HP Pavilion dv1000 Review (pics, specs)

by Natalie Sitto, Michigan USA

The HP dv1000 is considered a lightweight entertainment notebook that boasts extra features for playing DVD's and music.

HP Pavilion dv1000 (view larger image)

HP dv1000 specs as reviewed customized and purchased through HP.com:

• Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Home Edition with SP2
• Intel(R) Pentium(R) M Processor 740 (1.73 GHz)
• 14.0" WXGA BrightView Widescreen
• 768 MB DDR SDRAM (2700) Upgradeable up to 2 gig
• 60 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive
• LightScribe 8x DVD+/-RW&CD-RW Combo w/Double Layer
• Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 900 - Pentium
• Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG & Bluetooth(TM)
• 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• HP Mobile Remote Control

Reasons for Buying

After my old notebook started having issues I decided to do my research and look for a notebook that filled my needs and didn't break my pocketbook. I was mainly looking for a notebook that was thin, light and ran quiet. My last Compaq 2100 had heat issues which made the fan run about 90% of the time the computer was on. I wanted a notebook with a widescreen and BriteView (glossy screen) that was quiet and light and could do basic tasks like browse the internet, use Adobe Photoshop, do some work in Flash and use Microsoft Word. I also wanted built-in Bluetooth and wireless.

Buying

I decided to purchase my dv1000 direct from HP. My reasoning for this was to be able to customize it just the way I wanted it. I downgraded things I didn't need and purchased the minimum amount of RAM and a smaller hard drive, things that I could upgrade myself at a discounted price. With my customization was still able to get better specs for a cheaper price than the retail stores were selling the dv1000 for. If you are interested, do the math and you will see that by buying direct and customizing a dv1000 yourself you get much better specs at a discounted or similar price to say Best Buy or Circuit City. My final cost was $1100.00 minus a $50.00 mail in rebate, free shipping and a basic HP DeskJet printer free! It took twelve days from the day I ordered the notebook online and to the day I received it.

Build and Design

At first glance the dv1000 looks a lot more expensive that it really is. The outer shell is made of silver colored plastic. The inside of the notebook is all black with a sort of textured feel to it. I would have preferred all silver rather than the two tones, but the look seems to work for this model. The laptop is sturdy, but I do have problems carrying it from the side, it seems a bit fragile and "creaky" when I am grasping it. The screen has very little or no flex to it, you would have to push very hard on it to see a ripple. The hinges seem very sturdy, there's no wobbling to the screen at all, when you put the screen in place it stays there. I have a problem with the latch that closes the notebook though. With just a slight push on the latch the screen releases and I don't like the placement of it, it is right below the touchpad and I find myself pressing it with my thumb when using the pad. I feel they could have made the latch a bit sturdier.

HP dv1000 above view of lid (view larger image)

HP dv1000 front side view lid up(view larger image)

HP dv1000 front side view lid closed (view larger image)

HP dv1000 left side view (view larger image)

HP dv1000 back side view (view larger image)

HP dv1000 under side view (view larger image)

HP dv1000 right side, screen open (view larger image)

Screen

The dv1000 only comes in one screen size, a 14 inch widescreen. I chose the Brite-View option for my screen and I must say I love it. It's bright, crisp and clear and it's a pleasure working on it. I love working in Photoshop and watching DVD's. Many people don't like the glare that the glossy screens produce, but I don't mind, and when it seems very noticeable I just adjust the screen angle and that usually does it for me. It seems the more I work on it the less I notice the glare and to me the benefits outweigh the glare. The screen has even backlighting and no screen leakage as far as I can tell. Thankfully my screen had no dead pixels!

The HP dv1000 next to a Sony desktop LCD for brightness comparison (view larger image)

HP dv1000 screen brightness stands out even more in the dark (view larger image)

Speakers

My model came with the Altec Lansing speakers, last years model had Harman Kardon speakers installed on it. Nothing spectacular to say about them, basic laptop speakers mounted on the front of the notebook. I have yet to hear any notebook speakers that really sound great, so I would rate these as average.

Processor and Performance

The laptop has a Pentium M 1.73 GHz processor with 768 MB DDR memory installed (2 slots), 60 gig 5400 HD, and Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 900 -- Pentium shared video graphics card. Performance is snappy; my startup time from the push of the button is about 45 seconds. Programs startup fast and everything is very responsive no lagging on anything I use except for a few extra seconds starting up Photoshop because of the plug-ins and fonts I have installed. I have not done any gaming so I can't report on that, but I do wish there was an upgrade option for the graphics card.

Benchmarks

Results for calculating Pi to 2 million digits in Super Pi: 1m 50s

Notebook	Time
HP Pavilion dv1000 (1.73 GHz Pentium M)	1m 50s
Fujitsu S6231 (1.6 GHz Pentium M)	2m 6s
Sony VAIO FS680 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 53s
IBM ThinkPad T43 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 45s
Asus Z70A (1.6GHz Pentium M)	1m 53s
Fujitsu LifeBook N3510 (1.73 GHz Pentium M)	1m 48s
Dell Inspiron 6000D (1.6 GHz Pentium M)	1m 52s
Dell Inspiron 600M (1.6 GHz Pentium M)	2m 10s
Sony VAIO S360 (1.7 GHz Pentium M)	1m 57s
HP DV4170us (Pentium M 1.73 GHz)	1m 53s
Sony VAIO S380 (1.86 GHz Pentium M)	1m 45s

PCMARK: 2950 PCMarks
3DMark05: 196

HD Tune Results
Min Transfer Rate	16.1 MB/sec
MaxTransfer Rate	33.6 MB/sec
Avg Transfer Rate	27.0 MB/sec
Access Time	18.9 ms
Burst Rate	59.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage	5.4%

HDTune graphical benchmark results

Fan and Heat

A big reason I chose the dv1000 was because the notebook seems pretty quiet. Coming from a computer that sounded like a leaf blower and that ran very hot this computer is awesome. I must say the dv1000 does run a bit hot, both processor and HD run around 50 degrees idle. I usually keep my notebook on a Targus Podium Cool Pad which allows the computer to get better airflow and usually reduces the fan from turning on and off. This was a big point in my notebook buying happiness and the dv1000 is quiet and cool enough for me.

Keyboard and Touchpad

HP dv1000 keyboard and touchpad (view larger image)

The dv1000's keyboard is nice and responsive; it's relatively quiet and springy. The keyboard was actually a deciding factor in choosing this notebook. The keyboard does have a slight flex on the right side from the enter key down to the arrows. The touchpad was another thing that I liked about this notebook, it's very responsive and I love the textured feel of the pad, it makes me feel like I have more control. The buttons are a bit hard to press but I have a feeling this is something that will change with use. As I stated earlier I don't like that the screen latch button is close to the touchpad because I find myself pressing it while using the touchpad.

Input and Output Ports

The dv1000notebook is equipped with:

• 1 Type I/II PCMCIA card slot. I store my Media Remote control. (left side)
• 1 IEEE-1394(Firewire) (right side)
• 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB 2.0) (Two on the right side and one on the left)
• 1 Built in 6-in-1 digital media reader (No Compact Flash)(Right Side)
• 2 headphone-out (front)
• 1 microphone-in (front)
• 1 TV-Out (S-video) (right side)
• 1 RJ-11 (modem) (left side)
• 1 RJ -45 (LAN) (left side)
• 1 External VGA monitor port (left side)
• 1 expansion port for use with HP Expansion Base(sold separately). Available only with Intel Extreme graphics with productivity port (left side)
• Power jack (in the back)
• CD/DVD drive (right side)

Wireless

I chose the Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG with Bluetooth. Wireless worked great right out of the box. The laptop picked up my router right away and I connected with no problems. I also get better range than my other laptop, as I am picking up 3 of my neighbors connections and seem to always have an excellent connection through my house. I use Bluetooth with my Motorola E815 cell phone and it works wonderfully, I am able to transfer pictures and my phonebook entries to and from my phone seamlessly.

Battery

I opted for the standard 6 cell battery. I stay plugged in and don't use it often, but I did test it out for the review and a got about 3 hours out of it using only my mail program and browsing with Firefox.

Operating System and Software

The notebook came with Windows XP Home service pack 2 installed. I was happy to find an XP CD and a separate driver and program backup disc. I find myself doing clean installs every so often so this is a major plus. The basic "junk" software comes with the notebook, nothing special to report in this department.

Customer Support

Fortunately I have not had to call customer service so I can't report on this right now.

Media Options

The dv1000 comes with extra media features that allow you to play CD's and DVD's without starting windows. You can use the remote control or the media buttons at the top of the keyboard to control playback and volume. I also opted to get a drive with LightScribe. It wasn't something I was looking for, but at the time it was just a $25 dollar upgrade so I decided to add it. Media for it is pretty pricey right now but I am sure that will go down soon. It takes about 20 minutes to label the CD with LightScribe but I found the software they have included very limiting when labeling, so I use Nero Burning Rom a great all in one burning package.

Included media remote control (view larger image)

A CD created using LightScribe (view larger image)

Complaints

Not many complaints here. I don't like where the latch is placed and that it's easy to open and gets in the way when I am using the touchpad. I also think that the headphone jack's placement should have been more thought out, although I like that they give you two jacks I think that one of them should be located in the back or the sides because anyone hooking up their notebook to speakers will have a cord sticking out of the front of the computer.

Praises
The screen is great and luckily I had no dead pixels. It's thin and light weighing in at a little over 5 pounds. The extra media option and buttons are a plus. Overall it's a great notebook for the price.

Conclusion

The HP dv1000 is a great lightweight widescreen notebook at a great price. It travels easily has a great keyboard and does all the things it's supposed to with a few added features. It has a few design shortcomings but the pros outweigh the cons in my opinion.

Pricing and Availability HP DV1000

Other Reviews of the HP dv1000 from NotebookReview.com:

• HP dv1000 Review by Mitch Gates
• HP dv1000 and Compaq v2000 Comparison by Mitch Gates

 

nice review Natalie, this is a very popular notebook at the moment and the outstanding features to price makes it an easy one to recommend to consumers. The media options are great and, like you, a lot of people are fans of both the Brite View and widescreen option. I was talking to an HP rep at a tech expo the other day and he said the dv1000 and Armstrong L2000 notebooks are doing very well for HP. HP hinted at some notebook they'd be releasing before Christmas that will be like the dv1000, but not exactly, and they will continue to sell this notebook through the holiday season. No clue what the new notebook will be though.

anyway, nice job, and thanks!

 

nice, I might buy one soon

 

Natalie, Thanks for the excellent review!

I've been considering this unit as well and have noticed the display is considerably sharper and brighter than the bigger sibling, the HP dv4000.

My primary concern is the touchpad is centered across the notebook case, instead of across the keyboard as I believe it should be. Consequently, my left thumb keeps hitting the left edge of the touchpad instead of sliding smoothly within the scrolling area. Curiously, HP choose to center the touchpad across the keyboard on its business class notebooks such as the Nx6125.

Thanks also for the LightScribe photo!

 

Nice work. I often recommend the dv1000 and Comaq v2000 to peoples. For the money they are nice notebooks. I had a Compaq 2100 series notebooks as well. The ticking on the fan used drive nuts. Not that I needed much help there.

 

Great review.

I love seeing computer reviews by women... it's nice to know that this computer world isn't just full of dorky males.

 

Friend has the same notebook, and I love the size. Unfortunately, I needed a larger screen so the 15.4" was the way to go.

But the DV1000 is a great small notebook that doubles as a media center as well.

 

I am a dork too, but do a good job of hiding it when in public.

 

I too would like to see the touchpad moved over a bit, It's something I really have to get used to.

 

So HP may release a notebook before Christmas which is like the DV1000 abaxter? I'm really interested in that.

 

Thanks for the great review. I just purchased a DV1000 for my wife from the Blue and Yellow Store with a chunky warranty just in case it gets trashed at her job.

I am now looking to customize one for myself direct form HP. When you said you chose cheaper ram and HD are the specs listed in your review before or after you upgraded them from a cheaper supplier?

If you upgraded the HD already can you tell me what online stores provided faster HD for the right $$?

Did you get a warranty, if so which one did you choose and why?

Thanks, G

 

Yes, a representative told us that at a tech show Brian and I attended last week. I asked him to tell us more about it and he said he couldn't unless we signed a non-disclosure agreement, which we have yet to do and if we do then, well, I can't say anything about it or I'd get sued. So either way it's just a wait and see! Should be Oct./Nov. that whatever it is gets released.

 

Darn! Oh well... my guess is that it'll be something like a DV2000 or DV5000. Just like how the DV4000 is basically a DV1000 with a bigger screen, maybe they'll release a 17 inch or 12 inch model with Quickplay. I'd really like to see a 12 inch or below ultraportable with quickplay and the sexy black case that the DV1000 and DV4000 have. Can't wait till November then.....

 

I had not upgraded the computer at the time of the review.
I ordered the computer with 256 ram an stuck a 512 I had at home.
I just ordered a 1 gig stick of ram from www.zipzoomfly.com for $132 dollars. Right now I am holding off the HD upgrade until I do some research and find a HD that runs cool. I can let you know when I find one.
I did not purchase an extended warrenty, but you can order one directly from HP they have quite a few options in that department.
Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the quick response, and the great review.

 

This is a great computer(purchased in March). The screen is wonderful and the speakers are great. I got great rebates with this(not currently availble), so very affordable at the time. Battery life is good. My only complaint is the weight and size. I need something little smaller for travel. I hope that new computer will be like this only smaller.

 

HP indicated November was the time frame for any additional dv family notebook ... honestly your guess is as good as mine, I don't know if they'll be going 17" or 12", the dv4000 already fills the 15" space.

 

HP's home page mentions the re-scheduled HP Technology Forum 2005 to take place in Orlando on October 17th.
http://www.hptechnologyforum.com/index.html

I wonder if they will announce any new notebook models at that time? That's coming right up.

 

mmmm, I wonder if I should have purchased the dv1000 yesterday.... There is a 30 day return policy, right?

 

I have had a DV1000 for about a year. It's the best notebook I have ever owned. I do computer consulting, and as part of my work had to install software on a stack of over 50 laptops in Chicago one weekend. Everything you can imagine: Winbook, Sony, Acer, Toshiba, Dell, you name it. I did not find a single one I would trade for my DV1000.

The keyboard has a great feel, the touchpad is useable even for my heavy fat fingers, the screen is bright and readable, and as a bonus the speakers crank out my favorite tunes to keep me company after hours when I have a client site to myself. And importantly, the built in 802.11 seems to get better range than most other notebooks. There are many times when some other notebook cannot get a signal and I, setting next to it, can. The reverse has never happened.

I have been recommending HP Pavillions to my clients, and they have been buying a couple a month here and there. My clients tend to go with the DV4000's for the larger screen, where I prefer the more lightweight DV1000. Without exception, everyone has been happy with them.

 

Hi! Good work, I don't know if the poster is the same person who made this review, but I must say that this is a very professional work. Radiohead rules!

My Issue: I have the same notebook, but my Wi-fi is a Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG . I have a good wireless router in my home, and my brother has a toshiba laptop. Hi's wi-fi range is way better than my HP. Does anyone knows why my HP dv1000 has so limited connection over the wi-fi network?

If I put the HP besides a Toshiba, while the Toshiba has a very good connection, the HP points that the strengh of the connection is low.

Thanks in advance!

 

i have this notebook last year and its running very good with XP Home in it..
but when i upgraded it to Xp Professional...i could not find all of the drivers
like the wireless, memory card reader, and the audio driver....
i feel i was an idiot upgrading it not even backing up all my drivers....gosh..
anyone can help me specify all the drivers needed for this dv1000?
had been all over hp-site, downloaded thier drivers but some are not working...please help me.