HP Pavilion p6720f PC (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Ordered this from Amazon, and I have to say, I'm really liking this computer!
I had it for about a month, using it every day. I left it on at times and I did several tests to make sure everything worked. I'll break it down with my experience, maybe it'll help some people out.*Processor: Phenom x4 840T
This is a newer AMD processor, an OEM only processor. So far it has handled everything I've thrown at it. I can run multiple things a once without a slowdown. It's not silent, I always hear the faint fan sound, but it's not loud. I love this processor! I get a 7.3 in the Windows Experience Index.
*Hard Drive: Hitachi HDS721010CLA332
1 Terabytes is more than enough for me. Lots of space! I read reviews online about this hard drive, and they have been on the positive side. I am happy HP used a good hard drive. The sound is on the lower end, not a loud hard drive at all. It gives me a 5.9 in the Windows Experience Index.
*Optical Drive: Samsung TS-H65SR
I could not find any reviews about this DVD drive. It is a basic drive on the cheap end. It is not noisy at all, except for when installing programs or running at top speed, which is normal. I have experienced bad DVD drives before from Dell that sounded like a helicopter when they were in use, and that is no exaggeration! So I am happy to recieve a "normal" DVD drive. Programs install faster than on my older XP computer, I haven't done too much burning yet, but speed times are equally good.
*Memory: 6 gigabytes
I wasn't able to see the maker of the memory. 6 gigabytes is more than enough for me. It gives me a 7.4 in the Windows Experience Index.
*Wireless Lan Card: Ralink
I won't be using the wireless at all for the moment. I did test the Ralink lan card out, and it worked like it should. An antenna is also included. I can't speak for using it for long periods of time.
*Power Supply: 250 Watts
This is a very cheap low wattage power supply. If you want to add more drives or a video card, you'll want to get a new power supply. It makes a low buzzing sound when it's fan is running on low, but you can only hear it if you are close to the computer. At full speed the fan sounds normal.
*Integrated Video: Radeon 4200
Not very good. While it's good for basic usage, you'll need a new video card if you want to do anything involving high detailed graphics. This thing barely runs graphics from 5 years ago. Graphics and Gaming were low in the Windows Experience Index, I only got a 4.3 and 5.4 on it.
*Keyboard and Mouse: HP
Both are wired and are the basic cheap kind. The keyboard is the new flat style, with the keys being more flat than sticking out like on the old keyboards. The optical mouse is a regular 2 button with a wheel. I prefer the old keyboards, but these both are just fine for basic use. I do like the look of the mouse, looks stylish!
*Software included:
People usually call extra programs installed with new computers "bloatware", it usually involves programs most people don't want. This does have some programs already installed, but it is not much at all. Only a few e-readers, 60 days free of Norton, Cyberlink to help you burn disc's, and a few extra games from Wildtagent.
If any of the programs are not wanted, they can be uninstalled within a few minutes, then can be forgotten about. They are however very good for a new computer user.
I have to mention the software HP included. I have been using Windows since Windows 95, and I have never, not once, ever used the "Help and Support" that's been included with Windows. However, looking at this one, it is truly wonderful how they have it. They have a link that goes directly to the product page on their web site with lots of useful details, I can run some diagnostic tests on the computer, and it has other useful tools and information. I really like the programs HP has included, I find them very useful.~Note!
You can only create 1 set of recovery discs. Make sure to do it soon after you first turn on your computer. Once you create them, store them in a safe place. You can always order them from HP too if it's ever needed. I'd rather get a set of discs with the computer like they use to come with, but to be honest, I really don't mind creating a set like this.~UPGRADES!
I bought a power supply and video card seperately to go with this computer. I got this power supply OCZ OCZ500MXSP ModXStream Pro 500 Watt Power Supply and this video card Sapphire Radeon HD5770 Vapor-X 1 GB DDR5 2DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card 100283VX-2L.
Installing them both was very easy. HP is great when it comes to having user friendliness in adding more components to the computer, I just discovered this and I love it. They have many guides and pictures on their web site showing how to add new hardware, even in the case it has little diagrams to show you how to remove something. If I compare removing a power supply from this HP, and from a new Dell, HP wins big! I love how the case is designed too, much nicer than the typcial computer cases you'd find today.
After adding the new video card, my Windows Experience Index in the graphics section jumped up from 4.3 and 5.4, to 7.4. A big jump! A video card was definitly needed for me.With my new power supply and video card added to the computer, I am very happy with this purchase. If it lasts a long time without breaking down(oh I do hope it doesn't, please don't break), then this will be ones of the best computer purchases I have made in quite some time.

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Multitask with ease with the stylish HP Pavilion p6720f PC-this desktop computer supports two or three monitors so you can e-mail, research, chat, browse the Web, edit photos and watch videos simultaneously, and you can also easily transfer photos, music, and other files to and from your digital camera and other peripheral devices with the front-panel 15-in-1 memory card reader. The HP Pavilion p6720f PC has an AMD Phenom II 840T Quad-Core Processor, a 1TB hard drive, Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n and comes with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and HP MediaSmart Software Suite pre-installed. With HP MediaSmart Software Suite, you can share and browse your photos via Snapfish by HP, burn music, slideshows and playlists to DVDs for sharing or saving and add your favorite music as background to your photo slideshows. This HP desktop computer also lets you create custom, silkscreen-quality labels and artwork directly onto LightScribe-enabled CD and DVD discs. A top-positioned power button and front-access USB ports are within easy reach.

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HP Pavilion G60-230US 16.0-Inch Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't know about the other reviewer's experience, but I can say that I love everything about this computer. The screen is bright and the colors are vivid. I have listened to other laptop speakers, and these sound very good. The keyboard is wonderful to type on. I had to uninstall some bloatware, but that was expected. Will upgrade to a 12 cell battery as soon as I can afford to. I highly recommend this laptop to anyone who wants a well made machine. Read the specs listed above and you will find that this machine has everything you would want in a laptop or desktop replacement. Con: somewhat large and slightly heavy, but then again your going to carry it in a bag anyways!

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Eliminate the black bars that appear when you're watching DVD movies or HDTV content when you view them on the HP Pavilion g60-230us notebook PC, which has a 16-inch screen with a true 16:9 aspect ratio. Pared down to the essentials, HP's G60 series is defined by minimalist lines. High-gloss reflective top cover and palm rest area surfaces contrast cleanly with matte surface everywhere else, and the streamlined look is enhanced with a color-matched keyboard and touchpad.
Chat face to face, or take pictures and video clips with the webcam and integrated digital microphone. Play games and enhance multimedia with the Intel GMA 4500M with up to 1309 MB of total available graphics memory. And enjoy movies or music in seconds with the external DVD or music buttons to launch HP QuickPlay (which bypasses the boot process).
It offers dual-core productivity from its 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium T4200 processor for excellent multitasking. Other features include a 320 GB hard drive, 3 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum capacity), dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), 5-in-1 memory card reader, and pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1).
The Basics
Processor: The 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium T4200 dual-core processor delivers additional computing resources and help expand the PC's capabilities by providing higher throughput and simultaneous computing. You'll be able to perform multiple tasks such as digital rendering and gaming all while running virus scan or other background tasks seamlessly. And its Intel 64 architecture is also ready for tomorrow's 64-bit applications, and offers enhanced performance through improved virtual memory. Each core shares 1 MB of L2 cache (for a 2 MB total), and they have an 800 MHz front-side bus. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

Hard Drive: The generous 320 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive has a 3Gb/s interface speed that enables up to 300MB/s data transfer rates (double the speed of the current SATA interface of 1.5Gb/s).

Memory: The 3 GB of installed RAM (PC6400, 1 x 2 GB, 2 x 1 GB) helps boost the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this notebook's video card. It also offers a fast 800 MHz speed. This notebook has a 4 GB maximum RAM capacity (2 x 2 GB). To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It features 4x DVD-R DL Write Once, 2.4x DVD+R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R, 4x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-R, 4x DVD-RW, 16x DVD-ROM, 40x CD-R, 24x CD-RW, and 40x CD-ROM speeds.
This LightScribe DVD±RW drive lets you laser-etch silkscreen quality text and images on to CDs and DVDs . Your software, PC and discs work together for a no-hassle way to burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert and burn your label--anything from a simple title to a full-disc work of art.

Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 101-key keyboard and a touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical/horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad. It also includes two quick-launch buttons (HP QuickPlay Music and DVD).
Screen, Video & Audio You'll enjoy razor-sharp graphics and widescreen movies with the 16-inch WXGA high-definition screen, which has a widescreen resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels--perfect for watching DVD movies the way they were meant to be seen. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M, which uses shared video memory (up to 1309 MB allocated from the system memory). This graphics card is built with Intel Clear Video technology, which delivers clearer, more detailed images by eliminating many of the jagged edges and video artifacts seen when viewing interlaced content and features powerful color control to ensure videos are not too dark, overly bright, or washed out. The Altec Lansing speakers provide exceptional sound.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). It comes with the following external connectors:
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
1 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
Analog video output: 1 VGA
1 headphone jack
1 microphone jack
5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
10/100 Fast Ethernet networking
56K modem (V.90)

Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 (32-bit) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software
HP MediaSmart Software Suite: Your one-stop multimedia and entertainment center to create photo slideshows, share personal videos, listen to your favorite music playlists and watch DVD movies.
muvee autoProducer Basic: Automatically create professional looking home videos and burn to DVD.
Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe: Automatically fix and edit videos and create CDs and DVDs. Edit, burn and archive data to discs.
Microsoft Works 9: Includes a word processor, spreadsheet, database and calendar.
Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition 2007 (60-day trial version).
Adobe Reader 8: Read and print PDF files.
Norton Internet Security 2009 protects your PC and your identity when you email, bank and shop online; 60 days of protection updates included.

Dimensions & Weight This notebook PC measures 14.88 x 9.9 x 1.72 inches and weighs 6.06 pounds.
Power It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 2 hours (depending on usage).
What's in the Box This package contains the HP Pavilion g60-230us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 30 days from date of purchase.
Reduce your impact on the environment with this Energy Star-certified system and HP's innovative take-back options, including trade-in, recycling and donation.

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