HP Pavilion tx2110us Entertainment - Turion 64 X2 TL-62 2.1 GHz - 12.1" TFT
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July 28, 2008 10:08
3.5/5
Purchased this through Office Depot for a total of $1000. Had a $50 Rebate.
Hardware is very good but some things could be better.
This being a touch screen HP could have shared a little of that Touchsmart technology with the Pavilllion models. The user interface relies on Vistas native support for tablet input and realy misses out on an opportunity to develop the touch feature. I have owned an iPaq 6300 that HP knew lacked some finishing touches with WM2003 and they came with a third party ap to deliver a good product.
The native input interface on Vista locks up sometimes and then it's unconvert time. Not good. The sound drivers and the Bluetooth drivers both have needed a reinstall.
The Bluetooth controls in the HP wireless adviser/control panel are a bit underdeveloped. The screen orientation gets out of sync, I would have thought the conversion mechanicals should have had switches or sensors to better align the presentation. On a good note the screen can be oriented 4 ways instead of just two.
The YouCam software bundled with the web cam just doesn't cut it for this application, come on it's a tablet that I want to walk around with and use in different orientations. The software is so stripped down the roll controls for the camera are unavailable. Very annoying since I can see the functionality HP opted out on to cut the cost.
I waited to get the TX2000 series because of the active digitizer being added. I was unaware that HP was going with ATI graphics instead of NVIDA for the TX2500 or I may have waited again.
Performance is good, better after I upped the video cash in the BIOS (very easy to do in the provided menu of the BIOS)
I am not really impressed with the tablet input. I see better usability in Microsofts Mobile products that have touch/stylus interface options. I would put the blame on Vista tablet support but HP seems to be in the enhanced user interface game with TouchSmart, so I think that they could make that available to other products in their line. -
July 28, 2008 12:03
4.5/5
I bought the HP tx2120us which was cheaper than buying the same components and features separately. I did a lot of due diligence before buying this laptop. It over performs and I'm extremely happy with this product. I suggest you buy this product.
PROS
- Extremely fast processor (I often have more than 5 programs running at the same time (Word, Excel, Outlook, Firefox, PowerPoint, Abode PDF and Photoshop) with no significant slowing in speed or freezing or crashing)
- Large hard drive space (250 GB)
- Tablet functionality is incredible (it's amazing how well the pen works and recognizes handwriting without training. In fact handwriting is more easily recognized than print. The free addition of One Note greatly enhances the tablet function.)
- Fingerprint scanner (you can scan all 10 fingers if you want despite what some reviews are saying)
- Feature rich (WIFI, bluetooth, 3 USB ports, phone & Ethernet ports, DVD burner, etc)
- Size (The PC is just the right size for me. Not too small that the keyboard is difficult to use or screen hard to read. At the same time, it's not too large or heavy to carry)
- Touchpad. (the pad is award at first but the dimples on the pad make the cursor easier to control)
- Media (remote control, dual head phones and media playback is excellent)
- Eye catcher (while this is not really important, it's definitely feels good when you pull out your laptop and others in the room ooh and ahh)
- Vista 64bit ( I was concerned about Vista because of all the bad things i had heard about it. In addition I was worried about the 64bit version not working with my current hardward and software programs. Vista has been stable, fast and a pleasure to work with. In fact, Office 2007 works much, much better on my laptop than my Windows XP desktop. I only have one program that I could not load on the laptop. That's because the company hasn't written a Vista 64bit version yet but they claim it's on the way)
CONS
- Heat (as you do your research you'll notice everyone talks about how hot the battery gets. They are 100% correct. The base gets so hot that you can't leave it on your lap. I use a magazine or something else to place under the PC. I plan to purchase a cooler.)
- Battery (the battery life if fine for me. But the battery extensions 1 to 2 inches beyond the PC frame. It's a weird design. However, on the plus side the extension works like a handle when using the tablet function and holding the computer in your hand. Especially because the PC bottom is too hot to handle otherwise)
- Screen (the touchscreen has a film on it that dulls the screen somewhat. This a problem for some users, especially in sunlight. It a minor issue for me because the screen can be rotated to practically any position to avoid glare from light. And the screen dullness is minor)
- Pen string (the stylus/pen attaches to the PC via a string (not really a string) that extends well beyond the PC frame. It often catches on things which pulls the pen out of it's socket. It's another design flaw. Please note that you won't lose the pen because it is attached to the PC by the same string that causes the pen to become dislodged).
- Fingerprints (Another minor issue is that the stylist black cover is also a fingerprint magnet.)
- Young look (Another minor issue is for business users the PC looks like it's for the younger non-professional market. I use the PC for business and personal use and don't care about this because I only care about functionality. However, as a fair reviewer I think it should be noted)
On sum, this is an EXCELLENT computer. I originally purchased this laptop for road and travel but I love it so much I use it instead of my desktop. Buy this laptop with confidence." -
May 6, 2008 07:03
3.0/5
While this is not a terrible unit, I would not recommend it unless the touch screen/tablet feature is important. The biggest issue is the readability of the screen. Because, I assume, of the touch-screen feature, there is a reflecting, plastic cover that picks up every bit of light, fingerprint, etc. The screen is very difficult to read if you are, say, riding on a train (where there are open windows) or otherwise working near lights or windows. In addition, the battery life is not as advertised. Keep an adapter or extra battery in your brief case. You will them.
Other than that, it is pretty fast, portable and filled with all the bells and whistles.
