Help me decide - HP zd5000 or 7000

I am in the market for a new laptop for my home. This will be our only computer so it will need to be a desktop replacement grade. I'll use it for work on occasion and general home use, email, internet, photos, games, music, etc. I also plan to do some light video editing on it at some point. I'd like an integrated wireless package as well. Weight is not really an issue since I won't be traveling with it a ton.

Is the main difference between these two the screen size? What processor should I get? Are there any no brainer upgrades I should get when buying a laptop? Any other models or brands I should consider?

Thanks!

 

the Zd7000 is a good Desktop replacement but it will be Phased out soon, as the Zd8000 has been released. The No brainer upgrades are a gig of ram and a 7200 rpm hard drive, the hitachi 760k is a good drive.

 

It's a choice between the zv5000z and the zd8000. The zd8000 has the nice big screen and great GPU, while the zv5000z has the better CPU (Athlon 64) but weak GPU (GeForce 440 Go). Why HP hasn't offered an Athlon 64 version of the zd8000 is a mystery, since it's pretty retarded to put a Prescott-core P4 blast furnace in a notebook (grrrrr... sorry, the illogic of marketing weasles drives me nuts) and the Athlon 64 is a far better gaming CPU.

 

i agree with you Brain, my Emac Laptop M6811 scored almost 10k stock in 3dmark01. This HP scores 8K Weak P4 lol but i still love this laptop tho, it runs everything i throw at it well.

If they would have offered the Zv5000 with a decent GPU, i would have been all over it! but Noooo lol.

 

Thanks for the insight so far, just a follow up, can I upgrate the GPU? Is the one in the 5000 a deal breaker? Is there another brand outside of HP I should look at?

 

The zv5000z's GPU is soldered to the motherboard, so it can't be upgraded. If you're seriously into gaming it's probably a deal-breaker. If you're not doing heavy 3D work it's not a problem, it's a very good 2D GPU.

 

One last question, is there any reason to get the Compaq version of the 5000 laptop over the HP? Consumer Reports said that Compaq has terrible customer serivce. And the Athlon processor is the way to go, over the P4, correct?

 

If the Compaq version is cheaper and you like how it looks better, by all means get the Compaq. Otherwise there's no advantage or disadvantage. Service and support is about as poor as everyone else these days, perhaps slightly less bad.

The Athlon 64 is definitely the way to go versus the P4.