HP Pavilion dv8000 Review (pics, specs)

by Conrad Liang, Maryland USA

The HP dv8000 is a desktop replacement, 17-inch widescreen notebook that comes with either the AMD Turion-64 or the Intel Core Duo processor. The dv8000 is a thinner and lighter replacement for HP's previous 17-inch widescreen zd8000, and like the rest of the dv- family, comes in a two-tone, light gray and black color scheme. While it falls short of the top-of-the-line, 17-inch Dell and Toshiba models that include features like dedicated graphics and integrated TV tuners, the dv8000 is more than sufficient for most people. With good build quality, a beautiful screen, large storage options, numerous ports, and a price near $1,000, the dv8000 is an excellent value.

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Specifications of the dv8000z reviewed

• AMD Turion-64 ML-32 (1.8GHz/512KB L2 Cache)
• 512MB 333MHz DDR SDRAM (1x512MB 200-pin SODIMM)
• 100GB 4200RPM HD
• 17-inch Ultra Brightview WXGA+ screen
• 128MB ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M w/Hypermemory
• DVD+/-RW/R & CW-RW Combo w/Double Layer Support
• Windows XP Home
• Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

Design and Build

The dv8000 follows the same stylistic elements as its older dv-series counterparts. The two-tone case is light gray on exterior facing surfaces and black on interior surfaces. Most of the ports are located on either side of the machine for easy access, and are conveniently labeled on the keyboard surface facing the user. Power and volume buttons reside above the keyboard, as well as buttons for launching the included HP QuickPlay software, a wireless switch, and a button for Windows Calculator. All of the buttons are backlit with blue light except the wireless indicator, which stands alone in the hinge of the screen. Blue indicator lights are also provided for NUM and CAPS lock on the keyboard, and for power and drive usage on the front panel.

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The build quality is generally good, with little keyboard flex and a screen that stays well in place. It does not have the indestructible feel of the ThinkPads, but compares as well as or better than most of the mainstream notebooks on the market. My unit came with several scratches on the keyboard and one faint grease stain on the cover.

The specified weight for the dv8000 is 8.1 lbs, which is about 10% lighter than the zd8000 but still fairly hefty. The width and length is large enough that carrying it around generally requires purchase of an extra-large notebook case, but at least it is relatively thin for a desktop replacement. Still, because of its heft and dimensions, this is not a notebook that you will want to carry around everywhere you go.

For reference, below is a top and side view of the dv8000z underneath a Toshiba Satellite M45 underneath a Thinkpad X40.

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Processor and Performance

The Turion-64 is one of AMD's newest processors, and is both powerful and efficient. It is based on the Athlon 64 and is capable of running 64-bit applications and thus should remain useful as the industry transitions from 32-bit to 64-bit, and it manages power nearly as efficiently as the Intel's mobile processors. The ML being reviewed uses 35 watts of power, compared to the forthcoming MT series of Turions that will use 25 watts. The processor tested runs at 1.8 GHz, but traditionally AMD processors have been faster than Intel processors running at the same clock speed.

This is the output of CPU-Z:

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Benchmarks

In pure number crunching, the 1.8 GHz processor is within striking range of similar Intel-based units.

NotebookTime to Calculate Pi to 2 Million Digits

Notebook	Time to Calculate Pi to 2 Million Digits
HP dv8000z (1.8 GHz Turion-64 ML-32)	2m 12s
Samsung X60 (1.66GHz Core Duo)	1m 29s
Dell Inspiron e1505 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 16s
IBM ThinkPad T41 (1.6GHz Pentium M)	2m 23s
Dell Inspiron 6000D (1.6 GHz Alviso Pentium M)	1m 52s
Lenovo ThinkPad T60 (2.0GHz Core Duo)	1m 18s
Sony VAIO S360(1.7 GHzDothan Pentium M)	1m 57s
Dell Inspiron 600m (1.6 GHz Pentium M)	2m 10s
Sony VAIO S380 (1.83 GHz Alviso Pentium M)	1m 42s

Below is a graph generated by running HDTune on the dv8000.

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Keyboard and Touchpad

Having a large screen affords manufacturers the ability to fit larger keyboards onto notebooks, and the dv8000 is no exception. Its screen size allows HP not only to provide full-size keys (except for the function keys), but to also add a numeric keypad to the right of the standard keyboard. The Shift, Caps Lock, Tab, Enter, and Backspace keys are large like a desktop keyboard, but the Ctrl and Alt and Spacebar keys have been shrunk to make room for the Fn laptop function key. The Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Insert, and Delete keys are not aligned as they typically are on desktop keyboards, but are in a single line above the Backspace and numeric keypad this requires some adjustment. Key feel is very nice, not quite as tactile as Thinkpads but responsive and there is very little flex in the keyboard. The touchpad is standard, with a scroll bar on the side, and is centered on the lettered part of the keyboard, between the palms during normal typing.

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Ports

The dv8000 has room for many ports due to its large size.

Left side view of ports: Power cable, VGA output, S-video out, Ethernet, proprietary expansion port connector, 2 USB ports, legacy Type II PC Card slot and digital media reader (view large image)

Right side: ExpressCard slot, headphone and microphone jacks, 2 USB ports, DVD drive (view large image)

Back view: Locking mechanism, modem jack, battery, and vent (view large image)

Front view: Status indicator lights and Altec Lansing speaker (view large image)

Top view (view large image)

Bottom view (view large image)

Screen

Three types of screens are offered with the dv8000. WXGA+ and WSXGA+ are offered with BrightView, which is HP's version of the now-standard glossy screens found on many widescreen notebooks. The WXGA+ screen is also available with Ultra BrightView technology, which like Toshiba's Ultimate Trubrite technology utilizes two lamps to give a much brighter screen view. HP advertises Ultra BrightView as achieving nearly plasma TV levels of brightness, and the difference in brightness between two and one lamp is significant.

The image below compares the dv8000 Ultra Brightview screen to a Toshiba M35 with Trubrite, with both computers plugged in and displays set at full brightness. The Ultra Brightview screen is significantly brighter.

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There is some minor light leakage from the bottom of the LCD panel, and one dead pixel in the lower middle portion of the screen.

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In general, the brightness of the Ultra BrightView screen is quite impressive. The maximum intensity is bright enough to give me a headache in normal use, and is excellent for watching TV and movies. The lowest brightness setting is about equivalent to the Toshiba Trubrite at its highest brightness.

Wireless

The included Broadcom card was not initially able to connect to my Westell Versalink router provided by Verizon DSL. An older version of the driver turned out to work. Otherwise, sensitivity is good, and connections are reasonably reliable.

Sound

The Altec Lansing speakers built into the front of the computer provide good sound for a notebook. It is definitely better than the speakers included in Thinkpads, and definitely worse than a cheap three-piece external speaker set. As with other built-in notebook speakers, bass quality is lacking.

Heat and Noise

The dv8000 generally runs cool and quiet. I had no problem using the computer on my lap for extended periods of time, and the fan noise is minimal. The optical drive produces substantial noise for a few seconds as it begins spinning, but makes little noise while watching DVDs.

Conclusion

The HP dv8000 is a respectable budget desktop replacement notebook that provides good power and a pleasantly large screen in a well-built package that is not too heavy to carry around or to use on your lap. With prices currently ranging from around $800 for the barebones to $1600 well equipped, the dv8000 series provides excellent value compared to other comparable systems and adds HP's reputedly good customer service.

Pricing and Availability: Configure the HP dv8000 at HP.com

or buy from other retailers:

 

Good review, Conrad. Did you buy the laptop directly from HP.com, or at a retailer?

 

Great review
It would be great if they provide a better video card option.

 

I got mine from Office Depot a few weeks ago. I think that OD and CompUSA tend to sell them cheaper than you can get them online, usually with a few rebates.

 

Great review mate!

Nice pictures, may I know why you bought a huge 17" that does not have a good videocard? Or dont you play games and such?

Charlie-Peru

 

It doesn't seem to have great performance.
The hardware is the same of dv5000z except for the 2 hard-drives.
It's rocksolid.

 

Bought one myself from CC for $889.00 two months ago, and I can say that it's solid, performs great (runs rings around my Dell P4-2.4), can play D&D Online - Stormreach while giving nothing away to my desktop system with a MUCH better graphics card, and has great storage capacity. The screen is absolutely gorgeous!! Even with the lowest screen option, most users will be very happy.

The downside is that it absolutely demands 1G memory, but rewards you with ~15 - 20 seconds faster 2M Super Pi performance. Battery life while playing a DVD is a little over 2 hours, and general net surfing with wireless nets ~2:20, working with the wireless off gives a bit more. Unfortunately, there is no large-capacity battery option. DDR2 memory is not capable of being installed in this machine, so you are forced to go with the more expensive and less-available DDR. Expect to pay roughly $20 more per Gig of memory. Also, as previously mentioned, it's not the most portable of laptops.

If you're looking for a machine for CAD, publishing, or video work (LOTS of ports for external drives), I can give this machine my highest recommendation. As a desktop replacement, this one rocks!

 

I don't really play games that much... I got it mainly because it has the potential for a lot of storage. The computer is fast enough for my purposes and the screen is nice to watch movies on, and it was a great price.

 

I think it would be fair to mention that this notebook is also available in a Intel setup & the benchmarks are a lot different with that setup. As I have the same system but with much better upgrades and it performs in games very well... running bf2 on high/ medium setting along with Oblivion at High settings...

HP Pavilion dv8000t CTO NB
- Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz)
- 17.0" WSXGA+ BrightView Widescreen (1680x1050)
- 256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7400
- 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024MB)
- 200 GB 5400 RPM SATA Dual Hard Drive (100 GB x 2)
- DVD+/-RW/R CD-RW Combo w/Double Layer
- Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network w/Bluetooth
- TV Tuner w/remote control
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery

 

I just picked up the Canadian spec'ed laptop two weeks ago from Future Shop ($1,499 CDN). It's amazing to see the differences in equipment in this line, especially those offered between Canada and the US:

HP Pavilion dv8120ca

- AMD Turion-64 ML-37 (2.0GHz/1 MB L2 Cache)
- 512MB 333MHz DDR SDRAM
- 160GB (dual 80 GB) 5,400 RPM HD's
- 17-inch Ultra Brightview WXGA+ screen
- 128MB ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M w/Hypermemory
- DVD+/-RW/R & CW-RW Combo w/Double Layer Support and Lightscribe
- Windows XP Home with SP2
- Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

I will upgrade the RAM to at least 1GB when I save up more money. Other than that, this thing is amazing. It's on par with my laptop for work, and I can see this thing lasting me for a good number of years. It's quiet, and seems to go about its business while doing some Dreamweaver and Photoshop for web work, on top of watching a DivX movie or my mp3's. I was hesitant on the 17-inch screen, but I considered having the keypad more important. The screen is just amazing, and I love the looks of this thing. I love how QuickPlay works (no need to boot up the computer just to watch a DVD on the GO).

The one thing I'm not a fan about is the ports on the side. In some ways, HP seemed to have wanted people to buy a docking station. The calculator preset button stopped working a day ago, but after a reboot it was cured. Sometimes, the keys appear not as sensitive as my work laptop. In any case, I think I'm just TRYING to find things wrong with this computer.

I held off buying a computer because I didn't know what I wanted (desktop vs laptop, Pentium vs AMD, etc.). This dv8120 and the entire series was literally a surprise find after a year of dithering and research, and it will act as my desktop replacement. I just hope it will last me for the next few years

Note: For you Canadians out there, Future Shop apparently stopped selling this particular version. There is a similar 8120ca that's being sold, but take a CLOSE look at the specs. Although it's now cheaper, there appears to be only one hard drive, and it seems there's a slower chip in its place. HP Canada's website continually shows this model as being out-of-stock. Whether that's a sign that this computer may no longer be offered or that it's a bargain/steal, who knows.

 

I was wondering if anyone will be reviewing the Core Duo version of this bad boy. The specs are much better and the Duo's run much fater than any of the turions....

 

No more WXGA+ UltraBright....

WebID: 10070826
Mfr. Part Number: EP454UA#ABL
Processor Type AMD Turion 64 ML-37 With PowerNow
Screen Size 17.0"
RAM (Preloaded / Maximum) 512MB DDR Exp. To 2GB
Hard Drive 160GB (5400RPM)
Optical Drives Lightscribe 8X DVD+/-R/RW, CD-RW Combo
Graphics 128MB ATI Radeon Xpress 200M IGP
Average Battery Life Up To 5 Hours
Product Weight 3.67 kg
Audio Type Altec Lansing
Battery Type 8 Cell Lithium-Ion
Cache 1MB L2
Fax/Modem 56K V.90
I/O Ports See The Features Section
Included In Box See The Features Section
Network Card See The Features Section
Other Software MS Works, MS Money, MS Encarta Plus
PC Card Slots 1 x Express Card/54 Slot, 1 x Type I/II
Pointing Device Touchpad With Vertical Scroll Pad
Preloaded Operating System Windows XP Home Edition With SP2
Processor Speed 2.0GHz
Product Dimensions 39.67(W) x 3.75(H) x 28.19(D) cm
Removable Storage 6-In-1 Integrated Digital Media Reader
Screen Type 17.0" WXGA HD Brightview Widescreen
Speakers Altec Lansing
System Bus Up To 1600MHz
Warranty 1 Year Limited Parts & Labour


How these people manage to change the specs under the same name/version ? This should be forbidden by law!

 

It might be a typo. Both the Canadian and US sites show WXGA+. Maybe it was just human error?

 

Future Shop still sells the dv8120ca with the specs you got (it seems to be sold out sometimes but then it's back)... but they also have an 8210 (cheaper, note the number is different) which you may have seen.

I am sure I'm buying the 8120 very soon (kind of hoping it goes on sale again.) I'm glad you're happy with it. Reviews of the Canadian model having the specs I plan to buy are proving very difficult to find. Seems worth the leap, though. I can't find anything with a comparable processor in the same price range with a 17 inch screen, 160GB of HD space, and graphics in the "better-than-Intel" category. I'm not too thrilled about spending more to up the RAM but I think it is a steal.

Cheers
Rebecca

 

Rebecca (and any other Canadian wanting this laptop), if you can get this dv8210ca, get it NOW. I know the stores around my area have already sold their floor models, and you might score a greater discount on that. Also, I noted that Staples had the same laptop as well going for clearance. From all looks of it, this particular model is probably going out of production.

The "8210" is stripped down quite a bit (probably hence the price):
- processor is slower (now it looks like it's at 1.8 GHz)
- only 1, 80 GB hard drive is in there (versus 2 in the ca version)
- cache is reduced from 1 MB to only 512 KB

For the added RAM, rebates can easily bring down the price to about $80 CDN for a stick of 512MB. I just installed more a few days ago, and am sitting at 1GB. It was a bit tricky to get the stick into the laptop, but it is a do-it-yourself deal as long as you're careful and follow instructions.

After starting to tote it to show a few computer enthusiasts and for an annual general meeting, everyone loved the look. But I think the biggest draw was the screen

*edit: It turns out that Future Shop is carrying the 8220, which seems to have the same specs as the original 8210ca*

 

I bought the Core Duo version because my old laptop died - I was going to wait for the dual core Turion, but the when the old system died it was too much to take not having a laptop.

Impressions: Very fast for a laptop, I got the dual core 2500 and 2 GB of DDR2 667. But the claims out on the net that the Core Duo is as fast as a Athlon X2 4400 aren't true - while the SuperPI numbers are similar, the laptop seems slower in real use than my desktop 4400.

I was a little disappointed the the card reader does not seem to support CF2. That is what most cameras use, so I think that is what people are going to want.

Also, this thing is heavy. With it sitting on my lap for a while I really feel it. The Ultrabright screen is GREAT.

I bought it with 2 hard drives after reading the experience of another user here having a hard time getting the mounting bracket. Yes, it cost a bit more than a 3rd party solution, but I have the parts without a hassle now.

I was able to install SuSE 10.1 on the 2nd hard drive without a problem. I had to search a bit to find the wireless firmware - it is on the additions CD so be sure to download it. SuSE does a good job of supporting the hardware on this laptop except that the ACPI is broken, a common problem with Linux on Laptops. I hope they fix that. I am going to try out the Xen virtualization in SuSE soon. It will really rock if I can get it to work.

All in all it is a very good experience except for the weight. I hope I get used to it.

 

Could you share with us where did you find the mounting brackets for the second HD please.

Thanks.