This computer looks beautiful, the screen is awesome and has many great features. However, the trackpad is awful! I've owned many laptops and this is by far the worst trackpad I have ever used. I have adjusted the settings as much as I can with no luck. I read other reviews where people have said the same thing so I think it must be an issue with the models in this line. It takes forever to get anything done because you often have to click on something 3 times before it actually works. Then the cursor will just shoot out and you will end up clicking on something you hadn't planned to. Everyone says buy a mouse if you use this model but I don't want to use a mouse. Also, the computer seems sluggish as well, not what I expected from a computer with these specs. My Macbook is twice as fast and has half the RAM. I don't want to spend the money on a new Mac though so I am going to see if I can exchange this for something better.
I am highly suspicious of this model being sold as 'new' over 2 years after it's production run. I am guessing it's a gray market item (damaged or a return), since HP would otherwise have fuly compensated the retailer for the return of the computer.
Check Amazon for current HP models with a better i3 chip (2310, for example), 6gb of ram, and at least 640gb on storage for the same price or less. And buy from Amazon. The retailers selling this model will charge you a 40% restocking fee if you return it!.First off, this is a 2+ year old computer with 2+ year old technology. I found that a better configuration can be had directly from HP with W7 or W8 for the same price of $499 with current technology.
Second, having owned this model, I know that the 350M chip is a 'gas guzzler', so to speak. It's a power hog and drains the battery faster than any other computer that I have owned. The 7200rpm hard drive adds to this problem. But more than that, it generates so much heat that the fan, which seems to run constantly and at an irritatingly high level of noise, cannot keep up. Though I kept the computer on a flat surface, the smallness of the vent prevented the inadequate fan from dissapating enough heat. As a result, this model has rather frequent shutdowns due to overheating. Beware of this if you plan on using the computer for over 2 hours at a time.
Third, the chicklet keys do not have a bounce. So, they must be struck rather hard to get them to register. If you hunt and peck, this problem is minimized. But if you type with your fingers on the keyboard, you'll have to get used to the need to strike hard on the keys.
I can confirm similar issues with the touchpad and the lack of a numeric keypad is a bit of a pain.. The monitor technology was an improvement 2 years ago but it's been upgraded recently.
I guess my point is that $499 gets you so much more in the current configuration options. The technology used in this computer (motherboard, processor, ram, speakers, hard drive, and monitor) have all been upgraded by HP for the same price.
And one more thing. Though this is advertised as new, it very well may not have a warranty. If the two sellers of this laptop are not authorized dealers (and neither responded to that question when I posed it to them), you will not get the warranty. That began when the computer was purchased and ended a year later. And so if the high level of heat causes a meltdown, you will be paying for a new motherboard and cpu out of your own pocket. How these sellers came to have 3 antiquated models seems odd to me, unless these are returns.
Buyer beware on this product.Awesome computer! I was able to snag mine up on a Best Buy Black Friday deal for $499! I love it. It does everything that I ask of it and more.
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