HP dv2700 series review, model dv2840se

Hello, I thought I would post a review of my new HP dv2840se, part of the dv2700 series, for the benefit of ppl considering this series of laptop.

The dv2840se configuration comes with:
-the Verve special edition notebook chassis
-AMD TL-60 processor
-4 gigs of RAM
-250 GB 5200 RPM hard drive
-integrated graphics NVIDIA geforce go 7150
-dvd writer with light scribe
-HP webcam
-altec lensing speakers
-all types of wireless + bluetooth
-6 cell battery

After turning on the notebook for the first time, you'll get to go through the vista and HP configurations screens, which is very well done and easy for inexperienced users. It is my first time owning a computer that uses Vista, and so far I've no complaints as I've yet to encounter compatibility issues or severe dislike of the Vista interface. The only thing I don't like with Vista is the Start menu, which I think is total crap, but fortunately you can select to use the "Classic" start menu, which is similar to WinXP. Besides that, I actually enjoy how the configuration (Control Panel) menus are done. Everything is intuitive and easy to find, and if you can't find it, there's a convenient Search field on every page.

The laptop also comes with a severe case of HP bloatware, from redundant wireless assistants, two billion HP softwares, Norton trial, Office trial and all the way to the Yahoo toolbar (hate that $hit). So ya, there's cleaning to be done.

On a performance point of view, the laptop is very fast and responsive, better than my work laptops which use similar generation intel processors. The 4 gigs of RAM make a huge difference when you have many applications open at the same time. I actually think that 4 gigs is a bit overkill, but it came with it By the way, that RAM is also shared for the video card, which can use up to 1 gig.

The integrated graphics card is definitively no good for gaming, as can be expected, although it is more than enough for the Vista aero interface. I've read reviews that say its better than intel 3100, or other saying that intel 3100 is better. Bottom line is, you'll get frame rates under 20 fps with high quality graphics in Warcraft III, which is kind of sucky. In any case, I didn't buy this notebook for gaming, so this test was merely for curiosity.

My biggest disappointment is probably the screen, which has poor vertical viewing angle. It's the case with many HP laptops I've used (not all). There were no dead pixels on my screen. It's a 14 inch screen notebook, which I find is the best compromise between a 13 inch (too small) and 15 inch (often too bulky) notebook.

The speakers are surprisingly good for laptop speakers. They're altec lensing and it shows. The media touch buttons work very well and have a pretty blue glow to them.

Speaking of pretty, the Verve chassis is very pretty. It also feels very durable and the finish looks scratch resistant. The keyboard buttons are OK, but the Arrows and other buttons located in the bottom right corner feel a bit weird, as if the keyboard is not well attached to the chassis. I've read in other reviews that it's also the case with similar models... It's nothing to fuss about, as it all works well anyways. The track pad is ok, but it has a finish that is similar to the chassis varnish, which makes it sticky if your fingers are a bit humid. It's hard to explain, but generally I'd recommend using a separate mouse.

I've not fully tested the battery life yet, though from what I've seen, I think it will last about 2.5 to 3 hours while doing light work. Not so good, but if you need it to last longer, you should not be using a 6-cell battery anyways. They make nice 12-cell for that model.

What this laptop doesn't have and woulda been nice is: fingerprint reader, HDMI output, the Verve slipcase and Verve mouse.

So in conclusion, for 1000 bucks, you get a very pretty notebook that has all the functionality you need to do work or internet related tasks efficiently. The high ram, good speakers and media buttons mean that you get to do that work while enjoying all your favorite music, videos and whatnot. On many laptops, you have to use headphones to get good sound quality(which gets annoying in the long run, especially if you're in a private place where you don't have to worry about other ppl), but if you're not too picky, you'll find the sound on this laptop just fine. If you're like me and download lots of multimedia content, you'll like having that good storage room. The little extras, such as the webcam and integrated bluetooth are very convenient. Oh ya, and for those who are wondering, there's 3 usb ports (2 if you have a model with HDMI out).

 

Very nice review! I have an Intel 2700t being built and should arrive by April 23rd.