dv6000z review

The HP Pavilion dv6000z is one of the latest releases from HP and is replacing the dv5000z. The overall look is vastly different from the previous version, but is quite attractive. It weighs just under 7 pounds and features the Turion X2 processors from AMD, although the lesser Semprons are also an option.

My goal with this computer was to get a dependable medium-power notebook with a lot of versatility. I am a college student and will be traveling abroad, so I needed a sturdy and efficient model.

My dv6000z has the following specs:

• AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-56 (1.8GHz/512KB)
• 15.4" WXGA Brightview Widescreen (1280x800)
• NVIDIA GeForce Go 7200 (64MB discrete/192MB shared)
• 1.0 GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB) 533mhz
• 80GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
• Super Multi 8x DVD+/-R/RW w/DL support
• 802.11a/b/g WLAN + Bluetooth
• 1.3 MP Built-in Webcam (optional)
• Windows XP Home Edition w/ backup CD
• 12 cell battery

# Slots (non-customizable):

* Security cable slot
* ExpressCard/54/34 slot
* Digital Media (SD/MS/Ms-Pro/MMC/XD card slots)
* Expansion Port 3 Connector

# Ports (non-customizable):

* 3 USB 2.0 ports
* IEEE 1394 FireWire port
* S-Video-Out jack
* External monitor VGA port
* RJ-45 LAN jack
* RJ-11 Modem jack
* Power jack
* 2 Headphone out ports
* Microphone in port
* InfraRed remote control receiver

# Built-in Altec Lansing speakers (non-customizable)
# HP QuickPlay buttons (non-customizable):

* Main Menu
* DVD-Menu
* Skip Backwards
* Play/Pause
* Skip Forward
* Stop
* Mute
* Volume Up/Down

Starts at 6.6 pounds
14.05" (L) x 10.12" (W) x 1" (min H)/1.56" dimensions


Before rebates this baby cost me $1310, which isn't too bad for the innards that I got. One thing I opted out of was an extended warranty...I just didn't want to increase the price of my rig by ~12%.

The Chassis



Here are some pictures of the dv6000z
http://www.laptoplogic.com/news/detail.php?id=1127

The computer overall is much like the dv2000z (except 15.4" instead of 14.1") which was reviewed pretty thoroughly here:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3032&review=HP+dv2000z

The keyboard is responsive and quiet as far as notebook keyboards go. The touch-sensitive row of QuickPlay buttons above them beep when touched (which I have yet to figure out how to eliminate). The speakers above them are good Altec Lansing stereo speakers and are as good as you can expect from a laptop. Only at the highest volume is distortion annoying.

The Touchpad is very smooth and has a very useful on/off button just above it. The buttons have a soft "give" to them as opposed the the typical hard click that many have. Personally, I like it better, but that's just me.

The build quality of the machine is quite impressive given its relatively light weight. I have experienced no creaking and feel very confident handling it. It doesn't feel fragile like some older laptop models. The computer was surprisingly quiet as am used to a noisy gaming desktop. Even under max-load, the fans produce only a low hum...none of that annoying high-pitched noise that usually accompanies small fans.



Screen
The Brightview screen has exceptional clarity and great color contrast. I have no dead or stuck pixels in the LCD. There can be quite a bit of glare at times, but after a few seconds your eyes focus past it. The viewing angles are also impressive for the LCD.


Here is the dv6000z in front of two 19" LCD monitors for a size comparison.


This shows a pretty sharp viewing angle

Battery
The extended 12 cell battery lasts about 2:30 while watching a DVD in Windows.
It lasts about 3:30 hours while doing minor activities such as surfing the net and some random program accessing.
This was a little disappointing, but I would be much more upset if I had gotten the 6 cell. Two positive aspects of the 12 cell is that it props up the back of the computer which allows air-flow under the chassis and slants the keyboard toward you like a normal keyboard.

Performance
Here are some performance results which you can compare with the charts on the dv2000z review. http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3032&review=HP+dv2000z

Super Pi: 2M digits - 1m50s
3dmark06: 676
3dmark05: 1599
PCMark05: 3114

The 3d capability of the Go 7200 is enough to play World of Warcraft at max resolution and mid to high-end graphic choices. If you plan on gaming, look for a better dedicated card.

Just as a warning, there is plenty of unnecessary software for those nerds who have their own programs already, but for those who just need the basics, the HP software could be quite useful. I uninstalled most of it and after making recovery DVDs I deleted the Recovery partition on the HDD to free up about 9.5 Gigs that were being "wasted".

Customer Support
The customer support over the phone and on the web was fantastic everytime that I contacted them with questions. They were also happy to help me out with their Price Protection Policy (if within 30 days of your purchase, the price drops, you can be compensated for the difference). After I ordered the DVD burner upgrade became a freebie. The good support was quite refreshing from some of my experiences with other companies.

Free Printer
The free All-In-One printer was nice. The F380 is quite compact and works very well.

Conclusion
The dv6000z is a good all-around system that will handle just about everything except for heavy gaming. WoW is about the limits of its graphic capabilities. I plan to upgrade to 2GB of 667MHz memory down the road when prices drop some, as well as upgrade the hard drive. At the end of this year, hybrid drives will be out and I'll probably spring for a 7200rpm 100-120GB one of those. For those of you who are students or teachers, take advantage of the Academic Purchasing Program which gives you an additional 6% off of the price just because you have to do homework. It saved me an additional $80.

Pros:
relatively inexpensive
lightweight and beautiful
good speakers and I/O ports
powerful system for the price

Cons:
somewhat disappointing battery life
much packaged software (not bad for everybody)
weak video card (Go 7200)

 

Nice overview of the 6000 (=

I just want those X2s to come with GPUs like the X1600s. It'd be worth comparing to the Merom then (although chances are that the Merom would be the winner).

Not a bad 3DMark score though, for an IGP. Defenitely better than those Intel GMAs. It could run HL2, albeit barely.

All in all, a great buy for college purposes and those rare gaming moments. Keep up the good work, Raven.

 

The battery life is puzzling. I used to get 3 hours of life from my zv5000z with 12 cell battery (Athlon 64 CPU, 8 pound desktop replacement) while playing DVDs. Then again, the DVD player that HP includes is probably maxing out the CPU like it does on my dv8000z and didn't do on the zv5000z (it's the new, "improved" Intervideo player that's the culprit). That still doesn't explain the 3.5 hours of battery in regular use, which is also a little less than my old zv5000z beast got. I know that nVidia's desktop chipsets are power hogs so I have to wonder if their notebook chipsets have a similar affliction? Other than power consumption they're excellent chipsets and I prefer them to everything else though I haven't tried ATI's latest chipsets yet.

Did HP include their battery diagnostic in the Control Panel? Try running that. MobileMeter probably won't read the battery correctly but give that a try as well.

Partsurfer confirms that the 12 cell is of normal capacity. The 6 cell is the cut-down 4.0Ahr version instead of the 4.4Ahr version.

 

Thanks for the overview. I saw the dv2000 series in person the other day, very nice machine - I really liked the touchpad and keyboard, plus the whole design was very pleasing. My only gripe was that it might not be that durable, considering how shiny it was.

I also had a zv5000z with the 12-cell - battery life was quite amazing for the power that notebook had. AMD64s are very good on battery. I got 3.5 - 4 hours not playing DVDs or anything. I also didn't have internal wireless.

 

excellent review! ... now im buying dv6000z this week

 

man - i SO wish hp would release a 15.4" notebook capable of 1680x1050. i'm thinking of moving up to 17" for that & a number pad since these laptops are so purty.

 

This is really bad. I also search all battery models in dv2000t/z. They are all 4.0Ah with 6 cells. Just wonder why HP cut down 10%.

 

Until recently HP used to offer both 4.0 and 4.4 ah batteries. I don't know if this is still the case.

 

Interesting scores and all 3 Futuremark benches outscores my similar laptop albeit only just, I am guessing the Nvidia GPU works a little better with the Nvidia than with Intel chipsets.
3DMark06: 617
3DMark05:1503
PCMark05: 2710
Super Pi 2M: 1m18s
EDIT: System Specs - HP dv2000t Core Duo T2500, 1GB, Nvidia Geforce Go 7200, 100GB 5400rpm HDD.

 

I was going to buy an HP dv8000 series, but then a realized that HP was replacing there models (like the dv2000 and dv6000).
Does anybody knows when HP is going to replace the DV8000 series?

 

Memory, The Dv9000 replaces the Dv8000.

How is the heat?

 

Good review. How it's turion X2 compared with core duo? HP is making beautiful laptops. But I continue thinking that if they offer better solutions in graphics for those laptops it will be better.

 

I've handled several notebooks in the past and they often become uncomfortably warm and if not propped up on something, they will overheat and slow down or shut down. I have experienced no such problem with this guy. I had it on my lap for about 80 minutes while playing World of Warcraft and at no point did I notice excessive heat. Another benefit of low heat is the relatively quiet fan noise. Even when it kicks up to full, it really isn't loud at all. It is a "soft hum"...none of that high pitched or desk shaking stuff. Using SpeedFan the HDD was registering at about 110ºF and the processor was about 92ºF under medium load.

As for the Core Duo, with all of the benchmarks I've seen, the Core Duo has an overall edge in performance. One item to remember though is that almost all comparable Turion X2 based systems are less expensive.
I have also wept over the GPUs that are usually paired with AMD notebooks, but with the upcoming dv9000z having a Geforce Go 7600, maybe they're beginning to answer our pleas for quality 3d performance. And who knows what the whole AMD-ATI merger will do for mobile chipsets...

 

can the LCD fold back 180 degrees, or does it have a limit like the dv2000t?

 

It has the same limit, only letting it reach about 130-135 degrees when open. It hasn't been a problem for me yet.

 

out of curiosity, how many people here open a laptop 180 degrees? i did it once just to see, but otherwise i use it in the 130-ish range. having some extra room helps from the 'dont push it too far or it'll break' perspective, tho.

 

in reviews of the dv2000t that i've read, the screen limitation hasn't been an issue, and probably isn't for most people. but in the reviews, the authors mentioned a few occasions where being able to push the screen back some more would be appreciated. for example, if you decide to put the notebook on your lap, the display may not be positioned perfectly depending on your height. also, using it in bed and positioning it at a certain angle may not produce desirable viewing angles.

from articles about the new dv series, many of the pictures i've seen show that the screen can fold out 180 degrees. see abaxter's " HP dv6000 and HP dv9000 Notebooks Announced"

 

i finally saw a dv2000 in person and it is a gorgeous bit of work. the dv5000s & dv8000s aren't bad design-wise either, but this new design is a real leap forward.

 

How is the outside? Is it just hard plastic or does it have some sort of other reinforcement? Sorry if you already answered that, I couldn't find it in the review.

 

go to your nearest computer store (frys, circuitcity, bestbuy, compusa) and see for yourself. you'll be amazed seeing the actual notebook rather than web images.

 

i have to agree - it is a beautiful notebook. if i were to buy based on purely aesthetic reasons, i would pick it over a mac.

 

Nice review and congratulations on your new system!

 

The outside is all plastic, but is really sturdy. It's a fantastic computer all around.

 

Have you managed to turn off the beeping buttons yet?

I'm waiting for my DV6059ea to turn up! It's a prebuilt thing from an online store here in Finland.

I want to get a hold of the 12cell, since the one I've getting comes with a 6cell and the extra gig mem but that will have to wait to some other time. I haven't just broken the bank getting it, I've turn it to dust!

But I need it for my studies, so I'm getting one!

 

I just got my dv6000 today and I am very happy with the construction, But I do not like the way the lid stays shut. It does not stay firmly shut.

Does your dv6000 do the same thing?

 

When my lid is closed it will open about an inch or so without having much resistance. Past that it meets resistance from the joints. I haven't found it to be a problem, but it was kind of weird for them to get rid of the clasps that used to keep the lid secure.

 

No, I haven't figured out how to get rid of that beeping yet...

 

(I also posted this in the DV2000 review thread)
Working @ Best Buy we are carrying the DV2000s and the DV6000s right now. I'm sure we will start carrying the DV9000s soon as well. While they have great designs, I still wish that they made the graphics options a little more diverse for the graphically-inclined. Dont get me wrong I'm happy that they have a 7200 in the DV6000 and a 7600 in the DV9000, but a 7400 would've been nicer in the DV6000. And maybe 1680x1050 options too? Also I read in the DV2000 thread something about CTO vs Retail displays... any more info on that?

 

1680x1050 in the 6000 would be perfect. that's what i have in my Dell 6000 now.

 

Yah it would be awesome =[

 

What up,

Just joined because this was the only review of the dv6000 I’ve seen that’s any good, anyhow I just noticed that the other day they added some new options for this laptop on HPs site. You can now have a "standard" finish and also there is a crappier video option available. There’s also a some new instant savings and free upgrades on it right now, I ordered mine on the 3rd and if I buy it right now its already 155 bucks cheaper, cant wait to receive it so I can get that price protection

 

yeah, I just called today and am getting $199.97 back because of the price protection policy. That made my day.

 

thanks for the heads up on that

 

i just recieved my notebook yesterday and i hope they release a bios update to disable the beeping of the quickplay buttons

 

I contacted HP about the quickplay beeping and they said, "we will forward your candid feedback to our design engineers department." So, we'll see if that bios update ever comes.

 

So how many of you do have the problem of quickplay beeping? Was it just random beeping or? The review did not talk about the heating and noise. Also was the lid problem happened to everyone? I am thinking to buy 6000z

 

The quickplay beeping is normal. Whenever you press one of the quickplay buttons, there is a small confirmation beep. Our only fret is that it seems largely unnecessary and can be annoying if you're trying to be quiet. As of now, there is no way to disable the beeping.
There is very little noise for the most part, unless you are running graphic-intensive applications. Then, the CPU fan kicks on, but is not excessively loud at all. The fan also kicks on when Windows starts. Other than that, there is a very faint "whirr" from the fan.
The temperature of the CPU sits around 35 degrees Celsius (95 F). The heat comes out of the back left corner of the computer and has never become uncomfortable while on my lap. I've had the pooter on my lap for 2 hours and heat was never an issue.
The lid doesn't have a latch, but relies on friction/resistance to stay closed. I have had no problem with this. The lid will open about an inch with little resistance, but after that requires some force to open. In my opinion, it is nothing to worry about.

 

what is the purpose of the lid being opening a little? I heard there are magnets on the lid that will keep the lid close.... i wonder if it is maldesign of the model....

 

Hey Raven I wonder if you can take a picture of your laptop about the lid problem you are talking about. Thanks a lot man

 

There arent any magnets. The lid remains closed due to the spring action of the hinges. Thats one of the reasons for the tightness when opening the lid. The hinges are tight when the screen is closed and the resistance decreases as the lid is opened.

 

I'll upload a video to youtube later it will be really crappy but it might give you an idea

 

That's funny how the OP liked the clik buttons and how soft they are, I hated them that's why people need to go to the store and try out all the buttons themselves.

 

Thanks for the great review, Raven. We looked at the HP dv6058cl at Costco today - 2GB RAM and 120GB memory with AMD Turion 64 x2 1.6GHz and NVIDIA 7200 for $1200. We didn't know if it was a good buy. Does anyone out there have this model? We are looking to use it for travel (e-mail, photo backup to DVD, etc.) and then as 2nd computer at home when one of us is on the desktop. We are most interested in battery life and how it performs away from home for e-mail. Any thoughts?

 

Just have a quick questions for everyone that own this dv6000z. How will your rate this computer from 1-10. 1 being the worst and 10 being excellent. Well if possible with your reason please. Thanks a lot.

 

I'd give it a 7.5 or 8.0. I'd like a stronger video card, a 7200rpm HDD choice, and a little better battery life (I get about 3 hours with 12-cell). Overall it's a great middle-ground laptop able to handle everything except heavy gaming.

 

Dude, thats an awsome 3DMark05 score! it beats mine and i have a go7300 with 128MB dedicated! What did you do?!?!

Does that mean AMD is better for gaming?

 

I didn't do anything special, that was just the stock score. I ran it a few times to confirm as well. There was no overclocking involved or any tweaking done. I'm a hardcore AMD fan, but as for notebook performance, I was under the impression that the Core Duos had an edge. I'm no hardware expert, but I think there might be an advantage with using AMD's Integrated Memory Controller with Nvidia's Turbocache, as it relies heavily on the system memory.

 

HEY,

most of the drivers for this computer are on the HP site now(FINALLY) so no more needing to buy cds or create the factory backup YAY!!! i still need vista drivers though...hmmph

 

Anybody else has other battery life?

 

I have another question on the video card. Since it is 192 share, does it slow down the system performance? How about some game performance?