HP dv2500t Review

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by Marshall Burke

Being a fan of the HP DV series for sometime I have recently owned a HP DV1000 and a HP DV2000t laptop.  I have for the most part had good luck with both units so when the Santa Rosa Platform was finally released I jumped at the chance to purchase the dv2500t Laptop.  I really like the 14.1” screen as it provides a good combination of portability and weight, I can actually use it on an airplane with those miniature food trays.

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I ordered my unit through HPShopping.com, the day they were released, and configured the unit as follow:

• Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo T7100 (1.8GHz/2MB L2Cache)
• OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Basic (Removed upon arrival, installed Windows Vista Ultimate)
• Hard Drive: 100 GB SATA @ 5400 RPM (Fujitsu MHV2120BH)
• Screen: 14.1&quot; WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
• Graphics: Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
• RAM: 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) (DDR2 5300)
• Optical Drive: Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support (Matshita DVD-Ram UJ-8505)
• Battery: One 6 Cell and One 12 Cell Lithium Ion Batteries
• Wireless: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network w/Bluetooth
• HP Imprint (Radiance) + Fingerprint Reader +Webcam
• Weight: 5.29lbs
• Dimensions: 13.15&quot; (L) x 9.33&quot; (W) x 1.02&quot; (min H)/1.54&quot; (max H)
• Ports/Slots: 1 IEEE 1394 (FireWire); 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0)(1 On Left Side / 2 On The Right Side); 5-in-1 memory card reader; VGA monitor out port; S-Video out; RJ-45 Ethernet LAN; RJ-11 modem; ExpressCard 54mm; IR receiver; Expansion Port 3; 2 headphones/speaker jack with SPDIF; microphone.

My unit was scheduled to ship on the 14^th of May, but I received an email from HP Shopping stating that it would not ship until the 16^th and they also included a $50 coupon off of any future HP Shopping purchase, a very nice gesture for such a small differential in shipping times.  I received my unit on the 18^th of May via Fedex 2^nd Day International Service.  I have long since learned the secret that you should never change from the free shipping option to express shipping @ HPShopping.com as it does not change the delivery time.

First Impressions

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Since this is my second DV2000 Series laptop I will be able to provide a semi-unique view of the DV2500t.  The first thing that jumped out at me is the new HP Imprint Finish called Radiance, it is not a uniformed pattern like the DV2000t series, it has circular swirls all over the Top Shell and to the left and right of the trackpad.  It definitely gives the laptop a more youthful look, and most people will either like it or hate it.  The base color is still black on the lid and gray on the keyboard deck, it still has a high gloss finish; thankfully HP included a lint free wiping cloth to keep the lid and deck clean. 

Design and Build Quality

The fit and finish is fairly close to that of the DV2000t except for some reason the first couple of days the LCD Screen did not lay flat on the left side, but after use it seems to have corrected itself, I am not sure as to the cause, maybe the chassis was twisted during shipping.  The first program I ran was to test for dead/stuck pixels of which none was present.  The top lid came packaged with a clear sticky overlay to protect it from scratching and no noticeable scratches or defects were found.  The DV2000 series is as close to IBM/Lenovo build quality as you are going to get in a consumer level laptop.  The hinges are tight (minimal bounce, nice for use in an airplane or in a car) and the laptop has minimal flex on the chassis, and the latch less design makes opening and closing the LCD painless.

New imprint design on the dv2500t (view large image)

The included Matshita DVD-Ram UJ-8505 works well but is very noisy at high speeds, and makes rattling noises if the CD is not properly balanced especially if you use paper sticky-type labels.

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The Screen

The LCD in my unit was manufactured by Quanta, and is very bright.  The color saturation is excellent and when Cleartype is activated in Windows looks great.  This LCD is a major improvement over the DV2000t which has a Chi Mei LCD, which was overly saturated and not very bright, the viewing angle is also improved over the previous generation.

This LCD is probably the best screen I have ever had on a laptop, the only thing I would like to see changed is the option to order a higher resolution screen, currently the only available option is a WXGA which is only at 1280 x 800, but overall it makes this unit a good basis for an Entertainment PC.

Graphics

Sadly, HP has not yet released a dedicated graphics card for this laptop, it is due out sometime in June.  Even though I would probably have opted to keep the Intel X3100 integrated graphics card instead.  I am not a gamer, and do not require dedicated graphics, I welcome the power savings that the Intel X3100 provides.  That being said, the X3100 does provide DirectX 10 support and does handle the Windows Aero Interface much better than the Intel GMA900 series in the old DV2000t.  The Windows Experience Index for Graphics went from 3.1 to 3.4.  If you are a true gamer this machine with the Nvidia or the Integrated Intel X3100 would not be a suitable choice.

Webcam

The Webcam has been modified in the DV2500t, it has been changed from a 1.3 MP to VGA resolution (even though at the time of purchase they were advertising it as a 1.3 MP), while this might disappoint some people, the quality of the images and videos produced from the camera are much better in quality compared to the dv2000t, especially in low light.  Also the Dual Mics pick up sound much better in the DV2500t, the DV2000t is barely audible.

Processor and Performance:

The processor in my DV2000t was the original Intel Core Duo 1.83 GHz,  I ordered the dv2500t with an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.80 GHz, the speed from a subjective point of view has increased only slightly, but the heat produced from the CPU has dropped significantly.  The idle temperature on the CPU of the DV2000t was 45C, the DV25000t was running at 28C.  Both units were left on for an hour and neither unit had a CPU usage greater than 1%, I tested the temperatures using software called SpeedFan v4.32.

The dv2500t definitely runs cooler under heavy CPU usage and the bottom of the laptop got only marginally warm to the touch.  I could actually use this laptop on my lap wearing shorts and not get burnt to a crisp; I could not say the same for the DV2000t which got really hot even under normal usage.

The dv2500t returned a score of 1m 09s using Super PI, the dv2000t returned a score of 1m 22s.  The speed difference is not that significant, but being the T7100 is only a 1.80 GHz vs 1.83 Ghz the speed increase was welcomed.

Super Pi Comparison Results

Notebook	Time
HP dv2500t (1.80GHz Intel 7100)	1m 09s
HP dv2000t (1.83GHz Core Duo)	1m 22s
Lenovo ThinkPad T61 (2.00GHz Core 2 Duo Intel T7300)	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
Toshiba Satellite A205 (1.66GHz Core 2 Duo)	1m 34s
HP Compaq 6515b (1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-52)	2m 05s
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T2400)	59s
Dell Inspiron e1705 (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo)	1m 02s
Samsung X60 (1.66GHz Core Duo)	1m 29s
HP dv5000z (2.0GHz Sempron 3300+)	2m 02s

 

PCMark05 is a synthetic benchmark that tests overall system performance. The dv2500t with integrated graphics performed very well, outperforming systems from last year that had dedicated graphics:

Comparison table for PCMark05

Notebook	PCMark05 Score
HP dv2500t (1.80GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel X3100 Graphics)	3,376 PCMarks
Toshiba Satellite P205-S6287 (Intel 1.73GHz T5300 + GMA 950)	2,981 PCMarks
HP Compaq 6515b (1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-52, ATI x1270)	2,420 PCMarks
Toshiba Satellite A135 (Core Duo T2250, Intel GMA 950)	3,027 PCMarks
HP dv6000t (2.16 GHz Intel T7400, NVIDA GeForce Go 7400)	4,234 PCMarks
Fujitsu LifeBook A6010 (1.66GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel GMA 950)	2,994 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
Toshiba Tecra M6 (1.66GHz Intel T2300E, Intel GMA 950)	2,732 PCMarks
Asus V6J (1.86GHz Core Duo T2400, Nvidia Go 7400)	3,646 PCMarks
Sony VAIO FE590 (1.83GHz Core Duo)	3,427 PCMarks

The following are results from 3DMark06:

3DMark06

Notebook	3DMark06 Score
HP dv2500t (1.80GHz Core 2 Duo, Intel X3100 Graphics)	541 3DMarks
Samsung R20 (1.73GHz T2250 and ATI 1250M chipset / GPU)	476 3DMarks
Samsung Q35 (1.83GHz Core 2 Duo T5600, Intel 945GM)	106 3DMarks
Samsung X60plus (2.0GHz Core 2 Duo T7200, ATI X1700 256MB)	1,831 3DMarks
Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Xi 1526 (1.66 Core Duo, nVidia 7600Go 256 MB)	2,144 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

 

I tested the Hard Drive performance using HD tune the results are included below:

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Keyboard and Touchpad:

I have been a big fan of the keyboard on the DV2000t, and the DV2500t is no different. the keyboard has a minimal amount of flex and bounce. The keys have a very good tactile feel and good travel.  The only thing I noticed was on the DV2500t the keyboard is slightly concaved and not perfectly flat like the DV2000t.  The only change on the keyboard itself is the Circle Windows Vista key.

A look at the dv2500t keyboard and touchpad (view large image)

The touchpad on this unit is a major change from the previous generation (and that is a good thing.)  HP has chosen to go with Alps instead of Synaptics for the touchpad sensor.  The only item I despised on the DV2000t was the jumpy near useless touchpad, being left-handed I was constantly fighting with the settings trying to find the right sensitivity setting, as I was always making the cursor jump when pressing the left or right click button.  It got so bad that I just stopped using it and carried a small mouse instead.  The DV2500t’s touchpad worked properly right out of the box with no adjustments necessary.   The Synaptic software has more options for fine tuning, but none of these options are needed for the Alps touchpad.  The surface of the touchpad also seems to be smoother allowing you to glide your finger more easily than the DV2000t.  The touchpad buttons have also been improved; they do not have as much key travel as the DV2000t, which traveled below the front black plastic bezel.

I opted for the Fingerprint Reader and I really like being able to swipe my finger to log into Windows Vista.  It also works with Outlook, Internet Explorer 7, Firefox and even Quicken.  The bioscrypt Verisoft Access Manger, is a very nice, easy to use software to setup and use.  I did not think I would use this thing as much as I do, but it is so fun to use it is almost addicting.  The only problem I have found is that I own the xb3000 Expansion Base, and the fingerprint reader gets obstructed during use.  HP should have positioned the fingerprint reader closer to the keyboard so it would not have been blocked, my solution is to keep the laptop up higher on the base, and not let it rest at the bottom of the expansion base.

HP dv2500t in the xb3000 Expansion Base (view large image)

The touch sensitive controls at the top of the DV2500t are still backlit by blue LED’s, but they are not as bright as the DV2000t, which is actually a good thing.  The HP Quick Launch Button Utility for Windows Vista has been reduced in functionality compared to the XP version, as you cannot change button assignments (The buttons are locked to the HP QuickPlay Software.)  Also the sound the buttons make in Windows Vista are different than the DV2000t and seemed to be controlled within the Quick Launch Button Utility.  If I uninstall the utility the buttons will not function (except the volume and mute buttons) and will not make any sounds.  The one bug I have found is that with the utility installed the mute button on the Expansion Base uses the old hardware based sounds, but the volume controls on the Expansion Base produce the new sounds, not a big deal but something I noticed and found a little odd.

Inputs and Outputs

The DV2500t has not changed at all from the DV2000t both contain the same ports and located in the same position.  I like having at least one USB on each side of the laptop (1 Left / 2 Right) 

Left side view of HP dv2500t (view large image)

Right side view of the dv2500t (view large image)

The unit still lacks the ability to output to DVI or even HDMI, but I did look at the service manual for this machine and saw a diagram in which the USB port on the left hand side was replaced with an HDMI port, I believe this option will only be available for the Nvidia dedicated graphics card.

Battery Life

I purchased both the 6-cell battery and the 12-cell battery.  On the DV2000t the battery life using the 6-cell battery was poor at best, I could never get more than 2 hours and 12 minutes of battery life using Windows XP (under Windows Vista 1 hour 45 Minutes).  So this time around I opted to get the 12-cell battery, so far I have not needed the 12-cell battery (it is still in the original bubble wrap) I am averaging 2 hours and 40 minutes of battery life with the 6-cell.  This is using the ‘Power Saver’ option under Power Options with both Wireless Radios enabled.  I could not believe I was getting almost an hour more of battery life using the DV2500t so I repeated the same test and got similar results.

The test setup was using Windows Vista Ultimate, Screen Brightness two notches above the lowest setting, both Wireless Radios enabled (Bluetooth and WiFi), ‘Power Savings’ Profile, used Firefox to browse the internet and create documents using MS Word.  This is my real life usage pattern, yours may very.

I believe the power savings can be attributed to the Santa Rosa Platform, and the fact that you can enable C4 sleep state in the BIOS.

Heat and Noise

The DV2500t was barely even warm after sitting on my work desk for 9 hours straight.  The fans are hardly audible under normal usage, and the fan noise under heavy usage was about the same as the DV2000t.  This unit definitely runs cool to the touch and a significant improvement over it older sibling.  The unit does get warm to the left of the touchpad where the HD is located.  The Fujitsu HD seems to run a little hotter than the Seagate that came with the DV2000t, the difference is not extreme, but it is noticeable.

Wireless

I opted for the Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN, which has Pre-N, at home I have the Apple Airport Pre-N router and had no problems with setup or operation.  The network copy speeds are definitely improved over ‘G’. 

I am having some issues with the Bluetooth on the DV2500t, it seems to disconnect and reset under heavy HD or DVD-Rom usage (especially when installing software), the mouse and keyboard will stop functioning for 5 to 10 seconds and the HP Wireless Assistant will flash in the Notification Area.  I have made an inquiry to HP but have yet to get a response.  The problem does not occur under normal usage, and does not occur at all using the DV2000t.

Service and Support

I have used HP support many times over the years and like other companies they have transferred support services to India to save money (while this should not be an issue, I am not one to get political) support has definitely suffered under this scenario, I once had a problem with my Omnibook, and the first responder at HP Support could not help me, so they put me on hold and transferred me to a real technician who knew so much about the device that he talked me through the solution without ever touching a computer (he probably did it with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back), you could actually tell that he was passionate about the products he supported, which was the prevailing culture at HP.

I have used HP Support a lot over the last two weeks with this Bluetooth issue and the magical disappearing act of my HP C6180 printer driver on all my computers (including the DV2500t and the DV2000t) running Windows Vista (this is not occurring with the machines using Windows XP.)

I tried using the Online Chat and was immediately annoyed, every person you chat with has dumb-downed English names like John, Joe and Susan (I know they do this to hide the identity and nationality of the person and make the names easier to pronounce) to me this is an insult to their own culture and my intelligence.  They also drop canned responses (the same one every time), like ‘Sorry for any inconvenience this problem has caused’ and they seem to be programmed to activate the responses at will, almost like the computer does it automatically (this might be helpful in calming some people down if they are upset, but frustrating nonetheless). As of this review I have not received a satisfactory response over both of these issues and both problems have been escalated, I was promised an email response within 48 hours, neither of which occurred.

I have had the battery of the DV2000t replaced under warranty (one of the 6-cells went bad), which went smoothly and quickly, and I had my old DV1000t sent in for repair for a bad CMOS battery, which also went off without a hitch.

Software

The DV2500t came loaded with all the usual mix of junk software.  I don’t hold this against HP; all manufactures do it to subsidize the cost of the laptop (and increase profits.)  It is the equivalent of the cell phone companies in the USA that will give you a free phone with 1 year service agreement.

The one thing I do like about HP laptops in recent years is that they follow the same setup paradigm, a directory called ‘SWSETUP’ which contains almost all the software and drivers needed to do a clean install of Windows.  I had a free copy of Vista Ultimate I got from a seminar I attended, and wiped the HD clean and started from scratch the process was timely -- about 3 hours from start to finish, but Windows Vista ran much faster and less bloated.  The only thing missing from the ‘SWSETUP’ directory was the Fingerprint Software (bioscrypt VeriSoft Access Manager, the drivers for the sensor was in the directory) and the HP Advisor a nifty diagnostic utility.  I found the VeriSoft Access Manger by searching HP’s website and the HP Advisor (I was not able to find this App. on HP’s website,) I copied back from the original installation.

All of my software is working well, except for some reason hibernation takes twice as long on the HP DV25000t as it does on the DV2000t, I am not sure if it is an issue with the brand of HD, DMA Settings, or BIOS settings, but strangely the Resume process is faster on the DV2500t than the DV2000t.

A small note for people that want to install Windows XP on this laptop, my BIOS version is F.05, and is missing the option for legacy support for the SATA HD. I tried using a Windows XP Pro SP2 CD and no HD was detected in the setup process, I have yet to try nLite to create a custom boot disc, but Intel drivers are available for use in creating such a boot disc.  Also HP has no drivers listed for Windows XP and the DV2500t, but most drivers are readily available from the HP site and via the power of Google.

Conclusion

The DV2500t is a good solid successor to the previous DV2000t series laptop.  The difference is not night and day, but incremental in most areas.  I still feel as though the DV2500t gives you the best bang for your buck, with good build quality, reliability, and the included standard features.  People could try to compare Lenovo or even HP’s NC series, but this is a consumer laptop, meant for the average user, and it does very well for its intended target.

The DV2500t made major improvements in the area of reduced operating temperatures, a better screen, longer battery life and most importantly to me the inclusion of the Alps touchpad.

Pros:

• Nice HP Imprint (Radiance)
• Good Build Quality
• Improved Bright LCD
• Alps Touchpad
• Runs cool to the touch
• Improved Battery Life
• Fingerprint Reader (Optional)

Cons:

• Bluetooth disconnection issues
• Low Screen Resolution (1280 x 800)
• Gloss finish requires constant wiping
• Noisy DVD Drive
• No legacy option in Bios for Windows XP or Linux

Pricing

The HP dv2500t starts at $949.99 at HPShopping.com

 

Finally...a Santa Rosa review. Good job! Thanks.

EDIT: Good comparisons with the dv2000t.

 

Nice review of the new dv2500t model!

one mistake i noticed was in the 3Dmark06 and Pcmark05, you mention the notebook as the dv2000t when it is the dv2500t score and specs listed

also interesting to note how well the x3100 scored compared to the go7400. Unless that is a mistake, this chip might be able to play some games reasonably well. I would guess it is on par with a go7200 in the score perhaps?

have u got any games to test?

 

Nice review!

I guess I'm not too surprised about HP eliminating legacy HDD support in these new models. One of the alternatives now would be slipstreaming the sata drivers onto a makeshift XP cd via nlite, provided that you can find the appropriate sata drivers (and that they will even run under XP).

Looks like XP driver support will be fading away fast (audio, webcams, sata, etc....)

 

Great review. I definately hope there will be an option for a HDMI port with the Nvidia graphics card. If so, I think I have picked this as my 1st laptop.

 

and a good pick at that. I especially liked the comparisons with the dv2000t, thank you!

 

A very informative review. So the X3100 has its nose ahead of the ATI 1250M in 3DMark 06 (and the other way round in 3DMark05).

It looks as if Santa Rosa is giving some power savings. I am surprised that the Fujitsu HDD is running warm. In general, Fujitsus and Samsungs use least power and stay coolest.

One minor detail: I believe the T7100 is 1.8GHz, not 1.83GHz. These new CPUs with 800MHz FSB have speeds that are multiples of 200MHz (you've got it correct in the specs at the start but not in the benchmark tables). How does the dv2500t fare in the wPrime test?

John

 

Yeah would be good to get wPrime test runs for both test methods.

has anyone got 3dmark06 scores for the go7200?

 

674 in 3DMark06 according to NotebookCheck.

 

FYI on my new dv6500t, the fingerprint reader is near the keyboard not near the edge of the notebook. Also, on mine I will have to check but I think I have a synaptcs touchpad....at least I thought I remember seeing the utility in my taskbar. I will check on this when I get home.

 

Excellent review! Thank you for posting it. Now I'm thinking I may not wait for the nVidia dedicated option after all. I'm not a serious gamer by any stretch--Rollercoaster Tycoon is about as fancy as I get. The power and heat savings of integrated video here doesn't sound like too bad of a trade-off for someone who basically surfs the web and uses a word processor. Any thoughts?

 

Good review. I was just wondering how the USB ports are on this laptop. I've handled two different dv2000t's (the first one got sent back for other reasons) and on both machines, the USB ports were very very very tight, to the point where plugging things in was causing damage to the chasis. Any experiences with that either with your old dv2000t or the new machine?

 

Bravo to you for saying this. I hope HP, Dell, et all reads this and makes changes. Most of us don't want to be—and are not, in fact—racist, but being treated in this fashion invites a negative response.

I had a similar online chat with Dell last holiday season, trying to determine the specs of a $500 notebook advertised in the local paper.

The interaction received was mind-numbingly stupid. I couldn't obtain the most basic specs for the advertised machine. I guess it can't be bait and switch if you never know the kind of bait you're grabbing for. Needless to say, I didn't buy one.

 

I've spent quite a bit of time on HP's “configure to order” site over the last six months or so. It's interesting to observe subtle changes in the available configurations—and the occasional error or typo.

Just mock-ordered a dv2500t series. I see they no longer have the option to purchase a backup DVD for the Windows OS. That's a non-starter for me. One reason to use CTO over a discount store is getting a hassle-free copy of the OS. Not. They might have a part number available—I didn't want to look that hard.

It was cool you had a version of Vista Ultimate to install on your new computer. Nice review, by the way.

 

R4000,

The needed drivers to make a slipstream CD via nLite are in the 'SWSETUP' directory(Also on Intel's Website), I also had to upgrade to the latest version of Acronis True Image v10.0.492, as previous versions would not be able to read the Sata HD.

 

I think the delay in hibernating the system is an issue with Windows Vista. The hibernation delay has been mentioned before.

 

liuzerus87,

My DV2000t also suffers from tight USB Ports, you almost feels as though you are going to break the plastic. The DV2500t does not exhibit this behavior, I have used all three ports and they are fine.

 

agent007,

The hibernation speed on the DV2000t running Windows Vista Ultimate Edition is 30 seconds, on the DV2500t running Windows Vista Ultimate Edition is almost 1m 5s. Both units have 2GB of memory and the same process running.

 

Nice review and greatly appreciate the comparison to the dv2000t. Great to hear that the battery life has actually improved (mysteriously) and the touchpad issue is now resolved.

 

Fant,

You are correct HP has deviated from keeping the same Touchpad across the product line the DV6500t and the DV9500t still use Snaptics. The DV2500t uses Alps.

 

danny_8,

I believe the new OEM Policy with Microsoft on Vista requires manufactures to include the Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade Disc, with this disc, the 'SWSETUP' and the OEM CD Key on the bottom of your laptop(You will have to call Microsoft to activate) is all you need to do a clean install.

 

Ah, you beat me to it! (I'll review one with the new GeForce 8M cards...)

Thanks for the review. Regarding the noisy DVD drive, try using a third-party application to slow the spinup/spindown of your optical drive, and reduce the speed of it overall. You won't lose performance for most tasks, but you'll reduce the noise.

 

Hey, thanks for that info. It's tough keeping up with the OEM / retail license stuff. You want to be fair, legal, and honest, but you don't want to get screwed over.

Recently I tried to help a friend fix his Windows Me box from Compaq. He cannot get a replacement installation media from HP or anywhere else. I have several versions of Windows installation media but not that one.

 

My DV2000t also suffers from tight USB Ports, you almost feels as though you are going to break the plastic.

I did just that with a brand-new desktop Epox mainboard. Man, was I p.o.ed! When I plugged in the mouse it made a crunching sound. The computer wouldn't start because the 5V rail was shorted. I had to use brute force & forceps to pull the metal shards from the former port. Once removed, the unit worked fine albeit less one port.

I can forgive some technical hardware driver issues needing to be sorted out, but I have a real problem with inattention to basic mechanical alignment.

I suppose it comes down to quality and the race to be first to market.

 

I don't think that the OS writes the whole of physical RAM to the hibernation file if only part of the RAM is in use. I see a big diffeence in hibernation and resume time between having a few applications open and having many applications open.

John

 

Great review. Definately love teh comparo between the DV2000 and the DV2500. I assume that the DV6000/DV6500 will also do the same. I really do agree that HP really needs to step up and provide higher resolution screens as options. They do have the panels, as they are used in their business laptops.

As for one of the posters asking, the HDMI ports are available on their higher end DV9000 series. Maybe they'll put it in the DV6500t

 

If you poke around HP's website:

The DV6500 Series Service Manual can be downloaded here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...cc=us&lang=en&y=0&x=0&product=3425261&dlc=en&

On Page 13 shows an option for a HDMI Port.

The DV2500 Series Notebook Tour:
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00968146.pdf

On Page 13

 

ooooooooooooooooo....

and I just bought my T60 a couple months ago too, lol.... but then again my T60 I believe has superior build quality... but that's another topic

 

HP’s shopping site also shows an HDMI port where the third USB port currently resides. This laptop is a little more pricey than I would have hoped for. Still very impressive though.

 

Yep I just checked...my dv6500t has a synaptics touchpad....wonder why it would be different for the dv2500t....fyi my left finger on the touchpad button does tend to hit the bottom of the touchpad sending my cursor flying. I really wish they put a trackpoint like their business lines...but otherwise this laptop is great.

 

How much battery life would a dedicated graphics card take off the 2h 40m stated in the review? If it is significant, I too would also prefer to have integrated graphics. It seems to be on par, but just below the performance of a 7400, which should be enough for my needs.

Additionally, was a Digital TV Tuner optional with this model? In the UK, I have emailed two retailers, and one claims the TV card is built into the notebook, whilst another claims it is an expresscard tuner.

Anyway great review. Im really looking forward to getting one of these.

 

My brother has a DV2000t with the Nvidia option and the battery life difference under Windows Vista is about 20 minutes. From what I have read so far is that the power management features of the Nvidia has not been implemented in the drivers for Vista.

The TV Tuner Express Card option is available at hpshopping.com if you add that option to CTO machine. The cost is around $130 I believe. In the USA I have only seen the TV Tuner Express Card come standard with a top of the line dv9000 series with a HD DVD Rom Drive. I have setup and used this card it does work well, but the accessories like the remote control are mammoth, so you better get the extra large travel case

I myself like the Pinnacle TV HD Hybrid Stick, it is a small TV tuner a little larger than a USB memory stick drive. It works with Windows Vista Media Center and Quickplay(very generic features are available), and the remote, Antenna and other accessories are easier to manage (the actually fit better in a laptop bag.) The only issue I have with this card is the included software(TV Center Pro) for Vista is less than stellar and crashes or gives your video playback in a separate window. So you must have Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate and use Media Center for a good experience.

 

Was looking at the customization options and saw hp offer a 'High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery' and claim 16% extra capacity. Has anyone got one of these and noticed any improvement over the standard 6 cell?

 

I ordered the 6-Cell and a 12-Cell, but I wish I would have ordered two High Capacity 6-Cell's instead. The 12-Cell Battery is large, awkward and heavy, I personally would get the Enhanced 6-Cell instead.

 

I hope they'll offer the 8400M GT with 256Mb because otherwise the real gain from the integrated card wouln't be that high. If the GT will be available guys... then I'll say a happy bye bye to my actual choice - Vaio FZ !!

anyway where did you guys hear about HP soon offering Nvidia 8 cards from? Is there a link to some news about this ?
can you show us a picture with the large battery installed ? so we can see how's looking at the back.. thanks !

 

docangle, was this a high capacity 6 cell or a regular 6 cell in your review?

im glad the battery life has been improved because i only get 4 hrs at the most from my 12 cell battery (on power saver!!)

im also glad they fixed the fan issue. i look forward to upgrading once the nvidia card comes out

 

You have no clue how excited your review has me for my dv2500t, once they make the 8400 available. Awesome review.

Quick question: on the HP website, there's an option called "No TV Tuner w/remote control," and it shows the remote control... does this mean it doesn't have the TV Tuner, but still has the small remote?

 

Yes you are correct all configurations include the PC Express Card Remote. Even if you get the TV Tuner you will get the PC Express Remote Control plus the MCE Remote Control.

 

I got the 6-cell enhanced battery with my dv6500t....battery life seems pretty good but I'm probably not getting more than 3 hours. I'll have to do a true drain test. Whats the best way to get an accurate battery life test? Oh one thing I did notice....the hp battery monitor only shows percentage remaining....not time remaining.

 

Fant,

The last HP laptop I had that provided time feedback was the dv1000 series laptop, I know that the Phoenix BIOS is modular and the OEM's have to pay extra for this feature to be enabled, also I believe you have to have an IC in the battery as well. I have a feeling that the IC exists in the battery as the battery can report to the HP Battery Application the wear indication of the battery. The Windows XP version of the HP Battery Checker (which works in Vista with .net 1.1 Framework Installed) was able to feedback in actual percentage, instead of just a bar graph.

 

it is not relevant how much the battery holds with the Nvidia card. If you are a fierced gamer, you will enjoy it even if holds 1 hr ! What I would like to see is how the 12 cell battery looks installed.

Docangle, can you please post a picture with the large battery on ? please !

 

Jaymz,

This page on Tomshardware.com has a picture of an HP consumer laptop with a 12-cell battery installed. As you can see, it raises the computer up off the desk. (I'd prefer to have it hanging off the back end the way some other laptops do.)

The rest of the article is pretty good as well.

 

In my opinion battery life is one of the most important things with laptops, even with dedicated graphics installed. The whole idea of a laptop is the option of portability and without this, it is nothing more than a compact desktop.

This may not be an issue for all designs, but being as the dv2500t is a relatively small laptop, portability is clearly going to be one of the attractions making battery life far more relevant and not something to be dismissed.

 

Does the nvidia hardware really use more power when not gaming?

 

Yes, if you search the HP/Compaq forums it is well documented, especially under Vista.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=107138&highlight=nvidia+battery+life

 

Since I dont play games I think I made the right choice and stuck with more power efficient x3100.

 

Any guesses on which model of the 8400M (G, GS, GT) will be available on the dv2500t?

 

As I already asked here and nobody answered.. who said (and where) that dv2500 will have Nvidia 8 cards ?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=121895 there you go jaymz

 

Thanks for that. I've already read the thread.. but is there an official link for the news ?

Moreover, what is wrong with the HP guys offering only two out of three from the following: webcam, mic and fingerprint reader ?