While the low end HP dv4t with 14.1" screen satisfies the entry level consumers, HP dv7t takes it to next hieght with its 17" screen, although with a much higher price tag. At entry level price tag of about $1200 you get a bigger screen , powerful graphics and a great Notebook.
Let us take a look at some broad specification of this notebook
Specifications
# OS: Windows Vista Ultimate, 64 bit
# Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, 2.80 GHz
# Hard Drives: 2 x 320GB 7200RPM SATA Dual Hard Drives
# Memory: 4.00 GB RAM (max 8 GB with upgrade)
# Video Card: 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
# DVD Drive: Blu-ray ROM, DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
# USB Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports
# Additional Ports: eSATA, HDMI, monitor (VGA), ethernet
# Other Features:wireless, web cam, number pad, HDTV TV tuner, fingerprint reader, remote control, 56K modem
# Weight: 7.7 lbs
Fro the specification, this notebook looks great. The Core 2 Duo at 2.8 GHz is good enough for almost any task. The Blue-ray ROM is good for multimedia enthisiasts
Processor and performance
The pavilion dv7t has a Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor running at 2.8 GHz. Note that out of the box system comes with a large number of un solicited softwares that slows down the boot up time. You may like to remove all the softwares not required to boost its boot up time.
That being said, the performance of this notebook is great. It is fast for any gaming or compiling task.
Battery Life
Under normal surfing conditions, this notebook will last 2 hours and 45 minutes using its 8 Cells Li Ion battry in power saving mode. This is surprisingly pleasant for a notebook with 17" large display and powerful processors. This puts this notebook a class above the other notebooks in this category.
Display
The 17-inch display at native resolution of 1680x1050 looks good. If you are a graphic designer or a CAD CAM designer, or if you need to open many windows open simultaneously, like I do, you will notice increase in your productivity with this large display and better resolution. It has excellent color and sharpness when viewing Blu Ray discs.
On the top of it this notebook has a built in TV tuner to watch TV right on the notebook.It has a remote control that can be used while watching TV to navigate the channels.
Sound and Speakers
The notebook has great speakers and can be used to get a decent quality even without the use of an externbal amlifier and speakers. The notebook does have a limitation and if you really want a good sound system, you may hook an external surround sound system to its audio ports.
Ports
The dv7 notebook has three USB 2.0 ports; one eSATA/USB 2.0 port; HDMI and VGA ports; IR; Ethernet and modem jacks; two headphone and one mic port; and an expansion port. It also has an ExpressCard/54 slot and a 5-in-1 memory card reader.
That is more than enough for all our daily tasks. The HDMI port is a nice additio to watch decent quality video on an external TV that accepts HDMI.
webcam
The dv7t comes with a integrated webcam with CyberLink YouCam software. The YouCam software provides special effects such as fun filters, animations, and frames. The quality of the video withe webcam is decent.
Harddisk
The standard hard disk is 200 GB. The hard disk comes with accelerometer sensor tecnology. Accelerometer is a sensor, which detects the acceleration of the notebook in the 3 axes ( x, y and z). In case of the notebook attemting to free fall or jerk it prevets it from damaging by taking corrective action.
Size and Weight
The dv7t on the with its high-capacity 8-cell battery in has a weight about 8.4 lbs. This is pretty standard for a notebook in this category, no more, no less.
Pros
* 17" good display
* HDMI and TV tuner included
* Good design and port positioning
* accelerometer for hard disk protection
* Fairly priced
* Good Battery life
Cons
* Sightly expensive for common consumers
* Unnecessay preloaded software
Final Thought
In Overall, this laptop is definitely a good choice for the price it offers, especially for the multimedia enthusiasts. It offers good battery life even with large display.
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.