At $599 you havce a chance to get an entertainment notebook with multimedia features. With built in wireless LAN, Blue-ray media drive and a built in TV tuner, this notebook is perfect for anyone who wants to untilize it for entertainment in addition to the computing tasks.
Let us take a look at some broad specification of this notebook
Specifications
# Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 processor (2.0GHz6MB L2) - You may upgrade till
# 14.1 WXGA LED-Backlit LCD (1280x800)
# Nvidia GeForce 9200M-GS w/ 256MB DDR2 dedicated video card
# 4GB DDR2-800 RAM
# 320GB 5400RPM hard drive
# Blu-ray ROM with SuperMulti DVDRW
# WiFi, Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity
# Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
# 55Wh High Capacity 6-cell Li-ion battery
# Size: 13.15" (W) x 9.45" (D) x 1.34" (H)
# Weight: 5lbs 5.2oz with battery
Just from the specification, this notebook looks great. The Core 2 Duo at 2.0 GHz is good enough for most of the tasks. Let us take a look at some of the components of this notebook.
Processor and performance
The entry level pavilion dv4t has a Intel Core 2 Duo T5800 processor running at 2.0 GHz. If are a gaming enthusiast or a software programmer who needs to compile a lot of code, you mayt like to upgrade it to T9600 at 2.8 GHz. This will cost you extra money. My suggestion is - if you want to use it just for email, word and its multimedeia capability, you do not need to upgrade. I do suggest that you get 4 GB of RAM. This significantly enhances performance.
Battery Life
Under normal surfing conditions, this notebook will last 2 hours and 30 minutes using normal 6 Cells Li Ion battry in power saving mode. If battery life is a concern you may like to have 12 cell battery in place of the 6 cell battery. You also have the option of using high capacity 6-cell battery in place of regular 6-cell battery which will increase the battery life by about 15%.
Screen
The 14.1-inch display looks good. You must note that it comes in two category - one with LED option and other with stanbdard option. LED is newer technology that offers brighter display. It however costs about $100 extra if you go with the LED option. I had a chance to look at both the option. The LED one does give a brighter display. However, given a chance I will not to go with the LED option now. I believe that the cost of the LED lighting is reducing and I expect them to cost the same as the current backlight technology in 1 to 2 year to come.
Speakers
The notebook has Altec Lansing brand speaker. If you like to listen songs, it has a decent quality sound. It does include two headphones ports on the front side. Headphone or an external speaker and amplifier system will provide a better sound experirnce.
Ports
The most important part of the ports is the HDMI port. With it can giveo high definition video on a TV.
On the fron t it has Two headphone ports and microphone port.
On the right side it has Optical drive, two USB ports and the power jack.
On the left side it has monitor port, docking station connector, Ethernet, HDMI, eSATA/USB combo port, SD/MS/MMC/XD card reader slot, ExpressCard 54 slot.
There is nothing on the back. This has been standard practice since the last 2 year or so in th HP notebooks.
Size and Weight
The dv4t on the with its high-capacity 6-cell battery in has a weight about 5.75 lbs. Adding the power cord and the adapter makes the weight close to 6.5 lb. In my view this is a pretty good for this kind of laptop. Most of the 14.1" notebooks have weight in the same range, although some are lighter.
Pros
* Very good price for entry level 2.0 GHz processor
* Lightweight design
* Good design and port positioning
* Provides HDMI port and eSATA port
* Fairly priced
Cons
* Battery life could be better
* LED option needs more bucks
* Higher end proceesor options make it expensive
Final Thought
In Overall, this laptop is definitely a good choice for the price it offers, especially the entry level options. However, if you want extreme processing power and long battery life you may like to consider other options.
The ports are very nicely placed. The HDMI connector will come handy, if you want to enjoy multimedia. The notebook deserves a look if you plan to buy one.