HP HDX16t - A Review

23 Nov 2008



A review of HP HDX16t - Notebook

The HP HDX16t is has a wide 16 inch display screen. With included TV tuner this notebook can be used for viewing movies and multimedia. It has fast processor, good built, plenty of prts. Unfotunately the battery is only 56-Wh. A 56 Watt hour means that the battery will last for 56 hours if it drains power at 1 watt. With this notebook the battery will last only a litle above 2 hours.

Power source is available almost everywhere in US except if you plan to travel a lot and plan to spend a lot of time on the notebook, while power is not available. For people living in countries like India, long battery life is a must for two reasons - the power cut is common. It is not uncommon to have 4 hours regular power supply cut. In such a scenario a notebook with large battery life comes handy. Indian movie have typically large reel length - lasting 3 hours. So if you plan to watch Indian movie on a battery do not buy this computer.

Battery life aside, this HP notebook is a solid performer. I would like to mention quick pros and cons.

The Good

* 16-inch widescreen display
* Includes Numeric keypad.
* Internal TV tuner for multimedia experience.
* eSATA port
* Good performance

The Bad * Battery life
* Price is prohibitive for entry level consumers

Let us take a look at some broad specification of this notebook
Specifications
* Price : $1,049.00 Direct * OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium * Processor : Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 * Processor Speed: 2.8 GHz processor * 3.0 GB RAM installed * Storage Capacity: 320 GB * Built-in TV tuner // These are to be verified. * Weight: 5.3 lb * Screen Size: 14.1 inches * Screen Size Type: widescreen * Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8400M GS * Networking Options: 802.11n * Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

The T2020 has a rugged design that will last adverse atmoshpheres. The design is sleek and appealing. It weights only 3.8lbs. The active digitizer makes it great for note-taking. In overall it has great design with good feel.Its hinges are solid.

Processor, Graphics,Memory

The T2020 has a Intel Core 2 Duo U9300 1.2GHz processor and a 120GB hard drive. It boots up quickly and is very good if you want to start surfing quick. The T2020 has improvement from its predecessor, the T2010 as far as processor performance is concerned . The processor speed is NOT for the programmers, gamers or for that purpose any one appliation that loads processor heavily and needs answer in real time.




Battery Life

Under normal surfing conditions, this notebook will last 5 hours and 30 minutes using normal 6 Cells Li Ion battry. If battery life is a concern you may like to have 9 cell battery in place of the 6 cell battery which will theoritically make the battery life of 8-9 hours. The battery life is great and if battery life is a concern go with this notebook.

Screen

The 12.1-inch display looks good. The brightness level can be adjusted. The colors are bright and lively. The Tablet perfoms well in outdoor too with its wide angle view.

Speakers The notebook has only one speaker. If you like to listen songs only at very low volume it is ok. Otherwise the sound you will feel lack of sound quality. Listening with external speakers and amplifiers is ok. It does have audio and microphone jacks.

Ports

Th T2020 has two USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), External monitor/VGA, modem (RJ-11), Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), docking connector, headphone jack, and microphone jack. It also includes Type I/II PCMCIA slot, Smart Card slot, and media card reader.All of them surprisingly fit in this small notebook.





Pros

* Good screen, small * Solid design and chassis * Very light weight - easy to carry * Great battery life at 5 and a half hour * Improved performance over T20101

Cons

* Expensive at about $1500
* Only one Speaker


Final Thought In Overall, this laptop is definitely a bit expensive. However, if you want extreme mobility and long battery life you may like to consider it.