HP G42-230US 14-Inch Laptop Review

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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HP G42-240US 14.Inch Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this computer from another site when they had a promotion on it. I looked at the specs and the price, and saw that it was a steal, and I abandoned my prejudice against HP for their past products and bought it. I am very happy that I did. I won't say the exact price that I got the computer for, but I will say that this computer is in the $600 and under category.
This computer is a good mixture of good technology. The processor in this computer is a very good processor for a number of reasons. The L2 cache is 2mb as opposed to 1mb in most Turion IIs; the energy consumption is 25w, which is very low for a laptop processor of this magnitude. The M880 chipset and ATI Radeon 4250 provide a decent graphics setup; obviously, this computer isn't for modern gaming due to the lack of a dedicated video card... However, this video setup is much better than you will get with any Intel onboard graphics and will work just fine for most anything short of intensive 3D gaming/ 3D rendering... The 14" screen on this computer is a good one, with great viewing angles. The speakers are good for laptop speakers, but really, there aren't any spectacular internal laptop speakers and so if you want great sound quality and volume, invest in a decent pair of laptop speakers.
Aesthetically, this computer is certainly pleasing. The silver-ish patterned case of the computer is really unique and I really enjoy it. 14" is the perfect size for me, as it cradles perfectly in my lap and is much, much more portable than 15.6" or so laptops than I have owned in the past.
The keyboard is not bad at all... No Num Pad, but the buttons and function button planning are very well done. For a 14" laptop, I'm not sure if you can ask for a smarter/ better keyboard than this...
As for the cons, there is one that may just be something I am misunderstanding, but it really seems like the USB port that is on the right side (for the mouse) is not USB 2.0... For some reason, it doesn't get nearly the transfer rate as the other USB ports. I recommend getting a high speed hub with this computer so that you can easily add the additional USB ports that you will surely need. The other con is also fair in magnitude... HP has a lot of programs that it installs to keep your computer running well with HP updates on the drivers on your computer and such. Some of these programs are helpful and some are bloatware. It is much harder to sort out which is which with HP laptops than other brands, since they get so much more involved in the upkeep of your computer. I have it set up just fine on my computer now, and practically any laptop that you get nowadays is going to have some kind of bloatware on it, so the problem is easily handled with a bit of time, just like with most laptops. Extra care is needed to make sure that you do not remove programs that HP has created to help your computer, such as keep the hardware drivers up to date, etc...
All in all, this computer is great... Just what I was looking for! This laptop is perfect for just about anyone that doesn't do intense 3D graphic stuff. I would even go so far as to say that anything better than this is overkill if you are not going to be doing that type of stuff. This is a great desktop replacement computer that is very versatile in its uses and very good on the battery given the power of the computer. I was hesitant to buy HP before this computer, but I am certainly not anymore.
Five stars from me!

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP G42-240US 14.Inch Laptop

Count on a notebook with a clean design and plenty of style. The affordable HP G42-240US Notebook PC looks great with the fingerprint-resistant, textured HP Imprint finish with the prism design in white. This HP laptop is a great choice for productivity, reliability and value. 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.Have more fun. The HP G42-240US Notebook PC has the right balance of performance and entertainment. 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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HP Envy 14-1110nr 14.5-Inch Relic Laptop PC - Up to 3.45 Hours of Battery Life (Carbon) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Amazon appears to be the only place that has user reviews for the envy 14 WITHOUT the 1600x 900 radiance display, which is no long available. I searched and read every blog talking about this before I bought, here's the bottom line. I was so hesitant and hemmed and hawed about buying this after reading all the blogs- why? Because I'm like a lot of buyers out there, it really bugs me to get something new without having the best of everything installed on it, especially when it comes to computers because of the rapidness in which your brand new technology becomes 2nd best, and then nearly obsolete. The blogs were filled with people who got the radiance screen bragging profusely and potential buyers refusing to pull the trigger on this laptop unless the radiance display comes back...mixed with all the technical jargon about 1366x768 vs 1600x900 for this or that application, etc etc.
I bought it anyway, why? It truly is the perfect size for the perfect balance between portability and performance. Amazon had an awesome price of less than 1000 bucks for not the lowest speed processor or smallest hard drive, a very nice build of 640 gb, 7200 rpm drive and the 3rd fastest available core i5. It also just plain looks sexy compared to any other windows based laptop being produced! It truly is a strong competitor for the MacBook pro, being made to look like it, but just different enough with some extra flair to set it apart.
Now the display- it is sad that HP lost the radiance display, that display is what in my opinion would have made the envy 14 laptop the absolute best laptop produced in 2010, and would have outdone the 15 inch and higher MacBook pro in every single category. As it stands now, I believe it outdoes the 13 inch MacBook pro, and for 300 bucks less! As far as windows based laptops in the same size and class, like I said, it's the best balance of price, performance, and portability, and best looking. The 1366x 768 edge to edge glass display is still nice, it honestly is- iTunes movies at 720p look great, text is crystal clear, colors are brilliant, honestly, even if you are a power user, I don't see why you would be disappointed with the quality of the display, and remember the radeon 5650 card can do anything you need it to do more than what the laptop display provides when you hook it up to an HDTV or external LCD HD monitor. So, be angry at hp if you must, and refuse to buy this laptop without the better display, but if you can get over it, you will not be disappointed with this laptop if you do buy it...

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Envy 14-1110nr 14.5-Inch Relic Laptop PC - Up to 3.45 Hours of Battery Life (Carbon)

Get the perfect balance of performance and mobility. Play music the way it's meant to be heard using the slim, lightweight HP ENVY 14-1110NR notebook with Beats Audio. Enjoy crystal-clear, studio-quality sound with the push of two buttons and rock out with a pair of Beats headphones (sold separately). This stylish HP laptop has a laser-etched aluminum finish in carbon relic and a full-size backlit keyboard that's easy to use in the dark. Watch music videos and DVDs, plus view slideshows effortlessly on the 14.5-inch diagonal High-Definition HP BrightView Infinity LED Display. The HP ENVY 14-1110NR seamlessly fuses design and technology. It has a fast Intel processor and a large hard drive for your music library, videos and more. Stay unplugged for up to 3.75 hours with the standard battery and get up to 8.25 more hours using an optional HP ENVY Slim Fit Extended-Life battery (sold separately).

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