| UNSURPASSED STYLE: Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of the current line, the new dv series is defined by fluid, modern lines and metalized finishes with surprising innovations inside and out. High-gloss HP Imprint finish now encases all surfaces visible during normal use for greater durability. The dv6 series Imprint pattern provides contrast to the liquid appearance of the metallic finish. The streamlined look is enhanced with a color-matched keyboard and touchpad. And touch media controls light up and become visible only when the system is powered on further enhancing the clean appearance and helping illuminate the 16:9 widescreen. HP¿s mobile products have won coveted International Red Dot, iF and CES Innovation design awards and been recognized by other leading design institutions. MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT: Providing more choices than ever, HP MediaSmart enables access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, and Internet TV at the touch of a button. Get access to watch the best video clips from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. Built-in demos show you how to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag-and-drop functionality ¿ and much more. An HDMI port enables you to watch films on an HD TV. Muvee Reveal makes creating films complete with effects and transitions a snap! Enjoy full screen viewing with the 16:9 aspect ratio. Extras include dual headphone jacks and an HP Mobile Remote Control. What's in the box: dv6-1230us laptop, 65W AC Adapter, 12-Cell Lithium-Ion battery, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 with 60 days complimentary live update, Microsoft Works, HP MediaSmart. Muvee Reveal, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Adobe Acrobat Reader and HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent |
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 Great build quality and battery life |
| Review Date: July 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Dave, Portland |
Recently I purchased a different version of this HP DV6 laptop for my mother-in-law and I looked at this model during that process (all HP DV6 laptop models share a common chassis and only vary on a few components). The first thing about the DV6 line that impressed me was the build quality. It is well constructed with a metallic toned black plastic exterior. Take a good look at the shell art since it is something that may not appeal to everyone but my mother-in-law definitely appreciated having something a little more individual than the usual dull grey exterior. Despite the glossy exterior we haven't noticed much in the way of finger prints or any scratches despite the helping hands of our kids who love to "help" grandma with her computer.
The specs for this model are aimed at someone focused on web browsing and office type applications who wants superb battery life:
CPU - The Core 2 duo is the best performing notebook CPU on the market and the T6500 included with this computer is a mid-range Core2 Duo (2.1 GHZ w/2MB cache). It can handle two threads which means you can have the virus scanner running while you surf the web with no noticeable slowdown. It's not the highest performing CPU out there today but it's far above what you need for non-gaming tasks and it has a enough performance head-room to keep your computer from becoming outdated anytime soon.
RAM - The 4GB of RAM is combined with a 64bit OS to which should provided more than enough memory for pretty much any application you can think of outside of extremely high end gaming.
HDD - 320GB plenty is far more space than you need now but again, I like the future proofing. Some people may not like that it is 5400 RPM vs. 7200 RPM but the performance difference for home users is nearly zero and the reliability of 5400 RPM drives makes me prefer them in notebooks which are hard on hard disks (because they move around while in use notebook HDDs suffer far more failures than desktop drives)
Graphics - While I am a fan of Intel CPUs their graphics performance has lagged the competition. The good news is that the integrated Intel 4500MHD graphics controller in this model is a step up from previous Intel offerings and all most home users will need. I still wouldn't recommend you try and run graphics hungry 3-D games on it but it's fine for playing videos, surfing the web, doing light gaming, and running office applications.
Display - I like this 15.6" display though I got my mother-in-law the 16" version of the DV6. While a little smaller than what I settled on it is far superior to the 14-15" screens you usually see in this price range.
Sound - Surprisingly good sound for a notebook. The speakers are well positioned and deliver a good range. I've heard better but it was on a $3K notebook.
Battery - For years the retail notebook market has been plagued with cheap six cell and even four cell batteries that could barely deliver 90 minutes of real computing use. To see HP bundle a 12 cell Li-Ion battery in with this notebook is hopefully a sign the industry is recognizing that notebook users want good battery life. With a 12 cell battery you can realistically plan to go all day without plugging in. This does add slightly to the weight but few users will notice. You will be hard pressed to find another laptop in this price range with a batter this good. Most will have a 6 cell.
I don't have any serious "cons" for this computer. The "Touch Media Controls" for things like the volume (as opposed to buttons you push) are a little odd at first but we got used to them quickly and hey, they look cool when they light up.
To wrap it all up: a good computer for home users who don't plan on running high-end games and who looking for something with above average build quality and really good battery life.
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A Great HTPC
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| Review Date: July 16, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Mark L. Allen, |
Note: I was going to buy this laptop from Amazon but I saw the same model at Office Depot for $650.
CPU - The T6500 is great for General usage. It's okay for gaming and HD playback too.
RAM - 4GB makes multitasking a breeze
Hard Drive - The main partition is 285GB with a 12.5GB recovery partition. 285GBs is a nice size to work with too it'll take long, long time to fill that up.
Graphics - The 4500MHD is okay for light gaming like Counter-Strike. It also does HD playback fine.
Sound - This laptop has great speakers. They don't get too loud but that's fine. The quality of the sound is great.
Battery - Will last a good long while and is better than most laptops. Most laptops have 6 cell batteries, this one has a 12 cell. Also the battery sticks out from the bottom. Some people may not like it but it is also a good thing because heat won't get stuck under the laptop.
Heat - This laptop will get warm from extended use. It gets slightly uncomfortable to type on because of it. It's not really that bad though.
Keyboard - This laptop is easy to type on. I can type really fast on it. It is a full keyboard with a numpad so most of your keys are there.
The Home, End, Pgup, PGdown, keys are above the trackpad and delete is above the backspace.
Trackpad - The trackpad may seem a little hard to move on at first but after a while it becomes smooth. You can also turn it on and off with a button conveniently placed above it if you want to use a mouse. It also has a scroll bar.
Other Thoughts - This laptop has 2 head phone hacks. Both are in the front. I'd prefer one in the front then one in the side or back for speakers.
HP Logo on the cover lights up when the laptop is on. This annoys me when I leave my laptop on overnight and I have to put something over the light to cover it because it's kinda bright.
The remote it comes with is kind of small and it can be difficult to push the buttons but it still is a nice addition so I don't have to get up and pause, skip, etc. on the keyboard.
NOTE: This laptop only has the touch volume controls and a touch wifi button. There is no Play, Pause, Stop, etc. touch buttons on this model. That was kind of a disappointment because I have to press Fn+F12 if I want to change songs.
Overall this a great laptop and I am pleased with my purchase
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Perfect Student Laptop
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| Review Date: July 24, 2009 |
| Reviewer: anon_2003, usa |
I purchased this for my college bound daughter. I had it up and running for her in under 20 minutes - that includes the time it took me to get the wireless internet. This laptop has a very artsy cover that will make any student look extra cool.
Great Things about this laptop for your student:
Size: It's light enough to carry around but still sturdy. I suggest a targus messanger bag. [...]
Battery: 12 cell battery will keep you going most of the day. It does stick out the back some, so your laptop is not as skinny as it would be with a smaller battery.
Power/Speed: This laptop is fast. I was impressed with how fast it would start up and run all the applications. There's lots of ram and the graphics are awesome.
Software: There is a 2 month trial version of Windows Office for students. If you want to keep it, all you have to do is enter your serial number (can be purchased online), there's no long install.
DVD : No need to have a TV too, watch your DVDs on this laptop! Even has a tiny remote control.
Huge Hard Drive: 320 gigs. You could use it for years without deleting anything.
User Input: The keyboard is great. It is a full keyboard and the keys only require a light touch. You can input a lot of information quickly. The trackpad is a little annoying, but I prefer a mouse. My daughter likes it.
Overall, this is a great buy. My daughter loves hers and it meets the requirements of all the colleges in this area.
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Great Unmentioned Battery Feature
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| Review Date: August 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Aaron Morris, Santa Ana, CA |
Others have posted comprehensive reviews, so I just want to add a note about the battery that I don't think any of the reviews so far have mentioned.
There is a plug in the 12-cell battery which permits you to charge the battery separate from the laptop -- just plug it into the charger. The very first laptop I ever owned, a WinBook, had this feature and I have been amazed that it is not standard in every laptop. The battery even has it's own flashing light to indicate the charging status.
With a second battery, this makes life a lot easier. For example, when I'm at an all-day deposition, I don't need to bring and run an extension cord from a wall socket to the conference table out of concern that my battery will die. Rather, I can just use the laptop with the battery while I charge another battery at a wall socket across the room. Get a spare power brick ($11 on ebay), and you can just plug in the battery to charge at night like you charge your cell phone, without having to pull out your laptop and charger. |
HP DV6-1230US excellent purchase
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| Review Date: August 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Paul Sanchez, Trinidad & Tobago |
| After 1 month of constant use I am very satisfied. Although this is not a gaming computer, it still handles well. I was able to run Superbike '09 smoothly on high graphic settings. The system may not come with bluetooth, but it can be added on through a USB port for less than USD$10. Functions well as an entertainment system, connected logitech X530 surround sound speakers, however, an external sound card is needed to get true surround sound. Only drawback is the glossy finish. It may be beautiful to look at but it picks up fingerprints easily. Lots of hard drive space & the ability to increase memory. Nice touch in including a remote, it comes in handy for DVD playback. Wireless works very well, speakers are very clear & loud for a laptop. The 12 cell battery is a nice addition, it handles extended use well & although may seem bulky (it protrudes about 3/4") this seems to be an advantage since the hot air dissipates through the underside rather than being trapped as with a laptop that sits flat. A very good buy for the price. I have already recommended this to a co worker who bought one and is also pleased with the product. Another family member would be purchasing one shortly. Delivery of the item was very fast, would recommend this product to everyone. |
my gorgeous computer
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| Review Date: September 20, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Arlene Herring, |
My sleek black computer feels more like a typewriter from the future, with a number pad key on the right, and a light smooth springy feel when I type. It comes with all kinds of features, including a TV capability if you buy a Slingbox for a couple of hundred, which thanks no thanks, but of course I can watch Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Current, iTunes, etc., & my DVDs -- it is called an entertainment computer. And I joined [...]-- for free -- & can watch videos there too.
I fell in love with the Microsoft Office Word 7 3-month trial program & almost immediately bought the software from Amazon. It's hard to describe all of Office Word 7's amazing features; just research it.
I got mixed up creating back-up recovery discs (because you don't need discs) so I ordered discs from HP for I forget how much, not too much.
As for Windows Vista -- I still prefer Google Chrome for my browser. IE 6 or 7 or whatever it is wouldn't let me go to Amazon, so I had to shut down Windows Defender, and there are still programs or websites I used with XP that I can't use with Vista, or is it just I can't use in 64-bits but can in 32-bits. I forget that too, but I can change the computer from 64 to 32 bits (I have no idea what this actually means).
It comes with Norton Anti-Virus but I installed AVG for free and so far so good. Oh, and the battery -- there are a bunch of batteries at the back of the computer; they give the computer a natural slope, and it doesn't seem to get as overheated as my other computers did. I have MS & am very sensitive to heat so this is a huge bonus for me.
Anyhow, for my needs (not school, not work) and my age (getting up there), this is a perfect computer. |
Very good!!
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| Review Date: October 20, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Anmery Melendez, Madrid |
I have tried my laptop and I don't have a bad thing to say, except the design makes it a bit big. This is a plus/negative because the battery is kinda big so the laptop has ventilation when putted in a surface.
Battery duration is good, and for me as an architect works pretty well. I use programs like autocad, 3dmax photoshop and they work normally and fast. The little control is for me the best thing because you can control almost everything and you can watch a movie and you dont have to move from your bed to pause it.
This is a good option to buy, I'm a satified customer! |
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