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ReverendDC's Reviews
 
This HP Pavilion g7-1368dx laptop features a DVD±RW/CD-RW drive for creating customized CDs and DVDs and a built-in webcam for video chatting with friends. Wireless networking offers an easy connection to the Internet.Windows 7 Home Premium installedLearn more.Learn more about VISION Technology from AMD.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A Good System For A Great Price
on July 30, 2012
Posted by: ReverendDC
from Salt Lake City, UT
I have written reviews on each and every system that I have purchased from BestBuy, and I have only been disappointed once. For this machine, I am very happy with the performance, and I would like to tell you about it....
Basics:
I purchased a g7-1237dx about a year ago, and wrote a very long review. I will try to be more brief here, but there is a lot to talk about.
The HP g7 series hasn't changed its outward appearance for at least 2 years. They are good looking, if not super thin #1.4" at its thickest#, and have a good average weight for a system of its size #6 lbs#. While the 1237dx wasn't the best in terms of build quality, the 1368dx that i recieved was constructed in a much better manner. There is no creaking or loose fittings. The only bending that I can find was literally directly in the middle of the screen where there is no support #the hinges are almost at the extreme edges of the system#. This shouldn't be too much of an issue, although, the way I carry the system, this is exactly where I put my hand. This minimal flexing didn't cause any damage to the screen from what I can see. The base doesn't flex at all.
No shocker here....the speakers are tinny #albeit loud#, with almost no base. This is NOT a Beats Audio system. Output from HDMI or analog is great, and comes with SRS Surround sound.
WiFi works great and connects quickly and with little issue, but it comes with 2.4GHz ONLY b/g/n in what appears to be a 1x1 configuration. Even on a 2.4GHz n network, you are going to max at 72 Gbps - this is plenty fast for HD movies and online gaming The included bluetooth radio is rare at this price, and is quite welcome.
Display:
The screen is....nice. It isn't going to break any pixel records, and it #like the HUGE majority of TN laptop screens# has a slightly bluish hue to it. This really has no effect on the productivity of the screen, and, for movies, it is not noticeable at all. It is clear from about 2 feet away, with individual pixels disappearing into the background from that difference. The 1600x900 that is seen on this screen is a welcome departure from the 1366x768 fare on a 15", and you can fit quite a bit more onto the screen. Of course, the stretch to 17.3" means that the pixel density isn't THAT much greater than what you would find on a 15", but it is definitely better. Again, the screen gives just a little more than what you would expect at this price point.
The brightness is good for all locations except the brightest settings #direct sunlight, studio#. Blue tints pop while red tints tend to be somewhat muted.
Of course, you are looking at a screen that probably has a better resolution than that cheap 19-22" TV you bought for the bedroom #if it is 720p...the display is 900p officially, in between 1080 and 720#.
GUTS!
The internals of the system are not overly noteworthy. The A6-3420M installed isn't going to slay the i7 system, but, then again, you aren't paying $1000+ for that, either.
The RAM was a pleasant suprise. I could not find a difference between this and the 1328dx, but I suspect that this is at least part of it. This system was installed with a single module of DDR3L-12800 RAM. The problem is that the A6 in this system can only handle 1333, otherwise known as DDR3-10600. #WARNING: TECHIE STUFF!# While this is nice, it is actually a VERY slight hinderance, as the CAS latency for the speedier chip is actually longer. I ALWAYS upgrade my system with a second 4GB stick - this allows the A6 to use dual channel rather than single channel. In addition, you can reduce your reliance on the paging file and virtual memory from....
...the hard drive. It is a standard fare 500GB 5400RPM platter drive. It is obvious that one of the bottlenecks on this system is most certainly the hard drive. I wait for docs to pull for far longer than it takes for the rest of the hardware to call them. I am NOT a fan of SSD #only for the reliability issues#, but I can see where many need this speed. If you want to upgrade #besides RAM#, this is definitely a place I would look. Even going to a 7200 RPM drive would be very helpful for quicker work, although your battery will not thank you.
The battery #speaking of# is pretty good, and will reliably last about 3.5 hours on a charge for standard office work. Any type of gaming cuts that down to about 2-2.5 hours. Minecraft #a very CPU-dependent game# will send you to an outlet in about 1.5-2 hours. it is easily switchable, but this also lends to a little bit of "shake" in the battery when carrying.
There is no USB 3.0 port, but all of the other niceties are there, including a VGA adapter #in our home theater HDMI world, most companies still use some variations of this port#. The DVD burner is loud and clicky, but nothing new there.
This adds up to a very snappy system for regular tasks. As a browser, entertainment system #its in the name!#, light to medium gaming system, and work...um...workhorse, this system is powered very well, and you will rarely see any lagging. When speaking of rendering or DVD ripping #legally, of course. You can legally make a copy of any movie you have purchased #Fair Use##, you won't have to set up the system and then check back in a few days, but you won't have instantaneous work like a quad or 6 core i7.
Gaming:
I run four games on every system: Minecraft, Crysis 2, Microsoft Flight, and Rome: Total War. Rome is of course the oldest of the 4, but still a personal favorite. When run on this system, there is no issue with 10,000 on 10,000 battles. None of the settings need to be turned down - a very nice thing indeed. Minecraft runs very well, even with Skype, Chrome, and Fraps recording in the background. In fact, Fraps is more limited by the hard drive write speed than the processors or game #KOP 128 to record, KOP 256 to play#. Microsoft flight is 30 FPS at 1366x768 and "very high" settings, with some being at the top #background rendering but NOT water effects#. At 1600x900, it is just below playable, averaging about 19 FPS. You can get it to 24 FPS at this resolution, but settings have to be at the lowest possible setting. Finally, Crysis 2, always a system killer, does run on this system. With all settings on the lowest value, you can get between 24-30 FPS. It will run with no issue at 1024x800 or 600 and the mid-grade settings.
Summary: It will play most modern games, and you can get decent graphics, an excellent proposition in this area #where even the newest Intel HD4000 usually can't get frames on more intense games#
Software:
One of my complaints is the fact that all PC companies slather their systems with unnecessary bloatware or "crapware." While I understand that this lowers the overall price of the system, it is a big annoyance to remove, only about three programs that came with the system are useful #for me, of course. Your mileage may vary.#, and the fact that it affects the initial perception of ability for the device itself upon first boot #it loads about 15 programs into running processes, so that your initial boot process count is north of 80#. The good thing is that each program was removable with a little uninstalling, and it didn't take almost any time at all to complete.
Windows 7 is, well, Windows 7. The best MS OS ever continues to be smooth, reliable, and useful, usually getting out of the way of all actions I wish to take #as it should as an OS#. The Home Premium version is usually good for all but the most specific implementations #domain creation comes to mind#. Upgrades are always "thoughtfully" available through Control Panel as always.
The "On Screen Display" is useful, as is the Support Assistant, although you lose your local help documentation if you remove it. While I don't use QuickWeb often, it can come in handy #it is simply a cut-down Linux kernel#. I heavily suggest avoiding any of the games from WildTangent, however - they tend to load up your system with unwanted span and take your data. Again, this is just my experience with the software.
The Downsides:
There are a few downsides, even for the price you pay. The first and most egregious is the "touchpad." I place "touchpad" in quotes because it could also be called "a grating piece of plastic that sometimes works to move the cursor." AFTER updating my drivers to the latest and greatest, I am still only able to get the "touchpad" to recognize about 65% of my actions. It simply ignores the rest. In addition, when I say "grating," I mean it in the literal sense - the dimpled "touchpad" section literally hurts the very sensitive tips of your fingers as you move across it. It is nice to know where your touchpad is, but, in the case of this "touchpad," I would rather it not be included at all. It is THAT bad, and, by far, the biggest indictment of the entire g7 line. The buttons underneath it either play too much #1237dx# or are stiff and difficult to push #1368dx#.
I'm not the first person, but the thing that HP has historically done the worst on their laptop lines is the touchpad, and, I'm sorry to say, this one is no different; this is where the excellent included bluetooth radio comes in handy.
As a geek note, I would really like for the BIOS to be somewhat opened. I should be able to decide how much RAM I want dedicated to the GPU, and, according to HP, I can't under any circumstances. Again, small note.
Verdict:
Overall, we have a very good system for a great price. To get something comparable #including the GPU power#, you need to spend at a minimum $500.00. With this system, you are well under that. In fact, at this price point and standard use case scenario, I wouldn't go with an Intel chip, which tends to be more powerful in the CPU but not even close in gaming. This sytem works very well, and I don't think anyone outside of major content creators will be disappointed.
What's great about it: quick, well-built, big screen, great price, Bluetooth, good keyboard, number pad
What's not so great: AWFUL trackpad and buttons, BIOS lockdown, "crapware"
I would recommend this to a friend!
Display
4 out of 5
4
Performance
5 out of 5
5
+6points
6of 6voted this as helpful.
 
Type easier and more accurately with the height-adjustable HP Elite V2 wireless keyboard. It's compatible with many computers and tablets, and the 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity works from as far away as 30 feet. The keys of the HP Elite V2 wireless keyboard operate quietly, and prevent dust and dirt accumulation.
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Great-Looking And Feeling Keyboard
on June 22, 2012
Posted by: ReverendDC
from Salt Lake City, UT
I bought this keyboard in lieu of the Logitech M360, which is a great low price wireless keyboard. I have purchased THREE of the m360s, indicating how much I liked them. However, when my last one cracked and finally gave up the ghost after a year and a half and about a million miles of travel, I was looking to "upgrade." The HP Elite v2 gave me this opportunity.
I have an HP system, so this fits right in with my overall look. The first thing you notice is how heavy this very thin keyboard is. It is built like a tank; there is VERY little flex, even though it is millimeter-thin. It is heavier than most curved or comfort keyboards. While this adds some weight to your travel bag, it isn't enough to override the great-feeling build quality.
It's clean, almost "old school" black is countered by its more modern button and key appearance. It is very clean, with the HP logo featured in brushed metal smack in the middle of the keyboard. You can't miss it. As stated earlier, it is razor thin, but looking at the back reveals curves that are missing on the front of the 'board. It is a dichotomy of differnt design agendas, but works very well in practice.
The one design flaw is the "warning" sticker aboiut not typing too much. It ruins the otherwise clean lines. It isn't necessary, HP - put it on the back. What makes it worse is that there is an indent for the sticker, so even removing it leaves an indent with nothing in it. HP - COME ON MAN!
The keys themselves are feather-light to the press. However, as with all but the top-end wireless keyboards, your computer will miss a keystroke or two along the way. It is more rare than more conventional designs without the scissor keys of the HP, but it still happens from time to time.
In addition, there are only 5 quick keys - sleep, volume up, down, mute and open your home page or browser. The keyboard does have playback controls, but they are hidden behind the function keys - you have to press the "Fn" key to utilize the simple playback controls. This would not be an issue except for the fact that there is no way to change the function keys to only utilize the "secondary" option #play, rewind, etc#. There is no software offered to change the function of these keys #ala Logitech#. Likewise, the sleep button does put your system to sleep, but the keyboard itself does not reawaken the computer by keypress. Some would find this quite good, but others, especially those who utilize this with a desktop, will find this to be an annoyance.
Likewise, some of the key choices are somewhat unusual. HP could have made this keyboard less wide without losing the full size keys by simply relocating the Home/End/Delete area of keys and relocating them to either above or to te side of the other keys, or integrate them more fully in other ways. The Delete key is double sized, which is somewhat unusual, and it is located very closely to the Enter key. I could see this causing trouble for some.
I touch typed on the M360 at an average of 75 WPM. On the HP, this jumps to 80-85 WPM with about one day of acclimation. I suspect that the light presses needed to enter keystrokes has had a positive influence on this increase, especially since I haven't been using it long enough to learn its intricacies.
Now time for a non HP specific rant: WHY CAN'T THIS KEYBOARD WORK WITH A LOGITECH "Unifying" USB TRANSMITTER? WHY CAN'T A LOGITECH MOUSE WORK WITH HP'S 5-LIN SETUP? Since i have one product from each, I have to place two transmitters into my laptop. I have three. Many only have two, and, in most current systems, one of those is USB 3.0. This seems to me to be a senseless waste. I understand the "need" to force consumers to buy more of your product, HP/Logitech/Microsoft/Razor/etc, but this is not conducive to continued success. I am not even completely certain that this will work with your built-in bluetooth transmitter if you have one #moot point for me...I actually try to avoid systems with bluetooth built in#. Can we PLEASE at least make devices discoverable on onther dongles/transmitters from other manufacturers? Please?
Finally....where is the power button? Theoretically, it appears as if it shuts off if it doesn't get a signal for a certain amount of time, or just after shutdown. The lack of a switch or even an indicator light indicating power state is appalling, especially for a keyboard that runs AAA batteries, not the FAR MORE common AAs. Tradeoff for design, I know, but there should be some power indication. HP - fix it please.
#One word of warning - it is wider than a 17.3" laptop. It fits into a bag made for up to 17.3" systems, but I suspect that you would have at least some difficulty getting this into a bag that maxes out at 15.6" or 16".#
Overall, if you are looking for a mid range keyboard that is sleek and clean and requires a light touch for quick typing, this is a great choice. The price for the results could be better, especially with the missing functionality. Considering the build quality and the design, however, this makes for a great keyboard.
What's great about it: Looks fantastic, thin, very sturdy, the gently curved keys help you touch type just a touch
What's not so great: No playback controls without also pressing the function key, no caps lock light, no num lock light
I would recommend this to a friend!
Design
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
3 out of 5
3
+6points
9of 12voted this as helpful.
 
Enjoy brilliant visuals with this HP Pavilion g7-1237dx laptop that features a 17.3" high-definition widescreen display with BrightView technology for an arresting viewing experience. The 500GB hard drive offers ample storage capacity.[Windows 7 Home Premium installedLearn more.Learn more about VISION Technology from AMD.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Great Deal From HP!
on November 25, 2011
Posted by: ReverendDC
from Salt Lake City, UT
It is not often where I find a computer that shocks and amazes me as much as this one does.
PRICE: To start, machines at 17.3" under $500 usually raises some question marks. This is 15.6" territory, and one would usually think that this would be a low end i5 for a decent system. hese costs are coming down recently, so this was at least worth a look.
Let's compare this with the exact same machine running the Intel chipset instead of the AMD chipset, model g7-1257. That model costs $499.99, an extremely reasonable price for an Intel machine, especially one with a 17.3" screen. This one had a cost of #379.99 on sale, and $419.99 off. The off-sale price is $80.00 less than the same Intel machine, and at least $100.00 off versus a comparable system. The low cost means that corners have to be cut somewhere, which brings us to...
BUILD QUALITY: ...the build quality of the unit can be summed up in one word - "plastics." There are varying colors and patterns, but EVERYTHING on this system is made of plastic. I'm not sure that the HDD/RAM compartment cover screws were made out of metal.
In addition, there is a little play on the top cover. You can depress the top and feel the gap, a downside to such a large screen.
This isn't to say the system is shoddy. There are some "rough edges," but, overall, the system is quite sturdy, with no creaking or wobbling, and the hinges seem sturdy and move smoothly. The few plates to close entry are flush with the casing. The fit and finish is actually quite good, and all of the parts seem to fit well.
INTERNALS: The raw CPU performance does synthetic benchmarks at about a 10% lower capacity for the A4 vs i3. In everyday use, this is definitely a wash - you will not see any difference in performance.
Aht A4-330M is the lowest of the A-Series, but exceeds the processing power of the previous similar core/level Turrion and Phenom processors. The power gating is excellent, with extremely quick CPU speed reations when dealing with processing loads. The APU has two threads, similar to an i3, but does not have hyperthreading, a small downside, but not a major one. This will slow down some processes that can utilize mutiple threads, which remain rare. The slowdown is not huge, and it will not be noticable for most users on a system such as this. The regular speed will max out at 1900 MHz, but can boost to 2500 MHz when the situation is right.
It is the video card where things really come into play. The Intel systems through the i7 have no match when speaking of integrated graphics processors #IGPs#. While Best Buy lists this as "discrete graphichs," this doesn't mean that you get a discrete graphics card, it does mean that you get discrete graphics performance, especially when speaking of laptops. The Intel HD2000 and HD3000 have NOTHING on the 6400, 6500, and 6600 IGPs offered by the A-series. The A4 carries the 6480g, which has three times as many graphics cores as the E-350, and is in the same category as many ATI and Nvidia laptop discrete cards.
Standard stuff included 3 USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, an SD multireader, anda power button. Less standard is the included HDMI port, although this is becoming more standard as time goes on.
Sound on the system uses SRS. If you are a user of other systems, you usually see Realtek. In this case, you will see IDT. The same options are there, but not in the same format. It takes some getting used to. There is no subwoofer, but the speakers give out loud, if somewhat tinny, sound. Make sure to play with the settings; the stock ones are for a large room, and there is a noticeable echo.
The 4 GB of RAM is reduced to 3.5 GB, but for a good cause; AMD dedicates 512 MB of it to only the video card. This reduces bottlenecks. On this system, you can do a max of 8GB DDR3-1333. This is not bad.
The 500 GB hard drive is massive for a system of this price, and is greatly appreciated. It is very slow in modern terms, and creates one of the few system bottlenecks when pulling large amounts of data from it. Defragging is also somewhat of a chore. However, slowness aside, the space is quite welcome, and can store most people's entire music and video libraries.
A DVD/CD writer is of course included.
DISPLAY: The display is gorgeous. The vast majority of systems at this price range offer 1366x768 and a 15.6" screen. Because of the 17.3" of real estate, this isn't a viable resolution. HP has therefore provided a 1600x900 resolution. It is bright, crisp, clear, and color accurate #mostly#. It is beautiful, and one of the greatest selling points of the entire system. The resolution means that, while the screen isn't much bigger in size than a 15.6", the screen real estate actually grows much more, about 15% more overall. This screen approaches a small TV in terms of usability, and is nearly full-HD size.
Of course, vertical viewing angles are not awesome, again, to be expected at the price point. The screen is glossy. Otherwise, the screen is a great selling point.
KEYBOARD/MOUSE: The mouse is excellent, with an extremely convenient on/off button for those that enjoy external mice #"mouses?"#. The textured pad area is an excellent differentiator without drawing from the overall appeal of the casing. The buttons are well constructed and mounted to the casing firmly. The button play is a little stiff, but feels well constructed. The multitouch gestures are an excellent point of the pad, registering strokes well.
The keyboard is standard cheap chicklet fare, and is decent enough for quick typing. The play on the keys is somewhat limited as well, and keystrokes sound and feel "hollow." It would have been nice if there was more separation between the number pad and the letters; there is certainly enough space. The function keys are set from stock to bey system-controlling keys, such as brightness and volume. This is an excellent move, and allows for great flexibility without going into settings. The QuickWeb button is one of these.
BATTERY: Run down tests show a mostly excellent performance. I was able to reach 5 hours of battery while playing internally stored movies with WiFi off and the screen dimmed to 30%. It is dark, but this should be useful for plane trips or airport waits. The screen seems to be the biggest battery drainer, with an increase in brightness resulting in a decrease in battery life. In fact, I was only able to get about 2.5 hours with 80% brightness.
Part of this is due to the "small" battery included in the system. It only provides 47 wHrs. There is an extended battery, and, judging from these tests, you can expect 5-8 hours of time with this one. This is suggested if you take this system on the road for extended periods of time.
The life cycle of the battery is of course unknown.
PERFORMANCE: All of these factors put together make for a system that performs like a BOSS! Windows is already almost updated, and it should take less than an hour for setup and updating. Windows 7 runs like a charm, with most Aero features working with all pleasantries working well. Programs open very quickly without taxing the processor. In fact, when Win7 is idle, with nothing active, less than 5% is used at 800 MHz, remembering that the processor maxes at 2.5 GHz. This allows for a super quick reaction time for any process while conserving battery. In fact, the battery is drained much more by the screen than by the other internals. Videos and movies load extremely quickly, and Zune works extremely well. iTunes is also quite responsive, an unusual circumstance when speaking of Win7.
I always suggest removing the Norton trial and installing Microsoft Security Essentials, a free virus scanner that works directly with the OS and has a very small footprint. It is quite effective in most case, although Vipre is also an option if you visit "questionable" sites often.
Gaming performance is admirable, and Minecraft runs extremely well. I am also able to run Mideval Total War II with no issue at medium settings with no AA or AF, but newer games may need to be played at lower settings. This makes this system an excellent gaming performer for the price. The screen enhances this appeal. WoW also runs extremely well.
HD video online plays smoothly, even without hardware acceleration. Netflix plays HD movies strictly on the CPU. Flash, which is hardware accelerated, is no problem with this device.
Browsers react quickly. I was shocked to see how quickly pages rendered, even those that are resource intensive. Multiple browers and tabs are no concern for this system.
There is also QuickWeb to consider. if you were considering a Chrome OS system, consider this instead. For about $50 more than a Chromebook, you get what is essentially a Chromebook in a Windows system. This is a factory installed dual boot system, and QuickWeb is available after about 5 minute setup. It gives you a browser, widgets, and....well, that's it. It is a Linux base, similar to Chrome, but it loads a Firefox browser. Simple browsing is available, but Silverlight is not, meaning you won't be watching Netflix on QuickWeb. You get about a 10 second boot, and about 30 seconds to full use. A welcome addition, but one that probably won't be used much, as Windows boots in about the same amount of time. It is better on the battery, however, as there are very few resources utilized when running QuickWeb.
Office also works very well.
Performance is the biggest upshot of this system, and that is a GREAT thing. You will not be disappointed in this aspect.
OVERALL: This is a great system for someone looking for a good entry to mid level system. It can most certainly be a primary system for all but the most hardcore of user, and you will be happy with your purchase for some time to come.
What's great about it: screen, speed, graphics, battery life
What's not so great: plastic construction, cheap keyboard
I would recommend this to a friend!
Display
5 out of 5
5
Performance
5 out of 5
5
+47points
47of 47voted this as helpful.
 
This netbook features an integrated webcam with digital microphone and wireless connectivity so you can keep in touch on the go. The digital media reader provides access to media on memory cards and the 250GB hard drive provides ample storage space.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
All Around Excellent Second Laptop
on May 8, 2010
Posted by: ReverendDC
from Salt Lake City, UT
I have recently been looking for a second system to allow me to be more portable. I equally Apple/Windows in my ecosystem, and this was a replacement for a 7 year old Windows system, but the iPad was at the head of my list due to my current equipment (iPhone, MacbookPro). An iPad would slot perfectly into this area.
I looked at the iPad, and the sexiness of the device is evident immediately. So to is the biggest missing portion: no keyboard. I own two iPhones, so I am well versed in a soft key system. However, as a portable work "terminal," the device leaves much lacking. To use an iPad, I would still need another small system for work concerns.
I looked at this netbook and saw everything that I wanted. It has some gaming capability that exceeds what is available in the iPad/iPhone system (the Total War series up to Rome plays well). It has full office capability, and it plays video as well if not better than what is available on the iPad. Both Netflix and Hulu play with little issue on the beautiful screen, which is larger than an iPad screen. The keys have a good feel, and overall build is sturdy and good-looking.
The lights around the wifi and power buttons are nice additions to the basic pro-looking frame. The bottom of the frame allows for easy doubling of RAM, and the easy access to the wifi card AND the hard drive even allow for upgrades that shouldn't be necessary with the huge included 250 GB drive. You usually have to pay about $500 to go bigger.
The battery life is amazing, with my system acting as a large cell phone. I charge it overnight, take it off the charger, leave said charger at home, work (with Office, Skype, and WiFi humming the entire time), come home, watch videos, and put the device back on the charger. It works very well as an all day, all around system for light work and light play, and the battery will be with you all day.
The N450/GMA 3150 combo is excellent for this battery life, and both give a slight bump in graphics and speed. You will notice a difference between the older N270 and the newer N450, but it is subtle, allowing for a little more multitasking. The 3150 is a very slight bump in performance, allowing for no-chop video from both Netflix and Hulu, but the battery savings and options are the real winner for the combo.
When combined with Windows 7 Starter, this is a decent option for on-plane viewing and quick video clips. Starter is STRIPPED TO THE BONE. If you want a full Windows implementation, this is not your choice. The choice does allow for quick transitions and quick power up from both stand by and hibernation (close you're lid when not in use). It will run Office well for you in every way, but be careful with large and processor intensive Excel sheets (Atom is not A1 for mass calculations).
The touch pad is very touchy. Many times I will type in another area because the touch pad will register a stroke when there was none. in addition, not having bluetooth connectivity for a system that is so portable is unacceptable. A wireless headset connection would make this machine even more portable, especially to compete with the weak speakers included as a media consumption device. The "HD" sound is very good with a headset.
If you are looking for a second system to fit between your smartphone and your full sized laptop or desktop, this is an excellent choice. If you are looking for a reasonably priced netbook with good light capabilities, this is your choice.
What's great about it: quick, great wifi connectivity, great display, good keyboard, awesome battery life, good looking
What's not so great: touchy touch pad, no bluetooth, awful speakers
I would recommend this to a friend!
Display
5 out of 5
5
Performance
4 out of 5
4
+16points
17of 18voted this as helpful.
 
ReverendDC's Review Comments
 
This HP Pavilion g7-1368dx laptop features a DVD±RW/CD-RW drive for creating customized CDs and DVDs and a built-in webcam for video chatting with friends. Wireless networking offers an easy connection to the Internet.Windows 7 Home Premium installedLearn more.Learn more about VISION Technology from AMD.
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
A Good System For A Great Price
By ReverendDC from Salt Lake City, UT
I have written reviews on each and every system that I have purchased from BestBuy, and I have only been disappointed once. For this machine, I am very happy with the performance, and I would like to tell you about it....
Basics:
I purchased a g7-1237dx about a year ago, and wrote a very long review. I will try to be more brief here, but there is a lot to talk about.
The HP g7 series hasn't changed its outward appearance for at least 2 years. They are good looking, if not super thin #1.4" at its thickest#, and have a good average weight for a system of its size #6 lbs#. While the 1237dx wasn't the best in terms of build quality, the 1368dx that i recieved was constructed in a much better manner. There is no creaking or loose fittings. The only bending that I can find was literally directly in the middle of the screen where there is no support #the hinges are almost at the extreme edges of the system#. This shouldn't be too much of an issue, although, the way I carry the system, this is exactly where I put my hand. This minimal flexing didn't cause any damage to the screen from what I can see. The base doesn't flex at all.
No shocker here....the speakers are tinny #albeit loud#, with almost no base. This is NOT a Beats Audio system. Output from HDMI or analog is great, and comes with SRS Surround sound.
WiFi works great and connects quickly and with little issue, but it comes with 2.4GHz ONLY b/g/n in what appears to be a 1x1 configuration. Even on a 2.4GHz n network, you are going to max at 72 Gbps - this is plenty fast for HD movies and online gaming The included bluetooth radio is rare at this price, and is quite welcome.
Display:
The screen is....nice. It isn't going to break any pixel records, and it #like the HUGE majority of TN laptop screens# has a slightly bluish hue to it. This really has no effect on the productivity of the screen, and, for movies, it is not noticeable at all. It is clear from about 2 feet away, with individual pixels disappearing into the background from that difference. The 1600x900 that is seen on this screen is a welcome departure from the 1366x768 fare on a 15", and you can fit quite a bit more onto the screen. Of course, the stretch to 17.3" means that the pixel density isn't THAT much greater than what you would find on a 15", but it is definitely better. Again, the screen gives just a little more than what you would expect at this price point.
The brightness is good for all locations except the brightest settings #direct sunlight, studio#. Blue tints pop while red tints tend to be somewhat muted.
Of course, you are looking at a screen that probably has a better resolution than that cheap 19-22" TV you bought for the bedroom #if it is 720p...the display is 900p officially, in between 1080 and 720#.
GUTS!
The internals of the system are not overly noteworthy. The A6-3420M installed isn't going to slay the i7 system, but, then again, you aren't paying $1000+ for that, either.
The RAM was a pleasant suprise. I could not find a difference between this and the 1328dx, but I suspect that this is at least part of it. This system was installed with a single module of DDR3L-12800 RAM. The problem is that the A6 in this system can only handle 1333, otherwise known as DDR3-10600. #WARNING: TECHIE STUFF!# While this is nice, it is actually a VERY slight hinderance, as the CAS latency for the speedier chip is actually longer. I ALWAYS upgrade my system with a second 4GB stick - this allows the A6 to use dual channel rather than single channel. In addition, you can reduce your reliance on the paging file and virtual memory from....
...the hard drive. It is a standard fare 500GB 5400RPM platter drive. It is obvious that one of the bottlenecks on this system is most certainly the hard drive. I wait for docs to pull for far longer than it takes for the rest of the hardware to call them. I am NOT a fan of SSD #only for the reliability issues#, but I can see where many need this speed. If you want to upgrade #besides RAM#, this is definitely a place I would look. Even going to a 7200 RPM drive would be very helpful for quicker work, although your battery will not thank you.
The battery #speaking of# is pretty good, and will reliably last about 3.5 hours on a charge for standard office work. Any type of gaming cuts that down to about 2-2.5 hours. Minecraft #a very CPU-dependent game# will send you to an outlet in about 1.5-2 hours. it is easily switchable, but this also lends to a little bit of "shake" in the battery when carrying.
There is no USB 3.0 port, but all of the other niceties are there, including a VGA adapter #in our home theater HDMI world, most companies still use some variations of this port#. The DVD burner is loud and clicky, but nothing new there.
This adds up to a very snappy system for regular tasks. As a browser, entertainment system #its in the name!#, light to medium gaming system, and work...um...workhorse, this system is powered very well, and you will rarely see any lagging. When speaking of rendering or DVD ripping #legally, of course. You can legally make a copy of any movie you have purchased #Fair Use##, you won't have to set up the system and then check back in a few days, but you won't have instantaneous work like a quad or 6 core i7.
Gaming:
I run four games on every system: Minecraft, Crysis 2, Microsoft Flight, and Rome: Total War. Rome is of course the oldest of the 4, but still a personal favorite. When run on this system, there is no issue with 10,000 on 10,000 battles. None of the settings need to be turned down - a very nice thing indeed. Minecraft runs very well, even with Skype, Chrome, and Fraps recording in the background. In fact, Fraps is more limited by the hard drive write speed than the processors or game #KOP 128 to record, KOP 256 to play#. Microsoft flight is 30 FPS at 1366x768 and "very high" settings, with some being at the top #background rendering but NOT water effects#. At 1600x900, it is just below playable, averaging about 19 FPS. You can get it to 24 FPS at this resolution, but settings have to be at the lowest possible setting. Finally, Crysis 2, always a system killer, does run on this system. With all settings on the lowest value, you can get between 24-30 FPS. It will run with no issue at 1024x800 or 600 and the mid-grade settings.
Summary: It will play most modern games, and you can get decent graphics, an excellent proposition in this area #where even the newest Intel HD4000 usually can't get frames on more intense games#
Software:
One of my complaints is the fact that all PC companies slather their systems with unnecessary bloatware or "crapware." While I understand that this lowers the overall price of the system, it is a big annoyance to remove, only about three programs that came with the system are useful #for me, of course. Your mileage may vary.#, and the fact that it affects the initial perception of ability for the device itself upon first boot #it loads about 15 programs into running processes, so that your initial boot process count is north of 80#. The good thing is that each program was removable with a little uninstalling, and it didn't take almost any time at all to complete.
Windows 7 is, well, Windows 7. The best MS OS ever continues to be smooth, reliable, and useful, usually getting out of the way of all actions I wish to take #as it should as an OS#. The Home Premium version is usually good for all but the most specific implementations #domain creation comes to mind#. Upgrades are always "thoughtfully" available through Control Panel as always.
The "On Screen Display" is useful, as is the Support Assistant, although you lose your local help documentation if you remove it. While I don't use QuickWeb often, it can come in handy #it is simply a cut-down Linux kernel#. I heavily suggest avoiding any of the games from WildTangent, however - they tend to load up your system with unwanted span and take your data. Again, this is just my experience with the software.
The Downsides:
There are a few downsides, even for the price you pay. The first and most egregious is the "touchpad." I place "touchpad" in quotes because it could also be called "a grating piece of plastic that sometimes works to move the cursor." AFTER updating my drivers to the latest and greatest, I am still only able to get the "touchpad" to recognize about 65% of my actions. It simply ignores the rest. In addition, when I say "grating," I mean it in the literal sense - the dimpled "touchpad" section literally hurts the very sensitive tips of your fingers as you move across it. It is nice to know where your touchpad is, but, in the case of this "touchpad," I would rather it not be included at all. It is THAT bad, and, by far, the biggest indictment of the entire g7 line. The buttons underneath it either play too much #1237dx# or are stiff and difficult to push #1368dx#.
I'm not the first person, but the thing that HP has historically done the worst on their laptop lines is the touchpad, and, I'm sorry to say, this one is no different; this is where the excellent included bluetooth radio comes in handy.
As a geek note, I would really like for the BIOS to be somewhat opened. I should be able to decide how much RAM I want dedicated to the GPU, and, according to HP, I can't under any circumstances. Again, small note.
Verdict:
Overall, we have a very good system for a great price. To get something comparable #including the GPU power#, you need to spend at a minimum $500.00. With this system, you are well under that. In fact, at this price point and standard use case scenario, I wouldn't go with an Intel chip, which tends to be more powerful in the CPU but not even close in gaming. This sytem works very well, and I don't think anyone outside of major content creators will be disappointed.
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ReverendDC
Salt Lake City, UT
By The Way....
August 1, 2012
....if you are looking for a "Piledriver" core, this is not the machine. This one has a Llano core. There are not great things being said about the "Trinity" set, so this isn't exactly a bad thing.
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