HP DV4T Laptop Review

The HP DV4T is a new 14″ notebook by HP and is very affordable, starting at just about $699. It is suited for students as it provides great performance at a decent price. It can handle most of the stuff thrown at it easily. It is powered by the latest Intel Centrino 2 Mobile platform and NVidia’s discrete graphics which ensures good performance. It is a more affordable version of the largely popular HP DV5T which was the most sold mid range notebook in the last month. In this review we check out the HP DV4T and see if it makes for a good buy.

HP DV4T Specs:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 at 2.4 GHz
• Display: 14.1 WXGA Glossy LED Backlit LCD (1280 x 800 pixels)
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 9200M-GS 256MB
• RAM: 3 GB DDR2 RAM
• Hard Drive: 160 GB 5400 RPM (Toshiba)
• Optical Drive: SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-R/RW DL
• Connectivity: WiFi, Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity
• Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit
• Ports: Three USB 2.0 ports, eSATA/USB port, ExpressCard slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 5-in-1 multi-card reader, 2 audio out ports, Mic in, VGA out, HDMI out, Kensington lock slot
• Battery: High Capacity 6 cell Li ion battery (55Wh)
• Dimensions: 13.15″ x 9.45″ x 1.34″.
• Weight: 2.42 Kgs

Design:

The HP DV 4T sports a very stylish yet simplistic design. No glittery design, rather a very subtle and sleek one. It seems to be a very carefully thought out design with a metallic look and clean surfaces and rounded edges. The notebook sports just two colors mainly – glossy silver and glossy black. The glossy surface does act as a fingerprint magnet, but that is hardly a problem. All in all, a nice simple, glossy metallic design with rounded edges and clean surfaces.

The HP DV4T has dimensions of 13.15 x 9.45 x 1.34 inches which are quite in line with other 14″ notebooks. It offers a mix of portability while clearly distinguishing itself from the range of notebooks cramped for space. It weighs just about 2.42 Kgs including the 6 cell battery which is quite decent compared to other 14 inch notebooks.
The DV4T has a nice build and is made mostly of plastic. The plastic quality is definitely better than average and feels nice and durable. It has minimum flex even under a large amount of pressure. It is also scratch resistant. The DV4T has a nice durable and rigid build. Handled carefully, it is going to last you for a long time.

Display and Speakers:

The HP DV4T sports a superb 14.1″ WXGA LCD display with a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It is a glossy LED backlit display with nice brightness and contrast levels. The vertical viewing angles are a bit acute but should suffice for linear viewing coupled with the adequately wide horizontal viewing angles. The sunlight readability is limited due to the glossy display but with increased brightness, it is atleast legible. The LED backlit display is much more power efficient than normal displays and also a bit thinner. The display isn’t suited for HD movie viewing due to low resolution but you can connect to a HD capable display using the HDMI out. The color reproduction is nice and accurate and the colors are vibrant.

The HP DV4T includes a set of nice speakers with good audio quality. The volume levels it manages are decent too and well above the range of many other laptops. This laptop can easily cater to an audience of about 10 in a small room. You can use headphones if you want to improve the sound quality.

Keyboard and Touchpad:

The keyboard is nice and spacious, most importantly full sized, a welcome relief from all the cramped netbook keyboards I have been reviewing in recent times. The key travel and spacing is perfect and the keys provide nice tactile feedback. The keyboard frame is sturdy and rigid and doesn’t budge even under heavy pressure.

The touchpad is located exactly below the keyboard – the standard layout. It is nice and responsive and has good build quality. The sensitivity is just about perfect and the touchpad surface very smooth. The touchpad buttons are nice and the produce a slight distinctive click when pressed. There is also a touch sensitive media control panel just above the keyboard which provides quick and easy access to media functions like volume control, playback control and Wi-Fi. All in all, no complaints at all from the touchpad or keyboard, with the media control panel being a nice addition.

Performance:

The HP DV4T is powered by a P8600 clocked at 2.4 GHz and comes with 3 GB DDR2 RAM. The graphics part is handled by the new NVidia 9200 M GS. It is perfect for normal office work and casual usage. It can also handle light games but dont expect to run frag bots in Crysis at high settings. It comes with a 5,400 RPM 160 GB hard drive that is fast enough for most stuff. One side effect of the good configuration is the excess heat generated that turns it hotter than the insides of an oven after prolonged usage.

Other features:

The HP DV4T comes with a range of expansion ports to expand functionality – 3 USB 2.0 ports, eSATA/USB port, ExpressCard slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 5-in-1 multi-card reader, 2 audio out ports, Mic in, VGA out, HDMI out, Kensington lock slot.

On the front, you find the headphone and mic jacks. On the right are 2 USB ports, the optical drive and a AC Power jack. The left side sports a VGA out, Kensington lock slot, LAN, HDMI, USB/ eSATA combo port, Express card and the 5 in 1 card reader.

The battery life is just about average with the high capacity 6 cell battery. The system lasts about 3.5 hours on a full charge with moderate usage. To get more endurance, you should go for the optional 12 cell battery. To maximise battery life enable the power saving modes and reduce display brightness.

Pros:

• Good design and build quality
• Great performance
• LED backlit display

Cons:

• High running temperatures
• Average battery life

Conclusion:

The HP DV4T is a nice notebook offering nice specs at an affordable price. It has a very nice display and an excellent selection of ports, but it also does have some shortcomings like getting hot and low battery life. Even then, we think that it makes for a good overall package.

Our Rating : 4 / 5.