HP Pavilion dv6500t Review

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by Jason Brill

Introduction

The HP Pavilion dv6500t is a “Santa Rosa” equipped update to the very popular dv6000t series of mainstream laptops, which topped the NotebookReview.com Most Popular Laptops chart for quite a while.  A 15.4” widescreen, consumer-oriented laptop, it delivers a solid, well-rounded package that updates the HP lineup nicely.

Specifications and Pricing

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz, 4MB L2 cache), PM 965 “Santa Rosa” chipset @ 800 MHz FSB
• OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• RAM: 2GB DDR2 SDRAM @ 667MHz (2 x 1GB)
• Hard Drive: 120GB SATA @ 5400 RPM
• Screen: 15.4&quot; WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800)
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS, 128MB dedicated VRAM + up to an additional 256MB shared
• Optical Drive: Super Multi 8X DVD+/-/R/RW w/double layer support
• Audio: Reaktek High Definition Audio with digital output
• Battery: “High capacity” 6-cell lithium ion
• Wireless: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11 a/g/n + Bluetooth
• HP Imprint (Radiance) finish + 2 Microphones + Fingerprint reader
• Ports/Slots: one IEEE 1394 (FireWire); HDMI; three USB 2.0; 5-in-1 memory card reader; VGA monitor out port; S-Video out; RJ-45 Ethernet LAN; RJ-11 modem; Express Card; IR receiver; Expansion Port 3; two headphone/speaker jacks; microphone/line-in jack
• Remote: HP Express Card IR media center remote
• Warranty: 1 year standard warranty + 1 year extension (see below)
• Weight: 6.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 14.05&quot; (W) x 10.12&quot; (L) x 1&quot; (min H)/1.69&quot; (max H)

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Design and Build

The build of a laptop is important, especially one that will be carried around and used constantly, but I do not equate a solid feel with ultimate build quality.  I am pleased with the apparent quality of the dv6500t, but only time will truly tell how it fares.  The case is plastic but feels solid, with the top a shiny black coated plastic and the base a more standard matte black.  The area around the screen and keyboard also has a shiny finish that reflects less than the top.  The screen flexes significantly under stress but I cannot produce any ripples in the screen. The hinges are solid and keep the screen in place.  The only flex found in the case is under the optical drive in the center right of the base and a slight amount to the right of the touchpad.  I can pick up each corner of the base without feeling any sag.  Nearly all ports are on the left; only a USB port, the optical drive, the express card slot, and the power connection on the right.  The express card slot has a plastic placeholder rather than a true cover, but the media center remote is stored in this slot, anyway, so a cover would be superfluous.  All vent openings are placed on the back and bottom.  This arrangement does allow some of the vents on the bottom to be blocked without completely obstructing the air flow.  The front lip holds an IR receiver, a microphone/line-in jack, and two sound output jacks.

The lighting adds a very classy touch to the design.  The row of media controls at the top of the keyboard glows an iridescent blue, as does a ring around the power plug when the AC adapter is connected.  The media buttons are all touch sensitive and very responsive.  A click sound accompanies a press, but this feature can be turned off in the BIOS.  The mute button turns orange when activated, as does the icon above the touchpad when disabled via a hard button.  The caps-lock and number-lock keys have blue lights beside each of them to indicate activation.  Finally, three small lights in the bottom left corner show power, charging state, and drive activity.

The one big consideration in all of this shiny, fancy, coated plastic is how easily it can accumulate dust and fingerprints.  A microfiber cloth comes standard, and neat freaks, including myself, will wipe down the top and area around the screen at least a few times a day.

The media buttons and Altec Lansing speakers. (view large image)

The included media center remote. (view large image)

A macro view of HP's imprint finish. (view large image)

Screen

The dv6500t’s glossy WXGA LCD sports a 1280x800 screen resolution with HP’s Brightview technology.  The colors of the glossy screen really stand out in comparison to a matte display, and the accompanying reflection has not bothered me.  Brightness and contrast are outstanding.  Adjusting the backlight can be done in very small increments, and even at half brightness the image looks brilliant.  I have found that in a dark room with the brightness at full, I have to squint due to the amount of light coming from the display.  The horizontal and vertical viewing angles stretch across a wide range with even lighting in all areas.  Light leakage is undetectable.  In short, this display might be one of the best I’ve seen, even with its standard resolution.

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Speakers

Again unapologetically inserting my opinion here, I do not expect much out of the built-in speakers of a laptop.  The Altec Lansing speakers in the dv6500t sound fine from this perspective, and with the volume at maximum they are powerful enough to project sound into a fairly large room with only some distortion.

Processor and Performance

The 64-bit T7300 runs two cores at 2.00 GHz and includes the Santa Rosa chipset’s ability to dramatically shift power from the second core to the first when a single-core process demands it.  The benchmarks and battery test below show first-rate processing ability and improved efficiency.

The GPU, an NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS, lies at the lower range of their new line-up.  The GS runs slightly more slowly than the GT, which is a slower version of the 8600m GS.  From the benchmarks, don’t expect great gaming performance.  I do not have the time to play too many games during the normal week anyway, but this card does manage to handle the older games I have.  Running a demo of Armed Assault requires most settings turned down to medium for a smooth experience.  Aero effects in Vista run smoothly.  The X3100 integrated option is also available for $80 less.

Benchmarks

Super Pi comparison results:

Notebook	Time
HP dv6500t (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300)	0m 59s
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300)	0m 58s
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300)	1m 01s
Lenovo 3000 V200 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300)	0m 59s
HP dv2500t (1.80GHz Intel 7100)	1m 09s
Lenovo ThinkPad T61 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo Intel T7300)	0m 59s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo T7200)	1m 03s
Toshiba Satellite P205-S6287 (1.73 GHz Core 2 Duo Intel T5300)	1m 24s
HP Compaq 6515b (1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-52)	2m 05s
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T2400)	0m 59s
Dell Inspiron e1705 (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo)	1m 02s

PCMark05 comparison results:

Notebook	PCMark05 Score
HP dv6500t (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS)	4,079 PCMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS)	4,591 PCMarks
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	4,153 PCMarks
Lenovo 3000 V200 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, Intel X3100)	3,987 PCMarks
Lenovo T60 Widescreen (2.0GHz Intel T7200, ATI X1400 128MB)	4,189 PCMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	4,234 PCMarks
Fujitsu N6410 (1.66GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400)	3,487 PCMarks
Alienware M7700 (AMD Athlon FX-60, Nvidia Go 7800GTX)	5,597 PCMarks
Sony Vaio SZ-110B in Speed Mode (Using Nvidia GeForce Go 7400)	3,637 PCMarks
Asus V6J (1.86GHz Core Duo T2400, Nvidia Go 7400)	3,646 PCMarks

3DMark05 comparison results:

Notebook	3D Mark 05 Results
HP dv6500t (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	2,288 3DMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	3,116 3DMarks
HP Compaq 6510b (2.20GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, Intel X3100)	916 3DMarks
HP Compaq 6515b (1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-52, ATI x1270)	871 3DMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	2,013 3D Marks
Dell Inspiron e1705 (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400)	1,791 3D Marks
Acer TravelMate 8204WLMi (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1600 256MB)	4,236 3DMarks
Alienware Aurora M-7700(AMD Dual Core FX-60, ATI X1600 256MB)	7,078 3D Marks
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	2,092 3D Marks
Asus V6Va (2.13 GHz Pentium M, ATI x700 128 MB)	2,530 3D Marks
Fujitsu n6410 (1.66 GHz Core Duo, ATI X1400 128MB)	2,273 3DMarks
Dell XPS M1210 (2.16 GHz Core Duo, nVidia Go 7400 256MB)	2,090 3D Marks

3DMark06 comparison results:

Notebook	3DMark06 Score
HP dv6500t (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,334 3DMarks
Dell XPS M1330 (2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS 128MB)	1,408 3DMarks
Samsung Q70 (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 and nVidia 8400M G GPU)	1,069 3DMarks
Asus F3sv-A1 (Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz, Nvidia 8600M GS 256MB)	2,344 3DMarks
Alienware Area 51 m5550 (2.33GHz Core 2 Duo, nVidia GeForce Go 7600 256MB	2,183 3DMarks
Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 (1.66 Core Duo, nVidia 7600Go 256 MB)	2,144 3DMarks
Samsung X60plus (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7200, ATI X1700 256MB)	1,831 3DMarks
Asus A6J (1.83GHz Core Duo, ATI X1600 128MB)	1,819 3DMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	827 3DMarks
Sony Vaio SZ-110B in Speed Mode (Using Nvidia GeForce Go 7400)	794 3DMarks
Samsung R20 (1.73GHz T2250 and ATI 1250M chipset / GPU)	476 3DMarks

HDTune results:

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Everest: 2011 MB/s read, 1199 MB/s write, 87.8 ns latency

Heat and Noise

The case does not heat up beyond what I would call warm during even intense operation.  The touchpad, of all places, remains warmer than the surroundings whenever the laptop is on.  The left center of the bottom also warms up during normal use, but not enough to become uncomfortable.  The fan runs nearly constantly when the laptop is on external power.  The sound created as it speeds up is more than I expected.  On battery power, this sound reduces to nearly silent.  In other words, if you are taxing the processor, expect a fair amount of fan noise.

There is a noticable amount of warmth and noise despite the number of vents on the bottom and back of the dv6500t.(view large image)

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard feels very similar to my old Thinkpad, with perhaps a little more flex.  The keys travel a good distance, and a slight, unobtrusive noise accompanies each movement.  Some of the larger keys, like the carriage return/enter key, do have a louder click as they are hit, but the noise would not be enough to bother anyone in a quiet room.  Keyboard flex is moderate in the middle and bottom, but only with firm pressure does it start bending.   As mentioned before, the right palm rest flexes slightly with heavy pressure, although this would not be noticed under normal use. 

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The touchpad is relatively large and matches the dimensions of the screen.  Straight out of the box, my fingers would not glide over its surface easily, but after a day’s use, a little oil from my hands apparently coated the touchpad and made it feel smoother.  Personally, I find that somewhat strange, but it does work better now. One nice feature is an on/off button located directly above the touchpad allowing you to deactivate the touchpad when you use an external mouse. A red-orange LED lights up when the touchpad is turned off ... which helps if you forget you turned the touchpad off.

I/O Ports

The dv6500t features a good selection of ports (more than most notebooks in this price range):

• VGA monitor out port
• S-Video out
• RJ-45 Ethernet LAN
• Expansion Port 3
• RJ-11 modem
• 1 IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
• HDMI
• 3 USB 2.0
• 5-in-1 memory card reader
• Express Card
• IR receiver
• 2 speaker jacks, with digital out
• Line-in jack

Front view with IR receiver, microphone in, and dual headphone ports. (view large image)

Right side view with Express Card slot, optical drive, USB port and DC jack. (view large image)

Left side view with lock slot, S-Video out, VGA out, Expansion Port 3, Ethernet, modem, HDMI, two USB ports, FireWire and 5-in-1 card reader. (view large image)

The back view doesn't offer much except hinges and the fan vent. (view large image)

Wireless

The newest draft-N wireless comes as part of the Centrino Duo package, though I don’t have a wireless-N router to actually use or test this with.  The adapter does pick up the 802.11g router in the area with no problem, and the Bluetooth adapter works well.  This integrated Bluetooth and the 802.11N come together as an option, priced at $45 extra.

Battery Life

If you need something that can last at least two hours on a charge to take notes during class, the dv6500t’s 6-cell battery more than accomplishes that.  Rather than select the 12-cell which lifts the back and adds about an inch to the thickness, I opted for the “high-capacity” version of the standard 6-cell, which has a 16% increase in capacity.  While word processing and moving a few files around, with wireless off and screen brightness at a lower but acceptable level, the battery lasted 4 hours and 1 minute. The 6-cell lasted for about 3 hours while watching a DVD with the screen at half brightness.

OS and Software

This laptop comes with a minimum of bloatware, and I thank HP for that.  Expecting enough pre-installed junk to mandate a fresh install of the OS, I uninstalled only 3 programs after booting up for the first time.  I also immediately turned off Vista’s User Access Control.  The included programs I have found most useful include VeriSoft’s biometrics software, which is very intuitive and integrated seamlessly with other programs to remember passwords, with loads of customizable settings for the fingerprint reader.  Vista’s photo viewing and editing utilities are a welcome addition and make simple fixes quick and easy.  HP’s Quickplay software requires a full Vista boot, but it works well and makes for a flashy way to show off media.

Vista took 58 seconds to reach the desktop during a cold boot, including several seconds for fingerprint verification and log-on.  I’m favorably impressed with the OS itself, and many tasks take a significantly shorter time than in XP, like Microsoft Update.  The plethora of shortcuts seems designed well and with the end-user in mind.  My one complaint is the lag in opening folders in the Start menu under battery power.  I have never experienced this lag in XP, and I fail to see why a menu under All Programs should take several seconds to show its contents in Vista.  When running under external power, this pause disappears.

Conclusion

The HP Pavilion dv6500t performs admirably in all fields, with only a few issues that may or may not concern an individual buyer.  If you need a well-rounded laptop with outstanding performance without giving up battery life, this should be on your short list.  The whole package, starting at less than $1,000 if you are really on a tight budget, shows how a mainstream laptop can excel.

Pros:

• Great performance
• Looks that turn heads
• Outstanding display
• Good battery life
• Responsive keyboard
• Reasonably priced

Cons:

• Glossy chassis requires a lot of wiping to keep fingerprint-free
• Dedicated graphics option lacks true gaming power
• Moderate fan noise at high RPMs

 

Nice review and very nice laptop! Would have been awesome if HP had an option to put a 8600GT in their!

 

Nice review. It's interesting how the M1330 has significantly better graphics performance with identical specs. Am I missing something in the specifications?

 

The 3DMark05 scores are a bit low, I would think.

 

The 3dMark05 scores seem low, but the 06 is right...? Anyways, nice review.

 

nice review ,remember M1330 screen size is 13.3" and this one 15.4"

 

Thanks for the review, and especially the above remark. I always want to say something like that but never do. Real quality won't be known for a long time, until the notebook has been opened and closed and turned on and turned off 500 or 1000 times. When I lived in places with harsh winters a while back, I used to notice how Japanese cars would generally look pretty good after 8 or 10 years, but American cars would seem totally beat up in 3 or 4. Both looked great out of the factory, but build quality - fit and finish, quality of parts and how everything worked together - was only revealed in time. Same thing with notebooks. Hinges, latches, power connectors, the level and effect of heat - all of it will take a while to show problems, to reveal good or bad build quality. A review says a lot, but a review of a new machine tells you what it's like when it's new, before a lot of stress and temperature fluctuation.
Kind of obvious, but still worth mentioning.

 

For a six cell battery, 15" lcd with discrete graphics, on Vista, that performance is pretty amazing...

 

lasting 4 hours thats not bad eh! and love the pics but hate the mediocre graphics card, hp really needs to start providing better graphics options with their gear if they wanna compete with Dell's new offerings.

 

HP does a pretty good job with power management via its factory default settings. That's why you read many comments that the HPs are loud and warm when they are plugged in (running at full CPU power) but you don't hear many complaints about heat and fan noise when the HPs are running on battery.

If you set the power management settings to best performance (full CPU power) then they get warmer and the fans run almost constantly ... which impacts battery life.

If you leave the power management settings where they are out of the box the dv6000t and dv6500t series are pretty good in terms of battery life.

 

hmmm i always thought that HP had a bad power management system, i mean my dv9000t doesnt have any HP program that sets power management while in the Dell and Acers I have they have a program that allows you to set several features.

my dv9000t lasts 2.5 hours with wireless on and low brightness while watching an avi movie which i guess isnt too bad for a 9 cell 17" eh

 

The scores on 3d mark 06 also cought my attention... the 1520 with 8600gs is almost 3 times faster with XP (3190 points) and the 3d mark 05 is less than half of the other computer (5500 ponts)...

Are you sure these benchmarks are correct?????

 

i think the 3190 points was done with 1024x768 resolution as it seems the 8600GS scores are varying between laptops.

 

Guys, can anybody explain this to me. The review on this beloved site about the DV2500t stated that they got 2,40 h (=160 minutes) out of a similar configuration with 14 inch screen. This using the screen two noches above lowest setting, wifi and BT on browsing the internet and using MS word. With a normal 6 cell battery. So, if the high capacity battery would give you 16% more, this would amount to 3 h and 5m (185m).

This while the DV6500t reaches 3h watching a DVD with a 15 inch screen with brightness set to half.

So a 15 inch screen watching DVD's ( a stress test mind you) at half brightness gets the same amount of battery life as a 14 inch screen at almost zero brightness browsing the internet???

Am I missing something here????

 

That shouldn't make a difference because they both run the same resolution.

 

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone can tell me if this exact model with same specs is available in Canada? I can't find it on the HP Canada site

 

WAIT, HOW DID YOU GET AN HDMI PORT?
THEY TOLD THE THE DV6500t HP LAPTOP DOES NOT COME WITH ONE AND THEY HAVE NO PLANS FOR IT TO IN THE FUTURE.

THAT MEANS IVE BEEN HOLDING OUT FOR NOTHING.
hurry, i need a quick response.

 

Yes, the dv6500t with NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS has HDMI.

Hurry and go buy it.

 

Hi,
I am deeply interested in buying Hp's 6500 Special Edition but still a little skeptical about the graphic card it boasts of...(an 8400M GS) and I was wondering if it would really play the latest games even at minimal settings?

Besides, I am an animator and would require the notebook both for my animation (essentially Use Maya as a software) and basic gaming needs...thus I was wondering if the above machine would be able to support them? I am also interested in DEll Inspiron 1520 cause of its graphic card but it looks butt ugly and is probably not portable friendly imho...

Looking for advice..Thnx

 

right, I've decided to buy one of these after hearing some bad things about the dell 1520. come on!

 

Hi...

This might not be the best place to post this question but I just purchased a DV6500t Special Edition. I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to screen resolutions and external displays, but is it possible to use an external display and get better resolution than the normal 1280X800 that I get on the internal?

For what I do right now the 1280X800 works fine but i was interested in purchasing an external monitor (something bigger and a bit easier on the eyes). From time to time i do like to get into painter n the like and this question just came up in my mind. Any way that would provide a bit better of a picture, buying an extra monitor?

P.S.

If anyone have questions about the DV6500t special edition notebook i'd be happy to give you my 2 cents...

thnx

 

I hooked my DV6565US up to a 20' monitor (NEC 20WMGX2 @ 168x1050) and it looked great displaying photos. I didn't run any games though. I'm no fan of laptop screens and I have no doubt you'll get a better picture on an auxilliary display. A laptop display can be adjusted and the default color, gamma etc. settings changed but the display wont equal a monitor - especially a good one. If you look under dispaly properties and "Advanced" type setting you'll see a place where you can change the defaut setting for each use. There is a setting for "Photography" and other dispaly tasks that can each be given a rendering profile. I haven't tried to play with screen too much yet but maybe there is more calibrating that can be done via profiles from photoshop etc. Fact is though that most notebooks use TN (twisted numatic) technology that is cheaper to make and known for color wash outs and images fades on vertical angles.

 

how is this screen compared to sony fz190?

 

I am a little curious about the graphic card? How's the performance? How's the overall performance?

 

here is a review done on my laptop...
http://www.reviewpub.net/2007/07/hp-dv6500t.html

here this individual puts like this...

"The graphics card I got is the Nvidia 8400m graphics card. This will work for some light gaming, such as Half Life 2 played on medium settings or higher end games on low settings, but it will not work for more demanding games such as Oblivion. If you want to do some light gaming or you want to use your dv6500t to output high-def video then definitely go for the Nvidia 8400M graphics."

"I also ran Cinebench, a benchmark that tests the graphic and dual processor capabilities of a notebook, the HP dv6500t scored a respectable 564 with the configuration I have." (go to the link for a graphical representation of the results)

My opinion...

I havn't really taken my dv6500 spec ed for a true test graphics wise... i've played a dvd or two... messed with some photoshop... i havnt played a game on it since I am not a pc gamer (i have consoles for that). Having done some basics I say that this garphics card is perfect the intermediate user. It does well keeping "true to life" for my graphics and photos, they look near identical in print, and it shows off my videos with great clarity and no flash or lag. For me the "intermediate" user this is a perfect match.

Don't waste your time with configuring your DV6500 with the intel x3100 (this option has no hdmi output). $80 more and you can have the Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS discrete graphics with the HDMI out... which leads me to the most important part of purchasing this notebook...

---------
The top resolution for this notebook is the lowest i've seen on a widescreen display, 1280 x 800. This is fine for a laptop that you're pulling with you on the go and what not. But when it comes to sitting down and trying to work out your best on photoshop or painter or any other graphic style program, you're going to wish you had a better resolution.

First thing i'm buying for this new laptop is an external monitor, so that i can get some better resolution. And here is where you will really wish you got the Nvidia 8400M GS... you'll have your HDMI. The 8400 is capable of much better resolution than what is displayed on the laptops lcd. And with HDMI or an HDMI to DVI converter you can connet to a much larger display and acheive a better resolution and ultimately see the true capability of the 8400.

So DEFINITELY go with the Nvidia over the Intel... this laptop has no DVI connectors and without your HDMI you'll only be able to use your VGA... that'll be ok... but then again if you're reading this you're concerned about your graphics and you'll be wanting that DVI and more powerful graphics chip.

-----

wow that was a lot of hot air... hopefully i've helped you out and provided some useful information

 

check that link i provided above... the graphics on the dv6500 with the nvidia out-did the fz

 

thnx for all the info bud...appreciate it.

 

Oh god, the start-up fan noise is loud? :/

Going to be awkward in classrooms..

 

where can i purchase the 2.0gh hp dv6500t in canada and is the video card oc?

 

nice review really helpfull

thnx

 

Nice job on the review!

I was wondering, does the webcam issues have been resolved in the
dv6500t? I purchased a dv6000 and a dv2000 and we could not get the webcam to playback correctly. We had to reinstall the driver just about every time we wanted to video conference on MSN.

just wondering, I wouldn't mind getting one of them!

 

Nice review. It helped make my decision to purchase the dv6500t.

 

Guys,

I'm in doubt about 3 notebooks...

HP PAVILION dv6575us
SONY VAIO VGN-FZ190N4 (+1gb memory, + NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GT)
COMPAQ 8510p (+1gb memory)

I was quite buying the Sony, but now, after read this review, I don't know what to do!!

I read all these models' reviews but I don't know how to decide. I will use it, basically, to work and I dont usually play games.

Which is the best choice?

Thnx

 

I think the Sony is a nice machine but it will cost plenty more. The HP I believe still has a 20% coupon on this site. Also HP still has a bunch of free upgrades and 50% off and 75% off certain components. The compaq is just the cheaper version of HP.. they are the same companies now. I suggest going for the HP (but then thats what I did.. some bias here) and taking advantage of all the free/cheap upgrades and applying the 20 percent coupon. Then you can add extra warranty protection and still be cheaper then the Sony. The Sony will cost more, and the insurance is generally expensive. I don't think the added cost is worth it.. Sony build quality is not really that much better. The dv6500i is getting some pretty good reviews and I think its a great buy for the money. Also, you have 21 days to inspect and decide if you want to return.

 

I forgot to mention... I'm in Brazil. Here the prices are almost the same...
In this case, do you think the Sony is better? I was quite buying the Sony but the dv6500 was the " Editor's choice" (or something like this) and the Sony's reviews wasn't soooo good... What do you think?

Today I was looking for other options and I've found the Lenovo 3000 N200

Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 (2GHz, 4MBL2, 800MHzFSB) with
Genuine Windows Vista Business (0769A8U)

* 15.4 inches WSXGA+ VibrantView TFT with integrated camera LCD Glossy (1680x1050) (Silver)
* 256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 with Turbo Cache
* 1GB PC2-5300DDR2 SDRAM
* 160GB, 5400rpm Serial ATA
* 8X Max DVD Recordable (Dual Layer) PATA Fixed Media Bay drive
* Integrated fingerprint reader
* Bluetooth Version 2.0 + EDR, Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
* Dimensions Width 14.2" x Depth 10.5" x Height 1.24"
* 6 Cell Lithium-Ion Battery
* 1 year Customer Carry-in Repair​

I dont know... despite it appears a little bit ugly.. Lenovo have everything! (camera, bluetooh, fingerprint..) It would be better?

Tnhx!!

 

I have the Lenovo 3000 N200 and I love it! Alot of ppl debate about getting either the N200 or the thinkpad t61. My boyfriend has the thinkpad t61, and I know that their is a big difference in build (the Thinkpad is a LOT more drop friendly) but besides that, I cant really tell the difference...and I dont know about in Brazil, but in the states their was a semi-large price difference...so unless you are clumsy or do heavy-duty airplane travel, i dont think the extra $$ is worth it.
I was looking into getting all of the laptops that you are considering (the HP and Sony) and the Lenovo just had everything that I needed. I intern at a government site, and the tech junkies here really rec. either the Sony or the Lenovo...but thought that the best deal was Lenovo.
Just make sure that you dont mind the Lenovo being 15.4" !!!!!

 

The HP comes with a 1280x800 display, the Lenovo has a 1680x1050, a much better resolution.

 

Oh!! Great to read it!!
I really want a 15.4'' display. I will only use it in my office and house. I want confort view.

About Lenovo, I'm in the same case that you were. Lenovo is cheaper (comparing with Thinkpad and all others) and it has everything that I want (fingerprint, better resolution, bluetooh, camera...)!! But I was worried about everybody says the Thinkpad would be better, and more beautiful and bla bla. Thinkpad is lighter and more friendly, but doesn't have camera and it is U$200,00 more expansive. I still dont know ... but I think between the IBM's, I would get Lenovo.

Other doubt that I have is about the resolution. I saw this HP (dv6500t) with everything I want (customized) and very beautiful, but the max resolution is 1280x800. I dont know if it will annoy me. I use 1280x1024 in my 19'' display (desktop). And I'm worried about if 1280x800 is very closer...
Today, I will go to Shopping here in Brazil to see some resolutions and decide it.
If 1280x800 is good for me, I buy HP dv6500t. If this resolution is too close, I buy Lenovo!!

What do you think?
Thx for reply!!

 

The resolution on your 19" is about the same on the HP 6500t. The difference in 1280 X 1024 and 1280 X 800 is your 19" is not wide screen. But since the 15 inch LCD is considerably smaller in size.. your text, fonts etc.. will be considerably smaller. I don't think they will look that close. Look at the screen shots on the review on this page to compare the text on the boot menus the reviewer took. It looks like a very nice display and the text looks good. I wish the reviewer would have taken a desktop picture as well.

 

Somebody test pcsx2???, run fine??, I think buy this hp dv6575

 

And HP dv6500t vs Toshiba Satellite A205??
Both with the same configuration...
Which is the best?

I will buy today... and I'm in doubt yet.... hehehe

 

Hi guyz,
I need some suggestions here. Ive just read the anandtech review of the hp dv6500t, and that terribly dissapoints me, and that review criticizes almost every aspect of the dv6500t. But, ive read more good reviews of this laptop than bad ones, so I'd just like to confirm if this laptop is correct choice for my needs.
I basically use my laptop for moderate photoshop cs2 editing, I surf the web extensively (20-40 tabs) and I watch vids and listen to music. I'm sure the laptop can do all that fine. But, I also am going to use this lappy for some gaming, not extreme but playable. I play games like HL:2, america's army, NFSMW, and carbon. I don't want the graphics to be at the highest settings, I just want it at a high resolution with some decent options. I don't want photo-realistic graphics, but just enough to look good enough and be played at a decent frame-rate. Will this laptop fullfil these needs?
I hope someone replies soon, because I need to buy a new laptop now.

Thanx,
Akshay

 

*BUMP*
Guyz I really need your suggestion and advice here, can you please reply soon? I have to make my decision by 2morrow or day after...

Thanx,
Akshay

Hoping for a reply.....

 

I have a DV6175ea and I am disappointed with it. It heats up a lot and sucks up battery energy. The full charge capacity of the battery is 52Whr, and with the laptop consuming c.a. 30W, it is difficult to get the battery to last 1hr30mins.
I find the other reviews stating longer battery life hard to believe, unless of course there is a major flaw with my system. I'm thinking of investigating this further, but will save this for a new post.

 

Okay..... actually, battery life and heat are not a problem for me....
And as majority of the reviews don't really have the problem you mentioned, it might just be your system. As for the battery life, the cnet review criticized the battery life, but they still got 2hrs 30 min playing a dvd or a video, which is pretty much acceptable. The other reviews had stated a better battery life, so, I guess thats not the problem.

I just wanted the confirm that will this lappy be able to cope up with my needs? That is:

Will this laptop be able to do all that? How is the overall performance of the laptop?

Thanx,
Akshay

 

hi guys,
just wondering would set up
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T5250 (1.5 GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB)
Memory 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

Graphics Card 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
handle games like fear without lagging?

 

Hey guys, just got the HP 6500t as well with C2D 2.0GHz and 8400m GS. Does the system get hot at all? Also, how is the fingerprint reader? Let's say I don't feel like using the fingerprint reader, could I still type in the password? Should get it in by the end of the week hopefully.

Also, hows the 8400m GS with Dreamscene? Does it run pretty smoothly?