huge.

 

Measurements were given in the first look review as 17.17" x 11.26" 1.33-1.72" -- if that helps you any.

I'm definitely very much anticipating this going on sale; I've firmly made up my mind that this will be the desktop replacement I'll be obtaining. Though, I'll probably have to hold off for another month to save up the monies for the specs I want. Oh, well.

 

CNET finally posted a review for the HDX18.

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/hp-hdx18/4505-3121_7-33248766.html

 

Wasn't the Dragon the same way when it first debuted? Had a lower-quality card, then later put in the 8800? I could be wrong; only guessing.

Then again... both 8800 and 9600 are 512mb-dedicated. Doesn't that make them about the same? (Yeah, that's likely a total n00b question, but I'll take the risk. After all, can't ask if you don't know, right?)

 

Nice review...

God **** it why can't HP put this beauty up on its website....

 

Ditto. Now, if only there was a way to hook up a ps2 to it like you could with the Dragon...

 

That's correct. It started with an ATI Radeon Mobility 2600 XT. Then in Jan they added the 8800M GTS. But when the unit first debuted in May 07, in several interviews, HP alluded to a powerful Nvidia GPU was in the pipeline.

That's a good honest question. The 8800 is more powerful than the 9600. The difference is the number of stream processors. The 8800M GTS had 64, while the 9600M GT 32. That doesn't necessarily mena that the 8800M GTS is twice as powerful. There's other factors involved. But let's conservatively say it's about 30%-50% more powerful.

 

And 2.0 what about the 9800 that some people want in this laptop? How much more improvement does it really mean?

 

It's would be a significant improvement, depending on which GPU was chosen.

There's 3 flavors of that series:

9800M GTS - 64 processors
9800M GT- 96 processors
9800M GTX - 112 processors

There's also the 9700M GT & GTS to consider with 32 and 48 processors respectively. The first is basically an overclocked 9600M GT. The latter would probably yield a 10-15% improvement over the 9600M GT.

Probably have to wait for a refresh of the HDX18 before it would get one of the above. January perhaps. But I doubt they would pick a 9800M.

Let's see what Dell does since HP seems to like responding to whatever Dell does. The HDX is HP's answer to the XPS line. I don't mean the 17" gaming. I mean the concept of a premium notebook line.

 

Thanks for the info. I will hope they give us the option of the 9800M in whatever flavor so that everyone will be pleased.

Plus knowing me I'd probably get one too. If you're going to go all out on a laptop might as well do it right...

 

if hp doesn't put a 9800m gts or higher in this, I'm not only going to be dissapointed at them but have to move on to the gateway 7811.

C'mon HP, I want to buy this laptop but also want to play Crysis at high settings!

P.S. does anybody else thing they're releasing this today, because it's the 18th?