How NOT to buy a laptop computer
This is a story about how you should definitely not go about purchasing a laptop - but it is something that happens to a lot of people, either when they are pressed for time, or a victim of bait-and-switch sales tactics. If it doesn’t really fit your needs, just walk away - otherwise you could just be wasting your money. Know what you need - and what you don’t - in order to avoid buying more than you will ever use.
The HP Pavilion zd8000. This was the laptop computer I had originally purchased with travel in mind (Mistake #1). Actually, the purchase was made after being “talked into it” by a salesperson after finding out that the great one that was on sale, was sold out at every store within 100 miles (Mistake #2). Now, don’t get me wrong, it is a great computer, but it is best described as a “desktop replacement.” Laptop desktop computers are not meant to travel far, being pretty much limited to room-to-room travel, primarily because of their weight. This particular one - a whopping 10 pounds (give or take an ounce or two).
Mistake #3? Not reading through all of the features. End result was buying a computer that had a lot more bells and whistles than was really needed. For instance, it is a complete entertainment center and can function as a TV (external tuner and remote control included), DVD, Stereo, and is great for gamers (so say the kids). The full-sized keyboard with number pad to the right was one very attractive feature, a rarity for laptops, and something I really needed. Plenty of slots and ports around the edges, so there is no need to switch out plugs/devices like before. It’s loaded with four USB ports, PC Card slot, along with connections for audio, FireWire, an external monitor, and S-Video. An additional flash card reader works for Secure Digital, Memory Stick Pro, Multi-Media Card and Smart Media. Online capabilities include Gigabit Ethernet, a built-in V.92 modem, and Bluetooth and 802.11b/g.My favorite feature about this computer is the 17-inch wide-screen, with fantastic color and resolution. It has a large touchpad with its own on/off button, but I tend to stick with my wireless mouse (habit). Speaking of buttons, above the top row of keys are buttons for speaker volume, and an on/off switch for speakers, quick launch buttons for the DVD/Media applications and an on/off switch for the Wi-Fi. The Harman Kardon speakers are along the front edge and sound great, in fact they are the best I’ve heard in a laptop so far. The performance is solid and powerful, with its 3.6GHz Pentium 4 processor, 1GB of 400MHz memory, and a 5,400rpm 80GB hard drive.
Now for the negatives - Aside from the weight, a drawback in my case (but may not be for some), I would have to say that the fans are quite noisy and that it runs fairly hot (a good hand warmer in the winter). The AC adaptor is the size and approximate weight of a brick! In addition, the battery life is just about nil – one and a half hours, tops. I have also had battery issues and have had two replaced in just over a year. HP’s service and support have been excellent throughout - the replacement batteries were sent in a matter of a few days and the telephone service representatives were friendly, knowledgeable and quick to help - one of the reasons I have purchased so many HP products.
Allthough this was way too much computer initially, it turned out to be a happy purchase, only because my regular desktop computer (an old Dell) died a few months after buying this one. A lesson learned for my next “small laptop” purchase.