HP dv6500t vs dv6000t

I customized my dv6500t on the HP site, added all my options and the price came to $1634.20 US (tax incl).

I was hoping to keep the price below $1400, so I tried a dv6000t, and came up with $1355.03 US (tax incl).

I'm trying to decide which one to go for, or maybe look at other options.

Here's the tale of the tape:
dv6500t $1634.20
dv6000t $1355.03

dv6500t: Intel T7100 1.8GHz 2MBL2 800MHzFSB
dv6000t: Intel T2450 2.0GHz 2MBL2 533MHzFSB

dv6500t: 120GB 540RPM
dv6000t: 160GB 540RPM

Other than that the specs are the same:
2GB DDR2 (2DIMM)
Vista Home Premium
15.4" 1280x800
8x DVD+/-RW w/lightscribe
12 Cell Lithium Battery
Microsoft Office Basic

From what I gather, the dv6500 is a newer model, that does not seem to be plagued with the high pitch whine problem that dv6000 is prone to.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think both the Intel T7100 & T2450 are Santa Rosa platform chips.

Are there substatial differences in the hardware that make the dv6500t $280 better than the dv6000t?

I'm committing to HP, so if there are any other models you think might be an equal or stronger value, please advise.

TIA

 

OK, I see on another board that the speed of the dv6500t pretty much blows the dv6000t out of the water.

Any suggestions for a machine close to the 6500 in speed and closer to the 6000 in price?

 

The dv6000t is not santa rosa. The only reason to go with a dv6500t would be the newer video card, though the processor is a bit better, but not $280 better.

Try the Dell Inspiron 1520. With coupons, you can easily keep it under $1300.

 

Blows it out of the water? No. The 2GHZ Core Duo (in the dv6000t) is plenty fast, much faster than a 3GHZ Pentium 4.

The 6500's processor certainly is faster but not "blows it out of the water" faster.

But do you need the faster CPU? If you are just surfing the web and running Microsoft Office you wouldn't even notice the difference between the two CPUs.

The dv6000t is a great machine.

 

I was hoping to avoid Dell. I hate waiting for things.

I'll be web surfing and emailing, mostly.
But as a designer, I use Photoshop quite a bit, Illustrator etc.

How does Photoshop run on the 6000?

 

One word.. HDMI. The dv6500i has the nvidia 8400 card with HDMI output.. Its future proof to output to the newer HDTV TV's. Maybe you don't have one right now, but the ability to output HD videos may be something you want to do later. Also, forget about Dell. Many people have canceled Dell systems because of grainy screens. Dell displays as a general rule are not up to the standards of HP. HP screens are so nice. With Dell, its the luck of the draw.. They use multiply sources for panels and some are good and others are very grainy... some with too much light bleed etc... no quality control. The dell 1500 also has interference in the headphone jack.. from processor. And last the 1500 is a tank.. heavier and bigger then HP.. Too me, my new dv6500t feels as portable as the junk 1420 I had. If a 14 inch dell seems as bulky as a 15" HP, then you can imagine what a tank the dell 1520 is.

 

Photoshop runs just as well on the 6000 as it does on the 6500.

The faster processor in the 6500 is only noticeable when your running things that require a lot of power. You don't need the fastest system for web surfing.

The 6500 won't make your web surfing or email any faster. You'd be spending money on processing power you'll never use.

For you, a 2GHZ Pentium M would be fine.

He mentioned the HDMI above. You won't use that either, unless you plan to connect your laptop to high-definition TVs.

The 6000 has VGA and S-video out, perfect for Standard def TVs, and Analog monitors.

You can go for the 6500, but you'd be wasting hundreds on things you'll never use.

 

The Core Duo isn't EMT64 enabled. You'll never be able to run a 64-bit OS on it. That is a deal breaker for me.

 

Again, he doesn't need that. He doesn't need a 64bit OS. And right now, it's pointless to get a 64Bit OS.

Most of the computers right now only support 4GB of RAM, that's only 1GB more than 32bit Vista supports. 64bit Vista also has compatibility issues with several programs.


By the time any of us NEED 64bit support, we'll be upgrading our machines anyway.

 

Thanks desert...
This site is a lifesaver, thanks to all.

Back to the questions:
How much does the dv6565us differ from the dv6000t?

At B&H, they have a dv6565us for $1149:

Intel Core2Duo T5250 1.5GHz
System Bus 800 MHz
2GB RAM
PC2-5300 DDR2 SO-DIMM
Intel GMA X3100
8xDVD+/-R/RW lightscribe
6 Cell battery (i'd order the 12cell from HP)

With linksys & Microsoft office it comes to $1729.
Should I get the dv6565us?

 

No, that would probably be slower than a 6000t.

a 2GHZ Core Duo (in the 6000t) will probably be faster with programs that don't support multiple cores.

You can also get the 6000t cheaper with a better Nvidia Go 7400 GPU.

 

You can get a 6000t with....

2GHZ Core Duo
1GB RAM
Go 7400 GPU
DVD Burner
Home + Student Office
160GB HD
Vista Home premium
Sexy gloss finish + Microphone + Webcam

All that for $928.99 from HP

So $1730 for the Dv6500t (most of it you don't need) or a dv6000t for $930.

hmmmmm.

 

that is such a misinformed statement....there is more to 64-bit than just having access to more memory.

name one program 64-bit Vista has compatibility issues with.

 

I never said there wasn't, but by the time any of use can use 64bit to it's full potential, our machines will be underpowered and need to be upgraded anyways.

http://www.dansdata.com/askdan00001.htm

 

This bit of information goes right over my head.
Could you please explain?

And if its not too much trouble, could you explain "programs that don't support multiple cores".

Its not for nothing people. I am gaining some serious education from you guys. Thanks.

 

The Core Duo and Core 2 Duo have two processing cores on them. So essentially you have 4GHZ of processing power if you have a 2GHZ Core Duo.

Programs that don't support the multiple cores on the CPU will probably benefit more from the Higher clock speed of the Core Duo, than the Core 2 Duo's faster FSB etc.

 

i got my dv6500t special edition for $1150 (with coupons)
it came with
core 2 duo T7300 2.0 ghz
120 gb 5400 rpm
2 gb ddr2
nvidia geforce 8400M
glossy finish, fingerprint, webcam, microphone
some accessories (headphones, optical mouse)

so i dont even know why you would consider a dv6000 if you can pay a little more (inevitably the 6500 would be more expensive than the 6000, because you get the processor upgrade) to get something that is more futureproof and is a better machine overall

edit: i also plan on installing vista ultimate on it

 

no you don't. You have twice the data processing capability of a hypothetically equivilent single 2Ghz CPU. and this is IF the software (unlikely) is written to take advantage of two cores.

 

1: No compatibility with old 16-bit Windows apps. This means ancient Windows 3.x software, which most people don't run any more,

When was the last time you ran a windows 3.x app? Have you -ever- run a Windows 3.x app?

 

Did you not order it with Ultimate? Or is it not offered on the special editions?

 

You just non-agreed, agreed with me. What is twice the data processing capability of a 2GHZ CPU? A 4GHZ CPU?

 

no. you are ASSuming that a hypothetical 4Ghz 1 core CPU could process the same amount of data as a 2Ghz dual core. That is simply not true and has already been proven incorrect. You really think a 3.2Ghz P4 can keep up with a 1.6Ghz Core Duo?

 

No, you can't compare a Pentium 4 to a Core Duo. They are completely different. A 3.2GHZ Pentium 4 could certainly out perform a 1.6GHZ core Duo with single core Apps.

Now enough with this arguing. Back on topic.

a dv6000t would be MORE than enough for what you're going to use it for (Web surfing + emailing) a 6500 would be overkill and just plain wasting money.

 

you can't compare a dual core to a single core CPU, period. and Ghz stacking is complete baloney. using your (flawed) logic an 8Ghz CPU is the same as a Quad Core 2Ghz CPU.

 

Take your own advice then, you were comparing a P4 and Core Duo.

 

I dunno, your stupid signature thingy is identifying my P4 Prescott as a Core Duo...so maybe the comparison isn't that far off. Oh wait, maybe that's because a Core Duo IS two P4 cores strapped together.

My main beef is the misinformation you spread by telling users that 2Ghz dual core is the same as a 4Ghz when it is simply not true.

 

I'm going to stay away from the argument you two are having, but, if you are going to use photoshop on your laptop, I would recommend the newer Core 2 Duos in the dv6500t as photoshop is a processor intensive program and will benefit from the increase to a better processor.

 

The Core Duo is not two Pentium 4 Cores. My main beef is the misinformation you spread by telling users this.

I did not say they are the same. But, Two 2GHZ cores = 4GHZ of processing power. No, it is not the same as a Single Core 4GHZ CPU, but I never said it was.

You are making yourself appear stupid.

If it was telling you that you were running a Core Duo it would say "You are running on a Core Duo"

It said "2GHZ Core Duo" because I put it there Because My computer has a 2GHZ Core Duo, it randomly switches from displaying MY operating system, Graphics card, and CPU in the bottom.