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A daily driver that looks like a hotrod

Posted by George Walsh on July 7th 2009 | Comments Closed
Categories: Hardware Review
Tags: hp vista hdx

FIGURE 1: Right side view. (Source: Hewlett Packard)

FIGURE 2: Left side view--moving the data. (Source: Hewlett Packard)

FIGURE 3: Looks like the DV6Z has a bigger gas tank. (Source: Jon Peddie Research)

FIGURE 4: The DV6Z is faster too. (Source: Jon Peddie Research)

Computers and cars can be judged using almost the same criteria. You have your “trailer babies” that are carried around to impress but never do much (perhaps your CEO who has the most expensive laptop in the world but only uses it to look at Excel spreadsheets and show it off at board meetings). You have your hotrods that are used to their full screaming potential (by a CAD user or gamer for example). And, finally, you have your daily drivers, which may not be the fastest machine on the block but do exactly what you need—and nothing more—every day. Each have their place. And so, when looking at computers, it’s important that you know what you need, which can be no small feat with the gads of offerings at your local electronics store.

Here we have Hewlett Packard’s HDX 16, a pretty little machine with a big screen. However, though we will be making some comparisons, the goal here is to find out where it fits into the hierarchy of work horses, considering, of course, how much horsepower you need.

The stats

The HDX 16 comes in a variety of versions priced from $899.99 to $1,257.99. The one that we got a hold of included the following:

• Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit).
• Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T6600 (2.2GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB).
• 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 DIMM).
• 320GB 7200RPM SATA hard drive.
• 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT.
• 16.0” diagonal High Definition HP BrightView Infinity Display (1366x768).
• LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with double layer support.
• Webcam + fingerprint reader with HP imprint finish.
• Intel wireless-N mini-card with Bluetooth.

What was a little disquieting was that, in going through the “Customize your computer” deal on HP’s website, we picked all of the lowest end parts—aside from the Bluetooth—and ended up with the high-end price of $1,257.99. What must one do to get the price down to $899.99?

On the front, you’ll find two headphone jacks, a mic jack and a multicard reader (always a pleasure). It’s a pretty machine too, with waves adorning its bronze exterior and
interior.

It also includes a remote control for multimedia use. The remote slips into a slot on the left side of the computer.

The tests

We ran the HDX 16 against the HP Pavillion DV6V just to keep it in the family, using 3DMark06 and a battery test.

The HDX 16 did pretty well in the battery test, lasting nearly two hours under load. The DV6Z, however, lasted around a half hour longer. In the 3DMark06 tests, the DV6Z dominated again with substantially higher scores in both categories tested.

As for use, the HDX 16’s keyboard is comfortable, the speakers are OK (but come on, they’re laptop speakers). The screen was clear and bright and at 7.37 pounds, it has the heft that you would expect for a machine with a 16-inch screen. So no complaints. We need the exercise. Unfortunately, this particular machine also had some nasty little habits. No matter how the touchpad was set up, double clicking was hit or miss. Sometimes you’d click on something and it would open up, other times it wouldn’t. Also, for some unknown reason, a window showing the treble, bass, and volume (or one of the bars individually) would show up without prompting, with the bars sliding up and down while it made noises like a Geiger counter.

The finish line

Glitches aside, (and hopefully they’ll be fixed) the HDX 16 is comfortable to use, speedy enough for a daily driver and easy on the eyes. Unfortunately (and oddly), the DV6Z is priced at around $200 less ($1,042.99) with almost exactly the same specs. It’s even got a similar patterned case. So, the survey says that if you’re looking for a laptop with a 16-inch screen, your best bet is probably not the HDX 16. The DV6Z has just as much show and substantially more go at a lower price.