HP NC8230 release?

Does anyone know when the HP NC8230 will actually be available to be purchased?

 

Already available, I'm pretty sure. I'm typing
on one now. It's pretty neat. I'll try and get
a review together soon.

I just ordered it the regular way: by looking at
the website to find the most suitable model (it
doesn't let you re-configure much yet -- gotta
wait a month or two for that) and then I ordered
it by calling up the SMB order line.

-- Adam

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by acain

 

HP Canada just called me and said the NC8230 will not be available here until April 22?! Guess its hello Dell.


<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by cherryheights

 

hi adam,
I am about to order that notebook! I am really interested in the review you will post. Could indicate in particular if it is getting hot (especially in the keyboard aera, I do not want to burn my hands!) and if it is noisy ?
thanks a lot
mike

 

A couple more bits that I meant to mention:

Folks often make a big to-do about the Thinkpad
build quality. Now I haven't played with the T4x line
(my Thinkpad experience is primarily with an a20p and
a T23), but this HP nc8230 feels quite solid to me.
I don't know if I would jump up and down on it, but I'm
feeling confident about it standing up to my regular
abuse. The case, keyboard, screen hinge all feel
well constructed to me (and I have dealt with
laptops from Sony, Dell, Sharp and others that
have been lacking in this department).

Also, there are a few LEDs on the lower left part of
the front panel (status indicators for the WLAN card,
the HD, etc.). It turns out that the insets for those
LEDs are slightly rough/sharp. So when my left wrist
rubs against them (as part of usual typing), it's a
little painful. I may try to put some electrical tape
over the top of that corner. I'm surprised HP didn't
notice (and prevent) this potential problem. I'm guessing
they'll fix that soon.

-- Adam

 

Mike:

Since you are about to order, I'll give a quick mini-review:

I got the 2.0 GHz model (with the 60 GB drive, 1GB RAM).
I'm generally quite happy with it; just a few minor annoyances.

The heat is not a problem. The palmrests get a little
warm, but not enough to bother me (and usually not even
noticable).

The fan/noise is also pretty good. When the fan is not on,
the machine is pretty quiet -- some slight high-pitch buzz and
some quiet whirring (HD? CPU fan?). I'm pretty fussy about
noise, so this is all good. The fan comes on periodically
when doing 'heavy computing', and it is more often when
plugged in. But I don't find it excessive, too frequent or
too loud.

The screen is lovely. I got the 15" model with 1680x1050
resolution, and that's about perfect. The text/icons don't
look too small to my eye, and I now have even more real
estate than I was used to with my 1400x1050 Thinkpads.

BTW, this machine was an attempt at a 'thinkpad replacement'
for me. I just wasn't finding the right combination of
features with IBM, Dell or otherwise, given that I really need:
-- a trackpoint pointer (I'm addicted to it -- I never use
touchpads)
-- firewire!! (why don't *all* Thinkpads have this!?!?)
-- good keyboard with arrows, pgup/pgdn, etc. in the right place
(like a thinkpad keyboard)
-- high res screen (at least 1400x1050)
-- minimal weight
-- maximal performance

And cost wasn't a big issue for me, so I wasn't very concerned
about whether or not the laptop is a 'good deal'. But HP did
throw in an inkjet printer for free (as part of some promotion;
my guess is they send you the inkjet printer immediately so you
are less inclined to cancel your order after waiting 2-3 weeks).

Back to mini-review rambling...

The blue LEDs are way cool

The keyboard is pretty nice, though it will take some
getting used to (my hands are pretty used to Thinkpad
keyboards). I like how the keys 'click' and typing is
fairly brisk. It does feel different than a Thinkpad,
with smaller key depth (smaller travel?) and perhaps a
slightly compressed key placement. But those are OK
with me. The hard part, for me, is getting good at
moving over to the PgUp/PgDn keys and not accidentally
hitting Backspace instead. I think after another week
or so, I'll be just as comfortable with this keyboard as
I was with Thinkpads.

The performance seems pretty good. I haven't fully tested
it out, but I know it can calculate 2M digits of pi in 1:33.

The main annoyances are:
1. The buttons for the trackpoint are positioned in a way that
feels weird to me. My thumb has to stretch a bit to hit the
left button, and early on I was sometimes hitting the middle
button instead. I gotta bend my thumb a bit to hit the right
button, which feels a bit weird.

2. The trackpoint buttons aren't as easy to press as for Thinkpads.
Maybe they need to be raised higher. (I have used a Dell D400
and the button issue is similar, but in some ways better and
in some ways worse -- with the HP, the buttons are smaller but
they press a bit easier than with the D400).

3. The trackpoint cover is a funky, blue, concave jobby with little
nipples on it. I suppose that does well to "grip" one's finger,
but it feels pretty weird to me. I'm used to the older Thinkpad
eraser heads. This seems to have a real impact in how well I can
move the pointer with the trackpoint. But get this: I just
pulled off the blue HP cover and replaced it with a red cover that
I pulled off my older Thinkpad. And now it feels better to me
(and my pointing accuracy is better too).

4. The power button may be located a bit too close to the escape
key. I think I have accidentally powered down this machine
2-3 times while using VI (within Cygwin). Either that or
Cygwin has mysteriously powered down my lappy.

Oh, and did I mention how great it is to have a 15" Sonoma lappy
that is thinner and lighter than any other laptop I've owned?

So overall, I'm pleased. The annoyances I mentioned are things
that I believe I'll get used to after a week or two (dunno how
long it took me to get stuck in my Thinkpad ways originally).
This HP nc8230 basically meets my needs for a modern, light,
high-res laptop with my particular set of requirements (trackpoint,
firewire, sensible keyboard).

I'll try and get this into a real review soon, with pics and
all that. I'm still putting the machine through its paces
(gonna install HL2 soon and try out some more serious audio apps),
and I've only had the machine for a few days.

-- Adam

 

Adam, thank you for your mini review. I am debating between this unit and a 15" ThinkPad T42 with FlexView screen (2379 DXU). Too bad I cannot compare these laptops side by side, but I sense that you'd have picked nc8230 over the ThinkPad. Is my assumption correct?

 

melihp: Yes, I was considering getting a new
Thinkpad for some time. But I really need firewire, and
I just can't believe that the new T43s/T42s don't have it.
I have considered an R51 (most those models DO have
firewire), but decided to give the HP a try. The R line
looks a little clunky, compared to the nc8230. I also don't
care about the T4x security stuff (fingerprint scanner, etc.)
and would rather not deal with all that.

If the new T43s had firewire, I probably would have gone
with one of those instead. But I see no sign of that happening,
and I'm getting sick of the Thinkpad "business look" anyway.
I will miss the TP trackpoint buttons, and to some extent the
TP keyboard. I guess a "Thinklight" would have been cool, but
that's more of a "gee whiz" item than an actual need.

I also wish I could have compared the nc8230 with a T42/T43/A51
side-by-side, but sadly that does not seem feasible for me
(no nearby retail outlet stocks either the HP nc* or Thinkpads;
business laptops seem to only be available to me by order).
So I took the plunge with the HP unit and so far I've been
pleased with that choice.

-- Adam

 

Acain,

Thank you for your mini-review on your NC8230. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I'd love to see your complete review on this unit. From your comments, it sounds like HP has released a suitable replacement to the aging NC8000. I myself have been contemplating either getting the new NC6230 which is currently available in Canada or wait a bit longer (Mid April I believe) for the NC8200 series to be available in Canada. I'm looking for a light, solid unit. I used to have an NX7000 (Small Business Product Line), but issues caused me to return the unit. From your mini-review and comments from other people I know, have said that the NC series are quality units.
I guess I'll just wait a bit longer for the new units to be available in Canada and also for your review. This way I can weigh all my options.

-Vb-

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by acain

 

Well, after heavy debate between the nc8230 and the Asus V6V, I decided to go with the HP. The HP final price with tax [ ] and shipping came out to be about $25 less than the V6V with free shipping. It would be an even better deal if I could have avoided paying tax on it.

I was able to custom configure it, which was a very nice option. This is the configuration I chose:

1.86GHz Processor
128MB Video Memory
512MB RAM
DVD/CD-RW combo
Bluetooth module
WSXGA+ WVA display
40GB HDD. I have a 60GB 7200 RPM already, so I chose the smallest HD available.
Win XP Pro
802.11 b/g wireless

The Asus V6V offers a wireless mouse, slip case, laptop bag, dead pixel policy and 2-year warranty. So, I would rate them about equal in terms of what you get for the price. The deciding factor was the mediocre display on the Asus, poor viewing angles and lack of a MultiBay option. I just hope I don't find a dead pixel on the HP when I receive it!

Estimated ship date is 3/26. Hopefully it won't take very long to arrive.

 

Hey MClassic,

How much did you pay for the HP nc8230?

Thanks.

 

I paid $2079 without tax. VA state tax is 4.5%. So, my final total is $2172.56. It would be such a great deal if it weren't for the tax!

By the way, I didn't go for a wireless card, because I have an Intel 2200 Wireless card from another laptop. So, the system would have been about $40 more had I opted for a wireless card.

 

Thanks for your price info. Could you please give us a brief review after you have a chance to use the nc8230? I am particularly interested in the dimentions and weight. Is it really only 1.1 inch thin?

 

I will be sure to do a review once I receive it and give you my thoughts on its dimensions. I was very particular about dimensions before I made my purchase. Hopefully the nc8230 will live up to its specs.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by flyingshadow

 

I'm so sorry that the nc8230 isn't out in Canada yet. This notebook was at the top of my list, but I think HP may have lost my business to ASUS. Still would love to hear how people like their 8230s though! Looks like a great machine.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Sencha

 

I just received an 8230 that I ordered over a month ago. All is well, except for one thing. I like to use the touch pad and buttons below it. I don't know what the he*# they were thinking when they designed the buttons on this thing, but they obviously never actually used them. After two hours use I already have a sore spot on my right thumb from the ridge on the left button. I will have to get a mouse, because these touchpad buttons are completley unuseable. Are all HPs this way? I've used IBMs in the Past (R40, T40, T42), and a Dell Inspiron 4000, and I've never had any problems before. I don't know how HP could have gotten something as basic as this so wrong!!! I sure hope I get used to it, because everything else about this unit rates an A+++.

Dissapointed

 

mtnmasher, sorry to hear about the issue with the touchpad. I haven't received my nc8230 yet. But, I have some serious concerns about the touchpad and mouse buttons. Three mouse buttons seem like they will be a little annoying to use since there will always be that extra button to contend with.

I don't think all HP system are that way. The nc8230 is part of a new generation of HP business notebooks, so I think they all share a similar type of touchpad and buttons. It looks like HP may have a design flaw on their hands. If enough people complain, I'm sure they'll revise the design.

I would really like the nx8220 so that I don't have to deal with the pointing stick and extra touchpad buttons. But, I haven't seen any mention of it being available in the US. If it were, I would cancel my nc8230 order.

Did you order your nc8230 through HP? What are the specs on your system?

Thanks.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Venombite

Well, you may be happy to know that this unit is now available in Canada. They have the NC8230 & NX8220. My choice is the NX8220 even though it only has 1 year warranty. It has an ATI X600 GPU w/128MB ram & a DVD+/-RW drive & upto a 15.4" WSXGA+ LCD. Here's the link for both system types.

NC8230 - http://shopping.hp.ca/cStoreCA/Bases.asp?PType=58&ProductLineId=25&FamilyId=168&BEId=5&cpqsid=2BNNAK60NB0W9KMQ1066M0KBDSGEF1C7

NX8220 - http://shopping.hp.ca/cStoreCA/Bases.asp?PType=58&ProductLineId=25&FamilyId=198&BEId=5&cpqsid=2BNNAK60NB0W9KMQ1066M0KBDSGEF1C7

-Vb-
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Thanks for the info Venombite. Your links didn't work for some reason (expired maybe?), but I went to the HP site and was able to see the Buy Online option for the nx8220, but still see the nc8230 as "Coming in March."

Is the 5.7lbs starting weight indicated in the specs with the weight saver drive?

Such nice machines. HP might be back in the game for my business afterall!

EDIT: It appears HP Canada's site is having some SQL issues, so I will check back on that later.

 

Has anyone here done their own memory upgrade on the HP nc8230? I would like to know what type of memory they are using. I plan to upgrade from 512MB to 1024MB as soon as I receive my system.

 

mtnmasher: did you find the same problem that I found
with the left-front corner having sorta sharp edges
where the LED insets are? I'm just curious.

-- Adam

 

mtnmasher: Sorry to cause you to notice the slight pain in
your left wrist.

I don't use touchpads, so I haven't (yet) noticed the other
problems you mentioned.

For what it's worth, I've had this laptop for just over two weeks,
and I've gotten pretty used to typing on it AND using the
touchpad buttons. I still agree that the button design is bad,
but I will probably stick with the nc8230 and (to some extent)
adapt to its quirks.

-- Adam

 

acain,
Yes, the corners of the led recesses are a little sharp. I didn't notice it until you mentioned it, but now that I am aware of it, it is starting to annoy me.

I have a few more comments about the touch pad. First, I am accustomed to scrolling by holding the left touchpad button down with my right thumb, and scrolling using the index finger of my right hand. You simply can not do that with this laptop. The ridge on the left mouse button will wear a hole through the skin on your thumb. Dumbest design I have ever seen! But wait! The center mouse button activates a scrol tool that lets you automatically scroll with miniscule motions on the touch pad. Move the mouse down a hair, and the screen will slowly scroll down as you read. Move the mouse down a little more, and it will scroll down so fast that you would have to be a speed reader to keep up with it. This feature has probably been around for ages, but I have not used it until this machine forced me to. I may grow to like that feature.

Next, the touch pad is very wide, but since the left button is so small you must keep your hand all of the way over to the left of the touch pad during normal use. All of that width is wasted. They should have had a MUCH wider left mouse button, in both the X and Y dimensions. I don't think they did much market research before puting this touch pad design into production. I certainly don't think it will survive in its current configuration for long. Sorry HP, you shoulda done your homework.

I bought the machine through HP-online. The specs are: 2GHz, WXGA+, 802.11a,b,g, integrated bluetooth, 24x DVD/CD RW, 1GB DDR-II, 60GB 5400rpm HDD, PB993A travel battery (snaps ONTO the bottom of the unit,kind of like a docking station.

I have 30 days to decide if I want to keep this machine. Right now there is a 60% chance I will return it.

 

Not that I'm trying to apologize for someone else's
questionable design, but... I do see that you can
reconfigure the button mappings so that, say, the middle
button can trigger the same action as the left button.
Or maybe make the middle button be the same as the right
button.

Open the Pointing Device Properties panel (from the
red scribble icon in the systray), then select the
Device Settings tab and then hit the "Settings" button
for the pointing stick and/or the touchpad.

I've thought of making the middle button (under the
trackpoint) become a "second left button". But after
a few days, my hand has basically gotten used to the
somewhat strange 3-button design.

-- Adam

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by mtnmasher

 

Adam, I've thought about doing that. If possible, I'd like to make the middle and left mouse buttons left click buttons. My only concern is the size of the buttons with the three button setup. The middle button unnecessarily occupies a third of the space. If I could do it without feeling that I'm hunting for buttons, or developing any discomfort, then I'd be okay. The other concern is that the right click mouse button would then seem too small.

Adam and mtnmasher, could you try this for me and let me know your thoughts on how well this configuration functions?

Thanks.

 

OK, per mclassic's request, I tried mapping the middle
button so that it is a "second left button".
That works OK, but I'm not sure it will be an
improvement for you. The middle button is still
rather difficult to press, seemingly because it
is not raised very high. I didn't feel my thumb
having trouble *finding* the button, but I did
feel some discomfort with pressing the button.

Mapping the middle button in this way only helps
a little bit in terms of making the right button
easier to find. The right thumb doesn't have to
bend back as far, but it still has to bend significantly,
and this isn't as comfortable as it could be.

Now that my hand has sorta gotten used to the HP
3-button design, it seems a bit *easier* for me to
use the left button rather than middle button.
That's perhaps because of the angle or the positioning
of the thumb relative to the button. In other words,
when my hand is positioned a certain way (perhaps the
way that all HP designers tried?), it's easier for me
to press the left button with my thumb, because the
thumbtip is better lined up with the right part of
the button. In contrast, the middle button is harder
to press because I have to rock my thumb more as it
lines up worse.

OK, so maybe I'm not explaining this very well. But I
think the bottom line remains: if you are fairly fussy
about your pointer buttons, this may not be the notebook
for you.

However, you may also be able to get used to
this notebook's button layout after a few days; that
seems to be the situation for me. Though I still prefer
the Thinkpad trackpoint buttons, I think I can live with
the buttons on this HP nc8230. Of course, I may be more
inclined to put up with this suboptimal design of the HP
laptop since I still don't see a better option for me,
given my particular set of constraints (see my mini-review
earlier in this thread).

Oh, and just to be clear, I have not been using the
touchpad buttons at all. So this latest experiment was
only done with the trackpoint buttons.

Side-note: hey, did you see the scathing user opinion
on CNET's nc8230 review? Sounds like HP wasn't well set
up for the custom-to-order nc8230's. Guess I got lucky
in settling for one of the pre-configured packages.

-- Adam

 

Thanks Adam for trying the touchpad setup for me. Your conclusion confirms my concerns about the touchpad setup. I don't have many alternatives to the nc8230 either. The Asus V6V is really the only other alternative for me.

I read the customer review on Cnet. I posted a follow-up comment to it because I'm in the same boat. I think I'm going to hold off on getting this notebook. Hopefully HP will address the touchpad issue at some point. Or, by some miracle, I can get my hands on an nx8220.

So close but not quite the one!

 

Thanks for all of the interesting comments about the touchpad in this post. Touchpads tend to be a serious personal preference issue and this one seems to have a number of people annoyed. I'm leaning toward an ASUS anyway, but was still looking at the nc8230, but I think I may just go with the ASUS and keep my eyes on the HPs for future models that might correct this problem.

 

I studied photos of the nc8230 and I really can't understand HP's thinking behind the 3 button design. Correct me if I'm wrong, but 99.999% of notebooks feature a two button touchpad design. That's a questionable design element.

I have never been a fan of three button mice. The middle button takes away real estate and makes clicking between the left and right buttons awkward. I guess HP didn't think very hard about that.

I'm heartbroken over this, because nc8230 is the ideal system for me. I will definitely relay my thoughts to HP. Perhaps they'll make a revision to the design in the near future.

 

mclassic: personally, I had high hopes for the 3-button
design. I would love to have three *usable* buttons under the
trackpoint. If only these three were more usable...

I may try tinkering with the buttons, to raise them up
a bit (at least). I think there were similar fixes applied
by folks with Dell Lattitude buttons. I'll let folks know
if I succeed in improving things with the nc8230.

 

Adam, I think I might reconsider getting an HP nc8230 once HP releases spare parts for the nx8220. I might be able to get around this problem by replacing the nc8230 touchpad and keyboard with the nx8220's touchpad and keyboard.

Cost will and level of involvement to do it will be significant factors. I'm sure it would void the warranty as well.

 

I have had the nc8230 for 5 days, and I would like to update my initial impressions, especially with respect to the touchpad buttons.

I have gotten used to using the middle touchpad button, and have grown to like the auto-scroll function it activates. It is a useful function, and I would like to see it on more laptops. The tactile feel of the nc8230 touchpad butons, however, is still an annoyance; especially the left button, which gets the most use.

I have reduced my reliance on the left button by using the scroll function, and by changing the folder options to activate with a single click instead of a double click. Still, I am developing a calus on the left edge of my right thumb. I am trying to convince myself that I should put up with it, because the rest of the machine is so good.

Other than the touchpad, the only things that are not absolutley top shelf are: 400MHz DDR-II instead of 533MHz, 64MB VRam instead of 128MB, DVD instead of DVD+/-RW, and a 5400rpm PATA HDD instead of 7200rpm SATA.

The VRam is not an issue since I am not a gamer. But faster memory would always be nice, a DVD burner would be a definite plus, and a 7200rpm SATA HDD would be awesome.

Will I keep it? The jury is still out, but the more I use it the more I like it.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by mtnmasher

 

mtnmasher & acain, can you comment on the nc8230's display as far as color and color accuracy are concerned. Have you tried watching a DVD or comparing images from other systems. Can either of you take some photos of your system?

How is it as far as weight? Does it feel heavy? How about when carrying it in a bag?

As far as the touchpad, the two button touchpad option can be purchased for $40. So, the nc8230 touchpad issue might not be such a big deal, with the excption of the rubber irritating my thumb. Another thing is if enough people report the problem to HP, they'll eventually redesign the touchpad. So, you could in essence keep a great thin, sonoma-based, wsxga+ laptop and hold out for a new touchpad.

 

anomoly,

I hear what you are saying. Part of me wants to ignore this shortcoming, but I know that as soon as someone else comes out with a thin wsxga+ sonoma based laptop with good battery life I will be sorry.

I have never liked the tap feature, and always turn it off. I guess I will give it another try.

Oh, and it isn't truly a calus yet, it is more like a permanent sore spot.

 

I'll try to get a full review done (with pics), but
really my nc8230 looks just like the fine pictures
on the pcmag review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1757556,00.asp

I'm not an LCD connoisseur, so I can't say much about
color accuracy. In general, the display looks good to me.
I see some amount of stray lighting (mostly from the bottom)
on dark screens in HL2. But it's not too bad. The display
is not sparkly or shiny, which I like. It is bright enough
for my purposes, but not super-duper-bright like some lappies
are said to be (i.e., I don't know how well this unit will
do outdoors in the sunshine).

The viewing angles seem good to me, but as I said above....
I'm used to LCDs on Thinkpads such as the T23 and A20p, and
I'd say that this HP laptop has a display that looks
similar to those but perhaps a little better (in terms of
brightness, crispness).

I haven't tried watching a movie on this lappy. I'll give
that a shot soon, but I may not be able to say much about
color accuracy.

OK, I am trying it outside now, on a sunny spring day.
And I can see what I'm doing -- with not much brightness to
spare. It's more usable (brighter) than the other laptops I've used
(I couldn't do much of anything outside with the Thinkpads)
but I wouldn't want to do a lot of work outside in the sun
with this thing. That's OK by me; beach computing is not a
big requirement for me.

As for the weight, it feels pretty light to me. I've carried
it in my bookbag and that was just fine (more comfortable than
carrying around either Thinkpad). It feels comfortable on
my lap, and the heat output is really not even noticable.
Typing on it is comfortable both when it's on my lap or when
it's on the table.

Hmm, I have a drop of melted chocolate on the touchpad.
Swipe! Yum.

In short, after 3 weeks of working with this laptop, I'm
pretty happy with it. My main gripe is with the trackpoint
buttons being too low / hard to press, and I'm not through
trying to fix that with tinkering yet. I've gotten pretty
used to the keyboard and even the three-button design.

 

I agree with acain on the display. It is much sharper than anything I've had before, and the brightness is just right. It is not super-bright, but thats the way I like it. I can sit down in front of the TV in a darkened room and not be overwhelmed by the brightness. Yet it is easy to use in a brightly lit room. I am sure there are adjustments for the brightness, but I haven't found the need to look for them yet.

I watched part of a DVD just to see what it was like, and the color looked fine to me. The speakers are prety good too. Like acain, I can't offer a comparison, because I rarely watch DVDs.

I turned tapping on, and sped up the double-click speed to max. So far it is working great. It seems to be able to distinguish between a tap and a drag, which makes the touchpad issue less of a drag.

Also like acain, the more I use this machine the more I like it...

By the way mclassic, where did you hear about the replacement touchpad?

 

I have a T42, Inspiron 4000, and nc8230 sitting side by side in front of me right now. (T42 is my office compter)

When the nc8230 is plugged in it is the brightest of the three, although the T42 is running on batteries so it is not really a fair comparison. It is interesting that the 8230 is brighter than the Inspiron 4000 plugged in.

When I unplug the nc8230, it becomes dimmest of the three. The brightness of the Dell stays the same when unplugged.

I guess one ways HP gets good battery life is by conserving display power. I am sure this could be adjusted to fit personal preferences, but I don't feel the need.

Another observation: the dimensions of the nc8230 and T42 are almost identical, other than the extra width of the hp due to the screen.

 

Thanks acain and mtnmasher. Your information is very helpful. I downloaded the maintenance and service guide from the HP website (4 MB download), http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/CoreRedirect.jsp?targetPage=http%3A%2F%2Fh200007.www2.hp.com%2Fbc%2Fdocs%2Fsupport%2FSupportManual%2Fc00312743%2Fc00312743.pdf

It shows the part number and how to install it. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can probably take it to an HP authorized service center and have them do it for you.

 

After comparing the nc8230 to the nx8220 I bought the nx8220. It was slightly higher specced. 2Mhz, DVD burner, 1GB and 128mb VRam.

There is no touchstick but the touchpad feels excellent, even for a touchstick fan like me. I actually prefer it. The difference is that the nx8220 only has two buttons instead of three.

The nc and nx seem to be built on the exact same chassis. They looked and felt exactly the same. The difference being no touchstick, serial port or encryption chip in the nx. The nx comes with a shorter warranty but I just bought a 3 year care package to cover that.

Good points so far: Excellent screen, semi brightview. Strong battery, very good touchpad and keyboard.

Bad points: Although usually silent the fan makes a bit of a noise and the machine does get warm in the front. Also there is a high pitched whine that can sometimes be heard of you put your ear to the keyboard, but you do have to listen for it.

I haven't tested the video card or DVD yet. Whether the notebook is light totally depends on where you are coming from. I had just returned a P7010 and am a regular PocketPC user so this one felt like a bit of a brick. I gather though it is considered light compared to its competitors.

 

Forgot to add that the machines feels extremely solid. No flexing and the lid closes with a very satisfying "clunk."

I am happy so far.

 

karlth, thanks for the review. It sounds like everyone has a relatively favorable impression of their 8200s. Thanks everyone. It looks like I'll be re-ordering an nc8230. Worst case scenario, if the touchpad bothers me, I'll buy the replacement two-button touchpad.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Sencha
Thanks for the info Venombite. Your links didn't work for some reason (expired maybe?), but I went to the HP site and was able to see the Buy Online option for the nx8220, but still see the nc8230 as "Coming in March."

Is the 5.7lbs starting weight indicated in the specs with the weight saver drive?

Such nice machines. HP might be back in the game for my business afterall!

EDIT: It appears HP Canada's site is having some SQL issues, so I will check back on that later.
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

I just checked the www.HP.ca website, clicked on Online Shopping and was capable of going all the way for an order for the NC8230. I didn't actually buy it, but it looks like there site does have this unit available to order. It was probably just there site at the time.

Regarding the unit, it's not really that much different than the NX8220 other than a couple items. The big things I noticed that were different:

- NX8220 has an ATI X600 w/128MB, DVD+/-RW drive & a PM 740 1.73Ghz CPU, 1 Yr warranty

While the NC8230 has:

- ATI X600 w/64MB, CDRW/DVD Combo drive, a PM 750 1.86Ghz CPU, 3 Yr warranty, serial port (according to the quick specs) & a track point

The video and DVD+/- drive is a big difference between the systems, while the others I can live with. I will probably be ordering my unit next week. I'll let you know when I finally place the order. []

-Vb-
-

 

Does anyone have any opinions on the Acer Travelmate 8104WLMi? I was dead set on the HP nc8230 until I came across this notebook-looks like it has a great form factor like the HP and sturdy-but features/cost are very impressive compared to the HP. Any thoughts?

 

As far as I know, impressions of it have been pretty positive. I've read about some people receiving units that had some serious hardware problems. Outside of that, people seem to be pretty happy with it.

You do get a lot of system for your money compared to the HP nc8230. But, the HP does come with the 3-year warranty. I believe Acer is only one year.

The Acer still has the advantage as far as hardware is concerned. But, I'm more comfortable going with HP.

 

Does anyone here have an nc8230 with 128MB ATI Radeon X600 video? If so, how long did it take HP to build your system?