Source: Tom's Guide | Keywords: sony, toshiba, 12-inch | Themes: Business Notebooks, Laptops and Notebooks, Business
- 1. 12" Power Notebooks
- 2. HP Compaq 2510p: Design, Weight, Quality
- 3. HP Compaq 2510p: Hardware, Software, Usability
- 4. HP Compaq 2510p: Features, Heat, Noise
- 5. Samsung P200-Pro: Design, Weight, Quality
- 6. Samsung P200-Pro: Hardware, Software, Usability
- 7. Samsung P200-Pro: Features, Heat, Noise
- 8. Sony VAIO VGN-G21XP: Design, Weight, Quality
- 9. Sony VAIO VGN-G21XP: Hardware, Software, Usability
- 10. Sony VAIO VGN-G21XP: Features, Heat, Noise
- 11. Toshiba Portégé R500: Design, Weight, Quality
- 12. Toshiba Portégé R500: Hardware, Software, Usability
- 13. Toshiba Portégé R500: Features, Noise, Heat
- 14. Benchmark Testing
- 15. Application Testing, Battery Testing, Noise Level
- 16. Conclusion: Underdog, Sprinter, Endurance Racer and Flyweight
- 17. Spec Sheet
- 18. More on this topic
3. HP Compaq 2510p: Hardware, Software, Usability
Hardware
The HP Compaq 2510p illustrates how manufacturers (except Samsung) are trying to make battery charge last longer and reduce weight at the same time by using ULV processors. These units produce less heat, which also lead to simpler and smaller cooling solutions.
In this case, HP is using an Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo U7600 processor running at a speed of 1.2 GHz; it’s based on a core technology with 2 MB cache memory. This processor is certainly not a performance marvel, but is sufficient for simple office tasks. The mainboard is equipped with an Intel GM965 chipset.
The notebook comes with an 80 GB 1.8" hard drive, which unfortunately slows down the whole system. This is made even worse by providing only 1 GB of RAM, which is also used as video memory for the onboard graphics card. This is barely enough for running Windows Vista — HP hasn’t done itself any favors with this decision. Even more annoying is the fact that there is only one DIMM slot, so upgrading your memory means losing the capacity of your current DIMM.
The notebook comes with a Matshita DVD/CD burner, which even supports the somewhat exotic DVD-RAM format.
The 2510p does a good job in the area of connectivity. It offers Bluetooth 2.0, WLAN (a/b/g) and even a UMTS modem. (Draft-N is missing, although it is available in other models.) As far as wired communication are concerned, the HP Compaq notebook has Gigabit Ethernet and an analog modem, and the PC-Card slot is compatible with type II cards. To protect against unauthorized access, the notebook comes with a fingerprint sensor and TPM version 1.2. Logging in it using your fingerprint works reliably.
When looking at port connection options, you are reminded of the small size of this notebook class: these units cannot compete with larger models. Although the 2510p offers Firewire, it comes with only 2 USB ports. There is a VGA port for external monitors, but no digital interface. HP offers a docking station as an accessory, but even that comes with VGA only. The card reader is only compatible with SD cards.
Software
Windows Vista Business is used as the operating system; SP1 has not yet been installed. There is no installation medium for Windows provided, rather HP provides a recovery partition. HP Update Utilities are preinstalled to keep software on the cutting edge at all times.
Besides the standard 90 day version of Norton Internet Security, the notebook comes preconfigured with InterVideo, WinDVD, Roxio Creator Basic, and Roxio MyDVD Basic v9. As an alternative to the common Adobe Acrobat, PDF Complete is installed.
Subjective Performance
Warranty
HP offers a three-year warranty for the Compaq 2510p, including pick-up and delivery service.
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Why only these four?
The Acer Travelmate 6293 (or older 6292 model) competes well with these models. The review would have been much more useful if you had included the Acer.
What about x300, x61, d430 etc.... the review is grate, just pour choice of Notebook's if you ask me.
Nice article, especialy useful in times when mini-notebooks, or netbooks come to be more and more popular. I am owner of HP 2510p almost 6 months and I love this notebook. It was extremly cheap for me - just 450USD from ebay. Small, well featured, ultra-light /1.6kg/ and 6-7h on 6-cell battery. Btw I think that overlaping battery is quite useful - just try it - as IT admin I use it every day - one can hold this notebook easily in one hand while doing many common service work, and type with other hand. I got my HP with Windows XP Pro, so its much faster than with Vista. I installed tripple boot on it, XP Pro, Ubuntu and Mac OSX 10.5.4 - just used external USB WiFi for Mac OSX, all other HW is working in all OSs.
I never understand while to bother with popular trends like Asus Eee - no DVD, limited HDD options, extremly LOW battery time /I expected much better performances with Atom and SSDs/, small size-display like from Gullivers fairy-tale. Thers only one good point - price. And its fun that if you want all these features on new EEE-like notebooks, you have to pay 500-700USD. So why not to pay more and have all fetures together like in HP 2510p or Toshiba R500. Or try ebay like me, and its even cheaper than new EEEs with Atom.
But maybe I am wrong and EEE targets different audience.
I cant believe you have done a review user "power" and "12.1" in the same sentence and failed to include uber powerful Asus U6V. My god this thing would blow your choices out of the water for under $1700 anywhere in north america!
HP recently introduced the 2530p with substantially faster ULV processors (up to the SL9400, 1.86GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB) and with 2 DIMM slots for up to 8GB of 800MHz DDR SDRAM. It weighs a little more with a starting weight of 3.16lbs, but with some additonal durability features built-in, it meets the Mil-Std-810F standards for vibration, dust, humidity, altitude and high temperature. The spec's can be found at this URL:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products [...] 01_na.HTML
The 2510p will be going away shortly so the 2530p is the one to look at if one is considering HP.
HP also introduced the 2230s with a 12.1" screeen, and although it weighs a little more than the 2530p, it boasts a regular mobile processor such as an Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor P8400 (2.26 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 cache). This is a new form factor for HP as this model did not replace any existing models, but rather it is a new addition to HP's notebook lineup.
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