Core 2 Duo T7300 Processor 2.0GHz, 512MB RAM
Hewlett-Packard divided its business laptops into three groups earlier this year. This 8710p laptop is from the Performance range. Prices for different configurations of the 8710p average around S$3,000 (US$1,973.68).
Weighing a hefty 3.4kg, you are unlikely to want to carry the 8710p very far, if at all. If you do, you'll need a capacious bag as this laptop has a footprint of 393 x 275 x 33mm, the thickness being the only average dimension on this system.
If it ever does find itself in transit, the 8710p is well-protected. Two clasps hold upper and lower sections together, and the lid section feels pretty tough.
The wide-format screen measures a massive 17 inches from corner to corner, and our review sample had a native resolution of 1,440 x 900 pixels. You can also get (more expensive) models with a 1,680 x 1,050-pixel display, with or without the high-gloss BrightView technology. The image quality is superb, and our review model's matte finish makes it ideal for viewing indoors. The viewing angle is also extremely wide.
There's room for a full-sized keyboard with a separate number pad. In fact, this is one of the very few cases where we've found a laptop keyboard to be a little too large for comfort: If you have small hands, touch-typing may not be all that comfortable.
Above the number row is a row of almost full-sized function keys, while an inverted-T arrangement of cursor keys to the bottom right caters for keyboard-based navigation. The touchpad incorporates what HP calls a "scroll zone", which you tap and hold to scroll vertically through content such as Web pages or documents.
There are three buttons beneath the touchpad. Between the standard left and right mouse buttons is one that, when pressed, lets you sweep any part of the touchpad for vertical scrolling. A short sweep will kick off continuous scrolling, and you can also control the scroll speed. We found this system highly effective. The three buttons are duplicated beneath the space bar, for use with a pointing stick that sits between the G, H and B keys.
HP has implemented a touch-sensitive strip above the keyboard in its latest range of laptops. This offers a range of functions, including turning the Wi-Fi on and off--there's no separate controller for Bluetooth, which must be activated from the Windows System Tray. Another button on this strip activates the Presentations settings, where you can preconfigure the laptop for making a presentation. A third button opens the Hewlett-Packard Info Centre containing various setup and system information utilities.
On the right of this touchpanel is a mute button and a slider for controlling system volume, as well as a button that calls up the Windows Calculator. Elsewhere, a fingerprint sensor sits on the bottom right-hand corner of the wristrest area.
The CPU in our review sample of the 8710p was Intel's Core 2 Duo T7300 at 2.0GHz. Other models run the 2.2GHz T7500, 2.4GHz T7700 and the 2.6GHz T7800. Our review sample had 1GB of RAM, but can accommodate both 2GB and 4GB.
Our system was supplied with Windows XP Professional, although Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Home Basic are also available.
Wireless connectivity comes via Intel's WiFi Link 4965AGN module which caters for 802.11a/b/g and Draft-N connectivity. Bluetooth 2.0 is also integrated. Gigabit Ethernet networking is handled by an Intel adapter, and there is a 56Kbps modem for making dial-up connections over landline.
Graphics performance is one area where desktop and laptop computers can still be worlds apart. To be a true desktop replacement system, a laptop has to have a credible graphics subsystem. To this end, the 8710p has a powerful discrete graphics module in the shape of Nvidia's Quadro NVS 320M with 256MB of dedicated memory.
Another area where desktop and laptop computers differ significantly is harddisk capacity. The 8710p offers 120GB, 160GB and 250GB Serial ATA hard drives, all spinning at 5,400rpm: Our review sample had a midrange 160GB drive.
The optical drive fits into a multibay slot on the right-hand side. Various options are available, including Blu-ray, which probably has more traction with home users than business people.
Ports and expansion slots are rarely as plentiful on laptops as they are on desktops. That said, the 8710p has no fewer than six USB 2.0 ports, which is a huge number by laptop standards and another clue that HP is positioning this system as a true desktop replacement.
Unfortunately, the USB ports aren't arranged in the most ergonomic fashion. Two are on the left-hand side, where they are stacked one above the other. The remaining four are on the right side, in two adjacent pairs of stacked ports. The main problem is using the ports simultaneously. We tried a range of peripherals, including several USB keydrives, and found it difficult to stack two connectors. Using all the ports at once may, therefore, be something of a challenge.
The 8710p has a SmartCard reader and PC Card slot toward the front of the left-hand side. There's also a flash card reader on the front, which can read SD, MMC, Memory Stick and xD-Picture Card media.
The left side also houses an HDMI port and a VGA-out connector, along with a FireWire port.
On the right side you'll find the modem and Ethernet ports, as well as microphone and headphone/line-out mini jacks. The back is entirely occupied by the removable battery, which HP suggests is good for up to 4 hours of mains-free computing.
As far as ergonomics are concerned, the 8710's screen and keyboard are fine--indeed, the 17-inch screen size may be larger than some users currently get from their desktop computer.
Battery life may seem like a secondary consideration with a system that's not intended to travel a great deal. However, even an office-bound laptop may need to spend time away from mains power--when you're giving a presentation or attending a meeting where a power socket isn't readily available, for example.
HP claims battery life of up to 4 hours from the standard eight-cell Li-ion battery. We tested this with the BatteryEater battery benchmarking software, which asks the laptop to perform tasks continuously until the battery dies. We got 1 hour 52 minutes of life. Even with a more representative workload and conservative power management settings, this suggests you're unlikely to manage a full working day away from mains power.
The HP Compaq 8710p is clearly not a laptop designed for the mobile professional. Whether a large desktop replacement laptop really works for you will depend on your computing requirements. For many, a cheaper, smaller and more portable laptop with an external monitor and keyboard may prove a more ergonomic and flexible solution.
The HP laptop comes with a three-year warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection.
Hewlett-Packard divided its business laptops into three groups earlier this year. This 8710p laptop is from the Performance range. Prices for different configurations of the 8710p average around S$3,000 (US$1,973.68).
Design of the HP Compaq 8710p Laptop
Weighing a hefty 3.4kg, you are unlikely to want to carry the 8710p very far, if at all. If you do, you'll need a capacious bag as this laptop has a footprint of 393 x 275 x 33mm, the thickness being the only average dimension on this system.
If it ever does find itself in transit, the 8710p is well-protected. Two clasps hold upper and lower sections together, and the lid section feels pretty tough.
The wide-format screen measures a massive 17 inches from corner to corner, and our review sample had a native resolution of 1,440 x 900 pixels. You can also get (more expensive) models with a 1,680 x 1,050-pixel display, with or without the high-gloss BrightView technology. The image quality is superb, and our review model's matte finish makes it ideal for viewing indoors. The viewing angle is also extremely wide.
There's room for a full-sized keyboard with a separate number pad. In fact, this is one of the very few cases where we've found a laptop keyboard to be a little too large for comfort: If you have small hands, touch-typing may not be all that comfortable.
Above the number row is a row of almost full-sized function keys, while an inverted-T arrangement of cursor keys to the bottom right caters for keyboard-based navigation. The touchpad incorporates what HP calls a "scroll zone", which you tap and hold to scroll vertically through content such as Web pages or documents.
There are three buttons beneath the touchpad. Between the standard left and right mouse buttons is one that, when pressed, lets you sweep any part of the touchpad for vertical scrolling. A short sweep will kick off continuous scrolling, and you can also control the scroll speed. We found this system highly effective. The three buttons are duplicated beneath the space bar, for use with a pointing stick that sits between the G, H and B keys.
HP has implemented a touch-sensitive strip above the keyboard in its latest range of laptops. This offers a range of functions, including turning the Wi-Fi on and off--there's no separate controller for Bluetooth, which must be activated from the Windows System Tray. Another button on this strip activates the Presentations settings, where you can preconfigure the laptop for making a presentation. A third button opens the Hewlett-Packard Info Centre containing various setup and system information utilities.
On the right of this touchpanel is a mute button and a slider for controlling system volume, as well as a button that calls up the Windows Calculator. Elsewhere, a fingerprint sensor sits on the bottom right-hand corner of the wristrest area.
Features of the HP Compaq 8710p Laptop
The CPU in our review sample of the 8710p was Intel's Core 2 Duo T7300 at 2.0GHz. Other models run the 2.2GHz T7500, 2.4GHz T7700 and the 2.6GHz T7800. Our review sample had 1GB of RAM, but can accommodate both 2GB and 4GB.
Our system was supplied with Windows XP Professional, although Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Home Basic are also available.
Wireless connectivity comes via Intel's WiFi Link 4965AGN module which caters for 802.11a/b/g and Draft-N connectivity. Bluetooth 2.0 is also integrated. Gigabit Ethernet networking is handled by an Intel adapter, and there is a 56Kbps modem for making dial-up connections over landline.
Graphics performance is one area where desktop and laptop computers can still be worlds apart. To be a true desktop replacement system, a laptop has to have a credible graphics subsystem. To this end, the 8710p has a powerful discrete graphics module in the shape of Nvidia's Quadro NVS 320M with 256MB of dedicated memory.
Another area where desktop and laptop computers differ significantly is harddisk capacity. The 8710p offers 120GB, 160GB and 250GB Serial ATA hard drives, all spinning at 5,400rpm: Our review sample had a midrange 160GB drive.
The optical drive fits into a multibay slot on the right-hand side. Various options are available, including Blu-ray, which probably has more traction with home users than business people.
Ports and expansion slots are rarely as plentiful on laptops as they are on desktops. That said, the 8710p has no fewer than six USB 2.0 ports, which is a huge number by laptop standards and another clue that HP is positioning this system as a true desktop replacement.
Unfortunately, the USB ports aren't arranged in the most ergonomic fashion. Two are on the left-hand side, where they are stacked one above the other. The remaining four are on the right side, in two adjacent pairs of stacked ports. The main problem is using the ports simultaneously. We tried a range of peripherals, including several USB keydrives, and found it difficult to stack two connectors. Using all the ports at once may, therefore, be something of a challenge.
The 8710p has a SmartCard reader and PC Card slot toward the front of the left-hand side. There's also a flash card reader on the front, which can read SD, MMC, Memory Stick and xD-Picture Card media.
The left side also houses an HDMI port and a VGA-out connector, along with a FireWire port.
On the right side you'll find the modem and Ethernet ports, as well as microphone and headphone/line-out mini jacks. The back is entirely occupied by the removable battery, which HP suggests is good for up to 4 hours of mains-free computing.
Performance And Battery Life of the HP Compaq 8710p Laptop
As far as ergonomics are concerned, the 8710's screen and keyboard are fine--indeed, the 17-inch screen size may be larger than some users currently get from their desktop computer.
Battery life may seem like a secondary consideration with a system that's not intended to travel a great deal. However, even an office-bound laptop may need to spend time away from mains power--when you're giving a presentation or attending a meeting where a power socket isn't readily available, for example.
HP claims battery life of up to 4 hours from the standard eight-cell Li-ion battery. We tested this with the BatteryEater battery benchmarking software, which asks the laptop to perform tasks continuously until the battery dies. We got 1 hour 52 minutes of life. Even with a more representative workload and conservative power management settings, this suggests you're unlikely to manage a full working day away from mains power.
The HP Compaq 8710p is clearly not a laptop designed for the mobile professional. Whether a large desktop replacement laptop really works for you will depend on your computing requirements. For many, a cheaper, smaller and more portable laptop with an external monitor and keyboard may prove a more ergonomic and flexible solution.
After-Sales Service And Support for the HP Compaq 8710p Laptop
The HP laptop comes with a three-year warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection.
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