HP DV6000T: A Powerhouse

My first in-hand view of the dv6000t really just explained the popularity and fuss. Based upon the components, I knew that it would provide top-notch performance, and the high-gloss finish throughout, together with the rounded corners and tapered height, really did make for a very fetching notebook. I was immediately captivated by the seeming absence of anything at all that might be viewed as a deficiency.

The glossy WXGA LCD of this review model was excellent, flawless really, and a pleasure to view. I didn't mind scrolling more than I'm used to because of the lower than I’m used to 1280x800 screen resolution. Except when I was actually doing my nine-to-five-type computing at work, and when I had the choice, I rarely used anything but the dv6000t as a PC during the two weeks that I had it. Since the screen and keyboard are the most important factors for making a notebook something you actually want to use (even after a day of work) that’s kudos for the dv6000t screen.

The technical side of the DV6000 it measures 14 inches wide, 1 inch thick and 10.1 inches deep not any bigger than other laptops in its class. The aspect that sets the DV6000 apart from the rest of the laptops in its class is that its only 6.2 pounds making it lighter than similar laptops.

Our review machine was well stocked for the price, coming with Wi-Fi and optional Bluetooth wireless communications, a top-of-the-line 120GB 5400-rpm hard drive, an integrated 1.3-megapixel Webcam, and a SuperMulti DVD±RW/R drive with LightScribe for laser-etching your own monochromatic disc labels. Also included were a 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics card and Microsoft Works 8. The port selection--three USB ports, a FireWire port, and a three-in-one media slot--is modest but should satisfy most home users.

Optionally available with the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 operating system, the dv6000t is one of the best entertainment notebooks out there. Its Altec Lansing stereo speakers are strong enough for you to enjoy soaring music and exciting action movies without headphones. For listening in private, the notebook comes with dual stereo headphone jacks for you and a friend.

Above the roomy, responsive keyboard is a row of touch-sensitive buttons that control not only the PC's Media Center features when the PC is on, but also HP's QuickPlay 3.0 software, which lets you view photos and play movies or music without booting up. Above the screen is a Webcam for videoconferencing or instant-message video chats
The built-in Altec Lansing speakers are quite good (with the usual qualifier: “for a notebook”). Clarity is exceptionally strong at high volume, which is where most notebook sound really degrades.

The dv6000t's keyboard was very comfortable with respect to size, layout and the actual pressing of keys, which are really the only things I ask of a keyboard. No complaints here at all. The touchpad worked just fine, too, and can easily be disabled by the press of a button, which some may find convenient. Above the keyboard is a thin line of media controls, blue-lit sensors that can be touched to mute the speakers, adjust their volume, or perform various other media-related functions. These are very handy for a quick mute, say, though they do beep rather loudly and I never bothered to try to disable the beeping. And finally, centered just above the LCD, is a webcam, which I tested and found to be working well enough, though it was a matter of seconds before I tired of looking at myself.

There are two battery options for the HP dv6000t. The standard battery is a 4000mAh 6 cell battery operating at 10.8V, with 43 watt-hours of capacity. The battery clips into place in the underside of the laptop and is flush against the surface. There is also an extended-life 12 cell battery available that protrudes out of the base of the laptop, angling the chassis off the desktop. One battery-related oddity that I noticed was when I went to fire the laptop up for the first time, the system was unresponsive and would not power on. I had to reseat the battery before the laptop would turn on. I chalked this up to some kind of jostling while in transit.