New purchase: HP's vs the rest?

Hey....I'm looking at getting either a dv6000 or dv9000 but still researching my options. It's basicaly down to HP or Toshiba. I'm still considering the 17" model but if battery life is gonna blow then I'll definitely go with a 15.4"

Without finding any spectacular deals anywhere, I've come up with 4 possible options. I'd like for you guys to take a look at them and tell me what you think. I'm not real particular with the processor but I understand the Core 2 will give me better battery life, which is becoming one of the highest priorities for me (while still sticking with an HP if possible). I'm trying to stay under $1000 and don't really care to go over that amount if possible. I'm not a gamer but would like to keep up to date. So far I've narrowed it down to:

HP dv6000t

Genuine Windows XP Media Center
Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T5500 (1.66 GHz)
15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
100 GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950 - Core
LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

$998.99 (including $50 MIR)

-------------------------------------------------------


HP dv6000z

Genuine Windows XP Media Center
AMD Turion(TM) 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-56(1.8GHz/512KB)
15.4" WXGA Widescreen (1280x800)
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
100 GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 6150
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone
8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
802.11b/g WLAN
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

$858.99 (including $50 MIR)

-------------------------------------------------------


Toshiba A105-S4384

Microsoft® Windows XP Media Center Edition

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5500 at 1.66GHz
2MB L2 Cache
15.4" widescreen TruBrite™ TFT LCD display; 1280 x 800 (WXGA)
1GB DDR2 SDRAM memory (shared)
160GB SATA hard drive (4,200 RPM)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
DVD-SuperMulti Double Layer Drive
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11a/b/g) WLAN

$999.99 from Costco.com

-------------------------------------------------------

HP dv9000z

Genuine Windows XP Media Center
AMD Turion(TM) 64 X2 Dual-Core TL-52(1.6GHz/512KB)
17.0" WXGA+ BrightView Widescreen (1440x900)
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
100 GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 6150
LightScribe DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
802.11b/g WLAN

$999.99 at Best Buy


So my major concerns are:

1. Are there any specific configuration types I should look at that would net me be more battery life?

2. Aside from the processor, what are the other major sources that drain the battery?

3. If you can, could you give me YOUR estimate of the typical battery life (in hours) for each of those laptops based on their configurations?

4. Which of those do you think is the best option for me based on my preferences above?

5. Any suggestions for a laptop not listed above? Any special deals I should look for?

Thanks a lot guys for your assistance. I love this place! I've gotten so much information already!

 

UPDATE: I was able to shave off about $70 on the dv6000t with the APP thing through HP

The total now stands at $930.05 for those same options I have listed above.

 

Don't even think about dv9000z! Battery life is just over 1h 30m, big screen kills all the battery.
Do a little bit of homework and see if you can save some money by ordering configuration with least memory (512MB) and then buying 2GB from newegg.com (make sure to buy the right one), because that will improve performance the most. Try to squeeze non-integrated graphic card into your budget, the rest of things will give you unnoticeable improvement in speed.
I'm very happy with my HP! Toshiba was my second choice, but I wouldn't buy this one because 4200rpm HDD, its just too slow.
Good Luck!

 

ALOT of people like to exaggerate the fact that AMDs have less life than Core Duos. Not quite so. I mean, HP's battery estimates are not far off. My brother get's 5 hours on his V2000z, compared to the 5:30 estimate.

EDIT: I noticed you used the APP Discount. If you're thinking about bringing this thing around campus, don't even think about 17" laptops, maybe 15.4" max (and I mean max, it may be slightly large). While me, having a 17", I believe this is slightly exaggerated, it is still quite inconvenient to carry. A 14" is a good size, so try out the DV2000 and V3000 (it's the Compaq equivalent, which are usually cheaper... The equivalent to the DV6000 is the V6000).

 

If you're looking at options, and want to save some money you may want to consider the below:

4 hour battery life, up to 16 hours with the extended battery.

It's a business class machine, and has a slightly faster gpu than the fastest gpu listed above (6150). http://www.notebookcheck.com/Mobile-Grafikkarten-Benchmarkliste.735.0.html


PS: the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 places pretty much at the bottom...

http://www.notebookforums.com/thread176205.html

15 inch screen
Magnesium alloy frames and display enclosures
HP Spill-resistant keyboard
HP Biometric Fingerprint Sensor
TPM 1.2 Embedded Security Chip
512 MB (667 MHz) DDR2 SDRAM (1 512 mb DIMM) - Note: Max RAM maximum 4GB
ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 (33% faster than a Xpress 200m), not good for "games"... but you get:
4-hours of battery life, up to 16 hours with the high cap battery.

AMD Sempron processor 3400+
Processor features
1.8 GHz, 256-KB L2 cache
Memory, std.
512 MB (667 MHz) DDR2 SDRAM (1 DIMM)
Note: Max RAM maximum 4GB
Video
Display type
15.0 inch XGA
Display resolution
Up to 32-bit per pixel color depth .VGA port supports resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 at 75 Hz, and lower resolutions at up to 100 Hz, resolutions are dependent upon monitor capability, and resolution and color depth settings.
video adapter card
ATI Radeon Xpress 1150 with up to 128-MB shared system memory
Storage
CD drive type
DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
Hard drive, internal
60 GB (5400 rpm) SATA

Security management
HP ProtectTools Security Manager; HP Biometric Fingerprint Sensor; Configuration Control Hardware; Memory Change Alert; Ownership Tag; Setup Password; Power-On Password; HP Drivelock; TPM Enhanced DriveLock; HP Disk Sanitizer; Enabled for PC Smart Card options; Kensington Lock Slot; TPM 1.2 Embedded Security Chip.


PS: The above is a "business machine", so if you need service you should get "business class" service... meaning you're not going to get those lovely delays, and the run around that you might get on a consumer grade model.

Another thing to consider is "now" is really not the time to drop a bunch of money on a lappy as the next generation machines will be out in a few months.

 

weiser701,

While you say you're not gamer, there's a bunch of info in this thread you may want to read: http://www.notebookforums.com/thread157799.html

.


BTW: I'd say to go for a unit no larger than 15 /15.4 if you're going to be carrying it around.

I'd stay away from the Toshiba for two reasons (besides is has a slow gpu):

1: 4,200 rpm hard drive
2: Support after the sale... I'd rather deal with a company that focuses on PC's, than TV sets, boomboxes, etc.


.

 

I would go for it the price is pretty good

 

But what's his config? I'm sure the sempron is great, but it seems as if the x2 gets poo results compared to the c2d (I'm going for the sempron myself)

 

Personally, it think the Core 2 v. Sempron/Turion x2 comes down to the Core 2 does more work at equal or better battery life. You aren't going to lose anything by going Core 2. I don't have enough experience with the amd mobile processors to say for sure, but the general consensus is that Core 2 does have a better battery life. How much though I'm not sure.

HP's estimates can be pretty far off at times, as are any manufacturers. I'd put more stock on reports from our users.

 

Ok, so it looks like I can take the Toshiba out of the running but what about these "next generation" laptops you speak of? What is making them next generation? We just got the Core 2 processor......is something new coming out already? And wouldn't these computers likely be out of my price range anyways? I'd hate to pass up good deals right now (if i can find them) only to wind up with expensive newer models a few months down the road. I mean....you can research these things to death and still end up with what will be considered an older machine in 6 months.

Thanks for your advice. What do you think I can get for battery life out of the dv6000t with a Core 2 1.66Mhz, 5400 RPM SATA HD, Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 950. Would a different graphics card make a difference?

 

.


Next generation?

Google Hybrid hard drives/Vista.. (Hybrid hard drives giving more battery life... and faster boot times, since alot of the boot data will be in a flash chip.... 800mhz (vs 667), Quad core, DX10... those are the things that are coming.... Some items coming sooner than others of course..


.

 

Some more deals that you really can't go wrong on..

Worth the read for the info in the thread on when is the best time to pick up a good deal..

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=86514



* AMD Sempron 3500+ 1.80GHz processor
* 14.1" WXGA widescreen
* Nvidia Go 6150
* 512MB of RAM afer free upgrade
* 40GB hard drive
* DVD-CR/RW
* Black shiny finish
* 802.11g wireless

 

Actually....I already checked that thread out. I've been a madman on this forum already

I think I'm willing to step it up a notch compared to those models. Definitely good prices though if you're looking for an entry level notebook. I know I said I won't be gaming or anything that like that, but I still like to future-proof to some extent.

And about that "next generation" stuff - is it worth waiting for (remember who we're talking about here, lol)? Is an improved HD gonna make enough difference in battery life to wait for? And would the prices even be fair enough? That Quad Core will be $$$ won't it? I'm counting on buying a second battery so if I can get 3 hours on a dv6000t I'll be happy enough.

 

Out of all the systems you listed, I would think the dv6000z was the best deal. I have a dv5000t, which is roughly the same size / weight, and it is definitely too big to carry around campus easily. I might be getting a itty bitty Macbook to supplement my current rig.

 

and you know....that always gets to me. i started college with a 15" Compaq and i never thought it was too big or heavy. i just think the trends are shifting towards smaller notebooks so we now perceive the 15" and up as big clunkers when in fact they're really not all that much more cumbersome if don't want to squint. until we get start using some sort of computer goggles, you go with the screen that fits your preferences and to that person the perception of size may be different. i don't want to watch movies on a 10" or 12" monitor. but them little ones sure are convenient concerning travel, no matter which way you look at it

and why do you think the dv6000z would be the better deal? i keep reading how the Core 2 will get me better battery life and that's kind of a big concern to me. just curious......

EDIT: just an fyi.... i only have a few more classes left - less than a full semester's worth. so that facet of travel won't be concerning me much. this thing will be used more on my desk than on my lap. but i still want some decent battery life.

 

just Googled this:

http://news.com.com/2100-1006_3-6096192.html

sounds like notebooks might even be a little further down the road. that, coupled with their obviously higher prices means i might as well just get the Core 2 (or AMD 64 X2 if people can convince me) right now. i plan on spending about $900 so i shouldn't really be missing out. thanks for the heads up though

 

Like I said, some features will be coming sooner than others of course...

Addtionally, if you're wanting max battery life don't discount what Hybrid hard drives will mean... if you can wait a little longer.

BTW: I understand wanting to go with a faster cpu, and to future proof, but at the prices for the above units I listed you could buy one today, and use it for a year or two,.... and buy another low cost unit that would be faster than most anything on the market now for about the same amount of money.

I know I'm waiting for the next generation machines, if I'm going to drop big $$$ for one....

One last thing... all the above depends on the useage of the machine... if you really have a "need" for the faster cpu, or gpu. Faster cpu, gpu most of the time sucking more power and creating more heat if that's important to you...

Please next time state the intended "use" of the machine upfront to save us all alot of time.

 

Weiser,
Within the last week I purchased the 6000t. I bought from Costco...they have a killer return policy and offer an even better price on building custom HP's thru their website than directHP. I spend most time hooked up to an external monitor, but have watched a DVD or 2 before bed going mobile. I had no problem running over 2 hours watching "batman Begins" with no power conservation. I ws worried about battery life but not anymore. If the little 6-cell is not enuff grab a spare battery at purchase as the price is MUCH cheaper than aftermarket.


BTW- I love this baby and it turns heads too!

 

sorry if i didn't make that point clear. by "future proof" i just meant the most up to date technology and that meant 64 bit and then the Core 2 finally won because of the apparant better efficiency that will net me more battery life. as you can see, i only have the 1.66Mhz proc selected. and the GPU is even less of an importance to me. thanks for the advice though. if i didn't need a laptop right now i'd probably wait just like you.

 

You may want to consider the geforce go 7400 256mb upgrade for $70 on the dv6000t with Vista and Aero coming in 2 months time.

 

i thought about that. do you think it will be necessary for Vista? will it hog more power (shorten my battery life) and if so, do you think i can do without it?

 

cool man. thanks a lot for your feedback. i checked Costco and i was still able to save more with HP because of the APP thing. i only have a few classes left but i'm milking that thing for all it's worth, lol. Costco would put me around $980 including the $50 MIR and HP.com gets me $930 including the $50 MIR.

and when you talk about "no power conservation" when watching a movie do you mean you didn't change any settings that specifically intend to save battery power? if i can get 2 to 2.5 hours for a movie then i'll be satisfied since i'll more than likely have a reserve battery.

 

Not sure if it's necessary, but I can guarantee that it will help tremendously compared to the intel integrated graphics when running vista + aero. A free upgrade to Vista ships with the machine, so why not upgrade the card as well?

 

.


weiser701,

Hmmm, $50 more if purchased thru www.COSTCO.com ... and you get a 180-day return window, free shipping, get ALL your money back if unit is returned...

VS a 21-day return window if purchased thru HP, and after 21-days your stuck with it..


180 days, vs 21 days.... $50 differance... on an item close to $1000....

PS: add the cost of that second battery in if you haven't already done so and see how that affects that $50 differance...

Ask these guys in this thread if they had wished they had bought from Costco.
(I did and I'm very glad as I returned and got ALL my money back..)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=57325

 

only reason I'm going through HP is I'll have the whole 6 months same as cash on my HP credit card

 

Understandable, but how much interest are you talking about in 6 months, vs the chance you may receive a unit that has "problems"?

Another thing to consider is on "some" credit cards by using them to effect a purchase the mfg's warranty is doubled. I doubt using a HP credit card would double the warranty on something purchase thru HP.


21 days, vs 180..... you'll have to do the math...

 

wow! i didn't even realize that. thanks for pointing it out to me. that actually might make a very significant difference in choosing who to buy to from. thanks for your help

 

Hey Weiser...
Yes. I left all the default settings for Media Center while watching and still had battery life left after 2+ hours and i also have a dedicated GO 7400 gpu. I may add a 2nd 6-cell battery in the future but I'm good for now.

Costco is a savior for me. I wanted to build my own HP, but if you do custom build thru their site you can still return it to ANY warehouse center in the US within 6 months, that was the clincher for me. I couldn't wait so picked this up instore.

 

Costco is "the" place to buy an HP... the only "plus" to buying from HP would be that if an item was defective within the "big" 21-day return window that they could ship you out another one direct.

(That being said I've read of people having problems doing returns to HP, the unit not being credited back properly.)

Ordered my unit online thru Costco, returned directly to the store, got ALL my money back within minutes, including sales tax. Didn't have to box it up, drop it off at Fed-Ex /UPS, etc... Pay any return fees.

Once you get your money back, you're FREE to buy a unit in-store, go online and confiqure a CTO unit (Custom to Order= comes direct from Hp factory in China in about 7-10 days)... OR take your money and go down the street and buy from someone else...

BTW: on the sales tax Costco charged 1/2 what the tax rate was in my local area.... I think HP is going to hit you up for the full tax rate..

Regardless any differance of a few bucks here or there is going to be far outweighed by the 180-day return window Costco offers.

Ask these guys in this thread if they had wished they had bought from Costco.
(I did and I'm very glad as I returned and got ALL my money back..)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=57325

.

 

This is a repost from another thread that sort of outlines doing a return to Costco so the mfg (HP) takes the loss on any return on a model /unit which is defective.


If anyone has an insider info, please feel free to edit needed sections:

* * * * *

If anyone does feel a need to do return to Coscto keep in mind that if you return a unit thru Costco that it's not defective in some way, it's marked "resaleable" and it's sold off to a salvage company for 30 cents on the dollar in most Costco's. (which means a huge loss)

The main thing when returning a unit is to make SURE to state the reason for a return being there is something defective with the unit so Costco is not left holding the bag so to speak.

From my conversations with Costco on their returns, the way it works is if you return an item "quickly" that either you don't like, or is defective in some way they (Costco) gets a FULL credit back from the vendor (HP)...

(I would think this part of the return window is 21 days, seeing how any order placed direct thru HP is 21 days.)

After 21 days thru the 180th day Costco bears the loss... UNLESS the customer upon return of the item states there is something defective with the unit... If the customer returns the unit for any other reason Costco takes the loss..


Why should people care if Costco takes a loss? / be sure they do state there is a problem so the MFG takes the loss instead?

Two reasons:

1: Well indirectly such losses affect us all in the form of higher prices, further restrictions on returns...
(Costco used to have a lifetime return window on computers, but college age kids mostly would buy a machine, use it for 6 months for a class, then return it, demanding their money back after using the machine for "free" for 6 months.)

2: If there is a problem, the MFG should be charged back the loss, not the reseller... here's an example in which the mfg should bear all costs: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=57325


Bottom line is don't return a unit, unless you have exhausted all options.. and be sure to state there is a problem with the unit, so it's not marked resaleable... Otherwise you can expect in the future further restrictions on returns, hassles, and increased prices...

 

WeAreNotAlone,

Thanks again for the advice. I'm about 99% sure now that I'll buy through Costco online. Now I'm just scoping the Internet to see if anybody knows of sales coming up soon (other than Black Friday) and including Costco. Also, there isn't any sales tax in my state so I should be good there.

And I completely agree with that post about trying to keep Costco from picking up all those costs of a return. Some people can be downright dishonest and they have no problem taking advantage of a good thing offered by a great company. The part about explaining the best you can about the defect is good to know though. If you're returning your machine 45 days after the purchase because of an inconvenient defect, then do your best to tell them what the problem is. If you get a better return policy through them than from HP then try to help them out.

 

i wish i knew about costco before i bought mine, but at costco are they just preconfigured?

 

nope. you can configure them just like you can through HP. no limitations. that i knew about (only for about a week though). i just didn't know about their 180 day return policy.

 

cool, i wish i knew bout them we dont have any costco stores down here so i didnt know they had a website

 

yeah, Costco rules. you guys gotta get yourselves some down there

quick question for you guys: how much more would the 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7400 GPU drain from my battery over the Graphics Media Accelerator 950? i'm only considering it because of Vista but if i can get by without then i won't worry about it. especially if it will drain a significant amount of battery.

 

Here's the CTO link darth: http://www.costco.com/CTO/HPLanding.aspx?Prodid=10029570&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=


They have pre-builts as well... backspace the link to see those.

 

Battery drain, battery drain.... Here's someone with the 7400


http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=1654840&postcount=28

If that's not good enough this unit gets 4 hours with standard battery, 16 with extended battery:
http://www.notebookforums.com/thread176205.html

Units with Hybrid hard drive should get more...

PS: The Graphics Media Accelerator 950 is the slowest of the slow gpu's. http://www.notebookcheck.com/Mobile-Grafikkarten-Benchmarkliste.735.0.html

If you're concerned with "future proofing", or want to run Vista with the gee-wiz effects turned on you need to go with the 7400.


http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=65548

 

thanks WeAreNotAlone

i think this about somes it up:

looks like the Go 7400 is a necessity and i'll be getting it

man....i didn't have this purchase even half way figured out before i stumbled upon this place. thanks a lot guys

 

Make sure to select whatever battery options at the time you place the order for the laptop itself and have it on the SAME purchase order. (should be cheaper)

If you order a battery later, it's going to cost more..

 

Hey we do have Costco's down south.... I bought mine in Myrtle Beach, SC. I guess Volunteer land is still catching up....j/k


Yes...buy all the battery you need @PURCHASE, I wish I had as you wind up paying nearly twice as much aftermarket for a battery....