failing like never before

HP dv2910us (dv2700) – A Review

On Saturday, two days ago, I bought a brand new HP dv2910us from Circuit City for $680 (US), with a $50 rebate. The dv2910us is a pre-configured version of the dv2700 series, and its popularity with retail stores right now, is why it tends to be so cheap. The same model can be bought online directly from HP for $829.99.

Just as an aside, I would like to point out that HP makes a model called the dv2911us, which is the same as the dv2910us except that it lacks a Lightscribe drive. Lightscribe drives allow a user to "print" an image directly to the surface of a special Lightscribe disc. Its a neat trick, and if you burn a lot of discs and like to have them look pretty, then maybe Lightscribe is for you. But I doubt I'll be using my Lightscribe drive anytime soon though. For most people, the dv2911us is perfectly fine.

The specs for the dv2910us are as follows (taken from the HP website):

• Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 667MHz Front Side Bus, 65 Nm)
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (shared) (6) with up to 358MB Total Available Graphics Memory
• 3072MB of RAM, as two seperate DIMMs (upgradable to a maximum of 4096MB)
• Intel Santa Rosa chipset
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
• LightScribe Super Multi 8X DVD+/- R/RW with Double Layer Support
• 250GB hard drive
• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
• 14.1" diagonal WXGA High-Definition BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800 glossy)
• Dimensions: 13.15 (L) x 9.33 (W) x 1.02 (min H)/1.54"
• Weighs 5.48lb. with the battery
• 6-cell lithium ion battery
• Built-in webcam and microphone
• Altec Lansing speakers
• Ports:
  • 3 USB 2.0
  • 2 Headphone out
  • 1 microphone-in
  • 1 VGA (15-pin)
  • 1 TV-Out (S-video)
  • 1 RJ-11 (modem)
  • 1 RJ -45 (LAN)
  • 1 notebook expansion port
  • 1 IEEE 1394 Firewire (4-pin)
  • 1 Consumer IR
  • 1 ExpressCard/54 Slot
• Lots of crapware
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit (some people might consider this to also be crapware)
• Also comes with a pair of cheap earbuds, AC adaptor, and IR remote

I will be writing my review for my lovely new laptop in multiple parts, and releasing them as I go. The links to the parts are listed below.

• Unboxing
• Build Quality and Design
• User Experience
• Installing Linux
• Summary and Conclusions