Question:
HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
I am thinking about buying a new HP dv2000t which I will use for a little of everything except gaming. I have 2 questions.
1. With $200 am I better off increasing the RAM from 1GB to 2GB or increasing the processor speed?
2. I am not in a huge hurry. I will probably get Vista when it is available. Will I be better off waiting for a month or so before I purchase to see if they offer upgrade coupons for Vista?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
Make sure you get XP Media Center 2005 with that notebook; the Vista upgrade coupons should be available in October, and getting XP MCE gets you a free Vista Premium upgrade coupon:
What do you plan to do with this notebook? Might want to complete the FAQ so we have a better idea of what you need.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
Thanks for the reply. Here are my answers to the FAQ. I'm not stuck on HP and would consider other brands. My research seems to show that with the educational discount and coupons that HP is abut the cheapest for what I want.
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
$1300
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
14"
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Word processing. Powerpoint. Some video. Watch a movie. Architectural design. Record and edit live music.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? Occaionally take with me.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
No.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
Not really. I have a Dell that I'm not that I've not had the best of luck with.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
2-3 hrs.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No.
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets. or
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
I'm willing to try glossy
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
A little.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
4-5 years
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want;
80GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
The dv2000t seems like a good pick - you also might want to look at its Compaq cousin as well (V3000t). Another, cheaper option would be the Dell E1405.
In whatever notebook you choose, I highly recommend Intel Core Duo 2 if your budget will permit, because its 64-bit capability will take you well into the Vista age.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
I would go with the base Core 2 Duo; even the base regular Core Duo would work fine, but they are not 64-bit, that only comes on the Core 2 Duo. It may be a nice feature to have if you plan on upgrading to vista as AMDvsIntel said.
It would be good to have at least 1GB of RAM too. Remember you can always upgrade that later; as a matter of fact, you might be better off taking the free upgrade (I think there is a free 1GB upgrade at the moment) now and then putting in your own aftermarket RAM later on; it is cheaper to do it yourself anyway.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
The HP dv2000t seems like a good fit for your needs.
$200 to go from 1 GB to 2 GB of RAM is more expensive than doing it on your own.
Since you want it to last as long as possible, you might want to consider a Core 2 Duo. T5500 is likely enough for your needs.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
quick question, does hp.com (usa) ship to canada? cause i really like the dv6000, but we cant get it here in canada
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
quick question, does hp.com (usa) ship to canada? cause i really like the dv6000, but we cant get it here in canada
Unfortunately they don't.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
Two quick notes.
1. The 'Free' upgrade to 1GB RAM involves 2-512MB modules. In order to go up to 2GB on my own, I would have to get rid of both of these and buy 2 new 1GB units - not necessarily a savings.
2. We cannot take the risk of sending our computers to Canada, a country where the government actually apologizes for kidnapping its citizens off the streets and sending them to foreign countries to be tortured. These types of irresponsible attitudes cannot be condoned. Maybe if you bash a few more baby seals we will forgive you.
Answer:
Re: HP Pavillion dv2000t purchase question
1. The 'Free' upgrade to 1GB RAM involves 2-512MB modules. In order to go up to 2GB on my own, I would have to get rid of both of these and buy 2 new 1GB units - not necessarily a savings.
The 2GB upgrade is still $200 regardless; you can get DDR2-667, 200-pin RAM modules for around $75-80USD/stick on Newegg.com (US). That's $160 for 2GB, saves $40.