how u guys think about Compaq Presariso 2100Z?

[tienchi]

i read some reviews, this serie looks good.

Presario 2100Z AMD + $100 MIR + Free Ship
Included Features:
(Click on features for more info) - 1-year limited H/W warranty; 90-day S/W warranty
- Entertainment Software.
- Productivity software
- Internet software
- 64MB shared video memory (on 256MB ram and higher configurations)
- 1 PCI port for use with hp port replicator (sold separately)
- IEEE 1394
- 2 USB ports
- Universal A/C Slimline Adapter.
- S-video TV-out port.
- Five user-programmable one-touch buttons.
- Touch pad with on/off and dedicated scroll up/down surface
- Built-in stereo speakers
- 1 Type II or III PC card slot; CardBus-enabled


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Selected Features
Processor ATHLON XP-M 2400+ 1.8
Operating System XP Home Operating System.
Application Software Microsoft Works/Money/Encarta.
Display LCD 15.0 TFT XGA..
Memory 512MB(2X256)DDR SDRAM.
Graphics Card ATI Mobility Radeon 7000
Hard Disk Drive 40 GB Hard Drive.
Media Module DVD/CDRW Combo Drive
Communication Built in 56K Modem&10/100 LAN.
Primary Battery 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery.

Price for this Notebook: $1173
have a 10% off coupon, and $100 Mail-in-rebate

final price: $956

but i am in CA, it looks like that in hp.shopping.com, i have to pay the tax.
how u guys thiank about this notebook?

 

[alexruiz]

I have one and I love it.....

If you want it to challenge your desktop machine in almost anything (except gaming) make sure you replace the hard drive. A HGST/IBm travelstar 40gnx is suggested (5400 rpm, 8 MB cache), but if you are lucky enough AND have the money to get a 5K80 or 7K60, go ahead.

Battery life is great, good screen and fast performer.

I would also suggest to reduce the memory to 128 MB (it saves you over $100 in your config and get the RAM outside by yourself..... your pocket will say "thanks"

Go ahead and get the toy

Alex

PS. The 5400 rpm hard drive reduces battery life in 5% - 10% in max usage (perception, not formal testing), under idle or DVd playback it remains the same

 

[tienchi]

may i install the memory and HDD by myself if i buy them outside, right?

and which memory for this notebook would u recommend? thanks!

i am sorry that it's the first time to tough the notebook.

 

[fizmeister]

How are Athlon XP-Ms? Are they slow/hot?

 

[chin311]

i have almost the identical notebook...same specs.

its great, on it now actually , havent had any troubles, pretty good battery life, only thing semi-lacking is teh graphics power IF you need that...just dont count on it running the newest games , but great price, i paid about the same a month ago...

 

[cjb200]

I'm considering that notebook myself. One thing to consider though, it's mechanically identical to the HP ze4300 series. As far as I can tell, the only difference (besides the appearance) is the the HP has external speakers.

Anyway, the only thing I couldn't figure out was whether the XP-M 2400+ was on the Thoroughbred or Barton core. I think since in says 1.8 it's Barton, but not even HP could tell me for sure.

Oh and by the way, if you're a college student you can get an additional 5% off if you order direct from HP.

 

[chin311]

not a bad deal, another 5% is always good, can help with the sales tax

i paid 999$ at a sams club nearby me...good deal, no rebates or anything, cant use your % discounts tho :\

 

[tienchi]

Originally posted by: alexruiz
I have one and I love it.....

I would also suggest to reduce the memory to 128 MB (it saves you over $100 in your config and get the RAM outside by yourself..... your pocket will say "thanks"

just ordered! and i reduced the memory to 128MB as u say.
so what type of memory should i buy for the laptop? i am going to buy a 512mb, then + 128Mb = 640mb, not bad at all.
which memory do u recommend? thx

 

[alexruiz]

Glad to hear you got the toy

Any DDR for laptop should be good. (PC2100, 266 MHz, 200 pins, SODIMM)

Crucial has good proices, and circuit city has had good deal on centon memory ($29 AR for 256 MB). Plan to get at leat one 256 MB stick. The performance is day and night with the right amount of RAM (I cannot stress enough how faster the machine became when I jumped from 128 MB to 512 MB....)

At 128 MB it was slower than a 500 MHZ celeron...... at 512 MB (also with the help of a travelstar 40gnx) feels as fast as my desktop Athlon XP 1700+ with a WD SE 120 GB!!!! (at least the lappy boots faster)

So, your MUST DO upgrades are:

1) Get at least one stick of 256 MB, PC2100 DDR for laptops (DDR266, 200 pins, SODIMM)
2) Swap the hard drive. Also, day and night. I suggest the travelstar 40gnx, but as I said before, if you are lucky/rich enough to get a IBM/HGST 5K80 or 7K60 go ahead!!

Shortage of cash??? RAM is priority over the HD.

Alex

 

[alexruiz]

By the way, to the person who asked about the Athlon XP-M performance, heat feels identical to a Toshiba celeron 2.0 GHz..... performance??? I'll let you guess, but it is pretty much one sided (not gaming, both are fill rate limited). But doing MAPLE calculations and encoding to MP3 is Athlon all the way..... Overall, the Athlon just "feels" faster and more responsive (HD maybe?)

 

[chin311]

Originally posted by: alexruiz
By the way, to the person who asked about the Athlon XP-M performance, heat feels identical to a Toshiba celeron 2.0 GHz..... performance??? I'll let you guess, but it is pretty much one sided (not gaming, both are fill rate limited). But doing MAPLE calculations and encoding to MP3 is Athlon all the way..... Overall, the Athlon just "feels" faster and more responsive (HD maybe?)

XP-M > Celeron, anyday. i have the xp2400-m, works great, usually scales down to about 1.0ghz while using internet and such, if im running winamp, maybe editing a photo and browing/messaging, maybe bout 1.3-1.5ghz.

it rarely gets warm while im using it at home, and if it does at all, its just a lil' portion of the bottom, but its nothing any laptop wont produce. the p4-m's in our gateway laptops at work seem MUCH hotter and the fans are a lot louder as well ::shrug::

 

[crabbyman]

I would stick with Crucial...guarenteed to work and to get cheap prices...I wouldnt touch the centon stuff...

 

[rainypickles]

i bought a ze4300 (same as 2100z) from costco. i configured with 128mb and bought 256 from crucial for $50 (you can use the memory selector/configurator thing). installing the ram was seriously easy. unscrew lid, snap in ram, screw back in.

since its the mobile xp, like someone said, it throttles to ~1ghz, but ive seen it as high as 1.7ghz.

i havent used that many laptops, but it runs like a champ. itll run your everyday applications with ease. after i downloaded the video update from the support site, i can now run battlefield 1942 on the computer. serious sam: TSE and wc3 work great too!

 

[chin311]

Originally posted by: rainypickles
i bought a ze4300 (same as 2100z) from costco. i configured with 128mb and bought 256 from crucial for $50 (you can use the memory selector/configurator thing). installing the ram was seriously easy. unscrew lid, snap in ram, screw back in.

since its the mobile xp, like someone said, it throttles to ~1ghz, but ive seen it as high as 1.7ghz.

i havent used that many laptops, but it runs like a champ. itll run your everyday applications with ease. after i downloaded the video update from the support site, i can now run battlefield 1942 on the computer. serious sam: TSE and wc3 work great too!

link to video update? because w3 doesnt even run that great....maybe this update will help...thx

also, your using the shared mem. radeon video chipset? and it runs BF1942 that good? surprising...

 

[alexruiz]

Originally posted by: chin311

Originally posted by: rainypickles
i bought a ze4300 (same as 2100z) from costco. i configured with 128mb and bought 256 from crucial for $50 (you can use the memory selector/configurator thing). installing the ram was seriously easy. unscrew lid, snap in ram, screw back in.

since its the mobile xp, like someone said, it throttles to ~1ghz, but ive seen it as high as 1.7ghz.

i havent used that many laptops, but it runs like a champ. itll run your everyday applications with ease. after i downloaded the video update from the support site, i can now run battlefield 1942 on the computer. serious sam: TSE and wc3 work great too!

link to video update? because w3 doesnt even run that great....maybe this update will help...thx

also, your using the shared mem. radeon video chipset? and it runs BF1942 that good? surprising...

Same chipset (ATI's IGP 320 with embedded radeon 7000 graphics). I am downloading the patch also...... Ah, if only we had an NForce2 mobile

 

[rainypickles]

http://h20004.www2.hp.com/soar_rnotes/bsdmatrix/matrix321517en_US.html

apparently, that is for the ze4301 model. they dont have a section for 4300.

look for the ATI Mobility U1 Video Driver.

fyi, my ze4300 is 2200+, 320mb (384-64), 64mb shared video, 20gb drive. it'll run bf42, but it gets a warm, just have a fan nearby. good luck!

 

[Ionizer86]

I just got one of those yesterday too. I'll post back when it's here.

After all the discounts, $760ish for a Barton 2400+ notebook with a good chipset like the ATi IGP 320, dual drives, 256 ram, 30gb drive, etc is pretty sweet! Owns any celery, comparable to a P4, and is almost as power efficient and almost as fast as the Pentium-M/Banias, all at a really nice cost