Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)!!UPDATED!!
I have had my g42-230us for three months and found it to be a decent moderately powerful computer. The 7200RPM hard drive and 1Mb per core cache give it the extra "umph" it needs to compete with the Intel offers.
This computer, like most consumer targeted systems, came loaded with bloatware (software that isn't required and slows down performance).
I am a computer tech so the first thing I recommend for this and all consumer targeted computers is to make the restore DVD's as soon as you turn on the computer and before you connect to a network or the internet. Second thing I recommend to do is to get a genuine copy of Windows 7, then use it to reformat (and delete all extra hard drive partitions) and reinstall operating system. Doing this is almost literally the difference between night and day. You will realize more hard drive space, faster boot and shutdown, no software "nags" (other than Windows 7 "nags") or bloatware pop ups to activate and upgrade trial software and no performance robbing unnecessary running services and registry entries.
I tell my customers to consider this a required cost to any big brand consumer level computer purchased (comsumer level computers are typicaly computers sold that are not installed with Windows 7 Professional). You can get windows here on Amazon:Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Microsoft Windows 7 Professional . Keep in mind bloatware keeps the cost of the computer down (the computer's maker is often paid to install this trial software in hopes it will lead to the sale of the full product.
After installing Genuine Windows 7 64bit I have a decent professional grade laptop for a few hundred less than what HP sells them for otherwise.
Clarification from what other reviews have stated: All three USB ports are v2.0 and are powered to 500mA. I have tested them and confirmed this to be true even under battery power.
Note:
No modem is included and no PC Card socket is present.
The speakers and Altec Lansing, upward facing above the Function keys near the display hinge.
Wired LAN is not Gigabit Ethernet (this is a real downgrade from my almost four year old Acer Aspire).
Annoyances:
The power button is slightly recessed and very small. I have very small fingers but still have to press the button multiple times to get it depressed enough to activate (but now I just use my finger nail and it works fine).
The hard drive activity light looks to be a 1mm LED mounted behind a hole in the left side of the unit next to the media card reader. This is excellent for the person sitting to my left when they want to know if my hard drive is active but totally useless to me.
Also the power / charging light looks to be a 1mm LED mounted behind a hole on the right side near the DC input. This too is excellent for the person on my right that wants to know if my laptop is charging or on but totally useless to me.
There is however a power light in the power button above the Function keys and speakers near the hindge but it to looks to be a 1mm LED pointed straight up and can't be seen when the lid is closed so you cannot see if your computer is on/sleeping/or off unless you open the lid or look at the led on the right side of the unit.
Almost a deal killer is the fact that the touchpad area is not recessed or raised, nor does it have a different pattern or texture than the palm rests. Without looking, using the touchpad buttons as an guide, a person cannot feel where the touchpad area starts and ends on the left and right side. I used 3M blue painters tape 3M 2090 Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape for Multi-Surfaces 1-Inch x 60-Yard, 4-Rollto create outlines of the touchpad area to use the unit in the dark and without watching my fingers.
Battery:
The stock battery is a MU06 and the battery life is very good but I got the MU09 extended life batter anyway. The extended life battery does stick out some at the bottom causing a funny lop-sided look. Also an optional higher watt charger can be found but I don't know it would be any better than the one included. HP 90W Smart Ac Adapter US
I like Acer / Gateway laptops because I had always found them easy to work on but I have already taken this one apart pretty well and it isn't as bad as the HP computers of previous years.
I have a report for Speccy on my unit:
CPU
AMD K10
45nm Technology
RAM
4.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 531MHz (7-7-7-20)
Motherboard
Hewlett-Packard 1444 (Socket S1G4)
Graphics
Generic PnP Monitor @ 1366x768
AMD M880G with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
Hard Drives
313GB Seagate ST932042 3AS SATA Disk Device (IDE)
Optical Drives
hp CDDVDW TS-L633N SATA CdRom Device
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio
CPU
AMD K10
Cores2
Threads2
NameAMD K10
PackageSocket S1 (638)
Technology45nm
SpecificationAMD Turion(tm) II P520 Dual-Core Processor
FamilyF
Extended Family10
Model6
Extended Model6
Stepping3
RevisionDA-C3
InstructionsMMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4A, x86-64
Bus Speed199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed1795.6 MHz
Stock Core Speed2300 MHz
Stock Bus Speed200 MHz
Caches
L1 Data Cache Size2 x 64 KBytes
L1 Instructions Cache Size2 x 64 KBytes
L2 Unified Cache Size2 x 1024 KBytes
Core 0
Core Speed2294.2 MHz
Multiplierx 11.5
Bus Speed199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed1795.6 MHz
Thread 1
APIC ID0
Core 1
Core Speed2294.2 MHz
Multiplierx 11.5
Bus Speed199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed1795.6 MHz
Thread 1
APIC ID1
RAM
Memory slots
Total memory slots2
Used memory slots2
Free memory slots0
Memory
TypeDDR3
Size4096 MBytes
Channels #Dual
DRAM Frequency532.0 MHz
CAS# Latency (CL)7 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD)7 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP)7 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS)20 clocks
Bank Cycle Time (tR?)27 clocks
Command Rate (CR)1T
SPD
Number Of SPD Modules2
Motherboard
ManufacturerHewlett-Packard
Model1444
Chipset VendorAMD
Chipset Model785GX
Chipset Revision00
Southbridge VendorAMD
Southbridge ModelSB800
Southbridge Revision40
BIOS
BrandHewlett-Packard
VersionF.0A
Date06/08/2010
Graphics
Monitor
NameGeneric PnP Monitor on AMD M880G with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
Current Resolution1366x768 pixels
Work Resolution1366x738 pixels
Stateenabled, primary
Monitor Width1366
Monitor Height768
Monitor BPP32 bits per pixel
Monitor Frequency60 Hz
AMD M880G with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
Memory256 MB
Memory type2
Hard Drives
ST932042 3AS SATA Disk Device
ManufacturerSeagate
Form Factor2.5"
InterfaceIDE
Capacity313GB
Real size320,072,933,376 bytes
Optical Drives
hp CDDVDW TS-L633N SATA CdRom Device
Audio
Sound Cards
ATI High Definition Audio Device
Realtek High Definition Audio
Playback Device
Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Recording Devices
Stereo Mix (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Microphone (Realtek High Definition Audio)(default)
Peripherals
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Device KindKeyboard
Device NameStandard PS/2 Keyboard
Locationplugged into keyboard port
Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
Device KindMouse
Device NameSynaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
Locationplugged into PS/2 mouse por
USB Video Device
Device KindCamera/scanner
Device NameUSB Video Device
VendorUnknown
CommentHP Webcam-101
LocationUSB Composite Device
I have been informed that there is a clean install restore option but this is not an option on my unit. The factory restore "clean" option still installs many services and registry items including HP "nags" and programs that connect to HP's web site to keep you informed up updates and messages (offers). The clean install I recomend will give a user the most out of the computer.
!!!!!!CAVEAT!!!!!!!: Some users do not mind or miss the lost performance and hard drive space and can very well live with the hp "clean" install or even the factory install.
I only mention the clean install in my review because I and most of my cutomers are "power" users and prefere a true Windows clean install from a genuine Windows disc. Plus a person can buy almost the same computer without the bloatware software installed for twice the price. I am just pointing out an alternative to spending twice the money and getting the almost the same computer as a pro model.
Click Here to see more reviews about: HP G42-230US 14-Inch Laptop
Do more without spending more than you expect. For productivity, reliability and fun at a great value, choose the affordable HP G42-230US Notebook PC. Watch DVDs and view photos easily on the 14.0-inch diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView LED display. Browse the Web from any room and on the go using built-in Wi-Fi, plus video chat using the integrated HP webcam. This HP laptop also looks great with the fingerprint-resistant, textured HP Imprint finish with the prism design in silver.Stay productive and be entertained. The HP G42-230US Notebook PC has the right balance of performance and fun. Handle everyday tasks effortlessly using the dual-core processor and 4GB of memory. Convenient one-touch keys give you fast access to email, the Web and other common applications. Burn custom labels onto CDs and DVDs using LightScribe Technology. Transfer photos directly from a memory card to your HP laptop, plus manage and share your photos using HP Photo Creations software. At 4.85 pounds, this notebook is light enough to carry with you all day long.
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