The perfect blend of mobility, style, and performance, the HP dv1040us will become the center of your digital entertainment universe, whether at home, at school, or on the road. It features a 1.6 GHz Intel Centrino processor, which offers energy saving battery efficiency. It also has a 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, 54g Wi-Fi connectivity, a 14-inch display, and a DVD+R/RW and CD-R/RW combo drive.
The Basics
- Hard Drive: Though not world-beating in size, the 60 GB enhanced-IDE hard drive offers more than enough capacity for storing documents and productivity software for road warriors.
- Processor: The 1.6 GHz Pentium M (Centrino) processor is at the high end of the spectrum and will be fast enough for gaming and multimedia applications. The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. The dv1040us has a large 2 MB L2 cache and a 400 MHz front-side bus.
- Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (2 x 256 MB, 266 MHz, DDR SDRAM) is a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to 2 GB (2 x 1024 MB)--a must for taking full advantage of this notebook's multimedia capabilities.
- CD/DVD Drive: It is equipped with a combo DVD+/-RW and CD-RW drive. For DVD-RW discs, it has a 1x write/rewrite speed, while for DVD+RW discs it has a 2x write/rewrite speed (DVDs are read at 5x). For CDs, it has a 16x write/8x rewrite/24x read speed.
- Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a standard 85-key keyboard and electro-static two-button touchpad.
Sound and Graphics Enjoy high-definition content playback with the 14-inch WXGA BrightView LCD. Its 15:9 aspect ratio and 1280 x 768 resolution provides the same widescreen film picture size as a standard 15 XGA screen. The dv1040us also features the integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 video/graphics card, 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro-compatible audio, and internal Harman Kardon speakers.
Connectivity and Expansion Slots
This dv1040us model has an integrated 802.11g wireless LAN (which is compatible with the more widespread 802.11b and offers faster data transmission rates). You get a decent--but not overpowering--offering of connectivity options, including FireWire:
- 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) ports for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
- 1 VGA monitor port
- 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II)
- 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
- 6-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia or xD-Picture cards
It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems). It also has a hot-swappable bay for adding an optional optical drive or second battery.
Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Home Edition operating system, and it also features Microsoft Works (for working with word processing and spreadsheet documents). Other preloaded software includes Microsoft Money, Norton Antivirus 2004 (with 60-day LiveUpdate subscription), Adobe Acrobat Reader, Encarta Plus, HP Image Zone Plus, InterVideo WinDVD Creator and Home Theater, Muvee autoProducer, Sonic RecordNow, and Apple iTunes.
The included HP Image Zone Plus photo and imaging software makes it easy to organize, edit, share, print, protect, and store your photos and video clips. Organize and find your photos easily by timeline, keywords, and/or location using the unique photo-globe mapping tool. Remove red eye and fix other common problems. Share your photos quickly via e-mails that include thumbnails with links to the full-sized images--without downloading time-consuming attachments.
Dimensions and Weight
At just 5.33 pounds, the dv1040us notebook can can go anywhere without weighing you down. It measures 13.15 x 9.24 x 1.18 inches (L x W x H)
Power
It's powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which provides an average of battery life of around 2 hours (depending on usage).
What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Pavilion dv1040us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty.
1 Great Buy
When I was in the market for a new laptop I was actually leaning towards buying a Mac instead of a PC. This laptop convinced me not too. Here's why:
* Optimum size- small enough to be very portable, yet large enough to easily be used as you primary computer.
* This is an entertainment machine. Both CD and DVD players work without the laptop actually on, saving battery-life. Remote control fits snuggly into its storage slot and works flawlessly.
* The whole computer, particularly the HD widescreen is beautiful to look at, and keyboard has a very nice feel.
* The 3 2.0 USB ports are conveniently located on the sides of the laptop instead of in the back. A digital media card slot is also located on the side of the laptop.
* Thus far the computer has worked absolutely flawlessly, is pretty fast, and doesn't get too hot after hours of use. I haven't tested the battery to its limits yet, but I ran them on full power for 3 hours and still had plenty of life left. It's also fairly light and slim.
* I'm a bit clutzy, and fortunately, HP offers an Accidental Damage extended warrenty which covers drops and spills, among other things. It's a little steep, but worth it if you should ever need something major replaced (like the HD screen) due to a fall.
This having been said, the HP DV1040us does not come without its flaws...
* The wide screen is a little hard to fit wallpaper on, as it tends to stretch the image. It fortunately does not do this to DVDs, but a 16:9 DVD format is ideal.
* While I like the USB ports on the side of the computer, and they wisely left the powercord in the back of the computer, all the other ports and jacks are located on the side. While this isn't a major inconvenience, and may even be a plus depending on personal preference, I personally would prefer them in the back.
Even with these flaws, I still think that this computer is a great buy for the money. This laptop offers many features that are not currently available on any other laptop on the market, and I am very satisfied with my purchase.
2 Good performance with mediocre case design
This laptop would work really well for someone who never takes it anywhere. The main problem with this unit it its case. After 2 weeks, the case noticeable creaks. From my experience as a network administrator, I can tell you that this is a bad sign. My PowerBook G4 does NOT have the creaky-case problem, in contrast.
Other than this obvious design flaw, I have found it to be powerful and feature-rich. I ordered mine with Bluetooth and WiFi, which have performed admirably with many access points, cell phones and the occational bluetooth headset. The on-off trackpad button is very convenient for frequent writers. The keyboard is VERY comfortable to use, with a convenient layout and easy-to-find arrow keys and dedicated navigation keys (home, end, pgup, pgdown). Wireless signal strength is very good, much better than my powerbook at finding local networks.
Battery life appears to be over 2 hours with standard battery and over 4 hours with the extended life battery.
One final note -- the scrolling feature of the trackpad does not work very well at all.
3 Size, not power
Well first off a centrino with a battery life of 2-3 hrs is horrible. Centrino laptops usually last atleast 5 hrs if not more. I just got this laptop and am not sure of my purchase. The DVD+R is a nice way of HP promoting a format that they are the #1 promoter of. The DDR2100 ram is slow compared to DDR2700 and the Harddrive is way slow too at 4200 RPM. All in all if your looking for something small and light this is a good laptop. If your looking for something powerful and with a long battery life, get something else.
4 Best featured laptop available
To start off with the specs on this laptop: This laptop is the lowest priced Centrino processor system I could find. The small form factor is great and doesn't cause a lack in the computer. It comes with a BrightView screen, 60GB Hard Drive, and a DVD burner which is unheard of at this price. The BrightView screen is crisp and beautiful. Even for it's size, the laptop comes with a 60GB hard drive. The fun feature of this laptop is the QuickPlay system. This provides a DVD player and music player outside of the Windows operating system. Since RAM and processor are barely used, this boosts battery life by quite a bit. The remote that the system comes with is very well made and works in both Windows and QuickPlay. The only complaint I have about the remote is that the location (PCMIA slot) where it is to be located is too tight for the remote and keeps it from being easily removed. The average battery life for this laptop is around 3 hours with recharging taking around the same time.
Pros:
Good battery life
Sleek design
Good construction
QuickPlay system
Small form with full features
Cons:
Remote control's location
5 Great all purpose laptop
Got this laptop to replace my 3 year old Toshiba. This is a great laptop. Runs very fast, has a great display, and the keyboard is comfortable. I got mine with the 12 cell battery, and I get 6 hours on it. If you are looking for a lightweight laptop with great battery life, then this is a great laptop for you. The only tradeoff is there is no dedicated GPU, but I have been running Warcraft 3 on this system, and it works great, so as long as you are not planning to play Doom 3 on it you will be fine gamewise.
6 A well-featured laptop suitable for home and business use.
I bought this laptop because I needed a smaller replacement for my old Toshiba Satellite A60-S121. My previous foray into HP/Compaq computers was a little disappointing because the touchpad began failing after about a year. But when I researched a little before buying my new laptop, I found that the dv1000 is exactly what I needed.
What I needed was a light-weight computer with a large enough screen to enjoy DVDs in my off-time. Most ultraportables were not only prohibitively expensive, but had a smallish 10 to 12 inch screen. For some people that is perfect, but not for me. When the HP dv1000 came out it seemed just right. Weighing about 5 lbs, and a 1.2 inches thick, with a 14inch widescreen, it was perfect. But I had to compare it to DELL and Toshiba before I made my purchase, both of which make comparatively sized laptops. But this is why I thought the dv1000 was the best for my money:
1. DELL does not offer widescreen on their lighter notebooks
2. TOSHIBA's laptops tend to be sliver-like and end up pretty thick (about 2 inches) near their backside.
3. The dv1000 can be upgraded to 2GB of RAM
4. It can be used as a DVD or CD-player without turning the laptop on. There is a "Quickplay" button, which turns on the CD/DVD drive and when you insert your disc, it plays. Neat.
5. It has a built-in 6-in-one memory-card reader that works perfectly with my Memorystick Pros.
6. The built-in WiFi latched onto my 801.11g wireless network easily. I was also able to use it in the airport, and the signal strength was excellent.
7. I used it for about 3 hours on a single charge. I haven't really timed it, but with a small battery I expected much less. It performs very well.
8. I didn't get this computer to play games, but I guess its graphics capabilities are pretty good because I watched my Matrix DVD without a problem. I used headphones, and it sounded great.
9. Headphone jack is in the front of the laptop. Why don't all of them do this? It is so convenient.
10. The case feels very sturdy and elegant.
11. HP is the only laptop that I know of that has a dedicated scroll function built-in to their touchpads. On the right side of the pad, you run your finger up or down and the pages will scroll in that direction. I've gotten used to it and it is very convenient.
Everyone has their own opinion of a perfect laptop, but this suited me perfectly. My wife bought the DELL 600m and it is a little smaller. Similarly configured to mine it cost about the same, but it does not have a built-in 6-in-one card reader, or a widescreen, or the Quickplay feature. But the DELL "looks" a whole lot more professional than the HP dv1000. I'd take the DELL to work, and the HP to play.
