HP HDX16-1005EA 16in Blu-ray Notebook Comments

I don't quite see how you can give this HP a 10 for value. You reviewed it at £869.99 but the latest price is £975? Also the Sony FW21M which is also available for under £900 (also at John Lewis for £975) also has a Blu-Ray writer, a faster processor and a larger hard drive.

I am in love with this notebook.

Comet are selling this laptop online for £799. If you buy it via the Top Cashback website you can save a further 4%, taking the price down to £767.04.

Acer 6935G, for £100+ more you can get a 2.53Ghz 6mb Cache C2D and a 7200 rpm HDD. Worth it?

This really seems the best of the bunch and after weeks of research it's time to commit. But hang on ... HP's website offers a newer version: HP HDX X16-1101EA Premium Notebook PC (FV720EA) and apparently no one is selling this yet. Worth waiting for?

@obelisk

i have seen your model, still does not compare price/performance or featurewise against the acer 6935g LX.ATQ0X.038 which is the BESt 16" laptop available right now!

@Ed

Completely agree, however you cant really compare laptops on style/screen size or multimedia controls (etc...) as they are subjective, so comparing "stats" is the only Sure way of comparison (as the Acer 6935g is also 16" and shares many of the same features as the HP-HDX).

With all due respect, I refuse to rely purely on reviews and IF the Acer 6935G reviewed was the LX.ATQ0X.038 model, this HP-HDX review would probably be much different.

Obelisk, I have been searching for a laptop too so I am only trying to help. What are your thoughts on the LX.ATQ0X.038?

practicalites such as the key pad are a swing decision maker, but I'm afraid the Acer's 'Cine Dash' is an eyesore too far.

Having checked it appears the HDX 16-1101EA version has a Blu ray writer.

@ obelisk

i would have also much prefered a numeric keypad over cinedash, but the sheer performance of the acer won me over.

i can see why a blu ray writer may be good for copying large files and playing things though blu ray player, but if you had the option, would you want that?

also the Acer only has HD ready resolution - the full HD spec on this model looks really appealing

i can't seem to find a reasonably priced small laptop anywhere with vertical resolution greater than 800 pixels - which is rubbish!

sorry - my mistake. the configuration LX.ATQ0X.038 is full HD

i stand by my comments about vertical resolution though!

It sure look and sound like a real gem. I have been using Vaios, Dell and Acer laptops in the past and recently bought myself the HP Pavilion DV2899ae. From my six months experience on HP laptop so far, I can tell you that I would never go back to any of the three aforementioned brands, the specs and usability has converted me to an HP fan. The HDX series sure looks good and I would recommend HP to anyone looking for a decent spec, affordable, solid laptop.

Looks great MiniHTPC but i will not consider blue-ray burner cause the price of the blankmedia...i relay in HP products outstanding quality and realibility...

@ Andy/Ed

I see Comet have this laptop for £799.99 exclusive web offer.

However, in the specifications it shows as having no lightscribe technology and no fingerprint reader?

I'm looking to purchase this laptop today, 6th Jan, as a result of reading your review. Do you think thier specifications have been entered wrongly and the laptop does infact come with these two features... or will thier be varying builds of the same laptop?

Thanks in advance.

Take a look here http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF02a/321957-321957-3806904.html for the full HDX range and specs.

Craig

Did you manage to find out the answer to your question.

Are Comet selling a downgrade version, I really want this model and their price is the best but want all the features.

Thanks

Comet are selling the same version as the review.

Check out this link as one of the pics shows the spec on the side of the box (including a finger print reader!

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17955728

Dave

The Comet specifications are infact wrong. I phoned them earlier and they got back to me by email confirming that the lightscribe technology and fingerprint reader are included.

However, Comet do not have the laptop currently in stock and do not even have a stock due-in date for thier warehouse (they told me to keep checking the site but it could take upto 6 weeks to return).

I then phone Laskys (twice) to ask them if they could price-match the laptop from Comet. The best the could offer is to reduce thier price from £869.99 to £834.99. I then went to place my order but, alas, they too don't have it in stock and have no due date either.

The only other retailer i have found that comes close is Play.com and they have said that they cannot price match or drop thier price.

If anyone finds this laptop anywhere for under £835 please post here asap.

Cheers

Thanks BigB@dJ@y and Craig for info.

I will have a look later and if anywhere else has this model, I have also considered the 18" version, any thoughts?

@Dave/Craig

The specs on HP's UK website for the HDX16-1005EA (someone has posted the link above) do not list LightScribe. I ordered from Comet on Monday and it arrived this morning. The unit I received looks at a quick glance to be identical to the review model, except the LightScribe logo is not silk-screened on the drive housing, and the LightScribe sticker below the keyboard is absent.

So was the unit TR reviewed actually the standard UK spec...?

(Not that I intend to lose much sleep over this!)

Rgds

I think LightScribe may have been quietly dropped from the specs. Compare and contrast these two versions of HP's flyer for this model!

<http://www.westcoastpavilion.com/userfiles/File/hdx16-1005ea.pdf>

<http://h20195.www2.hp.com/PDF/c01603310.pdf>

Thanks Simonm very useful, I phoned Comet too and they had no idea when they would have more in stock and of course if a model is selling well after good reviews, the price may also jump when it is in stock.
I am back considering the Acer Aspire 6935G which at Comet is £850, would welcome your thoughts and advice.

Dave

I ordered and mine was meant to be delivered on Wednesday.
Didn't get it then and was told it should arrive Thursday...
They eventually informed me (on Thursday) that it appeared to be out of stock.
Didn't stop them taking payment!!! Good ol' Comet!
I've now got two options...either wait and see if it comes back in stock, or just cancel.
I think I may give it a couple of weeks and in the meantime see if anywhere else starts to offer it at a similar price.
I have noticed a couple of other websites (including Play) saying that they are out of stock as well (within the last 24 hours or so)

Still hunting around for this laptop, no luck yet. If anyone finds it for <£835 as i said earlier, please post here.

@simonm - Does your laptop from comet have the fingerprint reader?

I note is has input for digital aerial. Can you connect a Sky HD box to it?

@Craig - Yes, it has the fingerprint reader. It looks like LightScribe has been dropped from the newer units (it doesn't appear in the specs on HP's UK website: <http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF06a/321957-321957-3806904-3806906-3806906-3769205.html>). That's the only change, as far as I can see.

@Mike - It has an aerial jack, connected to an internal DVB-T tuner for receiving digital freeview. There is no way to connect a Sky HD box to it.

Has anyone got any news on this model?
Have any of the lucky guys who have actually got one and has anyone seen one in stock and not more than £850.
Thanks

Anyone know the difference between these two models HP HDX16-1005EA and HP HDX16-1010EA

Comet have now withdrawn this model from sale (though they are still selling the 18" screen version). Why have they stopped selling something that everyone wanted at a price that they were prepared to pay? This adequately explains why British retailing is in such a mess. They may have a lot of other cheap laptops for sale, but it doesn't matter how cheap something is - its only a bargain if you actually want it. Doh!

@Anthony, yes they have withdrawn 16" model and they also told me that the 18" model was in short supply as well, so if you want one , get one now.
The 16" @ Comet for £800 was excellent value, I am not so sure if the extra cost of the 18" is worth it
Dave

Landed a nice timely bonus at work and decided to go with the 18.4" upgraded version (P8600+1024mb dedicated graphics+?).

This will be delivered on Monday. £1299!

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF06a/321957-321957-3806904-3806906-3806906-3837627.html

Does anyone know if the remote is software or hardware based? i.e. I wouldn't want the vista 64, and if I format the HD and install Vista 32 or XP or Windows 7, will I still be able to use the remote?

I had just placed an order for the -1100 version of this laptop and dabs then cancelled saying the laptop had been discontinued. I've just visited the hp site direct and see they've now launched a -1200 version. Not much difference - same price, but you get a 500Gb hard disk and the new NVidia GT130 graphics card.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/ho/WF06a/321957-321957-3806904-3806906-3806906-3884578.html

I cannot find anywhere stocking it at the moment though. Has anyone heard when it will be available and from where?

This laptop has now been superceded by the new HP HDX-1280. It has a new NVIDIA GeForce GT130M graphics card with 1GB dedicated. I bought mine from Currys for £1099 as I googled voucher codes and got an extra £100 off. PC world have stocks and are selling at the full price of £1199. Still a good buy considering its spec.