Ok, there have been many comments about the new HP notebooks, but this one is from an owner.
I have had the dv6040us for over a week now, and have run a variety of applications on it. This is not my first notebook by a long shot, and I have owned and/or used many brands and types over the years. Most recently, I had (and returned) the Acer 5672, a nice intel duo core T2300, with 2G of ram, 120G SATA, ATI radeon x1400 with 256M of video ram (128 dedicated and 128 shared). It was returned for several reasons, the hot (105 degree F) touch pad (unless you used a cooler) and palm rest and poor battery life (less than 2.5 hours). Also, some proprietary s/w did not like the x1400 and would not run properly.
Onto the HP. My dv6040us had the TL-52 Turion 64 x2, 2G ram, 120G SATA, nvidia 7200 with 64M dedicated, 192M shared, 802.11b/g, 15.4 bright view, and the HP imprint case.
Case: First, the case is solid, the finish is fantastic, and the feel is slick where it should be (palm rests and touch pad). It does not feel cheap, sticky (as mentioned by one person), the screen/lid is solid and does not twist, and the glossy surface, although it does show finger prints on the black, is easy to clean (cloth included).
Screen: Not as bright or contrasty as the Toshiba's, but very nice. The viewing angle is better than the Acer verticallly, not quite as good horizontally, but it also does not have as much reflections. The colors appear rich and true (I use the computer for photo editing), and the off-angle view, although not as good as straight on, does not exhibit as much contrast loss/color shift as the Acer. No ghosting and very sharp. Ther 1280x800 resolution is about optimal for a 15.4 wide screen.
Keyboard: Two problems. The right shift key is too short (the up arrow key is next to it instead of shifted down) which takes a lot of getting used to. And the other, like all HP notebooks, the keys do not have the same travel or feel as a regular keyboard (the Acer, like the Thinkpads and some others, has more travel with a better key top (closer to a desktop keyboard). On the plus side, there is no flex, the keyboard itself feels solid, and added multimedia keys are great (I especially like the scrolling volume control).
Touch pad: This wide touch pad includes a dedicated vertical scroll area. It has a switch located in the frame above it to turn it on and off (blue/orange indicator). I would have liked it moved about 1 inch to the left, but the on/off feature (the Acer has this also, but not located by the pad) makes up for it. Sensitivity is fine, and it runs much cooler than the Acer (80-85 degrees without a cooler).
Processor: The Turion 64 x2 will run Windows XP 64 and 64 bit Vista (HP does certify the dv6000z as Vista capable). However, it is not as fast as the Intel core duo T2300 (about 10% down in the benchmarks). Fortunately, most of us do not run benchmarks as real world applications, and it is in the real world where the AMD shines. Corel PSP and Adobe Elements seem to run faster with the AMD vs Intel (HP vs Acer). Games, which I do not run many of, seem to run fine as well (have tested Fear and Far Cry). Oh, although it has a higher power spec, the power now technology seems to work and the battery life seems very good.
Battery: The standard 6 cell seems to last about 2.5 hours using the default settings for portable application. The 12 cell seems to go for about 5 hours (can stretch more via more aggressive power savings). In either case, the batteries and adapters are common, and can be bought from a number of retail and web stores (Acer is not as common, and many parts are direct special orders).
GPU: If there is one weakness of the dv6040us, it is the nvidia go 7200. With 64M dedicated and 192M shared, the bench marks are very low. On the plus die, the chip set is optimized for power saving, and it does keep the heat down as well. Not the best chipset for 3D gaming, it is still able to keep up with the older games. My normal real world 3D application is Trespasser, which runs full screen at max details without issue.
Wireless: Mine has a Broadcomm chipset vs the Intel in the Acer, and since I do not use the 802.11 a protocol, I don't have a problem with the b/g adapter. It connects to my network without the tweaking of the Intel in the Acer (which kept dropping out and wanting me to re-enter the WEP code). The HP wireless utility has not been removed yet, and works fine - might just leave well enough alone.
Other: The location of the USB ports (3) works well for most, with one on the right (facing the computer) and 2 on the left. The lightscribe dvd r/rw drive burns at 8x with most media, and is located on the right also. The slot load Acer was one of the best features of the Acer, and perhaps others will follow suit (besides Apple, who have used that design for years). The fan does come on running graphic intensive applications, and the hot air exhausts on the left side (rear), which for right handed people, a big improvement over the Acer. The audio jacks are on the front, and although I like that design, there are many who do not. There is a wireless on/off switch on the front, an express card (both types) on the right (which can store the included remote too), a high speed IR port on the front, and again, the great touch switches on the top for dvd, music, forward/back multimedia, audio mute, and audio level. The Altec Lansing speakers are very good (for a relatively thin notebook) and certain much better than the ones on the Acer. On the down side, the Acer had a great equalizer panel that really worked. Oh, the flash card reader is on the left, and works fine (except I needed a CF slot as well - have to use my USB reader). The IEEE 1394 firewire port works, but is only a 4 pin. There is no HD video port (a blank cover is over the location) but there is VGA and S-Video available. Last but not least, the web cam and microphones (yes, there are two, one on each side of the camera) work, but I do not use them.
How do I carry mine: I have a Targus global executive case which has an air suspension system and a screen protection system built in. This is a fantastic case for carrying the notebook, mouse, ac adapter, spare battery, and a bunch of CD's or DVD's (has a carrier sleave included). The mess pouches and various pockets keeps the accessories in place, the included LED flash light is handy at night (or in an airplane), and the pull out travel carrier can hold a passport/ID, along with tickets and travel papers.
Software: Many complain about bloatware. Well, for the average users (meaning the masses), the packages s/w could be very important. For students, having Works or Office is a big plus, and Hp has both, although the Office is a trial of Student and Teacher version (still, it is nice to have, and simply getting a license will make it permanent - retail for Student/Teacher is around $120). Quicken is hampered by being the new user version (cannot import your 'old' files), but the MS Money can, and there is not much difference between the two anymore. Norton Internet Security is included with a 60 day license (most only have 30 day ones, and usually only AV). The games are useless (all require registration and a fee), the various video/photo apps may or maynot be good for you, and the music s/w is no match for itunes. For DVDs, the HP software does work, but media player can play them too. I still like power dvd better, but for those who do not have a dvd s/w package, you can at least get started immediately.
The restore s/w takes up about 9G on the D partition and the various applications take up another 3-4 G on the C partition. Unless you need the extra 9G, it might pay to leave it there to return the system to the original state (without having to do it from dvd - takes 3 dvd's for the system restore disks).
Oh, I did not do a full load - I removed those applications I did not want, used regedit to check for stragglers, and left my D partition in place. I did check for new drivers on the hp site and via google for the AMD Turion 64x2. I did load a couple of those, including the one from Microsoft. I also tried the AMD dash board, which reports cpu temperature (mine hits 50 C during 3D applications, about 47C for normal applications).
A very big plus for HP is the fact that you can get maintenance manuals from HP on line, and the drivers are organized in a logical manner. Most other sites (especially since ibm is no longer making new computers) are less than adequate, and almost all do not have their maintenance manuals available for the general public.
There are no CD's or DVD'd included, there are headphones (work fine), the cleaning cloth, remote, and only two labels on the bottom (the hp model/serial number sticker and the windows license). The ones on top can be removed without tools (don't use a knife - you might scratch the fine finish - which seems very durable as it is a resin).
Overall, the dv6040us is simply great. It looks very professional, runs business applications very well, can run most current games, and is certainly a very unique notebook (appearance). This is one that can go from the board room to the hotel room and manage to look in place at either setting.
This is one computer I would recommend for students, home, and professionals as well.
Wayne
UPDATE (8/31/06): Still running strong, but now there are several updates on the hp (US) site for various system devices (video, chip set, peripherals, and a couple of others). Also, I can report that the palm rest heat has not increased - still just warm, and can be cooled down considerably with a cooler (using the Antec notebook cooler - works with both standard and extended batteries). Speaking of batteries, battery life is still about 5 hours for the 12 cell (now just a little longer after the last AMD update from the hp site - maybe an extra 20-30 minutes). I did manage to remove a significant number of duplicate applications (already have my favorites) that were pre-installed. Still recommend this notebook highly and unless you want a game machine, this is a good one to check out.
I have had the dv6040us for over a week now, and have run a variety of applications on it. This is not my first notebook by a long shot, and I have owned and/or used many brands and types over the years. Most recently, I had (and returned) the Acer 5672, a nice intel duo core T2300, with 2G of ram, 120G SATA, ATI radeon x1400 with 256M of video ram (128 dedicated and 128 shared). It was returned for several reasons, the hot (105 degree F) touch pad (unless you used a cooler) and palm rest and poor battery life (less than 2.5 hours). Also, some proprietary s/w did not like the x1400 and would not run properly.
Onto the HP. My dv6040us had the TL-52 Turion 64 x2, 2G ram, 120G SATA, nvidia 7200 with 64M dedicated, 192M shared, 802.11b/g, 15.4 bright view, and the HP imprint case.
Case: First, the case is solid, the finish is fantastic, and the feel is slick where it should be (palm rests and touch pad). It does not feel cheap, sticky (as mentioned by one person), the screen/lid is solid and does not twist, and the glossy surface, although it does show finger prints on the black, is easy to clean (cloth included).
Screen: Not as bright or contrasty as the Toshiba's, but very nice. The viewing angle is better than the Acer verticallly, not quite as good horizontally, but it also does not have as much reflections. The colors appear rich and true (I use the computer for photo editing), and the off-angle view, although not as good as straight on, does not exhibit as much contrast loss/color shift as the Acer. No ghosting and very sharp. Ther 1280x800 resolution is about optimal for a 15.4 wide screen.
Keyboard: Two problems. The right shift key is too short (the up arrow key is next to it instead of shifted down) which takes a lot of getting used to. And the other, like all HP notebooks, the keys do not have the same travel or feel as a regular keyboard (the Acer, like the Thinkpads and some others, has more travel with a better key top (closer to a desktop keyboard). On the plus side, there is no flex, the keyboard itself feels solid, and added multimedia keys are great (I especially like the scrolling volume control).
Touch pad: This wide touch pad includes a dedicated vertical scroll area. It has a switch located in the frame above it to turn it on and off (blue/orange indicator). I would have liked it moved about 1 inch to the left, but the on/off feature (the Acer has this also, but not located by the pad) makes up for it. Sensitivity is fine, and it runs much cooler than the Acer (80-85 degrees without a cooler).
Processor: The Turion 64 x2 will run Windows XP 64 and 64 bit Vista (HP does certify the dv6000z as Vista capable). However, it is not as fast as the Intel core duo T2300 (about 10% down in the benchmarks). Fortunately, most of us do not run benchmarks as real world applications, and it is in the real world where the AMD shines. Corel PSP and Adobe Elements seem to run faster with the AMD vs Intel (HP vs Acer). Games, which I do not run many of, seem to run fine as well (have tested Fear and Far Cry). Oh, although it has a higher power spec, the power now technology seems to work and the battery life seems very good.
Battery: The standard 6 cell seems to last about 2.5 hours using the default settings for portable application. The 12 cell seems to go for about 5 hours (can stretch more via more aggressive power savings). In either case, the batteries and adapters are common, and can be bought from a number of retail and web stores (Acer is not as common, and many parts are direct special orders).
GPU: If there is one weakness of the dv6040us, it is the nvidia go 7200. With 64M dedicated and 192M shared, the bench marks are very low. On the plus die, the chip set is optimized for power saving, and it does keep the heat down as well. Not the best chipset for 3D gaming, it is still able to keep up with the older games. My normal real world 3D application is Trespasser, which runs full screen at max details without issue.
Wireless: Mine has a Broadcomm chipset vs the Intel in the Acer, and since I do not use the 802.11 a protocol, I don't have a problem with the b/g adapter. It connects to my network without the tweaking of the Intel in the Acer (which kept dropping out and wanting me to re-enter the WEP code). The HP wireless utility has not been removed yet, and works fine - might just leave well enough alone.
Other: The location of the USB ports (3) works well for most, with one on the right (facing the computer) and 2 on the left. The lightscribe dvd r/rw drive burns at 8x with most media, and is located on the right also. The slot load Acer was one of the best features of the Acer, and perhaps others will follow suit (besides Apple, who have used that design for years). The fan does come on running graphic intensive applications, and the hot air exhausts on the left side (rear), which for right handed people, a big improvement over the Acer. The audio jacks are on the front, and although I like that design, there are many who do not. There is a wireless on/off switch on the front, an express card (both types) on the right (which can store the included remote too), a high speed IR port on the front, and again, the great touch switches on the top for dvd, music, forward/back multimedia, audio mute, and audio level. The Altec Lansing speakers are very good (for a relatively thin notebook) and certain much better than the ones on the Acer. On the down side, the Acer had a great equalizer panel that really worked. Oh, the flash card reader is on the left, and works fine (except I needed a CF slot as well - have to use my USB reader). The IEEE 1394 firewire port works, but is only a 4 pin. There is no HD video port (a blank cover is over the location) but there is VGA and S-Video available. Last but not least, the web cam and microphones (yes, there are two, one on each side of the camera) work, but I do not use them.
How do I carry mine: I have a Targus global executive case which has an air suspension system and a screen protection system built in. This is a fantastic case for carrying the notebook, mouse, ac adapter, spare battery, and a bunch of CD's or DVD's (has a carrier sleave included). The mess pouches and various pockets keeps the accessories in place, the included LED flash light is handy at night (or in an airplane), and the pull out travel carrier can hold a passport/ID, along with tickets and travel papers.
Software: Many complain about bloatware. Well, for the average users (meaning the masses), the packages s/w could be very important. For students, having Works or Office is a big plus, and Hp has both, although the Office is a trial of Student and Teacher version (still, it is nice to have, and simply getting a license will make it permanent - retail for Student/Teacher is around $120). Quicken is hampered by being the new user version (cannot import your 'old' files), but the MS Money can, and there is not much difference between the two anymore. Norton Internet Security is included with a 60 day license (most only have 30 day ones, and usually only AV). The games are useless (all require registration and a fee), the various video/photo apps may or maynot be good for you, and the music s/w is no match for itunes. For DVDs, the HP software does work, but media player can play them too. I still like power dvd better, but for those who do not have a dvd s/w package, you can at least get started immediately.
The restore s/w takes up about 9G on the D partition and the various applications take up another 3-4 G on the C partition. Unless you need the extra 9G, it might pay to leave it there to return the system to the original state (without having to do it from dvd - takes 3 dvd's for the system restore disks).
Oh, I did not do a full load - I removed those applications I did not want, used regedit to check for stragglers, and left my D partition in place. I did check for new drivers on the hp site and via google for the AMD Turion 64x2. I did load a couple of those, including the one from Microsoft. I also tried the AMD dash board, which reports cpu temperature (mine hits 50 C during 3D applications, about 47C for normal applications).
A very big plus for HP is the fact that you can get maintenance manuals from HP on line, and the drivers are organized in a logical manner. Most other sites (especially since ibm is no longer making new computers) are less than adequate, and almost all do not have their maintenance manuals available for the general public.
There are no CD's or DVD'd included, there are headphones (work fine), the cleaning cloth, remote, and only two labels on the bottom (the hp model/serial number sticker and the windows license). The ones on top can be removed without tools (don't use a knife - you might scratch the fine finish - which seems very durable as it is a resin).
Overall, the dv6040us is simply great. It looks very professional, runs business applications very well, can run most current games, and is certainly a very unique notebook (appearance). This is one that can go from the board room to the hotel room and manage to look in place at either setting.
This is one computer I would recommend for students, home, and professionals as well.
Wayne
UPDATE (8/31/06): Still running strong, but now there are several updates on the hp (US) site for various system devices (video, chip set, peripherals, and a couple of others). Also, I can report that the palm rest heat has not increased - still just warm, and can be cooled down considerably with a cooler (using the Antec notebook cooler - works with both standard and extended batteries). Speaking of batteries, battery life is still about 5 hours for the 12 cell (now just a little longer after the last AMD update from the hp site - maybe an extra 20-30 minutes). I did manage to remove a significant number of duplicate applications (already have my favorites) that were pre-installed. Still recommend this notebook highly and unless you want a game machine, this is a good one to check out.
