nVidia 8x00 series

When will the new nVidia series discrete graphics be offered? I have heard a lot of people say early June but I can't find a source for that info. What do you think?

 

Hopefully: tomorrow

Not Hopefully: 2010

 

Hopefully withen the next 2 months

 

Most likely before the back to school rush at the end of summer.

 

I'm going with June 5th (or thereabouts).

 

If it's going to be released in June, it will probably happen on June 5. June 5 occurs on release/patch tuesday.

 

I spoke with a pretty sharp phone rep on Monday who shared that there was some internal frustration at the delay and that cards were in the final phases of testing. No time frame was offered other then hopefully soon and keep checking.

On a 2nd issue, the reason for the absence of a 7200 RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive option is an alleged lake of availability. Why HP can/will offer the option on a 9000 but not a 9500 is beyond me.

I will purchase the 9500 with the 7200 RPM and a decent graphics option. Unless of course the competition Toshiba/Fujitsu (in my book- don't like Dell and Sony is too many $) produce a similar machine 1st at a decent price point. HP makes it hard to wait when every one is guessing as to delivery times. Are any of the other manufactures beating HP to the market with a fairly priced machine? If so who.

 

The source of the early June rumor comes from a CNET review of the dv9500t where the reviewer stated (paraphrasing) that their notebook's test configuration included a high-end Geforce 8600M graphics card, however discrete options would start being offered on consumer models in about a month.

The review was released May 9th.

 

I've heard that the DV2500T will soon come out with the 8400 graphics card... does anyone have more details on this, as in when it will come out or any other info?

 

Once nVidia officially releases those cards.

A lot of people seem to be saying June.

 

I think they already released it, they are having production problems, or aren't actually producing the cards yet.

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/hp-pavilion-dv9500t/4505-3121_7-32432739.html?tag=lst
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Michelle Thatcher
Edited by: Matthew Elliott
Reviewed on 5/9/07 Release date: 5/9/07

We always liked the Pavilion dv9000 series, and today HP's desktop replacement is among the first available systems to feature Intel's refreshed Centrino Duo mobile platform (codename Santa Rosa). With the new processor comes a new model name--Pavilion dv9500t--and a few smaller changes, such as the addition of a fingerprint reader and a different Webcam. The early version of the Pavilion dv9500t we reviewed also included a discrete graphics card and an HD DVD drive--two options that won't be available for about a month. Without those high-end components, the HP Pavilion dv9500t costs a very reasonable $1,615, making it one of the most inexpensive entertainment-oriented desktop replacements on the market. Though high-definition fanatics and casual gamers will want to wait (and save their pennies) for the higher-end components to become available, we think the HP Pavilion dv9500t as it exists today is a good choice for home users who want their laptop to double as a mobile entertainment system.


Price as reviewed/starting price $1,615*/$1,199
Processor 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300
Memory 2GB of 667MHz DDR2
Hard drive 200GB at 5,400rpm
Graphics 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go 8600M
Chipset Quanta 30CB
Operating system Vista Home Premium
Dimensions (LWH) 15.5x11x1.6 inches
Screen size (diagonal) 17 inches
System weight/weight with AC adapter 7.9/9 pounds
Category desktop replacement

*Our preproduction review unit will not immediately be available; price indicated is for closest available configuration.

The dv9500t is the same size as its predecessor, and it remains smaller than both the Dell XPS M1710 and the Gateway NX860XL. Still, the dv9500t weighs nine pounds with its AC adapter, making it too heavy to carry with you every day.

While we prefer matte screens on more business-oriented systems, we're fans of the Pavilion dv9500t's glossy display, which features a crisp 1,440x900 native resolution. The screen produced rich colors and sharp details, and there's plenty of screen real estate for traditional computer work as well. Like all Pavilion laptops, the dv9500t includes a row of light-touch buttons above the keyboard that launch the media player and provide volume and playback controls; a somewhat annoying, high-pitched beep lets you know when you've pressed a button (the beep can be disabled in the system BIOS). Altec Lansing stereo speakers, located above those controls, deliver decent sound, though we prefer the depth and clarity of the sound produced by the speakers on the Toshiba Qosmio G35. And while the pricier Qosmio G35 includes an integrated TV tuner, the Pavilion dv9500t lacks built-in TV capabilities, though HP sells an ExpressCard tuner module for $130.

While other Pavilion laptops (including the dv9000z) offer a 1.3-megapixel camera, HP has bowed out of the megapixel arms race and integrated a VGA-resolution (fewer megapixels) Webcam into the dv9500t. The company reasons that the switch will provide a better frame rate for Webconferencing, especially in low-light conditions. Two built-in microphones on the display bezel eliminate the need for an external microphone while videoconferencing. Like almost all desktop replacements, the Pavilion dv9500t's keyboard is full size and includes a 10-key numeric keypad. The somewhat compact touch pad includes a scroll zone, and we love the touch pad on/off button, which is handy when you want to use an external mouse.


HP Pavilion dv9500t Average for desktop replacement category
Video VGA-out, S-Video VGA-out, S-Video, DVI
Audio Stereo speakers, two headphone jacks, a microphone jack Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data Four USB 2.0 ports, a mini-FireWire, and a multiformat memory card reader Four USB 2.0 ports, a mini-FireWire, and a multiformat memory card reader
Expansion PC Card and ExpressCard slots PC Card and ExpressCard slots
Networking Modem, Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth modem, Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth
Optical drive HD DVD drive* DVD burner

*HD DVD drive not available at launch.

The dv9500t has a typical array of ports and connections for a desktop replacement, though it lacks DVI output. We especially like the laptop's dual headphone jacks, which make it easy to share movies and music with friends. We also like that our Pavilion dv9500t preproduction unit included an HD DVD drive and HDMI output. Unfortunately, this option will not be available on initial dv9500t models, though the laptop will include a double-layer DVD burner with LightScribe, which lets you burn your own labels onto compatible discs. (When the HD DVD drive is offered, we expect it to add about $400 to the laptop's price.) We're not convinced the lack of a next-generation drive is a deal breaker, though buyers who simply must have a high-definition drive immediately should look to the Dell XPS M1710 (Blu-Ray) and the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660 (HD DVD).

The biggest development with this new Pavilion desktop replacement is inside its case, where you'll find the latest Intel platform (aka Santa Rosa) and a brand-new Core 2 Duo T7300 processor. Our review unit also included an Nvidia GeForce Go 8600M GS graphics card, though, in a disappointment to casual gamers, this option will not be available for another month. For now the dv9500t will include only Intel's new GMA X3100 integrated graphics. The currently available configuration that comes closest to our review model costs $1,615 for the integrated graphics; a larger, 240GB hard drive; and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi; along with the standard-definition DVD burner mentioned above.

On CNET Labs' application benchmark tests, the HP Pavilion dv9500t performed on a par with other just-announced Santa Rosa laptops, such as the Gateway E-475M and the Lenovo ThinkPad R61. (It's worth noting that these other systems included processors with faster clock speeds.) Curiously, however, the dv9500t trailed slightly behind its predecessor, the Turion 64 X2-based dv9000z, on our Photoshop CS2 image-processing test. The most likely explanation for the discrepancy lies in the laptops' operating systems: the dv9000z was running 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate, which helps enhance some of Photoshop's graphics features. The newer dv9500t runs on 32-bit Vista Home Premium.

It seems Intel's new mobile platform gave the biggest boost to the HP Pavilion dv9500t's battery life. While the previous-generation HP Pavilion dv9000z couldn't top the two-hour mark on our taxing DVD battery drain test, the Pavilion dv9500t lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes. That battery life would be admirable on a smaller laptop and is downright impressive for a desktop replacement with such a large screen. In fact, the only Santa Rosa system to outlast the Pavilion dv9500t so far is Intel's own whitebook, which includes the company's integrated graphics; it's a slight stretch, but we suspect the first Pavilion dv9500ts (with the Intel GMA X3100 graphics) will have even better battery life than our review unit.

HP backs the Pavilion dv9500t with an industry-standard one-year warranty; the cost to extend the term to three years with express service is a reasonable $200. Toll-free telephone support is available 24-7 during your warranty period, and the HP support Web site includes one of our favorite support features: real-time chat with a tech rep. If you want to troubleshoot problems yourself, you can search through the site's thorough, FAQ database.

 

Hopefully June or july

 

Actually, I pulled the June 5th date from the Lenovo forum, as that is purported to be the release of the T61p w/Quadro 570m (the 8600M equivalent). If it becomes available from Lenovo, I could see HP releasing the consumer nvidia counterparts at that time. Wishful thinking? Maybe.....

 

I just got a coupon for $180 off at costco for a hp dv9500 with T7300, 2 GB RAM, 320 GB hard drive, Nvidia Discrete Graphics 256 MB, DVD RW DL, 802.11A/B/G/PRE-N wireless. 1479.99 - 180.00 = 1,299.99 Valid AUG. 20-26

I think they know a little more then we do.

 

My friend told me that the 8400 graphics card are actually worse than the 7600, 7700 graphis cards... is that true?

 

Those are two different series, and it's not a fair comparison. 8400 needs to be compared with 7400, and 8600 to 7600...and so on. So there isn't a point to comparing 8400 with the 7600.

 

Do you have a link to this coupon that you have. If it is something that you got in the mail, do you mind scanning a copy of the coupon. I am curious, along with others, to see this actual coupon.

 

From what I have heard about the nvidia cards, 7600 > 8400 > 7400

The 8400 is closer in performance to the 7600 than the 7400, I believe.

 

The cards were released the same day as Santa Rosa, on May 9th.

Yes, from all the reviews I've heard, the 8400M should be equivalent to the current Go 7600, while the 8600M should be equivalent to the Go 7950GS

Keep in mind: There are going to be G/GT/GS versions of these cards so it's more difficult to accurately generalize performance, since a G will perform worse than a GT or GS.

 

It came it the mail today, i scaned it and tried to put it on but it didn't work i will tried it agian tomorrow.

 

Keep in mind that performance isn't all in the benchmarks. There may be large improvements in power management, etc... that they also bring to the table. If you get similar benchmark numbers with 50% of the power use, that's a big improvement. Especially in laptops, this is just as important.

 

Do you have a link to this coupon that you have. If it is something that you got in the mail, do you mind scanning a copy of the coupon. I am curious, along with others, to see this actual coupon.