HP Compaq 6720s

HP Compaq 6720s Specifications:

* Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5470 1.60GHz , 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB
* OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
* Hard Drive: 120GB SATA (5400RPM), HP DriveGuard
* Screen: 15.4" WXGA BrightView Widescreen (1280 x 800)
* Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
* RAM: 1 x 1024MB DDR2
* Optical Drive: 8x DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Lightscribe
* Battery: 6-cell lithium-ion (47 Watt/hour)
* Wireless: Intel Wireless LAN 802,11a/b/g MOW2, mini-PCI card, Bluetooth
* Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, VGA, stereo microphone in, stereo headphone/line out, power connector, RJ-11/modem, RJ-45/Ethernet,
* Slots: ExpressCard/54 slot, Secure Digital (SD) slot
* Dimensions: 1.27 in (at front) x 14.1 in x 10.5 in / 32.3 mm (at front) x 358 mm x 266.8 mm
* Weight: 2.5Kgs (5.5 lbs)

HP Compaq 6720s looks and feels pretty solid. It's not really a consumer notebook thus is has no extra bells and whistles for media playback like a remote control or media buttons. HP Compaq 6720s made out of black and grey plastic and fits perfectly on my lap. There is enough space to rest your palms on while typing and it feels very solid (the screen can be twisted a little however). You really need to push hard on the lid in order for the ripples to appear.

The Core 2 Duo T5470 is the slowest of the new 800MHz FSB CPU’s but it's still really fast. The Intel Speedstep Technology changes the multiplier from 6x to 8x in order to maintain maximum performance and maximum battery time. The only thing this processor lacks compared to its faster brothers is a higher frequency, 2MB cache and Vanderpool Technology (hardware accelerated virtualisation). Windows Vista boot up time from the BIOS to the Windows logon screen is about 32 seconds. The hard disk is a Hitachi HTS541612J9SA00 which means it’s a 120GB SATA drive at 5400RPM with 8MB cache. Windows feels really snappy despite only 1GB of RAM but with one open slot I think I will upgrade to 2GB soon. I don’t play games on it but with integrated X3100 graphics you shouldn’t expect very much.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a laptop without any bells and whistles with low weight and a friendly pricetag then the HP Compaq 6720s is for you. If you want to play new games at a high resolution then this is not what you are looking for. I would totally recommend it to my fellow students as they always seem low on cash and shouldn’t be playing games at your university anyway.

Pros

* Excellent screen
* Long battery time
* Great multitasking
* Great value for money
* Well designed
* SD/MMC cardreader
* Stays cool

Cons

* Standard installation full of bloatware
* No recovery/Vista disks
* No FireWire/TV-out/DVI/HDMI
* Mono speaker