dv2500t/dv6500t/dv9500t Current/ Prospective Owners Lounge

Check out speedfan. I had it working on my dv9500 laptop. Been using it for years on my desktop system.

 

Just an update to everyone, I had originally reported that my dv6500t was running the fan quite often. I was running the laptop in the "HP Recommended" Power Plan which I believe is the Vista equivalent to the Balanced Power Plan. I was getting just about 3 hours of battery life with normal apps under this setting. After switching the power plan to Power Saver, the cpu seems to stay at the lower speed more often and hence the fans do not go on as much and it does not get as warm. I havent measured it fully yet but I believe I'm getting more than 3 hours now.

 

have you tried out battery doubler? it used to work great on my old laptop, haven't tried it on my dv6500 yet.

 

For those of you looking to save some money on your purchase, my research may help shave a bit off the price. Some of these you may already be aware of.

1. Coupon sites that usually offer you a code to type in at check out for an extra amount off in addition to what HP is already offering. You can simply do a search here on this site of "HP coupons" or Google it. Here is just one example: http://www.techbargains.com/vendor_detail.cfm/296

2. If you're a member of Costco, or looking for an excuse to get a membership card, you may customize your HP notebook within the same interface you find at HP's site. The only difference is the customization page is slimmed down, with just one page of choices to make, with no extended sales add-ons like printers, routers and such. I like this simplicity.
Bottom line: Head-to-head pricing for a loaded dv6500t custom to order - Costco = $1434, HP site = $1471.

3. One late night I was on with technical support discussing a problem I'm having with my sound card on my aging zv5000. At some point, the tech support people can instantly turn into salespeople. Like all companies, I'm sure they are trained (and perhaps rewarded) to spot potential customers and attempt to get them to think of buying a new system. I was pleased to have all my dv6500t questions answered, then she went in for the sales close (more than once), which somewhat annoyed me. I decided to play along to see if I could do the car-dealer game. "Can you get me an extra $100 off, in addition to the rebate already in place?" I asked. Just like I predicted, she "had to talk to a manager for approval". In a couple of minutes, she was back with a "yes". I held off at that time, as I was one of those waiting for the NVIDIA graphics card to be offered.

4. If you're a student, teacher, someone involved in academia, HP (like all others I'm sure) offers a discount. Again, a simple search within this site or Google will point the way. Someone quoted the savings at 7-12%, but that post (here on this site) was three-years old. I figure the only way it's worth it to fill out the paperwork for this discount is if HP lets you use this in addition to any rebate already in place and not simply off the regular price.

Hope this helps those of you still shopping.

 

Thanks, BayAreaTech. Can you apply coupons on Costco's website since if the customization page is really the same? I'm a Costco member but once I configure the machine on their site it always comes out more than the HP site+coupon. But is there a way to apply coupons on Costco's site?

 

Another thing to add about Costco. They have a 90 day satisfaction guarantee. They also extend the warranty to 2 years for free. Those two things are worth something to me. Now I have until September to decide if I want to change something on my laptop or if prices go down.

 

Deadpirate: I'm not sure about applying coupons on Costco's site, but if I were to guess, I would doubt it. It seems to me that these $100-off coupon sites infer that you must go to HP to order. Regardless, for me it would come out about $50 cheaper to do business directly with HP with the additional coupon than to go through Costco.

Having said all this, Kaj77 brings up some excellent points above about purchasing through Costco -- extended warranty (two years!) and the 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Those two perks are well worth any price differential. If anyone has definitive information on using coupons (namely, where they are accepted) please jump in and enlighten us. The whole coupon thing is a bit of a mystery to me, as I believe one does not get to enter the coupon code until the very end of the buying process, after entering in all of your personal information (name, shipping address, site registration, etc.)

FYI to those of you (like me) looking at a customized notebook over $999 from HP: My post above takes you to a site giving you $200 off. In reality, the coupon supersedes the existing $100 off at HP's site, so when all is said and done it's an additional $100 what you get without the coupon. Expiration for this is June 23rd. The coupon code listed on the site (and another I saw) is NB9850.

 

I am planning on buying a hp dv9500t. If I go with the single hard drive option is it possible to add another harddrive later and have dual harddrives? Thanks.

 

yes, because one bay will be empty.

 

Is anyone having problems with the dv2500t that I have heard about on the dv6500t? Such as horrible noise and fans running constantly. What about on the new Santa Rosa machines?

 

I've only had my dv2500t for a couple of days now, but I don't see any of these problems. The fans kick on occasionally, but they don't seem unusually noisy to my ears.

Problems I have noticed: one dead pixel (not much I can do about that, probably); and intermittent webcam success (sometimes it works, sometimes not, and I can't yet detect a pattern)

 

did anyone notice that they got rid of the $50 off the 2gb ram upgrade, put a 4gb ram option, and free upgrade to lightscribe for the dv6500t? i also noticed that they dropped the price of the dv9500t by $50.

 

Yeah but for the 9500t I put the same spec's I had already ordered, it came out to the same. Lightscribe isn't free, and there isn't a 50$ off, so it evened itself out.

 

The APP pricing went up. Before it was $1017, but now it is $1,024.99 and they removed the $50 off 2gb and the free lightscribe. They also removed the 4gb option.

 

I see the free upgrade to lightscribe and the 4gb option on the dv6500t. I guess that settles the argument that the dv6500t CAN support 4gb ram as long as you use it with a 64-bit OS.

 

RAM prices are dropping like a Paris Hilton's skirt at 3AM.

4GB is under $200 now...

 

Does anyone here have an opinion on why the HP dv6500t Special Edition Series (dv6500t SE) is listed almost $200 more than the standard dv6500t? I just did a side-by-side comparison and as near as I can tell, the Special Edition's only real differences are cosmetic (white glossy outer casing and included matching wireless mouse and headphones).

I also noticed that more options are included in the base price, including only one choice for personalization - you get the fingerprint reader/webcam combo -- with no other choice. Plus, only two flavors of Vista are offered (Premium & Ultimate). None of these are issues for me, as these fall in line with my choices.

When all was said and done, I had configured each system to the same hardware & software specs to my liking and the Special Edition ended up coming out $113 more for the same hardware/software. If I really wanted to spend more on cosmetics, or cutting-edge coolness, I'd get an Apple Macbook Pro (Mercedes Benz of notebooks). Of course, that involves shelling out between $500-$1000 more, which I am in no mood to do at the moment.

I've read each and every post on this thread over the past week and don't seem to remember seeing the issue raised. Anyone else check into the HP dv6500t Special Edition? If it is that cool-looking & cutting-edge, I might understand. Otherwise, I think HP's notebooks over the recent past, with the glossy piano-black finish, are among the sharpest-looking on the market.

 

Yes HP charges $113 more for the white notebook than the black while Apple charges $200 more for the black ibook than the white. Really, for HP, its due to the fact that they dont produce as many white one's so their supply of white notebooks is less...that combined with increased demand for the white since its new increases its cost. Personally I dont like that the special edition is white on top but still black on the bottom. If it were all white than it would look cool.

 

am curious about something please help. This is directly from the information from hP.

The NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8400M GS delivers improved quality and performance levels in 3D graphics. If configured with the 1GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm), there will be 128MB dedicated memory and up to 255MB shared memory. If configured with the 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm), there will be 128MB dedicated memory and up to 767MB shared memory.

What would happen if you have 4gbs of system Memory, which is now offered from Hp. Would this be a sweet gaming setup for a cheap price then. I know if running 32-bit vista it would only recognize 3gbs, but what would the shared memory total be. I am pretty new at this and am curious about how good this setup would be.

 

Same with EPP pricing, FWIW. They replaced one useless upgrade (Lightscribe) with another (webcam), dropped the price but took away the "savings" on upgrading to 2GB, so it prices out the same.

I wonder if they're planning on doing any useful promotions- like an automatic hard drive or screen upgrade- in the near future.

 

"RAM prices are dropping like a Paris Hilton's skirt at 3AM."
Now that is really awesome, I like that!!!!! )))))))
or, like Lyndsay Lohan after a night with her good friend Samantha and friend aka "the nose powder" )))

 

Either one, I'd rather be there instead of watching RAM prices!

 

I wanted an extra power adapted for my dv6500t. My laptop came with the 65Watt adapter. So I purchased it from the HP site using the $50 coupon they provided to me for the delay in shipping. Later I learned that this is not the right adapter. They are not selling the 65watt ac adapter for this laptop seperately. They wanted me to buy the 90watt ac adapter which they say will work with this model. However even tho I will be returning the 65watt adapter, they will not let me re-use or transfer the coupon to order the 90watt adapter. Mark a negative for HP Customer Service.

 

What 65watt adapter did you buy? I'll assume you bought it off of the HP Shopping site if you used a coupon.......

For adapters, I use the HP Parts site. http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/default.asp? The 65watt adapter is available for $62, and is the same part number for both the dv6500t and dv6000t (#417220-001).

I've used HP Parts before to buy a replacement adapter. Just be aware that the AC Adapter does not come with the power cord (the cord that goes from the power brick to wall socket). This is a separately priced part.

Granted it is not neccessarily the cheapest alternative, but at least you get the correct part for your unit this way.

 

The 65W adapter is for the dv2500t with Intel GPU...the 90W is for the Nvidia...I don't know if this holds true for 6500 as well.

 

It does, and for the 9500 as well.

 

Has anyone experienced any problems with the dv2500t with the new santa rosa? I haven't seen any news about it.

 

I am interested in a reliable machine for basic computing that isn't too heavy, or get too hot. Can anyone comment on the santa rosa based dv2500t? It would be most appreciated!!!

 

The extra shared memory wont be of much use. The amount of memory available is not the most aspect for performance but it depends on how good the graphics core is. The 8400M GS is still a mid range card and as such any modern game will be limited by the power of the GPU. The 128MB dedicated memory should be fine for the 8400M GS and ny extra shared memory will not impact its performance by any noticable margin.

 

mikec: while you are right the 65watt is all i need, the 65watt adapter on the HP Home site will NOT work with the dv6500t.

 

Interesting. Was it this one? http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s...C+adapters&product_code=DL606A#ABA&catLevel=2

 

Just bought the customized dv9500t below!

Instead of HP's $125 for upgrade to 2GB, went online and bought 4GB of DDR 2 667 RAM (2x2GB) for a total of $160 . . . Got 4GB of RAM aftermarket instead of 2GB from computer dealer and saved $40!

This is the fourth HP I have purchased in four years . . . one for my wife and one each for my kids . . . excited to get a new machine.

But each time, it was a total hassle with HP to get the advertised discount . . . four years, four orders, four hassles . . . multiple calls and multiple transfers each time.

HP makes great machines . . . but sure make it tough to get them to honor one of their coupons!

Owned a Dell once and owned a Gateway once . . . I will never make that mistake again!

 

I have one and it's rock solid so far.

 

For those who are looking for/own a dv6500t. Anandtech has a review of it here...
http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.aspx?i=3011

 

Im new here and I just ordered my first lappy. I got the dv9500t with most of the highest features available. Now my question is: Will i regret the size and weight in college? Im going into Graphic Design and i thought the extra screen size would be nice for photoshop and stuff.

 

No one can really answer that. I will probably be a function of the carrying case you have. I recommend a backpack style case. It will be much easier to distribute the weight.

 

yes a backpack for that size is ideal. I carried my old zd8000 with a regular case and it sucked carrying that thing thru the airport.

http://www.amazon.com/Targus-TXL617...5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1182534481&sr=8-1

This is the new backpack I got for my new 17 inch HP and it works wonders.

 

Be careful of the Wenger backpack that claims to fit 17" laptops... because it doesn't fit them. It needs to be about 2" longer for it to fit.

I wound up with a Booq Python XL.

 

All my bickering that I ordered the wrong ac adapter for my dv6500t and HP Customer Service confirming this and them still not agreeing to let me reuse the $50 discount and order the correct one.....the DL606A#ABA 65WATT a/c adapter shows up today...even tho the hp shopping page does not list the dv6500t as compatible with this adapter, its the EXACT SAME that my laptop came with. So I've concluded:

DL606A#ABA = 65 watt A/C adapter for dv6500t that came with x3100 video cards.
EH642AA#ABA = 90 watt A/C adapter for dv6500t that came with the nvidia video card.

Both have the same connector and specs except the 90watt is probably a bit bigger and can supply more power.

 

i've been looking at dv2500

integrated video card = 3 usb ports
nvidia card = 2 usb ports + HDMI

thats what i've been reading on the forums, so I asked HP

through the online chat service, they said nvidia card = 3 usb ports. I was reluctant, so I sent an email to HP

and still
"The HP Pavilion DV2500T Configure-to-Order (CTO) notebook comes standard
with (3) USB ports despite the graphics card that you choose."

can anyone confirm if the HDMI takes up a usb port or not?
thanks

 

It weighs 9 pounds with the adaptor.
The average highschool backpack (atleast in my school) was between 25-30 pounds, with the lowest at 13 (just a notebook) to over 50 pounds.
9 Pounds is quite easy, espiecially in a bag.

As for the size, it is 17 inches diagonal, not wide. So on your lap its something like 15.5 inches across, 11 inches up, which means that if you sit normally, it would fit on your lap very nicely, maybe a little overhang but nothing unbearable.

Do not let people scare you with the weight, 9 pounds is not at all as bad as people make it out to be.

 

the online chat people as well as their customer service reps only know what they read on the web site...they dont know any better...they told me the 65watt adapter wouldnt work on my dv6500t but it did (since i didnt have the nvidia option).... just let it go and accept that you lose a usb port for an hdmi one. If you really have more than 2 usb devices hooked up, you should prob just consider getting a usb hub so you only have one thing to hook up or their docking thing.

 

don't you lose a usb port with the fingerprint reader option rather than the HDMI output?

 

im not sure why you would lose a usb for a fingerprint reader...hdmi actually takes up a spot on the side of the laptop therefore, something has to go...

Question: the laptop speakers for the dv2500 (not sure if they're all the same quality), how do they compare to Dell laptop speakers (which i think are phenomenal for laptops)? I've read that they're "ok" for laptop speakers, but im not sure what "ok" is compared to dell =). dells speakers might be nicer because they're at the front of the laptop so they project more?

 

a 17inch 9lb laptop is not for portability - (in terms of college), most likely left on your desk, or taken to the library to work on, but that would be the extent

but then again its not something so heavy that you would never carry it somewhere

 

I have the dv6500. There are 3 USB ports and 1 HDMI port. I don't know if that helps since the dv2500 is smaller maybe it loses a USB. I suggest going to a store to check it out in person. Also remember although it is a pain, you have 21 days to send it back for any reason.

 

What store can you check it out at?

 

Probably only costco at this point if they even have it...

 

Okay, I'm in the final stages of the buying process. For me, the researching and pricing are actually kind of enjoyable. For those of you interested in the latest pricing and where to get the most value and return flexibility, here's an update to one of my earlier posts:

It is now actually more expensive to buy through Costco than from HP, at least in terms of the Customized-to-Order notebooks. I loaded up my future dv6500t with the following specs:
* Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/4MB L2Cache)
* 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
* 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
* FREE Upgrade - LightScribe DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer
* 383MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
* Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
* 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit)
* Microsoft(R) Works 8.0
* Mobile Stereo Earbud Headphones (1 pair)
* 12 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Imprint (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader +Webcam
* No TV Tuner w/remote control

Costco Member Price: $1,467.99
HP-direct Price: $1,439.98

I'm still going through Costco, even though just last week they were about $40 cheaper than directly through HP. Three reasons:

1) Unheard-of 90-day Satisfaction Guarantee. To the best of my knowledge, if you don't like it, you can take it back up to three months from date of purchase.
2) A generous extra year of warranty (two years total)
3) This could be the best part: American tech support. Don't get me wrong, I've had great help from India and they are most often very friendly, but there have been times in the past (especially while going through Dell Hell) where I simply could not understand the technician and had to call back out of frustration, not to mention that 1-2 second delay on the telephone you get from talking to someone half a world away.

Does anyone have any information on Costco's tech support? I called to ask a sales question and the person I spoke to said they all have certification and all call centers are here in the U.S.

Hope this helps all of those in the buying process, as this can apply to any of the HP models discussed in this thread.

 

If I plan on not using lightscribe at all is it better to go with the Super Multi Drive? like.. there isn't a performance difference between the two rite?