Today, Hardwarelogic takes an in depth look at the HP Pavilion dv6500t Special Edition notebook computer. This 15.4” widescreen laptop was considered by Hewlett-Packard to be their flagship product of 2007, boasting a uniquely styled outer casing, and an aesthetically pleasing interior, complete with touch-sensitive media keys and an Altec Lansing speaker system. The “Special Edition” designation for HP's higher end 15.4” notebooks still continue in 2008, in the form of the dv6700t, which incorporates Intel’s newest 45nm Penryn mobile processor technology. Let’s take a closer look at the dv6500t Special Edition and put this bad boy through its paces!
Hewlett-Packard is a name that is synonymous with OEM computer systems that range from home based computing solutions to business and enterprise-class systems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. What many computer users do not realize, however, is that among the other big name OEMs available to choose from such as Dell, Gateway, and Sony, is that Hewlett-Packard continues to enjoy a surging popularity for their computing solutions.
This immense popularity is no less evidenced by their mobile computer division, which manufacturers and sells more notebook computing products than Dell. According to a
2007 study performed by research giant
IDG, Hewlett-Packard controlled just over 20 percent of the laptop market in the fourth quarter of 2007, compared to Dell's 15 percent market share. This makes Hewlett-Packard the largest manufacturer and distributor of notebook computing solutions in the world today.
With that in mind, HardwareLogic will be taking an intense and deep look at the HP Pavilion dv6500t Special Edition notebook computer. This 15.4" widescreen laptop was considered by Hewlett-Packard to be their flagship product of 2007, boasting a uniquely styled outer casing, and an aesthetically pleasing interior, complete with touch-sensitive media keys and an Altec Lansing speaker system. The "Special Edition" designation for HP's higher end 15.4" notebooks still continue in 2008, in the form of the dv6700t which incorporates Intel's newest 45nm Penryn mobile processor technology. Let's take a closer look at the dv6500t Special Edition and put this bad boy through its paces!
Specifications:
| Model |
Hewlett-Packard Pavilion dv6500t Special Edition |
| OS |
Windows Vista Home Edition (32-bit version) |
| Processor |
Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 (2.4GHz with 4MB L2 Cache, 800Mhz) |
| RAM |
Hynix 2GB DDR2-667Mhz at 5-5-5-12 |
| Motherboard |
Intel Crestline GL960/GM965/PM965 |
| Hard Drive |
Fujitsu 250GB 5,400RPM SATA |
| Videocard |
nVidia GeForce 8400M GS (128MB) |
| Audio |
RealTek ALC268 High Definition Audio |
| Optical Drive |
LightScribe SuperMulti 8x DVD+/-RW with Double Layer support |
| Wireless |
Intel Pro/Wireless 4965A/G/N Network Connection and Bluetooth |
| Display |
15.4" WXGA BrightView Glossy Widescreen (1280 x 800) |
| Personalization |
HP "Influx" imprint finish with Fingerprint Reader and Webcam |
| Ports |
3 USB 2.0, IEEE 1394 FireWire, HDMI port, expansion port 3, TV out (S-video), Integrated Consumer IR (remote control receiver), 5-in-1 digital media card reader, microphone in, RJ-11 (modem), RJ-45 (LAN), VGA port |
| Dimensions |
14.05" x 1" - 1.69" x 10.12" (W x H x L) |
| Weight |
~6.0 lbs |
| Price |
$1,208.71 from Shopping.HP.com (November 2007) |
The accessory bundle that comes with the dv6500t SE is well rounded and includes plenty of goodies to get you going. With the purchase of the Special Edition notebook, you receive a set of headphones and a wireless laser mouse. Both of these items mesh well with the white "Influx" imprint finish that HP utilizes throughout this laptop. Along with the usual inclusions such as the AC/DC adapter and power cord, HP also includes a cleaning cloth and an IR media center remote which slides into the ExpressCard slot in the notebook, as well as a blank "dummy card" for those that do not want to use the remote control.
It is important to note that HP does not include any disks with drivers or software on them, save for the mouse driver software. This is a point of contention with us, as more and more OEM manufacturers are excluding these items from their bundles, forcing the consumer to rely on the manufacturer's website to download the software or drivers they need. If you wish to uninstall and re-install Windows Vista, you are out of luck as HP will not provide the Vista disk you need to do it. Instead, you will need to contact Microsoft and have them ship you a
Vista Anytime Upgrade disk. The disk is free, however, you may be charged shipping and handling.
Rounding out the accessory bundle are the two batteries. The top battery is the 12 cell Lithium-Ion version, which for an additional $100, allows you extended mobility time with your laptop. The bottom battery is a 6 cell Lithium-Ion, which comes standard with all HP 15.4" notebooks.
