*HP dm4t (1XXX series) Owners Lounge!*

As far as I know, there aren't any models available with a higher res screen.

 

I think I had the same problem with the touchpad (see my previous posts around page 105) and I finally decided to ask for a replacement. My new unit has zero defects, everything is OK.
Kudos to HP sales department for his work!

 

Hi,

I've been researching laptops for a month or so now and believe I have settled on the HP DM4T. I was originally set on the Thinkpad as I love the keyboard (I decided against as it does not come with an HDMI port). I did test a DM4T at Costco and the keyboard seemed to be fine. I will be starting grad school next month and want to make sure I have a solid laptop going in. The few questions I have are:

1. I don't plan on doing much gaming but I would like to be able to run 1080P movies via the HDMI to my 46 inch HD TV. Do I need to upgrade the video card?
2. It's a total of $40 to get the 9 cell battery. I can't seem to find any pics online of how much this affects how the laptop sits. Also, is it necessary if I don't get the upgraded video card?
3. Will there be better deals on this laptop later this month as it's back-to-school? My pricing is below.

My probable build:

Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-450M Dual Core processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3 Cache)with Turbo Boost up to 2.66 GHz
4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
FREE Upgrade to 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
Intel(R) HD Graphics [HDMI, VGA]
14.0" diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366 x 768)
SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
HP TrueVision Webcam and Fingerprint Reader
Wireless-N Card
Standard Keyboard
9 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (over-sized)
Microsoft(R) Office Starter 2010
No additional security software
HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelop

Pricing:

Price: $949.99
Discount: -$38.00
APP Price: $911.99
Laptop instant rebate: –$30.00
Notebook instant rebate: –$150.00
Price after savings: 731.99

Thanks!

 

1. 1080p may be a stretch for that video card, but the 5450 handles it with ease

2. adds about half an inch in the back. I like it better because it tilts the keyboard more. Because the upgraded graphics card is switchable you don't /need/ it with or without it. I am able to get about 4 hrs of hulu on wifi with the 9 cell. I did not run it down all the way, but each 45 minute video + ads cut it down about 20%. I have not used the battery with the dedicated card so i do not know how that lasts.

3. don't know. LogicBuy is a good site to look at for deals on hp laptops though. It seems like they always have at least a $50 stackable coupon.

The switchable graphics on this laptop are poorly implemented however. It is no where close to nvidias implementation which automagically swaps graphics cards as needed. Also, there is no bios option to disable the swappable graphics, which is a almost a must for any linux users because the vga_switcheroo is in infant stages and I have not been able to get it to work, which really pisses me off.

 

Its been about a month since I did a clean install and now it says that my copy of windows isn't genuine. Any help here?

 

... why didnt you activate when it told you you needed to? Call MS and activate it. The key is on the bottom on the computer, but since it is OEM you will need to jump through a few hoops on the phone.

 

I did. I remember entering the key on the bottom of the computer.

 

you need to do more than that. it will say activation failed, then give you the option to do it over the phone. you read the automated phone some digits, then she reads you some. then you are done. takes about 5 minutes. OEM keys are dumb ....

 

Thanks. I will be giving that a try here shortly.

 

Hey I just got my DM4t about two weeks ago, and I was wondering.. Could I install Ubuntu so that I have a dual boot with windows 7 without getting rid of the instant on os that this comes preloaded with?

 

That should not be a problem. The only (possible) issue would be the 4 primary partition limitation. I do not know where the instant on os is stored, but i doubt it is the recovery partition. If you remove the recovery partition, after making the discs (i never know, is it discs or disks?) then that will free a primary partition.

 

Thank you for the feedback. I think I may skip the graphics card. I spoke with a colleague who that said between the i450 chip and the 4 gb of ram, it shouldn't be a problem to run 1080p via hdmi out. Will save me $100.

 

The intel integrated graphics chip won't output 1080p via hdmi.

 

If anyone's looking for a cheaper HP AC adapter for the dm4, HP part number 609940-001 is $32.30 (if you read the label on your current dm4 AC adapter, you'll see, "Replace with HP Spare 609940-001"). Things to note:

• This is just the brick and cord that connects to the laptop. The AC cord that connects from the brick to the power outlet is NOT included. However, since it uses a standard C5 connector cable, you can likely use an old cable from another laptop.
  
  
• Shipping is pretty expensive -- I was charged over $11.

 

Does anyone have a step by step for a cleean install of the dm4-1065dx? I did one but a lot of drivers/things were missing. Any help is very much appreciated! Thanks::

 

ordered it last night when I found a $200 stackable coupon.

Wasn't going to go with the dm4t, and instead was going to go for an acer or asus model, but when it came down to it I got a 160gb ssd along with several other goodies in the aluminum clad dm4t for about the same as it would have costed for similar laptops with only 60gb ssd's.

How long is this going to take to build and deliver?

 

Hey X24...where did you find that coupon? Saving $200 would really help me out...

Thanks!

 

These coupons tend to come out every couple weeks or so, but you've got to be careful. The current (expired?) coupon was $200 off for (some) laptops costing $1400 or more. Frankly, if you're paying that much, you're probably better off going with an HP Envy instead of a dm4t (note that the coupon does NOT apply to Envy laptops, though).

If you want to watch for future coupons, keep an eye on techbargains.com. Look at the HP coupons section.

 

well the 200$ off coupon was stackable, so it was $380 off all together. Cost me about $1100 shipped for

• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-430M Dual Core processor (2.26GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 2.53GHz
• 6GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
• 160GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)
• 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5450 switchable graphics [HDMI, VGA]
• 14.0" diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366 x 768)
• SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• HP TrueVision Webcam and Fingerprint Reader
• Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
• Standard Keyboard
• High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard)

a similar configuration on the envy would have me looking at around $1400. $300 for worse battery life, a little better fit and finish and a better gpu? I couldn't justify it.

Really i can't say that anything about my system is special at all, except the 160gb ssd. But I really wanted to go SSD for my computer this time around, and it just so happened I could fit it in quite easily through HP thanks to the $200 coupon.

 

Ah, you got the SSD. I was wondering how you could configure such an expensive dm4t.

A couple of weeks back, I priced out an HP Envy for a bit over $1300 (this was during one of HP's sales). However, I ended up getting the HP dm4-1063cl from costco for around $880 (total, w/tax). For me, the clincher was that I'd found some Costco cashback checks that I'd lost a while back; with the checks, the actual cost for me was closer to $700. Yes, the Envy has a killer display, but I couldn't really justify the $500-$600 difference.

The dm4-1063cl is somewhat similar to what you ordered, but:

• 4GB RAM instead of 6GB
• 500GB hard disk instead of the SSD
• No bluetooth (easily solved with a $28 USB BT 3.0 adapter)
• Lower capacity battery (plain standard 6 cell)

The i5-430M processor is the same -- as is the ATI HD 5450 switchable graphics, display, webcam, fingerprint reader, etc.. However, given that you're paying $1100, that seems about right for the above differences.

 

Just pulled the trigger. Waiting for mine to be "built" on August 12... The wait begins......

 

i have an old core 2 duo that can output 1080p via hdmi, so i have a hard time believing the icores don't

 

Yup

I didn't get a fantastic deal, but college starts the 20th of August and I was running out of time.

My HP printer shipped... wireless printing should be nice... hopefully it stands up to a year in the dorms before I can get the heck out of them and into an apartment

I'm just so excited... too bad build time is estimated 11th probably won't get here until the 18th...

 

the problem is not the processor, the problem is the graphics chip. your old machine probably had a different one.

 

When I made the purchase through HP, I asked the sales rep to confirm whether the configuration would be able to output 1080P via HDMI to my 46" HD TV. She put me on hold and then confirmed with tech support. So, I opted for the integrated graphics. Once I receive the laptop, I will test and report.

 

Can someone explain to me how the switchable graphics work? When I open a game up or start watching a video/movie, do the graphics switch automatically or do I have to do something to trigger that transition from Intel HD graphics to the graphic card? Thanks in advance!

 

there is a software switch. you have to initiate the switch. There are benefits to both implementations. With this, you know (approx.) the amount power you are using, ie, you know you may suffer lower fps at the benefit of battery life, as opposed to the hardware deciding that you would rather have higher fps and decreased battery life.

 

Considering you got an SSD, it's not a bad deal.

I assume you know about the trackpad, but here's a hint on the fingerprint reader software: it's constantly in-your-face (pops up each and every time you visit any page with a sign-in), and you can't stop it. If that bothers you, you can uninstall the fingerprint reader software and install the older Digital Persona software from HP's site; while this still has a pop-up, the pop-up has a right-click that allows you to banish it forever. The fingerprint LED stops working, though.

 

Does anyone have a recomendation for a laptop sleeve for the dm4?

 

How do I initiate the switch though?

 

you right click on the desktop and choose switchable graphics options or something like that and click a button. the screen blacks out and comes back in a second or so. it asks you to close all applications but i havent had a problem with applications open

 

Great, thanks..so let must just verify all this. Say I'm surfing the web and stuff, and I'm using the regular Intel HD graphics for that, then I decide to play a game so I switch to the actual graphic card, play the game and when I'm done, I switch back to the Intel HD graphics. That is how it works right? Same with movies?

 

Alright, after about a month of searching and a week of debating, I decided to order the HP dm4t over the Asus ul80jt. Originally we were going to order from Worst Buy but they would have still had to have it shipped to their store and they would try to sell us everything under the sun so we went through HP directly. Easy, quick, and painless. Well, for me at least. I don't think my dad enjoyed that final price.

It came to about $1,085 with tax and shipping. I got pretty much the basic of everything (4GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, etc etc) except I opted for the high-capicity standard battery. Also got a wireless mouse, case, recovery disk and a 3-year warranty with accidental damage and 4 years of LoJack. I'm really hoping that this thing will last me all through college.

I do have a couple of questions;
If I ever have to use the recovery disk would Windows 7 automatically be on that disk? I guess I'm confused by that whole thing so if someone could explain that it'd be great!

What's the best thing as far as when you first get the laptop itself? Would I have to charge the battery up, then let it drain then charge back up and be good to go?

Thanks for all your posts full of information. I'll be reading this thread for days.
I just hope it comes before I leave on the 19th. It had an expected build date of Aug. 11. But no worries if I have to come home and pick it up. Oh, and for reference, I'm coming from a Dell Inspiron 1526 that overheats all the time, has 2 broken hinges and no battery life. YAY DELL!

 

Is there any significant difference between the dm4t and dv4t laptops from HP?

 

It's not quite that seamless. Apparently, you must close out Internet explorer before you can switch graphics cards. There are also some other programs that require you to do this as well. It's pretty annoying.

 

Yeah. They're totally different laptops. The dm4 is aluminum and has MUCH better build quality. They don't look even remotely similar.The dm4t uses Core i5 and i7 dual core CPUs while the dv4t used older Perynn Pentium and C2D CPUs. The dv4t used a 1200x800 16:10 display while the dm4t uses a 1366x768 16:9 LED-backlit display. The dm4t is lighter (by about a pound) and thinner and has about twice as much battery life. Essentially, the only things they really have fully in common are screen size and the fact that HP makes them.

Also, the dv4t has been discontinued.

 

Finally received a working dm4t. I love it. Even after the hassle and wait I went through just to get it I still love it.

 

So don't use IE. Switching seems to work fine with Firefox and Chrome, and they've both better than IE, anyway.

 

1. The recovery disks are supposed to restore the laptop back to "factory condition": win7 plus all of the assorted stuff that's preinstalled.
   
   
2. In general, lithium-ion batteries don't like to be drained; draining them tends to shorten their life, theoretically. However, the battery meter should be periodically calibrated by draining the battery as much as possible (without causing an improper windows shutdown); for many people, this probably isn't really necessary, as normal laptop usage seems to make the battery level go up and down enough for a decent calibration.
   
   On the other hand, any shortening of battery life by a periodic battery draining (don't do this often) is probably not as large as the shortening of life caused by heat. Heat shortens lithium ion battery life.
   
   If anyone wants the technical details, go here: How to prolong lithium-based batteries

 

So I was inline at Costco all excited to purchase my DM4 WITH the 512mb Graphic Card for only 800$ until I found out they only accept American Express or Debit Card...I had a Visa...I was devastated =/. Does anyone know any actual stores (not online) where they have the same configuration product (the regular DM4 with the 512 switchable graphic card) for the similar price? Thanks in advance!

 

Vali, you should calibrate the battery when you get the laptop.
Charge it all the way, start the laptop, and do whatever you need to do and let the battery drain. You can wait until Windows automatically hibernates the laptop. Don't worry about this damaging the battery since all laptop batteries since a few years ago include protective circuitry. (Plus, Windows will hibernate it when the battery hits 8% charge) Then charge it all the way up again, and it should be calibrated.

 

You do have a costco card, right? If you do, you should be order to order from costco.com, which claims to take Visa, unlike the brick-and-mortar stores. The costco dm4 has the advantage of having a 2-year warranty, as well as a 90-day return policy.

 

I went with the Costco bundle.

Yea, $675 is cheaper than $800, but the upgraded video card plus another year of support makes that $850 or so...

Plus, you get the 90 days... and if the price drops, as it typically does with costco, I can get some money back within that time.

 

I mentioned no online stores, just actual stores I can go to to purchase it. Do any of you guys know if Costco takes personal checks? I can use that, right?

 

Keeping a battery plugged in for long periods of time also shortens the life. If you are not going to use it, take it out of the laptop.

 

Just saw the other day in bargain section that microsoftstore.com has dm4t for $629 after coupons.But when i visited the site,it says OUT OF STOCK.So,
1. Does that mean the deal is expired? (expiry date was 8/11/2010) or we can still buy it?
2. Where can we find microsoftstore coupons?
3. Are there any coupons for envy 14?

 

http://dealspl.us/hp-coupons has nice coupons.

 

How do you stack the coupons? Most of them says stackable... but there is only one place to enter it.

 

It means stackable with the instant discount.

 

what you guys think of this config with a price of $1,074.99 before student discount ???? THANKS


•Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
•Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-620M Dual Core processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost up to 3.33GHz
•1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5450 switchable graphics [HDMI, VGA]
•4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
•Microsoft(R) Office Starter 2010
•No additional security software
•High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (standard)
•14.0" diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView LED Display (1366 x 768)
•FREE Upgrade to 500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
•SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
•HP TrueVision Webcam and Fingerprint Reader
•Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
•Standard Keyboard
•HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
Estimated build date: August 17, 2010