dv6500t Review

Ahh I can't wait until HP starts offering 8400M GPU's >.<

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When is that happening?? anyone ??

 

Hmmm. These new ones are supposed to have a better quality LCD screen than the previous units. As screen mfgrs seemed to be so random for the outgoing dv6000, I wonder if this was taken into consideration during the review.

Vista Experience Index was 3.4, obviously the lowest score due to the X3100. Not too bad, considering the GMA950 gets 3.1 and some of the lowball GeForce chipsets do only fractionally better under Vista (if at all).

As for light gaming? Who knows. Since it obviously scores better than the X200M, it may be possible for those on a budget.

 

Okay maybe now we are getting closer to an answer that has been on my mind as well as others - How is the 965 x3100 going to hold up against other options?

The link said they got 3D Mark 03 of 1726 for the 965???

Well - for comparison according to scores posted elsewhere

Intel 950 = 1300
ATI 1300 = 3200
ATI 1400 = 5070

edited - some scores over at pcmag show a 3D Mark 06 scores of 630 for the x3100 compared to 928 for the x1400. They test Prey and Company of Heros. Prey scores seem to be about half those of the ATI x1400.


Looking forward to reading more tests about the x3100 and SR....

 

I just asked one of the sales rep's on the HP site; this is what she said (as I expected )

Boooo

 

Well, I would not pit the X3100 against any current discrete graphics, but it does score better than it's popular old-school counterparts:

GMA950 = 1300
X200M = 1100
6150 = 1200
X3100 = 1726


All in all, it should be a somewhat improved performance boost.

 

I ordered from Costco.com. This laptop will be from my dad, he doesn't game so I don't care about the dedicated graphics card.

Basically got the 2.0Ghz, 2gb memory, 120gb hard drive, 80211N/wBluetooth, 12 cell battery (bump), webcam + fingerprint reader, no tv tuner, 1 year accidental and express repair.

Came out to $1365.99 + 6% Florida tax = $1447.95

Due to ship on 05/16/2007.

I'll play with this thing for a month, probably wipe Vista off, put on XP SP2 and go from there.

 

Great price quality laptop, but I think I would go for the 160 GB 5400 RPM 8 MB cache Prependicular hard drive.

 

LOL yea that does suck

 

I ordered one of these yesterday however i chose the web+mic...it bugs me that between the mic/webcam/fingerprint scanner ...i can only pick 2 of the 3....i figured if i'm gonna do video conf you'll need webcam+mic...i've never seen a laptop that doesnt have a mic so it irritates me that they wont let me get all three...i figure since its a home machine i wont need fingerprint level security anyway

 

All Configurations include the Mic, if you click the 'Help me decide' it lists the dual omni mic with webcam for the 'HP Imprint + Fingerprint Reader + Webcam option

 

is the finger print use to store all your pasword like logging into facebook, myspace, this forum etc??? or is it just for unlocking the comp?

 

I think it works in I.E. and Firefox to store passwords as well. I think it uses the Verisoft Software.

 

I don't see drivers listed on the HP site to re-install XP yet for the DV6500T.
If any gurus are reading this, can someone write a new guide on re-installing XP? It would get a bunch of hits. I'll play with Vista for a few weeks, but I'd like to reformat and put XP on it with Ubuntu. I don't think this thing will have the quick play partition. Just a question of getting all the drivers and doing them in the correct order.

 

HP Laptops under Vista don't have QuickPlay Partitions. When you press the Quickplay button, Vista will startup and Quickplay will be launched. I think that most of the drivers from the DV6000t will work, except Intel Wireless drivers if you get the Pre-N option (You can download these from Intel), Fingerprint Software (You might be able to use the Vista Version), Lan driver(again you might be able to download form Intel) and the Chipset Inf. drivers are also available from Intel. Quickplay 3.0 will not install under XP without some modification (Search this forum.)

 

thanks docangle....i'm on the phone with them now changing to the webcam+fingerprintscanner option ...

was able to cancel it and reorder. Ship date still shows may 15th.

 

^When it ships make sure to gives us some photos and info about it

 

I cant wait to order this laptop. Just waiting for the 8400m on the 6500 to be released. Can anyone predict how long it will be?

 

All the XP drivers for the older Vista-equipped DV6000 machines were not even complete last I looked. You'd think they don't want anyone running any OS other than Vista now.

 

Well considering the fact that theyre gonna phase XP out and they dont offer the new laptops with XP, then HP just doesnt want to go into any trouble getting their stuff to run with an OS thatll be phased out.

Whatever drivers you have, check to see if theres a manufacturer's name and google from there. also if there are previous models of pre-vista dv6000's with the same device then they should have the drivers you need

 

True, but Windows 2000 driver support seemed to last much longer than XP support will. IMO

 

Yup that seems to be true but windows 2000 wasnt really that much different to XP. XP was just ME(mistake edition) features + Win2k reliability + additional crap

 

That sux...i was looking forward to perhaps having the ability to have a winxp partition to compare performance. I bet a laptop with these specs would fly in windows xp.

 

Everyone will have to e-mail HP and tell them we want XP drivers. If enough people complain, they might listen, especially if people start buying other laptops that can install XP.
I plan on e-mailing them when my laptop arrives. I know they'll say Vista only, but I'll complain anyway.

 

so we can't put XP on the new Dvx5xxt series?

 

dgcoupe: we wont know until someone actually gets one and tries to do it. I know if i look up dv6501tu in the software section, i see for winxp touchpad, wireless and quicklauch button software so i'm betting it prob willl work just fine. I think the thing missing is the sata drivers needed for the winxp install?

 

WOW!!! They just added a new HDD option: 320GB 7200RPM SATA

 

Yes, I want XP on my new DV6500T. I want to completely format the drive, and make a partition for XP, Ubuntu Linux, Ubuntu Swap, and a data partition that can been seen by either OS.

The good news is that I won't have any important data on this machine from the start, so I'm not scared of formatting it and sending it back if I screw it up. The only bummer for me is this is my first laptop, so I don't have all the DV6000T drivers laying around. I have to read all the old posts and figure it out from scratch (learning curve).

 

Robvia, you're doing exactly what I did with my desktop and intend to do with the DV6500T. except I'm going with Vista instead of XP. Eventually MS will perfect Vista enough to make it fast and I'm in no hurry.

I'm waiting for the nvidia gpu to be added to the machine as an option. Even then it might be worth waiting for because I don't believe Linux drivers are available for those new nvidia cards yet, or even for the integated Intel x3100 GPU.

 

That is a misprint.

 

What would concern me are the sound drivers. They already changed the Conexant chipset twice, who is to say they did not do it again? If the supplied Vista driver won't work in XP, you may have trouble finding a viable driver at all (as they don't appear compatible between chipsets).

 

How is it a misprint...i see it on their CTO site.

 

Because currently there is no such thing as a 320GB 7200RPM notebook hard drive.. currently the biggest hard drive for a laptop is 200GB 4200 RPM

 

Didnt your chat session show that HP proved you wrong?

 

Also, Hitachi just announced the 200gb 7200rpm notebook drive to the media. If HP has a 320gb one, I'm sure Hitachi would like to know about it!

Anyway, HP makes errors on the CTO site every now & then. It will be corrected.

 

That was a reply to R4000 which he says:

I posted it in the wrong thread...

 

I think he meant to quote one of my posts from another thread about HP support:

EDIT: You beat me to it!

 

fromm 5400 to 7200 isn't the fan goign to run more??? more heat?? or am i completely wrong?

 

From having used a 7200rpm drive in a notebook, I was aware of a bit more warmth on the laptop surface directly above the drive. As for the fan running more, I honestly did not notice.

Take into consideration that some brands of hard drives can run warmer than others, reguardless of spindle speed.

 

Will HP ever offer any 7200RPM HDDs on the DV6x00 laptops? I know the DV9000 ones have an option for this...I don't buy the heat argument they gave me last time...Even Dell and LeNovo (ThinkPad) have 7200RPM options

 

so what are some reason one want a 7200 over a 5400? Faster computer?

 

I believe the option will show up at some point. Currently, there is an alternative to think about. Order the lappy with the cheapest drive and then go buy a 7200rpm drive. When your lappy comes, simply clone the HP drive to the new one and then swap them in the notebook. I've done this on several occassions without problem. Extra work, yes. But at least you don't have to wait for something you want.

 

What would be easiest way to clone?

 

Personally, I use the Apricorn Hard Drive Upgrade Kit. It is essentially an external drive shell, USB cord and a boot disc. It has worked for both XP and Vista cloning.

 

one time all i did was move all the files from one XP drive to the other and it worked fine, XP ran fine on the new drive. tried it a few months ago and that didnt work like before. i would go for a cloning tool though, easiest way and ensures everything is moved over perfectly

 

Definitely a misprint. It's only $50 more than the 160 GB 5400 rpm option, and $50 less than the 200 GB 4800 rpm option. Order it while you can! Maybe they will give you two 160 GB 7200 rpm drives to make up for it since the advertised drive probably doesn't even exist!

 

They just jacked up the prices on these...Spec'd one out yesterday and today (identical machines) yet today it was about $120 more = (

 

They seem to love messing around with the option prices. I guess the increase now almost negates any savings from the 15% coupon offered. How convenient.

 

Apricorn Hard Drive Upgrade Kit. does it work with a sata notebook hard drive. It says pata drive.

 

They have both versions. Here is the SATA one http://www.apricorn.com/product_detail.php?type=reg&id=1075