The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    did i make a mistake

    Discussion in 'HP' started by willard, Jul 19, 2010.

  1. willard

    willard Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I am posting this on the HP group as i want honest HP advise not i should have bought a dell, or lenovo.

    So i had the opportunity to pick up a HP Pavilion dv7-4080us ( HP Pavilion dv7-4080us Notebook PC, stream argento design, brushed aluminum | HP® Official Store) recently and just pulled the trigger today. Cost like $1300 shipped. it comes with 2 x 500 gig drives and all the other fun stuff, but is 1600x900 resolution.
    Figures now i have the option to pick up a 8740w workstation similar specs, but 4 gigs of ram, and one 320 gig drive and 1920x1200, but is $800 more.

    My purpose is some gaming (Starcraft II when out For example) lots of VMWare so I need a 64 bit OS, some Linux dual booting and some SQL programming.

    the higher resolution would be nice, I do not need a docking port, or a the heavy GPU the 8740w has.

    Did i make a mistake? of should have I pulled the trigger (Can still return it), will 1600x900 be ok on a 17" (it is ok on a 15" but small at times). i have a feeling 1920x1200 is to small on a 17 as i have this on my 24".
    but options will help.

    I have never seen this higher resolution on a 17", i know on a 15 it is crap.
     
    willard, Jul 19, 2010
    #1
  2. Kuu

    Kuu That Quiet Person

    Reputations:
    765
    Messages:
    968
    Likes Received:
    18
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I'd only go with the probook if you intended on traveling around a lot with it and need the 1200p at all times. Otherwise I'd just get an external monitor for about 400 dollars and be done with it.
    Of course if you like the design and feel of the probook and you'd like it more in the end, might as well go ahead and get it.

    Or you could have gotten the DV8 with has a 1080p screen standard, but it is 18 inches.

    I'd just go ahead and get the Secondary screen.
     
    Kuu, Jul 19, 2010
    #2
  3. timtravel42

    timtravel42 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    827
    Messages:
    2,004
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    I have a 1600x900 dv7 - its a fairly decent resolution, but not amazing, if I had the choice, I would definitely go for 1080p, since you can upgrade everything else later (you could upgrade the screen, but its not that easy)
     
    timtravel42, Jul 19, 2010
    #3
  4. Bronsky

    Bronsky Wait and Hope.

    Reputations:
    1,653
    Messages:
    9,239
    Likes Received:
    247
    Trophy Points:
    231
    I would go for the workstation.
     
    Bronsky, Jul 19, 2010
    #4
  5. willard

    willard Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    18
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Thanks everyone seems the over whelming option is to go for the workstation.
    Canceled the order for the DV7 and put the order in for the 8740w.
     
    willard, Jul 19, 2010
    #5