Sunday, July 02, 2006

HP DV2000t Notebook Review

My famed road warrior, the Sony VAIO R505 GC, is finally getting a long deserved rest. After four years of intense use, I've decided to purchase HP's brand-spanking new notebook, the DV2000t. This notebook replaces HP's DV1000 series, which is a fantastic notebook in its own right. I recommended the DV1000 to three people who all loved it.
I think HP is really raising itself in quality and service. In comparison, Dell, once known for good prices and good service, is not known for cheap parts and technicians who don't speak English. Sony, stylish and sophisticated, is getting a bit too pricey. Other notebooks I was thinking of purchasing instead included Fujitsu's LifeBook, Apple's MacBook Pro, and Lenovo's ThinkPad.
I. Aesthetics and Functionality
HP has really pushed the envelope with this new model. In terms of aesthetics, HP boasts the unique "imprint finish" with a polished piano-black coating featuring a subtle wave pattern. The sturdy exterior is "designed to survive rough handling," but isn't necessarily scratch resistant and it is definitely not smudge resistant. A number of my Mac-head friends insisted that HP stole the idea from Apple, though I don't quite see how Apple, who just released their first ever black notebook, can really have invented the idea of using "shiny material." All in all, I like the piano black finish. Thumbs up.
HP has also made a relatively bold move by adding in a new style hinge for the LCD screen. It is very similar to some VAIO's, where the body of the notebook curves downward as it approaches the LCD screen. The bottom of the screen then, is also curved, giving the closed notebook a kind of snubb nose look to it. This, while aesthetically pleasing, was not well thought out by HP. The problem is that HP designed it improperly; the LCD only swings back a maximum of approximately 125 degrees! Almost all notebooks will swing back a full 180 degrees, so that it is essentially parallel with the keyboard. So what's the drawback, you ask? Well, if you're only at a desk, you're fine. But what if you are tall and have it on your lap or what if you are in bed and your legs are up and your notebook is resting at an angle on your legs? You're suck, you can't move the screen any further back! This is a complete design debacle. Thumbs way down on this.

The notebook also boasts latch-free closure. What's that, latch-free closure? Is that a good feature to have? Are latches on notebooks something we've found bothersome for decades? Not really. I have no idea why HP thinks that this is a good feature. It's not impressive at all; in fact, I think latches come in handy -- they keep your notebook closed! Sure the notebook sort of closes on its own and takes a little bit of pressure to open up. And sure it's not going to swing open on its own, but we all know how sturdy and stiff notebook screens are when you first buy them. Then they all suffer what I refer to as "the old Dell notebook syndrome," which is basically when you open up a notebook screen and it basically swings for about five seconds. So, until I see some wear and tear, a marginal thumbs down on the latch-free closure.

The notebook has several media launch buttons accented with a popular deep indigo backlight. These add a really nice aesthetic quality to the notebook, though I don't really watch too many moves on my notebook, so they might not be all that useful to me personally. In terms of layout and usability, there is one drawback. They are not really buttons, but touch sensors (sort of like the butttons on the second and third generation iPods. So you put your finger on a button and it doesn't click or move down or give you any reason to think that you've pushed it. You also have to look where you're pushing, so there's no ergonomic-memory. This is very similar to these new universal remotes, which are basically touch LCD screens, which means you always need to stare at the remote to find your button instead of feeling where it is. But apart from this minor issue, the media buttons are a welcome feature.

The glide point touchpad is visually pleasing, but made of a metallic/plastic material similar (if not identical) to the chassis. The problem is that it doesn't glide all that well. If its hot out or your hands are clammy, it doesn't glide. And even as I type in warm, humid New York weather, my palms are sticking to the chassis of the computer. The left and right click buttons on the trackpad are also cheap looking with a plastic-y click to them that is hollow and insubstantial. And if you just sort of graze the keys, they don't keep quiet, but wiggle like an old keyboard at a library. In contrast, Sony's mice buttons are refined, sturdy, and tight. When you click it, it actually clicks with elegance, giving you firm feedback. The trackpad does have a small button on it that can turn it on or off, which is nice for people who plug in external mice. But the button is hard to push. In terms of size, the trackpad area is well proportioned. It is wide enough to accomodate a scroll wheel section on the right side, which is elegantly laid out on the trackpad itself. But overall, thumbs down on the trackpad.

The keyboard, however, is fantastic. The keys are quiet, but responsive and they are full sized, so your hands are not cramped. Also welcome are arrow keys on the extreme corner, so you don't have to look where they are, full size left and right shift keys, and a full size backspace key. The function keys (F1-F12) are a little too small, but its not a real drawback. A great idea also was putting Home, Page up, Page down, and End all along the right edge of the keyboard so that you can quickly and instinctively go there without having to look.

And, as a nod to Apple, HP's AC power port lights up when you're charging the battery. It's all about eye candy right? The AC power adapter, however, doesn't have a velcro or rubber strap to help you keep your cord wound. Why ignore a featue that costs 4 cents to manufacture and install?

II. Processors and OS

The DV2000 comes in two models, the Z and the T series. The T series, which I purchased, offers Intel's single or duo core processors. I purchased a Core Duo processor @ 2.16ghz. I was curious about the Z series, however, which offers AMD chips, including Mobile AMD Sempron chips and the 64 bit AMD Turion processor. I will admit, though, that I was intimidated about venturing over to 64 bit land. I was under the impression that I would need a 64 bit version of Windows XP to take full advantage of it, but 64 bit OSs and software seem a bit uncooked for me still. My notebook comes with Windows XP Professional, which is a relatively stable operating system -- and yes yes, I can agree that Mac's OS is much better all around.

Without any real benchmarking done, I can say that the notebook is quick and responsive, powering through Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Designer tasks. Microsoft Office applications open up instantly and have very little lag. I do, however, notice a consistent lag when my computer is restored from hibernate mode. On my VAIO, returning from hibernation would not have any lag at all; the computer would just start up and you could use your programs. But with the HP, it takes a good fifteen seconds or so for the taskbar to show up or for any windows to be responsive at all. It is very odd.

III. LCD and Graphics

My notebook comes with a 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen @ 1280x800 dpi. I was a little worried about the BrightView screen when I made the purchase because the screen is very shiny and, therefore, reflective. It makes it difficult to use in sunlight or in rooms with windows behind you. But when not in sunlight, the screen is absolutely razor sharp with vibrant colors and good brightness. It is also the first LCD I have ever seen that actually looks great using Microsoft's ClearType technology. Usually ClearType makes everything look fuzzy and gives you a headache, but it comes to life on this screen. Thumbs very high up on this LCD (though thumbs down to Microsoft for making a technology that only works properly on a few computers).

The 14.1” screen is also fantastic. I think it’s the perfect size for a notebook screen. My VAIO was a 12.1” ultraslim notebook. The 12.1" screen is functional, but not ideal with all of the task panes and extra toolbars built into today’s software. For me, anything above 14.1” just gets a bit too bulky. 14.1" gives you screen real estate, but leaves behind the bulk and lower battery life.

One of the drawbacks of choosing the Intel processor was that I missed out on getting a NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 video card. Instead, I am stuck with the integrated Intel piece-of-crap card that comes with the notebook. However, it really is not that much of a tradeoff because I'm not doing any gaming on the notebook--not that that NVIDIA card would really run most games very well anyway. The integrated graphics card is functional and has marginally better battery life. No real complaints there.

IV. RAM, Storage and Optical Media

Apart from upgrading the processor, upgrading to more RAM was very expensive. Like most notebooks, there are only two slots for RAM (DIMMS). But curiously, HP gave only the following options: 2x256MB, 2x512MB, and 2x1024MB. I obviously got the 2GB RAM configuration, but I thought it was kind of shitty to even give a 2x256MB option because it is really not that much RAM and it also leaves no room for expansion. Also missing are 1x1024MB or 1x512MB options, which would make it easier to swap in more RAM later on without paying such an exorbitant premium on it; I suppose that's exactly why they don't offer it. Thumbs down to HP for being shitty people.

With respect to hard drives, HP has the standard sizes, though I didn't feel compelled to buy the 100GB drive because I'll never use that much space on my notebook. With all of my software installed on my Sony, I'm only using about 11GB of a 40GB drive. So for this HP, I went for the 80GB drive. However, HP notebooks come pre-partitioned with a "recovery" drive, which takes up 10GB of space! What the hell is taking up so much space? Is it backing up all of my programs? Thumbs down for not giving me the choice to allocate space on my partitions.

In the optical media department, I chose the LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/-RW w/Double Layer. LightScribe lets you label discs by burning silkscreen-quality graphics on them. Granted I hardly ever burn CDs or DVDs anymore, it was worth the modest increase in price. My brother got an HP desktop awhile back and said the LightScribe drive died after three weeks. This makes me a little nervous about using this feature too often. But I can say that the drive is extremely fast at reading data. When installing software, there was very little lag and very quick read speeds. A provisional thumbs up.

On a side note, I wish that HP and other manufacturers sold notebooks that did not have any optical drives in them at all. I understand that many people want to watch movies or use optical media on the road or at work, but would it be that hard to make a much thinner model that uses less power for someone that wants a true notebook for the road? Or, why not make the CD-drive removable so that you could swap in an auxilary battery there for even more battery life?But this is a overall industry issue, and at 1” thin and at around 5 lbs., this notebook won’t break my back.

V. Connectivity and Ports

Network connectivity is straightforward with an Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG card, though I did go for the integrated Bluetooth connection. I’m not the biggest fan of Bluetooth, but I’m curious to see if I can hook my Motorola RAZR v3 to the computer as a modem. I am also wondering whether I can hook up my Bluetooth headset to the notebook to make calls over the internet. HP makes it easy to turn the bluetooth on and off, so you can conserve battery life.

The integrated wifi card is extremely fast and picks up connections with ease. HP also includes a backlighted button on the front of the notebook to turn the wireless card on or off, which can save you a lot of battery life. Great feature and tastefully implemented.

I am pleased to see three USB 2.0 ports, especially considering that Sony still insists on putting only two USB ports on its notebooks. A powered firewire port would have been nice, but the 4-pin is standard; powered firewire ports are seldom seen on non-Mac notebooks. One slight problem is that the single USB port on the left side of the notebook is not pushed towards the back of the notebook, but close to the front of it. This sucks becuase if someone is left handed (I use a right-handed mouse personally), the USB cable is going to stick out exactly where you want open space. Move the frequently used USB port to the back end.

There is a monitor port, though its VGA and not DVI, but that's not standard on any non-Mac notebooks either. There is, however, an S-Video output, though I'm not sure if I'll ever really use it. An IR port is also included, though I thought IR was obsolete. It is actually used by the media remote controller (see later). I would like to see an easy way to turn the IR port on and off to conserver power.

VI. Miscellaneous Features

There is a 5 in 1 media card reader as well, which may come in handy if I ever get rid of my Sony digital camera (not likely). Nevertheless, most other notebook companies would just remove this feature to save money, so I think its a value-add feature that I can appreciate the next time I want pictures of my friend's digital camera (and I won't need to go fumbling around looking for drivers or a USB cable).

The notebook features an integrated 1.3 megapixel camera for web/video conferencing. Again, this isn't a blockbuster feature, but I'm not really opposed to the feature if it's included for free. At the same time, I am dissatisfied at how the placement of the camera and dual integrated microphones makes the bezel of the LCD monitor thicker on top. I find the same problem with the new MacBook Pro and the MacBook. Especially when you look at a MackBook, the thick white (or black) bezel makes the notebook look clunky and outdated before its time. Forutnately, the border is not too bad on the HP, but I'd prefer to get rid of the camera so that I can have a cleaner looking monitor.


VII. Longevity

Battery power is something really important to me even though most of the classrooms at Boalt Hall have electricity. But the battery options offered by HP are also a little weird. You can get: (1) a standard 6 cell battery; (2) an extended 12 cell battery; (3) two standard 6 cell batteries; and (4) two extended 12 cell batteries. Well, this is obvious to me, but why not allow people to purchase one of each, which would be a great idea especially because the extended battery sticks out of the bottom of the notebook. In the end, I picked one 12 cell extended battery. I like having more than 6 hours battery life, and with the majority of what I do being word processing and checking e-mail, I should be able to get a lot of juice out of each charge. My guess, however, is that this battery is cheaper in quality than Sony's battery, which lasted a long time.

One drawback about the 12 cell battery is that it sticks out on the bottom of the notebook, which is odd because most batteries stick out from the back of the notebook. This creates a bump on the bottom of the notebook which is convenient when on a desk because the keyboard is slanted. However, since the battery sticks out only on the right side of the notebook, placing it on your lap means it is lopsided! My right knee has a battery on it and my left knee touches the bottom of the notebook. What the hell is HP thinking -- it is a LAP-top right? Why not design it so that you can actually place it on your lap?? Maybe I am asking too much here.

VIII. Other Features

HP offers a few pages of extraneous and useless accessories, only one of which I bought. For $15.00, HP sells a media remote control, which slides into the notebooks PCMCIA slot and recharges. Granted the remote alone would be a poor attempt at creating a "media" notebook, but HP has really thought their concept through. Similar to Apple's Front Row interface, HP's QuickPlay 2.1 allows you to play DVDs and MP3s without booting up the notebook. My guess, however, is that HP's interface is not as slick as Apple's.

Combined with a very nice screen and two headphone jacks, this is a fantastic media notebook -- though curiously Media Center XP is not offered for it. An integrated TV tuner would have been stunning, though someone wishing to use an aftermarket USB 2.0 tuner would be well served on this screen.

Interestingly, HP was offering an all-in-one printer, scanner, copier for free (with $80.00 rebate), but because of the employee discount, I actually get $8.00 back from HP just for taking the printer off their hands. Depending on whether I want the thing, I may just sell the printer for like $50.00 because all a printer really is is a bill for expensie printer cartridges. I’ve weaned myself off of the urge to print pictures or print anything in color. Thus, my basic $85.00 Samsung laser printer gets the job done.

IX. Conclusion

It may seem like there are a lot of thumbs down, but all in all I'm very happy with this purchase. This notebook doesn't feel flimsy and it is definitely up to my standards in terms of performance, aesthetics, weight, and battery life.

This is a great all around notebook. The DV2000t represents a major leap forward for HP, which has been known to make cheaper, run-of-the-mill notebooks with little attention to design or flare. HP now enters a new echelon of fashionable notebooks that are packed with features. It may, however, take some time for them to blend function and style properly. I can forgive the non-palm friendly chassis and trackpad, but the limited swivel on the LCD monitor is a real nightmare.

This notebook scores an 8.5 out of 10. For more information, visit http://www.hp.com.

116 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

Anonymous said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

Anonymous said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

Anonymous said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

Anonymous said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

Anonymous said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

Anonymous said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

Anonymous said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

Anonymous said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

Anonymous said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

Benji said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

Unknown said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

Anonymous said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

Anonymous said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

Anonymous said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

Chris said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

我的三言两语 said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off? Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off? Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off? Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off? Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off? Anonymous said...

hey fantastic review! there are no reviews of this model anywhere on the net!

have you figured out how long the battery lasts? does the notebook get really warm?

7/02/2006 09:48:00 PM
JS said...

The webcamera at the top of the notebook is actually optional, but I'm not sure if the screen would be any bigger if you chose to not buy it.

7/02/2006 09:56:00 PM
Angeleno said...

Thanks for the great review!

Couple of questions/comments...

Don't really agree with you about the video camera. I went from a dv1000t without camera to the dv2000t with, and really love the camera and mics! When I'm out of town, on business trip, I can say hi to my kids, and actually see them! And, it's FREE!

Also, not sure why you'd need to get rid of your Sony camera, as the dv2000t has a memory stick reader! Maybe your camera has the mini MS (not sure if that's what it's called) and the dv2000t doesn't read those.

Also, minor correction, the remote goes in the ExpressCard slot, dv2000t doesn't have PCMCIA slot.

HP claims the lid is "scratch resistant", and one reviewer said he tried to scratch the lid using his fingernails, and it did resist scratchs. He said he wasn't going to try using anything harder, as it was a demo laptop for review purposes, and not his own.

I also like the latchless lid. The dv1000t would close with a latch, but had a gap that always bugged me... the laptop, when you'd pick it up, would open slightly and close, because of the fraction of an inch gap. Not a big deal, but it did bug me. The magnets seem to hold the lid firmly in place, when in the closed position.

Overall, great review! Thanks

7/03/2006 04:47:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have not figured out how long the battery lasts, but will post that when I get around to draining it in August when law school starts.

the notebook runs fairly cool, though I can't exactly tell right now because I'm sitting in a 95 degree house with no air conditioning and very high humidity -- everything is overheating here, including me. what i can say is that the notebook is not particularly warm on the bottom, a welcome change from my sony.

good catch about the webcam! now i remember that option not to have it, and i remember telling myself that i'd end up kicking myself if i didn't get it and ever needed it.

holy shit! the notebook takes sony's memorystick pro! the problem is that the slot for the memorystick pro is huge, and when i put it in, it felt like i was forcing it in there, possibly scratching stuff up. but it went it eventually and booted right up. hot diggity!

and i had no idea there was no PCMCIA slot. I just assumed b/c the remote control was the size of the PCMCIA card, and i remember looking at the connected at the end of the remote and being a bit puzzled, but I never put 2 and 2 together. with that being said, I'm not quite sure what the long-term future is for the PCMCIA interface -- but I still think a lot of people use it. i would have liked to have seen it available on this notebook.

thanks for the great comments, folks.

7/03/2006 05:37:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Could you post some pics of your new laptop? I've found a number of pics of the DV2000 across the Internet already, including the ones you already have up for this post. But I'd like to see some more, especially some of the laptop in the real world by a normal user such as yourself, not just some touched up promotional pics. Thanks.

7/08/2006 08:53:00 PM
aschlect said...

Regarding your issue with RAM and 2x256 or 2x512 or 2x1024...here's your answer to why HP offers such: This notebook has DDR2 ram, which requires both slots to be fitted with equal sticks of DDR2 RAM. This is the only way DDR2 will operate. If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps.

7/10/2006 04:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I was also curious about how sturdy the notebook is. I presently own a DV1000 and the thing cracks and pops every time I move it or pick it up. It sounds like corn flakes crunching. Anyway, you say that the DV2000 doesn't feel flimsy. Does it have any of the above mentioned issues?

7/10/2006 07:45:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I tried taking some pictures in my room, but the lighting is atrocious, so all of the pics look washed out and the reflections off the plastic blur everything.

About the notebook being flimsy, my girlfriend has a DV1000 and i myself also noticed how flimsy it felt, especially when the notebook "clicks" when you close the lid and the latch closes shut. I would say that the only things that really feel insubstantial are the mouse buttons. the other thing I noticed is that when you plug in any USB devices, they sort of move around a little in all directions. the USB ports themselves don't seem to be sottered into the motherboard very well, so I would say that those ports do feel a little 'cheap.'

thanks for your comments.

7/10/2006 08:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Nice review A.H.
aschlect said...
"If you only have 1 stick of DDR2 and the other slot is empty, the RAM will only function as DDR and not DDR2....Hope this helps."

Is not exactly true, even with one stick of memroy you are still have a DDR2 speed but it will function in single channel. With 2 sticks, you get Dual-Channel features that improves you performance, specifically with graphics intensive applications...

7/10/2006 10:37:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

sean,

I found some decent pictures on Cnet. There is one polished photo, but two or three photos of the notebook actually in use.

http://reviews.cnet.com/HP_Pavilion_dv2000z/4864-3121_7-31951587.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2035163&cval=2035163&tag=uolst.

7/11/2006 12:19:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H.,

Yeah, I've seen those pics already. Thanks though for searching for me. And thanks for answering my questions. This laptop is still so new that it's hard to find much information on it out there, although I have found a couple of reviews in addition to yours, which, by the way, you did a great job on. Yours is actually the most informative I've found.

One more question for you. Everywhere I look to find out information about the DV2000 I read that HP is going to offer a discrete nVidia graphics option in addition to the standard integrated Intel option. Even when you look at the flash object on the DV2000t's website and click "Show Features" it says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." However, the website doesn't allow for you to upgrade the graphics card. You can only select the Intel. Both HP and nVidia have issued press releases stating their partnership in offering the nVidia Go 7200 for the DV2000t, but why isn't this option available online? I can't find answers to this question anywhere. Any information or ideas you, or anyone else out there, would have would be much appreciated.

7/11/2006 07:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think you are looking at the customize options for the DV2000t, which is intel only. what you need to do instead is go to the general DV2000 product page, and then select the DV2000z model, which has the AMD and nVidia options on them. Here's a link that gives you the option of choosing the T or Z models.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_series.do?series_name=dv2000_series&catLevel=2&category=notebooks/hp_pavilion&storeName=computer_store

7/11/2006 08:58:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

That link doesn't want to post correctly. Go to HP.com, select Pavilion Notebooks, select DV2000 series, then you'll be brought to the page where you can choose the Z or T model. Choose the Z.

Also, it occurred to me that you might be asking whether the notebook is going to have 2 graphics cards, a nVidia and an integrated card. I've heard of a few notebooks that have this already, but I haven't seen or heard much about it. My best guess is that it's a little ways off from production.

7/11/2006 09:03:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

No, I'm not talking about the AMD-based model (DV2000z). It comes equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150. It's the Intel-based model (DV2000t) that I am interested in. Both Hp and nVidia have stated in press releases that the Intel-based laptop would feature the discrete graphics option of the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200. The nVidia press release dated May 17, 2006 can be found here (check out the 4th non-bulleted paragraph). I couldn't find the HP one, but I know I've seen it before.

Go to the DV2000t website at hp.com. At the top left-hand corner there are four available pictures of the laptop. Click the one showing the bottom of the laptop, and then click "Show Features." As I stated in a previous comment, hovering your mouse over the far left blue circle will reveal text that says, "Featuring the nVidia GeForce Go 7200 with up to 128 MB of video memory." Once again, this is for the DV2000t, the Intel-based model. Yet the only option for a custom configuration is the Intel integrated option.

My question with HP is why all the advertisements indicating a discrete graphics offering for the DV2000t when it's not really offered? I sent an e-mail about this situation to HP support and here's their phony-bologna reply:

I understand you have a question regarding when the DV2000 line of notebooks will be available with dedicated graphics solutions here at the HP Home & Home Office Store. The DV2000 line has been very popular among our customers and has received a number of positive comments. Regrettably we do not become aware of updated product information until it is made available to our customers, and as such, cannot provide an exact date as to when dedicated graphics will be made available for this series. As this is the case. I recommend checking back in our store regularly for new information.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew anything or had any ideas. Hopefully now you see what I was talking about. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Thanks for your help. Either way I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself. It's hard to pass up the deal they're offering on it right now. Knowing my luck though they'll probably offer the nVidia card the day after I buy one... ;)

7/11/2006 08:52:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

UPDATE: As of this morning HP is offering the 128 MB GeForce Go 7200 as a $25 upgrade for the DV2000t. I guess that whole discussion is now officially moot.

7/12/2006 07:24:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

Sorry for inundating your blog with comments, but I have just one more.

I purchased the DV2000t today. Here's my configuration:

HP Pavilion dv2000t customizable Notebook PC
* Genuine Windows XP Home Edition (I'll upgrade to Pro myself)
* Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
* 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280x800)
* 128MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200
* 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
* FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
* HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
* Super Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
* 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
* HP Mobile Remote Control

The build date is 7/20. I can't wait.

Anyway, I'll leave you alone now... :)

7/12/2006 06:09:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean,

I wonder if I should have waited for them to offer the new video card. I'm curious to see what the difference is in battery life between the two.

Congrats!

7/13/2006 10:20:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dig the review

very informative and geniunely helped me make a decision

7/13/2006 09:44:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Loved your review, very detailed. I checked it out a little after my purchase and never thought about the fact the PCMCIA slot was not there until after reading the comments. *Sigh* there goes the few remaining accessories I have for my notebooks.

I just couldn't wait I guess. I wanted to replace my heavy Compaq x1000 but only still wishing I had a better video card than even the 7200 (it still shares memory, 32 of it is discrete the rest is shared) and an WSXGA (haven't seen that in a non 17" unit from HP in a long time, wonder why, my x1000 has 15.4" with 1680x1050). I guess I'll have to deal with the lower rez, hopefully the smaller screen will make it look less awful, the lower weight helps too.

I'm also curious about battery life too, my x1000 at nearly 3 years still gets over 4 hours on an 8 cell battery, I would love the dv2000 to get the same with the newer Centrino chip and smaller screen. Now only wondering if my extra 65w ac adapter from my x1000 will work with the new notebook (anyone knows?, their part surfer not really detailed). BTW did they send you a 90w or a 65w adapter? I'm hoping for a faster charge with the 90w.

Also I noticed you said you were worried about the reflective properties of the Brightview. Have you noticed it to be too much of a problem? I know some notebooks have a worse reflection then others and I have a feeling CompUSA won't let me take their dv2050us outside for a look-see. Another curiosity, I have people (not naming who) who enjoy touching my LCD screen, does it look like it smudges easy and is hard to remove? I know previous people with brightview on other hp/compaqs that didn't like it for those reasons. It wasn't an option not to have it either, as soon as the new video card finally dropped in the system the option not to have if was gone.

Now I never had a MAC and what is this Front Row interface? I thought HP was the first to come up with the Quick play idea. My first experience with Quick Play was my friend's Win 98 HP with the feature which I thought was cool but never found it with any other company until recently (now everyone has something similar). I thought they all functioned the same (i.e. boot for playback when system was off).

Thanks for the nice heads up, hope you enjoy your summer before your school starts up and stay cool.

7/15/2006 04:26:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Good review! I also recommended my friend a HP dv1000t months ago. This dv1000t is much sturdy than my girlfriend's SONY FJ270 that is sometimes locked up because of heat. Also, the construction and build of HP notebook is really impressive! Lot better than SONY ones that once had extremely good reputation.
Charlie

7/15/2006 04:53:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Mysterie,

Did you see that HP introduced another notebook w/ a bigger screen recently? It's the DV6000z. It's bulkier, but with a 15.4" screen and very similar to the DV2000 in terms of styling.

I have gotten used to not only a slightly higher resolution than 1280x800 but also using multiple monitors. I have two Samsung 19" Syncmaster LCDs on my desktop each at 1280x1024 and I think I feel constrained on the monitor just because of that. However, I still think that 14.1" at 1280x800 offers more than enough space for most of my needs, so I'm happy.

I still haven't been able to discharge my battery in a sort of controlled way, but my guess is that the battery life is not going to be stellar. I have the extended battery and my guess is that in normal usage (web browsing, checking email, word processing) and with the brightness turned down a little, I could squeeze a good 5-6 hours out of it, which is poor in comparison to a sony extended battery, but on par w/ other extended batteries in the market.

my biggest problem is not the battery life, but the fact that HP includes no battery meter with their system! i cannot find any battery meter utility that will tell me exactly how much time is left on my charge, so I only get a percentage, which just sucks.

the adapter that came with the notebook is a 65watt. I don't think they thought things through when designing the power plug though. the actual connector that connects to the notebook is a bit long and totally straight. compare this to many notebooks that have an elbow style connector, which is basically a stubby "L" shaped connector, which is much better because it is less likely to get caught and snap off.

the LCD is quite shiny. I had to pull the shades in my office at work just to make the LCD useable. otherwise there is pretty high eye strain. in terms of smudging, the only smudges i really notice are on the outside casing, not on the screen. the screen is so bright and sharp that you don't really even see them.

thanks for the comments.

7/15/2006 09:46:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Nice review, very informative. I had a question for you about the 12cell battery, because I was planning on getting the 12cell with my customized dv2000t, but the fact that it sticks out of the bottom scares me. How big of a bump does it create, and in general, is it a pain in the ass? Would you still get the 12cell now, or would you choose 6cell instead? Is the bump so large that it makes it difficult to put in a case? Thanks for your help.

7/15/2006 10:46:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

the 12 cell battery sticks out about 3/4 of an inch downward. It really isn't terrible, but I wish it did stick out the back of the computer in a symmetrical way.

if i were to do it again, i would still buy the 12 cell because i need the battery life. in about a year or so, when the prices come down, i may buy a 6 cell, that way i can keep the notebook nice and slim on days where i don't need extra battery power.

7/15/2006 12:18:00 PM
ivo welch said...

sorry to bug you, I read your very nice hp dv2000t review, so I think I will buy one, too---

how is the lap heat on the hp dv2000t? (the macbooks are thoroughly unpleasantly hot.)

regards,

/iaw

7/15/2006 12:22:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

the notebook does not run very hot at all. it is warm, but you are not at all uncomfortable with the notebook on your lap (except for the extended battery sticking out).

7/15/2006 12:23:00 PM
Mysterie said...

Yes I saw the new larger screen notebooks, they are the same class to the x1000. I was trying to lower weight down and hoping the smaller screen size would offset the lower rez. Those new ones are still at 1280x800, unless the new 8000 series will offer it at the 17" level. My back just can't take it anymore.

As for the battery the x1000 has a battery icon on the systray and if you move the arrow over it will give you percentage remaining and an estimate of time remaining. I was assuming the dv2000 should do the same. Have you checked? It's a weird little indicator (I thought it was a Windows thing) that does not appear until after you unplug the ac adapter for more than 30 secs. If not I could of swore I had a battery indicator program somewhere or at least a link to one. If I find it I will post the location.

I like good battery life but I'm also hoping they hold a charge a long time too, like I said the old notebook still get over 4 hours at nearly 3 years, hopefully this one lasts also. My previous experience with Sony's batteries was not good (I had an old FX series and the battery lost it charge by half after 1.5 years of use, but it did initially hold better than average life originally). Actually my previous experience with Sony wasn't too good, I had one great notebook (the FX120?) but one bad one that went bad cosmetically in less than a year and they had monkeys running their tech support then. The support people didn't even know they had firewire built into their notebooks until I pointed it out and they had the gall to hang up on me when they noticed their mistake *sigh*, I work in a call center and I admit my mistakes and apologize, sheez most customers are fine with that.

Yeah it looks like HP kept the same style ac adapter as my x1000, I may even be able to use it. It sticks out the same way on mine but even worse it sticks out 1/3 lower along the right side of the notebook making it bad for those who try to use an external mouse. Anything better than that I can live with.

NOOOO! I don't like the screen. I often read text in a well lighted room and this will not help, maybe (highly unlikely but it can't hurt) I can get HP to give non Brightview one. *sigh* Just called them, no go....

Thanks for the response

7/15/2006 01:52:00 PM
vlad said...

great review, thank you so much.

i have been debating between the dv1000t and dv2000t mainly because the features are nearly identical and i find the 2000 much uglier than the 1000 (at least when open). the 2000's 12 cell battery sticking out and notebook's inability to open the full 180 degrees are also a bummer, but amazingly, the dv2000t actually ends up being cheaper for the same feature set (/w all the free upgrades).

i know you have only had the laptop for a short time so this question might not be too significant but, if you had the chance to go back and choose your laptop again, would you stick with the dv2000t?

with regard to your issue with the battery meter, does the built-in windows battery meter not work?

by the way, i'm at south hall (i school). perhaps our paths will cross.

7/15/2006 02:52:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i still think it is too soon to ask whether i would make the same decision. i think the things that are in the future that might make me regret it are: (1) my battery wearing down quickly; (2) the notebook not being fast enough to handle whatever new OS microsoft comes out with in the next year or so.

all in all i'm happy i made the decision, especially at the discount that i purchased it at.

7/15/2006 10:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, good review.

I also bought the dv2000t and i just wanted to let you know that you can delete the partition made by HP. The instructions are in the pamphlet that came with the notebook. It takes 3 DVD's to backup the partition, and then you can delete it.

7/16/2006 05:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...

hey great review best one out there

one question
a big factor for me buying this comp is the batery life. i dont want the 6 cell because thats not enough. so i want to go with the 12 but you say its awkward. is there any way you can take some pics to show us how the 12 cell looks

thanks

7/17/2006 10:13:00 AM
Eddie said...

Hey, great review. I found this laptop online, and then went to look it over at the store. I didnt really notice any problem with the screen being to refletive, or the mouse buttons feeling cheap. I just got one question tho. You seem to contradict yourself on the issue of the keyboard. At one point, you say the keys are noisy, then in the nex paragraph, you say they are quiet. Which is it?

I found on the HP website their estimated battery life:
Standard (6 cell): up to 4:15 hr
Extended (12 cell): up to 8:45 hr
Seems almost too good to be true. Can anyone say these are accurate?
For me, the two most important factors in the decision of what notebook I will purchase is the weight and the battery life. Im assumeing the 12 cell battery adds a bit more weight. How much does it weight with the 12 cell? Also, if the battery sticks out on one side only (did I understand that correctly?), does it wobble when you type on a desk?

Thanks for the great review. How you can help with with those few questions too.

7/17/2006 11:05:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

i have posted some pictures of the awkward 12 cell battery on a newer post.

the 12 cell battery definitely does not last 8:45. I'd say it was more like 6:00 of regular usage (nothing graphics intensive and no movies).

perhaps if you turn off wireless, bluetooth, and all applications except notepad and turned off the sound, and put the brightness all the way down, you might possibly get 8:45, but i'm even doubtful of that.

about the contradiction in key noise, i might be misreading what i wrote, but i don't see where i wrote that the keys are noisy. i did mention that the right and left click buttons of the mouse are noisy. but suffice it to say, the keyboard itself is comfortably quiet (and not silent, b/c i hate silent keyboards b/c i'm never sure if i pressed the key).

7/17/2006 07:31:00 PM
eddie said...

ooo, yea, I went back and re-read it. You were in fact refferening the click buttons for the touchpad. You called them keys, so I thought you were talking about the keyboard. Sorry for the mix up. Again, great review. Thanks for all the help.

7/17/2006 09:11:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Excellent review! Seriously, that's one of the best reviews I've ever read for any computer. Very thorough.

I ordered my own on Sunday night - 2 weeks for construction and delivery. I can't wait!!

7/18/2006 06:48:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Hello,

You mentioned that the screen glare could cause eye strain. I am concerned about any form of eye strain.

Could you please elaborate on the eye strain issue..? Under what light conditions in the room would the screen result in strain?

Thanks!
Great Review!!

7/23/2006 09:32:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

if you have anything very bright--usually a bright window during daylight hours or overhead flourescent bulbs, your LCD will reflect the light and basically wash out portions of the screen you are viewing. and because the light is bouncing from the screen onto your eyes, it causes eye strain.

I have very sensitive eyes myself, so i generally need to adjust the height of the notebook, tilt the screen angle, close shutters, or sit 90 degrees from any open window.

Modern reflective coatings on LCD screens are a fact of life. most new LCDs are like this, so it's not really that avoidable. I have been able to adjust by altering my environment, but my guess is that you can always find a non-reflective privacy filter/anti glare coating and apply it yourself.

sorry for the bad news.

7/24/2006 12:14:00 AM
Sean Scribner said...

A.H. and everyone else,

I just got my DV2000t in the mail yesterday morning. So far I am very pleased. I upgraded to the DV2000t from the DV1000. Here in the next week or two I'll be posting a comparison of the two on my own blog, which might help some of you decide between the DV2000t and the DV1000t. Until then, this is a great laptop and I don't regret the money I threw down for it.

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com

P.S. A.H., I'll link to your excellent review on my own. That should make up for the fact that I'm hijacking this comment section with my own link. Hope that's ok.

7/25/2006 08:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey A.H.,
firstly, I think its a great review and also a very nice follow up after that...
secondly my biggest question as of now? Im about to buy a new laptop and was almost convinced by the Compaq V3000 T, till i saw this one.. my question to you is, which on of the 2 do you, would you opt for, if you had to buy a new laptop....
Im looking at buying something with the followin specs:
2GB DDR2/DDR RAM
80GB HDD or even 60 is fine
Wireless with Bluetooth
DVD RW
In built CAM would be a +
anything above a 1.83 Core Duo

Basically i wanna use this machine for work, games as well as some high end multimedia..

what would you suggest? Also could you tell me how much did you buy yours for?

Thanks!

7/26/2006 02:11:00 PM
Matt said...

Does anybody know if the dv2000t w/ a 12-cell battery will fit in HP's xb3000 expansion dock? Any comments on the xb3000? Thanks.

7/26/2006 06:50:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

I have completed my in-depth comparison of the HP Pavilion DV1000 and Pavilion DV2000 multimedia laptops.

Go to my blog to see the article:

http://sarkazmos.blogspot.com/

7/27/2006 07:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Purchasing one of each battery is possible, though it's not obvious. You simply take the included 6-cell battery on the first page of the online order form, and then later on, under the "accessories" section, you check off the "HP extended life battery." This will give you the included 6-cell battery plus a 12-cell, which is what I did.

7/28/2006 07:43:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Sean: thanks for the link to your review. i'll be sure to take a look out at it.

Matt: not sure about the expansion dock, sorry.

Anonymous 7/26/06: i'm not sure if the v3000t would be better, but everyone I know that has had a compaq has never been happy with it. with that being said, HP and Compaq are making strides i think. Personally I'd opt for the HP no matter what. I read, however, that you want it for games. I hope you're not running anything too intense, because the dv2000 isn't a gaming notebook.

Anonymous 7/28/06: about adding the extended battery from the second page of options, the extra capacity battery is 179.99, but I can't quite tell if 179.99 is the same price if i were to purchase the 12 cell right out.

7/28/2006 11:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hey, great review... but i'm still undecided between the macbook and the dv2000! Please tell me something that will help me decide between the two!! Vista is in the making.... thats about all i got right now... please help!

7/31/2006 10:15:00 PM
Scott said...

Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

7/31/2006 10:47:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Stay away from AMD for now. I'm told the Turion64 are essentially "mobilized Athlon64," not a mobile architecture from the ground up. So I'm not surprised the AMD processors run hotter with worse battery life. Personally, I'm going to wait for the Core 2 Duo, but it may take a couple of quarters to reach this platform.

One thing about battery usage/longevity...a friend told me that it is very important when you first start using a laptop to charge and completely discharge the first few times. I'm not sure if it makes a difference these days, but just a thought.

8/01/2006 11:49:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

1. Regarding choosing between a Macbook and a PC notebook -- I do think that Apple's have a superior operating system, but I think the sheer volume of good software titles available for the Windows platform outweighs any additional eye-candy that i'd get with a Macbook. Especially at work and at the law journal where I work, where Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and Excel are the standards, I think Microsoft's business suites and software are far more robust. On top of all that, I like how PCs are about customization, and Macs don't seem to be a modders best friend.

I was considering getting a Macbook and installing XP on it, but then I realized that every possible thing I want to do: create a webpage, organize photos, edit photos, use photoshop, edit video, pause and record live tv, play games, download music and movies, burn cds, write articles, take notes, surf the web -- are al things I can do just fine on my Windows machine. I have about ten ways to do any of those things and i can pick and choose which way I like best.

2. Regarding the hot-running DV6000, I'm not sure if I have anything to add. I have had no problems with the DV2000. The only time I felt it was very warm was when it was 90 degrees in the office. Apart from that, no problems at all.

8/01/2006 02:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I picked up the DV2020 based on the AMD Turion chip. I used to have a fully loaded 17" G4 bought back in January of 2006 so it was the last revision of the Powerbook line.

The DV unit is very well made for a $1000 unit. I love the compact design. I like the weight. I like how sturdy it feels. It's an attractive piano black finish with some light swirls that are hardly noticeable.

Heat is fine. I've loaded up the laptop with the latest updates via Windows Update. Downloaded Explorer 7. Installed 2007 Office beta. All is working fine for both work and personal.

Things I don't like about it:

-Battery life is around 2 hours on a full charge with full brightness, max performance. I do not run my laptops any other way.

-The location of the track pad is awkward. My palm near the thumb brushes up against that scrolling section on the right side of the pad sometimes and it messes up my typing. I always try to use a mouse and you can also easily turn off the touch pad so not a deal breaker.

if the batter life was longer this would be a winner laptop. It's a great buy. Screen is gorgeous.

8/02/2006 01:36:00 PM
Sean Scribner said...

To whom it may concern,

CNET labs have finally tested and reviewed the DV2000t. The review can be found here, although I must warn you, this review doesn't hold a candle to the one you just read here on this blog. Even my own comparison of the DV2000t and DV1000 is more informative, so temper your expectations.

8/03/2006 07:52:00 PM
eddie said...

So i did exentually get one of these puppies. and i love it. the onl bad thing is the screen not goin back all the way, but i can deal. however, mine does seem to take an awful long time to shut down, but i dont realy seem to mind it, ill just close the lid and ill hibernate after a little bit. in terms of batery life, i was able to use the internet wirelessly and do various other tasks for about 3 hours, and it was still around 60-70% battery, so im happy on that note. its a great machine, the screen is crystal clear, the speakers are acceptable, and it looks and runs like a high quality machine. great buy.

8/12/2006 03:45:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Question: Is the dv2000t compatiable with the verizon wireless card?

8/19/2006 06:00:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

not sure about the Verizon card compatability. every store around here has wifi, so i haven't needed it.

8/19/2006 07:25:00 AM
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review! Now that it's been awhile, are you still happy with your decision? Or do you wish that you'd gone with something else?

8/19/2006 04:14:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Does it make much noise when running (Both fan and background noise)?

Thanks!

8/23/2006 12:51:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I am considering buying this notebook, it looks like a great buy however, I read above that is not a quality machine for gaming. Can anyone fill me in on their gaming experiences with this notebook. I am not a hardcore gamer pretty much just intrested in playing oblivion, other than that I will just use it for school, work, and lots of multitasking

8/30/2006 04:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I had a dv2000t (it got stolen recently) with intel graphics. it ran MOH and call of duty well but would not run battlefield 2. The dual core processor was the selling point for me. I really miss it.

9/06/2006 11:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hye, that's a great review! Im getting my first laptop and was opting for a dell but then i discovered the hp dv2000. im really excited about it. Your review has helped!

9/11/2006 02:34:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It runs hot!!!!!!!
HP customer service is horrible!
HP charges extra for Intel Dual Core 2 while they pay the same. (according to some articles)

6-cell battery too weak and the 12-cell does not fit correctly!

Horrible touch pad!!!

Stay away from Dell but HP is not much better!!!

9/29/2006 09:17:00 PM
Ben said...

Great review, really helped in my decision to purchase this machine over a dell. In my opinion, the dv2000t is the best bang for the buck out there right now.

In response to this tool above me, HP has an excellent customer service program.

I should get my notebook in the next week or so, so I may have further comments.

10/03/2006 07:24:00 AM
Bill said...

Thanks for the great review. It was really helpful.

10/03/2006 09:43:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for your review. Very helpful. I bought a pre-built version on Saturday. Well, in Spain we only have CTO from DELL.

I haven't used it too much, but I've detected something very annoying, and I'd like to know if it only happens on my laptop or on every dv2000. The problem is that when I try to click (either one or double-click) with the touchpad, many of those times, the cursor goes to a very different position on the screen. I think it's broken, or it's very bad done, because on other touchpads, this only happened to me after resuming Windows, but now is all the time.

Sorry, for bugging you, but I'd like to hear your opinion about this, as I'm still on time to give it back and get a new one.

Thanks.

10/10/2006 08:35:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Some General replies:

I am still very happy that I purchased my HPDV2000t. In fact, I have grown used to it and find that the notebook is generally well put together.

I think this is probably the quietest notebook I've ever had. I can't even tell it is on half of the time. I don't hear any noise from the harddrive being accessed and the fan is a quiet whisper most of the time.

At times I wish I had gotten the 6 cell battery b/c the notebook would look a lot more sleek and thin, but then i realized that I'm getting very good performance from the extended battery (standard word processing and web browsing, i get about 6 hours).

i like the HP quickplay feature a lot now. I took the notebook on a plane trip to New York and I couldn't sleep, so I just popped in a DVD and didn't have to load up windows, so I could save a lot of battery life. The person next to me wanted to watch the movie too, which was easy to accomodate b/c I had an extra headphone jack.

about the touchpad jumping over the place, I have not had that problem at all. HP's touchpad (apart from the material it is made from) is fairly standard. In fact, it has a TON of features in the control panel, one of which might be the reason for your jumping mouse. I would go through them one by one. Try disabling all extra features at once, then enabling them one by one to see if you can identify the feature creating the problem.

10/10/2006 08:58:00 AM
Cory said...

Thanks so much for your complete review and follow-ups. I was debating between a Sony SZ or Dell 12", but after reading your review I decided to go for the HP. I would prefer a 12-13" screen (easier to sit on the table as I read and type or in a Panera's or library setting), but the cost was a real deciding factor. The HP is about $500 cheaper(they have $150 rebate now) (XP Pro, T7200 Duo 2, 128MB GeForce Go 7200, webcam, 2 GB, 80 GB HD, BT, 12 cell bat,remote, MS Office SBE) configured the same, less the fingerprint scanner (not offered). As soon as my school refund gets here I will be placing my order. Thanks again for your review.

10/13/2006 08:54:00 AM
A.H. Rajani said...

Cory, once you get the notebook, feel free to post here and let us know what you think.

10/13/2006 09:13:00 AM
Anonymous said...

dude just read the review of the dv2000t... totally sold me. i have been looking at this machine for months and was planning to order one tomorrow from the hp site... and you just confirmed for me that i was making the right decision. thanks!!

10/18/2006 07:59:00 PM
Sarmen said...

I'm about to order won and have looked into reviews. This was a great one btw, thanks for that. I'm going to order it off of costco.com they have a good deal and a $50 rebate, also you have 6 months to return it if u dont like it or for whatever reason...from the hp site i think theres a 15% off, look out or search for the code at bensbargains.net

10/21/2006 12:35:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I have the same touchpad problem, with the cursor jumping all over the place on a click (happens about once every 10 clicks). For instance, if you click, the cursor will jump about 4 inches on the screen, and the click doesn't register. In fact, even clicks where it doesn't jump frequent;y don't register.

I took it back and got another one, figuring I had a defective touchpad. New one does the exact same thing. This is a serious and very ANNOYING defect in this model. It may not affect all computers, but it's obviously a trend.

10/22/2006 09:38:00 PM
alex said...

hi there!

i've read your very helpful review on hp dv2000t. in fact, i found it so helpful that i decided to buy one as well. :) i have a quick question. i've returned my first hp dv2000t because of the SEC screen--everything else was good. my second one (also with a SEC screen), which i've just received today, appears to have an issue with the fan, though i'm not certain whether i'm paranoid. when connected to ac, the fan appears to be very active after about 20 mins of use, kicking in for 10 to 20 secs with every function, e.g. opening a browser, a word doc, deleting programs etc. the fan on my first hp dv2000t would let itself be known very rarely, primarily when i would do videoediting or heavy benchmarking. the only difference between the two models is that on the second one i have 2gb rather than 1gb of ram and a 80gb rather than a 100gb hard drive (sata 5400). would that make a difference? does hp configure fan functioning differently depending on ram? (i have core 2 duo 7200 and nvidia go 7200.)

have you experienced anything comparable with your model? how frequently does your fan kick in? is what i am experiencing something to worry about and hence to merit another exchange? i apologize for my simple-minded questions. i'm a hardware ignoramus. :)

thanks for your help.

alex

10/25/2006 05:38:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Alex,

Glad you liked the review. I’m pretty sure that having more RAM kicks out a lot more heat and would theoretically cause the fan to click on more often. But, I have 2GB of ram and I hardly ever hear my fan. The only time I hear it hum is if I have it on my lap for a long time or if the notebook is on some kind of softer material (bed, couch, pillow) and isn’t getting enough ventilation. It certainly doesn’t speed up as soon as I turn on an application, even with 100% CPU utilization for an extended period of time.

I wonder—and I may be totally wrong here—if it has anything to do with the nVidia card and whether perhaps that has a separate fan that you’re hearing?

Maybe you should try to install some kind of system utility that can monitor the RPM speed of your system fans, and figure out if it is speeding up with temperature or if there is something else going on.

Sorry to hear you got two duds.

10/25/2006 05:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi...great review. I'm now leaning towards buying a DV2000t. I'd be happy to hear your comments on my config:

FREE Upgrade to Genuine Windows XP Media Center!!
Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2050 (1.60 GHz)
FREE Upgrade to 14.1" WXGA BrightView Widescreen!!
HP IMPRINT Finish + Microphone + Webcam
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
FREE Upgrade from 60 GB 5400 RPM to 80 GB 5400 RPM
FREE Upgrade: 8X DVD+/-R/RW w/Double Layer Support
Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

Have you heard about this new free upgrade to Windows Vista Home Premium? Check it out on HP site...seems like a really sweet deal!

10/27/2006 07:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

i think that the notebook you need now is one that will last through the next cycle of Microsoft OS's. I would definitely think about getting 1 gig of ram (1024 X 1) instead of two sticks of 512MB b/c you will need more as time goes on. Apart from that i would probably go for a better processor.

10/27/2006 08:36:00 PM
kJ said...

Hi guys, just bought a dv2172ea (dv2000 series) with Core2Duo with 6cell battery.
I was very disappointed. Laptop is great, but I couldn't even watch a full DVD movie when running on batteries. After 100 minutes running time Quickplay stopped warning I had only 5% battery left.
Just browsing, wireless on, brighthness minimum and 1 minute screen off timeout I get 3 hours running time.

The fan is quite almost always running (very quiet but running) and doing some non porcessor intensive works get the fan to speed up easily.

I was happy with the dv1000 (4 hours battery life) but now it's definitely unpleasant considering the battery is the same capacity.

Could anyone please give me some infos about the fan behaviour of yours dv2000?

Thanks
Bye
kJ

11/01/2006 11:42:00 AM
Anonymous said...

one of the best reviews of the product on the net... you shd call up hp guys and ask for some royalty for having made so many people buy the laptop :) Just wanted to clarify one thing. Since once extended batter sticks out on one side, would you recommend going for the 2-6cell batteries.. would they be symmetrically placed. I tried to find out on hp site, but its very confusing.

Thanks,
Raj

11/10/2006 01:07:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

Raj,

I'd still go with the extended battery even though it sticks out. performance is quite good and I can easily eek out about 5-6 hours out of it.

i don't think the smaller battery sticks out at all, so that's not an issue with the non extended battery.

11/10/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I just bought a DV 2000 and i need a wireless card for it....got any suggestions??? i like my internet fast too....

11/27/2006 08:17:00 PM
Justin said...

First of all, great review...I agree, you should have HP send you something for doing all that work. So I ended up purchasing a dv2000t last night, scheduled to be built the 14th, and I am wondering how you figure out what manufacturer/type of screen it has. In addition, is the SEC screen really that bad (and is that the only one to watch for, or are there other bad ones)...and what is bad about it...since I won't have anything to compare it to, is it really something I would want to return to them for a better one?
Thanks for your time,
Justin

12/05/2006 04:50:00 PM
David said...

I purchased my HP dv2000t back in September after reading and several other reviews. I have had it for two months, so I suppose now is a good time to tell you what I think.

This is what I purchased:
Windows XP Pro
Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0ghz
80gb Sata Hard drive
Built in webcam
14.1" brightview screen
512mb of RAM (2 256)
Nvidia GeForce GO 7200
Intel Wireless + bluetooth
DVD Burner

I was completely dissatisfied with the amount of ram the computer had, I didn't think it would be a problem but hard drive useage was way over the top, and programs ran very slowly, so I purchased some ram from Ultra (PC5400 I believe, 667MHZ) 2gb worth, and the performance increase was completely amazing, along with a significant increase in battery life. (not to mention its the fastest notebook DDR2 ram available when I purchased it)

The Issues I have had:
The virus scanner that came with the notebook appears to make it so that I can not EVER shut down the notebook properly. However It just ran out so I will uninstall it in favor of a better virus scanner.

The touch pad very occasionally jumps, which doesn't bother me, but it does occur at random intervals.

The audio sucks, any audio program I run skips when I play mp3s on the notebook. I don't know why it does that, but it does. Maybe the virus scanner? :D (I am hoping removeing that is a fix all)

Touch buttons: Sometimes I manage to bump the touch sensitive buttons for quickplay, which causes it to start up, quite annoying. Then again maybe I shouldn't be wiping dust off the notebook when I am typing something up.

DVD drive: I am mildly annoyed to find that the drive autoplays whenever I plug the notebook in or unplug it.

Battery Life: The 6 cell battery isn't that amazing, I advise you get a 6 cell and a 12 cell, like I did. The 12 Cell is an awesome batter, though it sticks out some. I can watch two full length DVD's with a decent screen brightness IN windows not quickplay. and it also stands the notebook up at a nice angle for when I feel the need to write PHP code.

Keyboard Keys: They feel great, but they tend to get 'slick' after a while. its been only two months and I am wearing down the textured surface on the keys. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much, eh?

The pros:
Its light, very light.

It looks amazing.

Its fast.

It can't play games well at all unfortunately. I have tried several and it just doesn't do well. My PC out performs the notebook in gaming with a quarter the ram and a slower processor (AMD X2 4400+ 2.21ghz) well Its not really slower, but the Core 2 Duo outperforms it in many benchmarks.

I really love this notebook (and love showing it off too against the Acers and Dells) Would I buy it again? Yes. Even more so now since there is a deal to get an express upgrade to vista, free, which I didn't have when I purchased my notebook.

-David.

12/08/2006 04:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...

After reading your review, among several others, I am seriously thinking about buying the dv2000t. I just have a question about the LCD screen.... In a few other blogs I have read that the DV2000t sometimes ships with an inferior screen that can have some issues. I think it has something to do with which company manufactures it. I would like to know how I can find out what kind of screen my laptop would have...

12/21/2006 02:11:00 PM
A.H. Rajani said...

I'm not quite sure how to tell what type of screen i have; what types of problems have they been reporting, got any links? what i can tell you is that my screen hasn't had any problems up until now. it still looks razor sharp and is quite responsive.

12/21/2006 03:57:00 PM
C. Oram said...

Fantastic Writing! I purchased the DV2120ca running the AMD Turion 64x2. It is a snappy little computer - quite fantastic. However, It came with the 6cell battery. The life of the battery is brutal. I do not understand why HP would make such a great machine, only to handicap it with such a poor battery.

Either way - nice writing!
Chris

1/04/2007 02:53:00 PM
Anonymous said...

great review!

I just ordered several of these laptops for clients and one for myself. I have some experience with the Turion X2-based v1000z, which is a pretty decent machine, and I just ordered several 2.0 ghz Core 2 Duo-based machines with 2gb ram and the video card with separate video memory...and of course Vista.

I don't think you'll have any problem running Vista on the older machines. My current laptop is the Compaq DV2000Z ML-37, which is an older single-core chip from about 1.5 years ago and shared memory video, 1 gig RAM, and it has been running Vista Ultimate since November - Aero Glass and all with no problems.

also, I've noticed that the CTO models seem to come with better screens than the store-bought models...is it just me or are ALL dv2000's in retail stores shipped with inferior LCD panels? I've checked in retail stores and CTO laptops and the ones in the retail stores seem to have a different manufacturer than the CTO's...and the CTO displays look better...unless I'm just losing my mind or need to cut down on the crack.

1/31/2007 11:39:00 AM
bai said...

Noise is still a concern. My case is that the fan is on most of the time and as you said, it is a quiet whisper but still audible.

Question:

how often does your fan kick in for normal use?
do you have the temperature for normal operation?
what do you do to keep fan off?

Anonymous said...

nice review, I was looking at the dv2201ca and the dv2000t is pretty similar.

BTW, IR port doesn't work on RF radio frequency (like wifi or bluetooth), so the power comsumption of that feature is very very low. No need to actually disable it.

Anonymous said...

By far one of the best reviews I've seen of this notebook computer. You bring up excellent viewpoints as well as thoughout explanations about the dv2000t's features.

I recently purchased a Gateway MT3418 for a great price, but am considering selling it from one of these laptops. Specifically because of the way the computer looks.

But, you bring up great points about how the LCD doesn't go all 180 degrees back. And your point about no latches are we thoughout; it's true that LCD hinges tend to wear after time, I wonder if it will cause a problem after time.

Regardless its a definate looker, and to me, looks just as good if not better than Apple's counterparts. The inlaid design is gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

I just had an unfortunate experience with HP Support that everyone would be well advised to consider before buying from HP.

My 11 year old son's hp dv2000z screen recently went into a permanently dim state - apparently the internal lid actuator that tells the system when the lid is closed has malfunctioned. The touchpad mouse no longer works and neither do the media buttons.

This happened sometime between July 1 and July 5. I called HP on the 7th and discovered that the warranty had expired on the 3rd. As you can imagine they refused to do anything except suggest I accept their offer to repair it for $600.

My research on HP has unearthed a fairly large number of very unhappy people who feel their service is terrible and I add myself to that list. I’ve had reasonable success getting past no with most other vendor’s support services but HP has been a solid wall of NO.

HP failed me when I needed them the most.

A.H. Rajani said...

i'm always amazed at the number of people visitng my blog looking for this review. i recently found thta the University of Waterloo in Canada linked to this review as a recommended computer to purchase for students:

http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/computing/compRecs.html

Sharat T said...

Reymond,

I also got the same prob of dim screen with my dv2000t and contacted HP support. They pointed me to latest display drivers.

It fixed the prob.

Anonymous said...

hello, ive had my HP Notebook dv2000 for a few months and ive noticed that it doesnt shut down correctly. Im running windows vista home premium, with the AMD chipset. At first i just thought it was the usual updates comfiguring, but then I watched it shut down and it went all the way to the black screen and it shuts down briefly, so the lights go out for maybe half a second then it starts to boot back up with the hp bios screen then when the computer searches for the operating system the hard drive then starts to spin up. Of course I get fed up and hold the power button down, and manualy shut down. A normal start up from a shutdown state is just fine, all the hardware starts in a normal sequence. I dont know why this is happening, i have recently downloaded some gadgets, and thats it really, those are the major changes. Also being a new laptop the norton subscription has run out, but still gives me limited protection, if anyone could give me an idea of whats going on that would be great thanks.

Bali Sunset said...

Nice review!!

I also got my own notebook review blog.

http://best-notebook-reviews.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I got this laptop and not happy with it, im a gamer but i cant afford gaming laptop, so i got this one. with core2duo 2 ghz processor , 2gb ram , geforce go 7200. im running on windows xp coz im not so comfortable with vista which is its bundled OS. the laptop will turn off while playing games. and the laptop is heating like hell

Anonymous said...

Yes, I have the same problem and have been complaining about it to friends for some time. The left wrist rest is very hot while the right side is about room temperature. I often set my refrigerated bottle of water on the left to cool the wrist rest down.

Scott said...
Hi there-

Thanks for taking the time to write up this great review! This is certainly a lot more reliable than the one over by cnet...

I recently just picked up the dv6000 version, with the dual AMDs, and had to reutrn it 2 days later. the left wrist area got smoking hot during use, and was too uncomfortable for any long term sessions.

I am wondering if you have any similar problems with your new dv2000. I am hoping that intel version would solve this.

Do you feel a lot of heat off of the wrist areas or touch pad?

Thanks again for all the great info.

Best,
Scott

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering if this blog was created by an HP Marketing person. I purchased a DV2000 CTO from HP late May '07 and had various problems from the start. E.G. very noisy CD-DVD among other items. None of which HP support was able to resolve. In early Jan '08 this PC wouldn't boot up, but I was able to get a dos menu that said to contact manufacturer (HP) as there was probably a hard drive failure or a cd-dvd drive failure. I assumed it was the cd-dvd drive failure as I had always had problems with it.

HP sent replacement hard drive & cd dvd drive and when I ran the recovery cd I realized all factory installed software was missing or not working. After more calls to HP (spoken to 30+ agents) and have sent my PC in for repair two times, and still not working (many issues), I really wonder about this blog. From my perspective this PC has issues and definitely HP support has major issues.

But I hope all the other owners of this pc never have to call HP for support. It has certainly left me never wanting to buy any other HP product again.

A.H. Rajani said...

To anonymous 4/1/08:

Sorry to hear about the various problems with your CTO dv2000, but the fact that my review doesn't reflect the hardware failures you have experienced is not, I don't think at least, grounds for calling into question my motive for taking the time to write the review.

First, the review was written in the first few weeks of owning my dv2000, so I didn't have any hardware issues at the time. And after owning the notebook for more than a year and a half, my only major gripe is the fact that the notebook runs hot after upgrading to Vista. Otherwise, I haven't had any hardware failures or issues like that.

I can assure you I'm not an "HP Marketing" person. If you look at the other reviews (software mostly, but some hardware as well) that I've done on this blog, you'll see that I don't have allegiance to any company in particular and don't mind pointing out the flaws in whatever I'm looking at.

Eryn said...

Hi, I hope you still check this blog! I found your review to be failry accurate of what I experience on my dv2000. Any performance hiccups I had was corrected when I upgraded my RAM to 2GB. The only annoyance I have with this laptop is that it runs very hot after about 30 minutes of use. I have to put a book between me and the laptop when it's sitting on my lap. I've heard that there are some configurations in the BIOS that can be made to control the processor temperature. Have you heard or experienced the same? Would you be able to point me in the right direction to confirm this? Thanks.

A.H. Rajani said...

To erynmyisha:

Thanks for the comment. The BIOS for the DV2000 is pretty plain vanilla (it isn't really ideal for modding temperatures and voltages). I'm very hesitant to adjust any of the settings myself because it can cause instability.

I'm considering switching back to Windows XP Professional to reduce the overheating problem. The notebook was quite responsive and cool-running with that.

-Assad

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I bought the same model dv2000t late in June 2007.

I started having problems with overheating (area left of touch-pad gets very hot) not too long after getting the notebook.

Then about 2-3 months back I started having random crashes and even got the dreaded blue screen of death. I was able to recover from these crashes without issue.

Then two days ago, I had another blue screen crash. But this time the notebook is acting very flaky. I have used the system recovery, but teh problem persists.

I did a hard-drive self test and it turns out some of the segments are damaged.

HP tech-support claims I need to replace the hard-drive and it will be out of pocket as it is past the warranty period.

HP sucks. I won't be buying another item from them again.

Al

Anonymous said...

if you have a complaint, i suggest calling the hp corporate complaint department at 877-917-4380. don't tell them i sent you.

66cat389 said...

Go here and tell them your story about this piece of garbage notebook.

http://www.wdklaw.com/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=cmpCases&categoryKey=consumer&htmlID=10695&s=whatleydrake

Anonymous said...

I have HP Pavilion DV2000 laptop it is excellent, easy to use. I got a hp dv2000 battery. The battery last 2~3 hours.

Anonymous said...

I had only minor problems with this laptop for awhile (e.g. remote didn't work, laptop got hot, patchy wireless) but then about a month ago when I tried to use it unplugged (and with full battery) the screen went black. But it still worked with the cord plugged in until two weeks ago when the screen started going static-y and white until I couldn't start it at all. And that was conveniently only several months after my one-year warranty ran out. So now I get to shell out another $700 or $800 for a new laptop plus pay for tuition!!

I've heard of other people's dv2000's crashing too, I would not buy one!!!

Anonymous said...

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Bjorn said...

I have been very happy with this laptop despite a few of the problems described by others (overheating, occasional crashes and buggy behaviour).

For $700, it:
- is sleek-looking
- has a great screen
- is light for the screen size
- has a great keyboard (and I can feel the heat coming off of it as I type now)
- has outstanding power management - I work on it all day in my job as a web developer and it will typically hold a charge most of the day or the whole day (maybe I need to work harder :)

I wish it were more stable, but for a year and a half of use so far, I feel it's $700 well spent.

HP 5500 toner said...

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bigz said...

my HP DV2000 is also died after less than 2 years. Screen blank. After searching and googling, found out HP DV2000 has defects with VGA.. But what can you do after the warranty finished.. Not a recommended laptop anyway, at least not in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Would not buy HP again. Have had Dell, Toshiba, NEC, Toshiba, Dell again, HP 1000, and another Dell, then HP DV2000 series. Only 1 of the 6 I purchased for my family/friends are 100% workign after 2 years, most experienced problems within a year. Motherboards dies, no video, sound card dies, battery overheats terribly, DVD drawer pops open when it wants to.
Last HP device in this household. Warranty is not worth much because if there is a defect you only get a limited time to have the fix again if it fails again, so if problem returns after a time period you are sol.

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Anonymous said...

i´M SORRY, A DON,T WRITE ENGLISH VERY WELL...MY HP dv2000 after 2 Year Is BAD, MY SCREEN BLANK, NO WORK THE AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE, NO OPEN THE CD/DVD, NO READ, DO YOU DNOW THE PC, HAVE A WARANTY?

MI PC,HPdv2000 SE PUSO LA PANTALLA EN NEGRO, NO ABRE EL LECTOR DE CD/DVD SE LE FUE EL AUDIO, NO ME DEJA ABRIR EL ITUNES, PARECE TENER PROBLEMAS DE FABRICA...LE HICE UN RECOVERY, PERDI TODA MI MUSICA Y FOTOS...PERO SIGUE IGUAL...ALGUIEN SABE SI TIENE ALGUNA GARANTIA? SE QUE TIENE POR 1 AÑO, PERO ESTE ERROR LO DEBE SOLUCIONAR LA HP.
QUE SE PUEDE HACER????
RELAMENTE ME DA MUCHA PENA, YO CONFIABA EN HP, Y HASTA LA RECOMENDE, EN CASA TENGO 3, PERO DESPUES DE ESTO, NO LA RECOMIENDO...OJALA QUE SOLO SEA UN PROBLEMA COMO LA TOYOTA...Y NOS RESUELVAN....SUERTE A LOS QUE TENGAN UNA...DE ESTE MODELO.

Putra said...

nice info, i like HP forever.

Mayur Pawar said...

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Tantono said...

Looks great... i want it.

hp laptop battery said...

We ran a typical Hp laptop battery of tests, including games, applications, and a couple other areas. Time constraints limited the amount of testing we could get done before the NDA lift (and it's already a few hours late), but we will be providing a follow-up article with further testing and information. That said, if there are any specific areas that you'd like to see tested, feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment.

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mark said...

The remote control may be useful if you have the hp laptop for school for those off days. Specifically entertainment for parties and break time from a long day of class.

Great review.

HP Technical Support Number said...

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