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    HP dv6z-SE User Review

    Discussion in 'HP' started by abaddon4180, Jun 17, 2010.

  1. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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    I would also love to try to overclock the CPU. I was trying to search for a suitable tool to no avail. I contacted the maker of SetFSB and after some diagnostics he confirmed SetFSB would not work here.

    Is everyone getting >3hrs of battery life on balanced power settings and modest wifi web browsing? I am only getting 2.5hrs with the 55Wh battery. Abaddon, do you use any special settings to achieve longer battery life? I am at 40% brigthness and 0.725V 800MHz P4 state.

    Also I noticed that when I switch to external monitor (through VGA), my 3DMark score drops from 8300 to 7600 (at Core 700/Mem 900). Did you also experience something like that?
     
  2. abaddon4180

    abaddon4180 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Not using any special settings but I always get around 3:30 with my high capacity 6 cell and I tested my friends standard 6 cell twice when he let me and I got around 3:00 both times.
     
  3. pac1687

    pac1687 Notebook Guru

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    Does anybody run into an issue when they are running plugged in with the dedicated graphics, close the lid and unplug the notebook, and open the lid back up with the backlight not coming back on when it tries to switch graphics? I have flashed the latest BIOS and it seems to help a little, but I just had the issue again.
     
  4. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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  5. zecstone

    zecstone Newbie

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    Hi, im new here. Just picked one of these up yesterday. The right and left click on the mouse pad takes getting used to. Is there any way to assigning the left click to the calculator button. Thanks in advance
     
  6. zecstone

    zecstone Newbie

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    Also has anybody swapped the hard drive out for a 7200rpm and will it make a significant increase in performance. Or is a solid state drive the way to go?
     
  7. rla_z

    rla_z Notebook Enthusiast

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    Just got this laptop a couple days ago. Seems pretty good so far but here are some of my annoyances.

    -Hugh touchpad - when I'm typing with both hands my right hand palm makes contact with the touchpad and it makes the cursor move around a bit which is annoying
    Edit: just found out that you can easily disable/enable touchpad by double tapping so this isn't a problem anymore.

    -Keyboard - build quality is good, but the key placement is horrible. I'm still getting used to this keyboard but my wpm is around 20-30 below what I used to be able to type in my old laptop.

    1. Shortcut keys at left - not a fan. Who needs the calculator key anyways. I don't even know what that checkmark key is for.

    2. Compared to other keyboards I use, the enter key is placed a bit further away to the right. Instead of moving just your pinkey to hit it, I have to move my whole hand. IMO they should've moved the backslash key one row up and used that space to extend the enter key.

    3. The most annoying. Goddamn backslash key (again) beside the left shift key. Every single keyboard the shift key is right next to "z." I'm having a lot of trouble hitting the shift key with my left pinkey due to its weird placement.

    In the end, these are just minor annoyances and maybe I'll get used to them with time but yeah, just wanted to point them out.

    ---

    Also, does anyone know how to get the F1 to F12 keys to perform their original function? Like ctrl+F4 to close screen and F5 to refresh a web page?
     
  8. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    Yeah. something along those lines happened to me twice so far. Bios update per Hp's suggestion did not solve it for me either. I'm not too upset though, I knew what i was getting into when I bought a Hp
     
  9. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    I tested my battery life today. I did not disable anything like bluetooth). On power saving I got almost 3 hours (continuous web browsing) until I got down to 10% remaining battery life.

    I don't really enjoy having the screen that dim though. Next time I will test it with the screen at max brightness; If the difference is only 15-20 minutes then it's a no-brainer for me.
     
  10. Prydeless

    Prydeless Stupid is

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    With regards to the clickpad, there's also the PalmCheck feature as an alternative to just disabling the mouse. Keyboard layout is normal for me so I never have an issue with hitting the wrong key. Is your keyboard layout for a different country? And to turn the function keys back to normal, go into the BIOS.
     
  11. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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    You can remap some of those keys. I used a tool called "SharpKeys". The printer key, however, cannot be remapped this way.

    Interesting, in Australia we have the HP DV6 3016ax and I do not have the backslash key next to the left shift (non-backlit keyboard).

    This can be changed in the BIOS.
     
  12. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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    As for the 3Dmark06 scores I figured that the issue with lower score when run on an external monitor may be due to the fact that my external monitor can run at 3DMark's default 1280x1024 resolution but the internal LCD runs at a lower resolution only. So far I can see about 10% impact.
     
  13. zecstone

    zecstone Newbie

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    Will "Sharpkeys" remap the calculator key to a left click action?
     
  14. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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    I think you can only use Sharpkeys to map one keyboard key to another keyboard key. I have mapped the Calc key to Ctrl.

    Alternatively, you can change the application that will be launched, if you edit Windows Registry [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AppKey\18]
     
  15. wittymania

    wittymania Notebook Enthusiast

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    hi can you please let me know the product code of the high capacity battery? im planning to buy the extended battery but i need the code to confirm if the battery im looking for is really the high capacity battery (62whr). thanks
     
  16. supralover23

    supralover23 Notebook Consultant

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    Has anybody experimented with swapping the optical drive out for an SSD? Is it even possible connectors-wise? Would the laptop support dual disks?
     
  17. zecstone

    zecstone Newbie

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    just installed intel ssd Capture.PNG
     
  18. Twe Foju

    Twe Foju Notebook Consultant

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    hm a quick question

    does this laptop support the 1600mhz RAM?
     
  19. Ki11aM00n

    Ki11aM00n Newbie

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    Disreguard
     
  20. skat

    skat Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ki11aM00n, I saw you over at the overclockers forum. Did you manage to overclock the CPU?
     
  21. wittymania

    wittymania Notebook Enthusiast

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    does the hp dv6z 802.11 b/g/n support 5Ghz wireless N?
     
  22. Twe Foju

    Twe Foju Notebook Consultant

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    i dont think so

    anyway... with the release of new AMD procs, HP have updated the dv6z's custom page

    there are now 2 more new Processor included

    and the most shocking one is N950 with all the same specs as N930, except it's 2.1GHz

    and cost $60, just for 0.1 GHz.. :rolleyes:

    i dont know what AMD is thinking
     
  23. minenfeld

    minenfeld Notebook Guru

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    How does the i5-540M stack up against AMD's N930?
     
  24. City Pig

    City Pig Notebook Virtuoso

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    From what I've seen, the N930 is about equal in multithreaded apps, but for the most part it's behind. Few will notice the difference, though.
     
  25. neonknight

    neonknight Newbie

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    And what do you think about AMD P940 vs Intel i7 720QM ? I can't find any data on P940 on the web at all, even on AMD site...
     
  26. City Pig

    City Pig Notebook Virtuoso

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    P940's can't compare. The i7 is far ahead.
     
  27. ECKS

    ECKS Notebook Prophet

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    Good review. Thank you for making this available!
     
  28. Twe Foju

    Twe Foju Notebook Consultant

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    anyway, i dont understand why P940 is more expensive than N930

    P940 is 1.7GHz and N930 is 2.0GHz
     
  29. City Pig

    City Pig Notebook Virtuoso

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    The lower power rating, I guess. Even then, who buys a quad core to reduce energy usage?
     
  30. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    I turned mine on today and instead of loading windows it started CHKDSK on its own...should I be concerned? It did not find any errors so maybe it was a fluke or windows did not shut down correctly last night?
     
  31. ECKS

    ECKS Notebook Prophet

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    Perhaps the 2nd choice. You can google how to turn off CHKDSK on startup. That used to happen to my computer and it was unavoidable with Vista, so I had to shut it off :)

    P.O.S. Vista as usual. But hey, we have Win7 now! Woohoo
     
  32. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    Nope it's got the Broadcom 4313, 2.4ghz only

    Broadcom.com - BCM4313 - InConcert Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Coexistence Interface for Single/Dual Antenna Designs

    For me it's quite slow, I have the top of the line Buffalo router and only get 65mbps . I did some googling and some people tend to think these 4313's suck and top out at around 72mbps. Not sure it this is true or if I need to change some router settings. On a positive note the Bluetooth 3.0 works perfectly.
     
  33. InXs

    InXs Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have some questions regarding my laptop 3050em, processor is AMD Turion II Dual Core P520 2.30GHZ, other config same as 3050us.

    I know that AMD processor is known to runn hotter as Intel cpus. But mine is running idle at 45 to 52 C at room temp around 22 C. Laptop is on "clean" desk, nothing is blocking ventilation intake/outake. When I boot in OS, laptop already starts to operate at that temp. I have removed some HP bloatware no difference.

    I checked info with EVEREST to find out that CPU is usually running at 800mhz (original 2300) reporting temps seem to be hig for that low clock frequency.
    I also changed graphic's to low power state with no difference.

    Im not panicking I just need to know if is this normal/safe working temp for this P520 CPU. I forgot to mention that fans are usualy running full speed. when watching some movies on youtube (not in ful HD, usualy 480p).
    Thanks
     
  34. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    Well, I have the quad core version and mine typically runs in the mid 50's Celsius. The temp is a little lower right when i boot up the laptop but for the most part is hangs out around 53-55C (according to Core Temp). My GPU temp starts off at about 37C upon boot up and very quickly rises to about 50C on average (according to my gpu observer gadget). My fans are almost always running too, even when I am just browsing the web or whatever. The only time this thing runs cool is when I just use Quickweb (but it is soooo slow and almost useless).
    And yeah, my cpus are at 800mhz baseline then boost up to 2000 when needed. I have not really noticed my cpu temps rise as they boost up to 2000mhz though. I have tried using a cooling fan but it only drops the cpu temp by about a degree or so whether its fans are spinning or not. Keeps the laptop off my lap though, it does get pretty warm, to the point of being annoying. These are def AMD specials!

    Update: So last night I decided to switch to the 4250 when I watched The Walking Dead and my laptop definitely ran "cooler", I could actually place it in my lap without it being too uncomfortable. The weird part is I did not really notice the temp of my cpu drop but the bottom of the laptop was not as hot. I turned the 5650 back on and in no time the bottom of the laptop was so hot I had to put it on a coffee table. Unfortunately, my gpu observer no longer recognizes the 4250 (not sure why as it used to work) so I can't tell you how hot/cool the 4250 runs under load. What I can tell you, however, is after 2 hours of playing Titan Quest with everything maxed out (big whop I know) the 5650 gpu was at 68C and after 1 hour of playing L4D the gpu was at 70C. I have not seen it rise above 70 yet but that is hot enough.


     
  35. Glock24

    Glock24 Notebook Geek

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    The dv6z-se look really nice, but the CPU selection is poor. I prefer a higher clocked dual-core than a low clock quad-core.

    I know this is not a computer for serious gaming, but a 2.6Ghz AthlonII DC would give better performance than a 2GHz PhenomII QC.

    The non-se dv6z looks better in that aspect, but would really have the metal chasis of the se.
     
  36. InXs

    InXs Notebook Enthusiast

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    I also perfer higher clocked dual than quad core CPU.
    But I don't think that CPU selection is poor in AMD/HP range. I hate fact that you can get Intel based procesor on every corner. AMD CPU's are so much underestimated. AMD Phenom N930 in dv6z with HD 5650 is good choice also for "hardcore" gaming despite this isn't gaming machine...

     
  37. Twe Foju

    Twe Foju Notebook Consultant

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    next year will be interesting though
    with all the new AMD Radeon lineups and also the new AMD Llano

    surely HP is going to update the selection range with those new ones

    i personally will wait and see what they offer next

    HP Pavilion with AMD Quad 2.8GHz++ with Radeon 68xx anyone? :p
     
  38. bigspin

    bigspin My Kind Of Place

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    hello guyz

    Anyone try to clean install the system. I can't boot(Stuck @ boot logo) when i install 3D driveguard with AMD AHCI driver.
     
  39. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    Well, for the most part the average person will never see the difference between a lower clocked quad core vs a higher clocked dual core. And for some games, perhaps GTA4, you pretty much need a quad core from what I've read. I have read about people o/c their N930's but I am not sure how they did it. I know it's quite easy to o/c the 5650 but so far I don't see the point. I can play Crysis with everything nearly maxed out (obviously not on ultra, just on high). And I have no desire to ever play Metro 2033 again unless it is in 3D. Everything else could be played on a lesser gpu.

    Here's a thought, how hard would it be to swap out the N930 chip with a higher clocked one (they seem to be real cheap)? That could be an option if it runs cool enough and is compatible with the motherboard, etc.

    In the end I paid $645 for this thing shipped so I can't complain about the crappy slow clock speeds on the AMD processor. AMD really does need to step their game up though for the laptop market, from the bar charts I've seen this N930 is about 30% slower at single threaded apps than a Core 2 Duo T4400, which is sad. But again, for the average person this is a moot point.
     
  40. jay453

    jay453 Newbie

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    Hello All,
    I purchased an HP DV6z Select Edition two months ago to replace a MacBook. I mainly wanted to replace it because the HP gave me so much more for my money.

    Anyway, the minute I turned on the DV6, I noticed that the screen quality was horrible. The colors were washed out, inaccurate and the screen looked extremely pixelated. I noticed the screen quality became worse when I switched the laptop to the integrated graphics. The display on my MacBook is a lot more vibrant.

    I ended up returning the DV6 because of the screen issue. But now, I wish I had not returned it because I enjoyed all the other aspects about it.

    My question is then: Did I just receive a "bad" display and/or graphics card? Or, am I just expecting too much from the HP DV6z? I have never owned a HP laptop before, so I do not know if the display quality of the DV6z I purchased is "normal". However, I find that may not be true because I have generally found positive reviews of the DV6z.

    Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
     
  41. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    that thing would run so hot it would turn to dust, hp really needs to add more fans or think about where to place their components to maximize air flow. My 2 ghz quad core gets hot enough to be almost painful, and those 5650's run hot enough as it is.
     
  42. xninjagrrl

    xninjagrrl Notebook Consultant

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    Not to be rude but what did you expect? You went from a Mac (which have the best displays on the market imo) to a mid-range Hp laptop with crap screen resolution (this is why you see the pixels). These panels are pretty cheap and crappy, better than what Dell throws in their little Alienwares but that is not saying much.
    I hear the Envys with the 900p edge-to-edge screen were almost mac book pro quality but Hp is not offering that upgrade right now. Stick with a Mac since that's what you're used to, you will have a hard time finding a non-Mac with a nice screen. I suggest maybe a Dell Studio 16 with the 1080p upgrade, people rave about the screen quality but then again you will also pay much more.


     
  43. pr0orz1337

    pr0orz1337 Newbie

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    Somebody has installed catalyst mobility 10.10 in this HP laptop with -> 1GB ATI Radeon 5650/4250?

    It's possible?
     
  44. City Pig

    City Pig Notebook Virtuoso

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    You can only do it if you have the i7.
     
  45. pr0orz1337

    pr0orz1337 Newbie

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    Thanks 4 the info!

    I've got an AMD Phenom II N620 - 4250+5650 Switchable
     
  46. bigspin

    bigspin My Kind Of Place

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    I have N620 with 4250+5470 & I have no problems with generic ATI mobility driver. Works fine.
     
  47. pr0orz1337

    pr0orz1337 Newbie

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    ...but you have an HP pavilion with signed drivers?
     
  48. City Pig

    City Pig Notebook Virtuoso

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    Sorry! I got mixed up! Yeah, you can download it and it'll work fine!
     
  49. pr0orz1337

    pr0orz1337 Newbie

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    Should I uninstall older driver before, or I can install over older one? :confused:

    Some tips abaout the install procedure are wellcome. :eek:

    Thanks in advance :D
     
  50. bigspin

    bigspin My Kind Of Place

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    Always uninstall your old driver. Restart and Go to Safe Mode. Use CCleaner to clean your registry. Restart and install new driver.
     
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