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- First reviewNovember 30, 2016
- Last reviewNovember 30, 2016
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- Average rating5
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iWalkingCorpse's Reviews
Work and play with this HP notebook. AMD Radeon graphics provide an optimal viewing experience, and the HP Audio Boost technology provides clear, dynamic sound. The HD touch screen lets you control your computer like a tablet, and the front-facing, wide-angle camera of this HP notebook lets you video chat with the entire crew.
Customer Rating
5
Great Entry-Level Laptop for a student
on November 30, 2016
Posted by: iWalkingCorpse
*Disclaimer* I received this laptop from AMD for my honest review. All views are my own.
This laptop uses the entry-level AMD A9-9410 from the Stoney-Ridge APU series for notebooks, with a 15W TDP. In this configuration, from HP’s Pavilion range, it’s primarily aimed at either students or budget-conscious parents.
Usage:
In my week of testing, the A9 held up well to its intended usage. Office applications (pre-installed 30-day free trial of Office 365) run smoothly and light multitasking is possible (office/web/communications). Light gaming is also handled well (Hearthstone, Rocket League) and the combination of the vibrant color of the 1080p IPS screen and the clean sounding Bang & Olufsen speakers made for a rewarding media watching experience.
One thing to mention is that Windows defaults to a desktop scaling of 120% on this laptop, I found it skewed the icons slightly and you may want to change this to scaling of 100% as I did.
Hardware:
The brushed-gold finish on the plastic casing is understated and feels good to the touch. Using plastic also helps keep the weight down.
The touchpad is from Synaptics, and responds well to input and all the usual multi-touch gestures. Edge scrolling is available for those who don’t like two-finger scroll. The touchscreen is also responsive.
The keyboard is very pleasant to type on, keypress is firm and the keys are spaced well. The included white backlight is a welcome addition. HP has a feature they call Action Keys which turns the F-keys into one-touch media keys and is handy for a media-focused device.
Installed wifi is the latest standard (AC) and makes for stable, fast usage. I was able to fully max out my FiOS connection which is 90mbps down/up.
The laptop has a spacious 1tb hard-drive and also comes with a SuperMulti DVD/CD burner which adds to its media capabilities, and will also come in handy for software installation (school IT departments often still give programs on disc).
With the A9 only being 15W, the battery life of this laptop was pleasantly surprising. My media test (looping video, brightness 100%) lasted for 3 hours before the laptop turned off. It should give you enough power for a day of classes, and the charger is quick to replenish the battery once plugged in.
Other thoughts:
I’d recommend this laptop to anyone who is in the market for a reliable, entry-level machine. The addition of some usually premium features (1080p IPS touchscreen, backlit keyboard, B&O speakers) coupled with the performance/watt of the A9 processor makes for a vibrant media experience that I’ve not experienced before a machine in this category.
My Best Buy number: 3443780041
I would recommend this to a friend!
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