Hewlett Packard Pavilion Dv6500t (RM098AV) PC Notebook
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A Great Deal of Computer for a Reasonable Price
Pros
Fair price, lots of RAM, not much bloatware to delete, very fast!
Cons
It weighs 6 pounds - I have found no flaws in either design or function.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
A lot of computer for the money. An excellent choice for a second home unit that works beautifully with a wireless router. Travels but not lightly.
Buying a laptop is a lot like buying a car. If you have a choice, you never buy a used one or an off-brand. You decide what you need it for, how much you are willing to spend, study the available data and then make the best decision and the best deal you can. After a lot of deliberation, I settled on this HP dv6500t and have had absolutely no regrets. Built solidly, not bloated with software time-limited programs and VERY fast, it is meeting my needs just as I hoped that it would. The HP dv6500t might be just the laptop for you, too.
The Initial Decisions : What To Look For
Spending months searching through the pages of Consumer Reports, Computer World and PC Magazines and reading literally hundreds of product reviews and recommendations on literally dozens of technical web sites just didn't help much at all - with the choice of a laptop, that is. What the research DID provide was a way of honing the choices down to a few brands and helping me understand more precisely what kind of laptop I needed.
Balancing out all the pros and cons, the conflicting reviews and inconsistent comments, I decided that 1) At least several of the major brands including HP, DELL, Lenovo (IBM), Compaq, Apple, Toshiba or Sony would likely be reliable and work as advertised and that 2) While ultra-light weight laptops (weighing only several pounds) seemed attractive due to their sheer portability, my own needs for one as a second computer at home and limited travel simply did not justify the additional expense of buying one of them.
I needed a computer I could use at one end of the house while my wife was working on the desktop at the other that could connect via wireless routing. I might bring it places from time to time, but essentially, it would live at home and would be used much the same way as I use a desktop. The HP dv6500t has succeeded in meeting all of my needs perfectly. As a point of reference, my most usual computer work involves internet access, creating word documents, spreadsheets and Power Point presentations, editing and managing photos and producing home videos.
My desktop experience had taught me that RAM really matters - especially if you use (as I do) video applications or other programs that use quite a lot of available RAM. I had also learned that, as I age, the size of the screen is important. Build-in hard drive capacity was less of an issue for me as I have plenty of that on my desktop and can easily transfer storage of large files there. With only those decisions made, I began shopping and wound up with the HP dv6500t (from COSTCO) that came configured with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 (1.5 GHz) processor, a 120 GB HDD and a very quick 2 GBs of DDR2 memory.
The HP dv6500t : Specs That Really Matter Most
Every computer comes along with a list of specifications that read like the "War and Peace" of technology. For most of we non-computer technician everyday users, only a handful of these technical specs are of immediate and substantive consequence to us. (You can certainly find a more complete listing of them, if you are interested, at sites including http://www.hp.com.) For my purposes, the following technical/construction/component information mattered most:
The Processor and Memory
1. Main stream and well regarded, the Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 (dual core), running at a respectable 1.5 GHz. This is the 'heart' of the hardware for your computer. To skimp here would be a mistake.
2. 2GB DDR2 SDRAM. Unlike the Hard Drive which stores information, the RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory actually used to do the work while you are doing it. It stores nothing but is needed for everything you do on the computer. Less than 1GB, a frequent situation in low-end, low-cost laptops usually needs to be upgraded right away to allow for smooth and quick functioning. This HP dv6500t came preloaded with 2GB and is upgradable to 4GB. Overall, the upgradability of a laptop is always an important consideration because while you may be sure what you need today, tomorrows needs are speculation!
The Drives
1. Hard Drive installed is 120GB. As I mentioned, this is the 'storage' area for all your programs and data. You need enough for everything you might want to keep on the computer. It is inadvisable, I learned, to buy anything with less than at least 80GB as many modern programs, even before you open and use them, take up a good deal of this HD space. Should I choose to add more later on, the HD can be doubled or tripled.
2. The Optical Drive is what reads/writes consumable media (CDs and DVDs.) The HP dv6500t comes with a drive that both reads and writes both types, so you can play and/or record just about anything to a disc. It is not the fastest drive available (8X), but does provide the ability to read and write the newer generation of double layered media.
Graphics and Video
The screen is a respectable 15.4" WXGA widescreen with 1280X800 resolution. Big and bright enough for me to see and read with ease. The graphics card, an Intel Media Accelerator X3100 is in the range of 'much better than average' graphics card components and is noted for it's reliability.
Audio
You don't have to research much to discover that the built in sound on most laptops is pretty poor owing to their simple smallness. The HP dv6500t, however, comes with a pair of Altec Lansing speakers built in that sound fine at close range. Earbuds or headphones can, of course, be simply plugged in to get better sound and/or insure privacy!
Ports / Device Connections
Again, another area in which you do not want to skimp. There is no telling, for sure, what you may want to connect your laptop to and their are a variety of type of connections commonly used. This HP dv6500t has them all! These include USB 2.0 ports (3 of them,) a 1394 ('firerwire') port, a 15-pin VGA, TV-Out (S-Video,) RJ-45 (LAN,) a pair of headphone jacks, a microphone input and an undedicated expansion port as well. This laptop will connect with anything I can imagine needing to connect to, and to add some necessary frosting,
Communications
This HP dv6500t laptop comes with both varieties of the most commonly needed and used internet connectability features, an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11 a/b/g) WLAN (for wireless connections) and an integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN (for hard wire connectivity.)
There are literally hundreds of other technical details, but those are the ones that mattered the most to me and I was delighted to find them all in this one HP dv6500t laptop for $700. at COSTCO.
Getting Up And Running
The HR dv6500t starts up with the simple push of a button and on screen directions that are user friendly ('intuitive.") Mine was running in five minutes after unpacking it. I then spend another ten minutes or so deleting the (small) package of unwanted 'trial' software and ten more personalizing the settings. It picked up the signal from my wireless router (a Linksys WRT54G) instantly and actually runs on the internet faster than my desktop! So, in less than a half hour, I was powered up, turned on and online. That's pretty quick and, based on experiences with other electronic devices, VERY smooth and easy!
Hands On The Machine
When your fingers hit the keyboard and controls is where the rubber hits the road. Equipped with Windows Vista Home Premium, the HP dv6500t is smooth and responsive to operate. Small blue lighted diodes indicate activated elements and the keyboard is non mini-sized and is friendly to an adult's fingers. It is attractive in it's dark, glossy case and comes packaged with an AC power cord and a 6-cell L-Ion battery that will run on a full charge for a couple of hours. A 12-cell battery with twice the lifetime is available as an accessory upgrade. It feels really good!
Warranty and Service
HP provides a one-year Warranty for it's devices. COSTCO doubles that warranty through it's own "Concierge Service" to two years that is available through a toll-free number 24/7. That's a savings of at least a hundred dollars over many other brands right there.
You will certainly be able to find more detailed and technologically sophisticated reviews of this HP dv6500t in other places. Mine is written as a user for other users and potential users. For the money, I don't think you could do better. I didn't think that I could and after a month or so of almost daily use, I have no reason to suspect that I have made a mistake.
Know what you need and what you can afford to spend. If you need a full-featured laptop that it admittedly NOT 'ultra-portable" (it weighs in at just about 6 pounds) be sure to check out the HD dv6500t. I don't think that you will be disappointed. It does it all, and does it quickly and easily. At a very reasonable price, what more could you or I ask for?
The Initial Decisions : What To Look For
Spending months searching through the pages of Consumer Reports, Computer World and PC Magazines and reading literally hundreds of product reviews and recommendations on literally dozens of technical web sites just didn't help much at all - with the choice of a laptop, that is. What the research DID provide was a way of honing the choices down to a few brands and helping me understand more precisely what kind of laptop I needed.
Balancing out all the pros and cons, the conflicting reviews and inconsistent comments, I decided that 1) At least several of the major brands including HP, DELL, Lenovo (IBM), Compaq, Apple, Toshiba or Sony would likely be reliable and work as advertised and that 2) While ultra-light weight laptops (weighing only several pounds) seemed attractive due to their sheer portability, my own needs for one as a second computer at home and limited travel simply did not justify the additional expense of buying one of them.
I needed a computer I could use at one end of the house while my wife was working on the desktop at the other that could connect via wireless routing. I might bring it places from time to time, but essentially, it would live at home and would be used much the same way as I use a desktop. The HP dv6500t has succeeded in meeting all of my needs perfectly. As a point of reference, my most usual computer work involves internet access, creating word documents, spreadsheets and Power Point presentations, editing and managing photos and producing home videos.
My desktop experience had taught me that RAM really matters - especially if you use (as I do) video applications or other programs that use quite a lot of available RAM. I had also learned that, as I age, the size of the screen is important. Build-in hard drive capacity was less of an issue for me as I have plenty of that on my desktop and can easily transfer storage of large files there. With only those decisions made, I began shopping and wound up with the HP dv6500t (from COSTCO) that came configured with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 (1.5 GHz) processor, a 120 GB HDD and a very quick 2 GBs of DDR2 memory.
The HP dv6500t : Specs That Really Matter Most
Every computer comes along with a list of specifications that read like the "War and Peace" of technology. For most of we non-computer technician everyday users, only a handful of these technical specs are of immediate and substantive consequence to us. (You can certainly find a more complete listing of them, if you are interested, at sites including http://www.hp.com.) For my purposes, the following technical/construction/component information mattered most:
The Processor and Memory
1. Main stream and well regarded, the Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 (dual core), running at a respectable 1.5 GHz. This is the 'heart' of the hardware for your computer. To skimp here would be a mistake.
2. 2GB DDR2 SDRAM. Unlike the Hard Drive which stores information, the RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory actually used to do the work while you are doing it. It stores nothing but is needed for everything you do on the computer. Less than 1GB, a frequent situation in low-end, low-cost laptops usually needs to be upgraded right away to allow for smooth and quick functioning. This HP dv6500t came preloaded with 2GB and is upgradable to 4GB. Overall, the upgradability of a laptop is always an important consideration because while you may be sure what you need today, tomorrows needs are speculation!
The Drives
1. Hard Drive installed is 120GB. As I mentioned, this is the 'storage' area for all your programs and data. You need enough for everything you might want to keep on the computer. It is inadvisable, I learned, to buy anything with less than at least 80GB as many modern programs, even before you open and use them, take up a good deal of this HD space. Should I choose to add more later on, the HD can be doubled or tripled.
2. The Optical Drive is what reads/writes consumable media (CDs and DVDs.) The HP dv6500t comes with a drive that both reads and writes both types, so you can play and/or record just about anything to a disc. It is not the fastest drive available (8X), but does provide the ability to read and write the newer generation of double layered media.
Graphics and Video
The screen is a respectable 15.4" WXGA widescreen with 1280X800 resolution. Big and bright enough for me to see and read with ease. The graphics card, an Intel Media Accelerator X3100 is in the range of 'much better than average' graphics card components and is noted for it's reliability.
Audio
You don't have to research much to discover that the built in sound on most laptops is pretty poor owing to their simple smallness. The HP dv6500t, however, comes with a pair of Altec Lansing speakers built in that sound fine at close range. Earbuds or headphones can, of course, be simply plugged in to get better sound and/or insure privacy!
Ports / Device Connections
Again, another area in which you do not want to skimp. There is no telling, for sure, what you may want to connect your laptop to and their are a variety of type of connections commonly used. This HP dv6500t has them all! These include USB 2.0 ports (3 of them,) a 1394 ('firerwire') port, a 15-pin VGA, TV-Out (S-Video,) RJ-45 (LAN,) a pair of headphone jacks, a microphone input and an undedicated expansion port as well. This laptop will connect with anything I can imagine needing to connect to, and to add some necessary frosting,
Communications
This HP dv6500t laptop comes with both varieties of the most commonly needed and used internet connectability features, an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11 a/b/g) WLAN (for wireless connections) and an integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN (for hard wire connectivity.)
There are literally hundreds of other technical details, but those are the ones that mattered the most to me and I was delighted to find them all in this one HP dv6500t laptop for $700. at COSTCO.
Getting Up And Running
The HR dv6500t starts up with the simple push of a button and on screen directions that are user friendly ('intuitive.") Mine was running in five minutes after unpacking it. I then spend another ten minutes or so deleting the (small) package of unwanted 'trial' software and ten more personalizing the settings. It picked up the signal from my wireless router (a Linksys WRT54G) instantly and actually runs on the internet faster than my desktop! So, in less than a half hour, I was powered up, turned on and online. That's pretty quick and, based on experiences with other electronic devices, VERY smooth and easy!
Hands On The Machine
When your fingers hit the keyboard and controls is where the rubber hits the road. Equipped with Windows Vista Home Premium, the HP dv6500t is smooth and responsive to operate. Small blue lighted diodes indicate activated elements and the keyboard is non mini-sized and is friendly to an adult's fingers. It is attractive in it's dark, glossy case and comes packaged with an AC power cord and a 6-cell L-Ion battery that will run on a full charge for a couple of hours. A 12-cell battery with twice the lifetime is available as an accessory upgrade. It feels really good!
Warranty and Service
HP provides a one-year Warranty for it's devices. COSTCO doubles that warranty through it's own "Concierge Service" to two years that is available through a toll-free number 24/7. That's a savings of at least a hundred dollars over many other brands right there.
You will certainly be able to find more detailed and technologically sophisticated reviews of this HP dv6500t in other places. Mine is written as a user for other users and potential users. For the money, I don't think you could do better. I didn't think that I could and after a month or so of almost daily use, I have no reason to suspect that I have made a mistake.
Know what you need and what you can afford to spend. If you need a full-featured laptop that it admittedly NOT 'ultra-portable" (it weighs in at just about 6 pounds) be sure to check out the HD dv6500t. I don't think that you will be disappointed. It does it all, and does it quickly and easily. At a very reasonable price, what more could you or I ask for?
