HP G60-440US 16-Inch Laptop

I am a techno idiot, so if you want a review that goes in detail about gigs, jigs and migs, then this isn't it. If you want to know if this computer can get you online while on the road, listen to music, watch movies and just plain rock your world, then I am your man. I pulled this thing out of the box about 2 weeks ago and fired it up. I bought a router so I could use it anywhere at home. I have had no issues with it and the fact is it is much faster then my HP desktop. All preinstalled software works perfectly and the picture quality while watching video is perfect. The first night I had it I watched my DVD of Cool Hand Luke on it and was just amazed at the quality. Bottom line? I love it!

I took a good look at this laptop when I was shopping around for a new computer for my mother-in-law, and while I ended up purchasing the HP DV6 there was a lot to like about the G60 line. The HP G60 (and G70) are aimed at the home user looking for a desktop size screen but otherwise want traditional notebook specs (good battery life, lighter weight, etc...). While not a true "desk-note" (it uses mobile cpus, most desk-notes use desktop class cpus) it will fill the "desk top" role for most users. The build quality is pretty good. Far above the basic "Compaq" line but not quite as nice as the DV line from HP.

What it is good at: Web browsing, light gaming (does well with anything other than 3D games), office apps (word, excel, power point, etc...) and basic media tasks (playing and creating MP3s, watching movies, editing short home movies).

What it is not good at: 3D gaming, editing large video files, or any heavy computational tasks.

Here is a quick break down of the specs:

Display: This 16" screen is a good bright display that works best indoors, but can be used outdoors except in direct sunlight. A good display is an HP trademark and this one lives up to that standard.

CPU: The Intel Pentium T4300 is a good dual core CPU for light home use. It is the newest version of the Pentium line and is based off the most advanced of the "Core2" processors. (Pentiums are just "Core" or "Core2" CPUS with less cache and slower clock speeds.) I'm a big fan of this CPU for people who mostly want to web browse it's got two cores so you can surf while the anti-virus does it's job so why pay more for a CPU you won't use? If you plan on doing any serious gaming this is not the CPU for you (though it's a lot better than older Pentiums based off the old "Core" cpus).

Memory: 3GB is plenty for light home use. Again plenty for web surfing and playing movies. Not enough for serious gaming.

Graphics: Comes with Intel's new 4500 integrated graphics. While this is a great improvement over previous Intel graphics parts it's still not going to run high-end 3D games at any decent resolution. Old games and non-3D games will be fine.

HDD: 320GB is far more than most light home users will use. I know few using more than 60GB. However anyone who plans on editing home movies will need more space than this (and more memory, and a faster cpu...).

Battery: 6 cell lithium ION. Pretty standard. Gives you about 2-3 hours of light use. If you order it custom from HP you can get an 8 cell. However if you are looking for good battery life you really don't want the G60 line. Look for something with a 14" display and at least an 8 cell battery.

Wireless: Most notebooks from high to low end are using the same few wireless chipsets. This one is covers a wide wireless spectrum including the newest "Wireless N".

Weight: 6.7lbs is a good weight for a screen this large. You will find them up to 8lbs. Again if you are looking for serious mobility you want a thin-and-light, but if you want something you can easily carry from room to room this should suit you.

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I received this notebook a couple days ago, and I'm currently in the process of cleaning all the "bloatware" off of it (though pretty much any computer maker is going to install this on systems they sell, this is really my main problem with HP products). It should run Vista fine after that (though I may end up "downgrading" to XP -I plan on doing IT work with this notebook and need specific software tools that I know run on XP -the 10-key is definitely a plus for entering IP addresses quickly for IT work). This notebook gets a 3.5 performance rating in Vista (the weakest component is the integrated video, but that is to be expected). One thing you don't really see in the pictures on Amazon is that the top of the shell is very shiny black, and will easily show fingerprints, and will quite likely be susceptible to scratches, so make sure you get a good case if you want to maintain its appearance. At the current pricing, this thing is a steal (especially when you factor in the free upgrade to Windows 7, coming out this fall).

Update 10/17/09: I just installed Windows 7 Ultimate (I wanted the Bitlocker drive encryption feature, so I will not be using the free upgrade of Windows 7 Home Premium HP will be sending me) last night without a hitch -I did not need to download any drivers from HP and the notebook successfully connected to the Internet after only having to enter the wireless network key. The notebook is much snappier with Windows 7 than with Vista. Still, an excellent value, even though the OS I just loaded onto it cost almost half as much as the notebook originally did.

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Wow! Really light computer. Overall, great computer and fantastic deal on Amazon. Came with battery already half charged. Has cleaning cloth, notepad, and contact numbers if any problems right when you open the box. Initially thought screen was a little small, but I wanted a full size keyboard because I use 10-key sometimes, so it was perfect.

It took 4 minutes to boot, took another 4 to go through HP software. HP tries to get you to allow them to track your use of the computer, which, fortunately, you can skip. Did not recognize my network right away and had to go through setup with more lousy, HP(network) software that did not work. I searched My Computer and Network to figure out where the network was and it took 2 seconds doing it my own way took me 20 minutes to figure this all out. Comes with Ebay on Desktop, Norton Trial, and Office trial, and more dumb HP software (which I promptly closed out).

Keyboard is a little slick to touch, but recognizes fine touch, it has a separate section to slide your finger down to make the page scroll up or down. Screen is bright, but sound is just ok (Altec speaker) and a little schrill (get better sound from my Altec surround sound desktop speakers. Keyboard/windows response is fast and crisp. Computer was really quiet and the fan did not start right away like my old computer. Actually, the computer did not get very hot at all after using until battery died.

Recognized CD right away, but was slow opening images. Took 7 minutes to copy 556 MB to harddrive from disc. After using a few days, I found the battery lasts about 3 hours. The 10-key is really convenient if you crunch numbers. The one bad thing is the wi-fi doesn't recognize my network automatically, I have to manually set it up every time this may be due to my other wi-fi on my desktop or other interference or the router I have (which is a few years old). I would recommend anyone to get the new chipsets that have a wireless N router built into the wi-fi chipset. I also got a USB hub to add more devices (comes with 3 USB ports); also does not take a CF card, only SD, MMC, XD and SMpro.

I haven't bought a new computer in several years, so I really shopped around and this is a really good computer so far and at a great price.

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I've had my HP G60-440US laptop for four months now. During those four months, the laptop's been out of order (non-functioning) three different times for an aggregate period of about five weeks. During the first month, the hard drive crashed, and I couldn't turn the computer on. Then the little chippie-thing that allows the computer to connect to my wireless modem broke down. Most recently, the dvd player died while, at the same time, the new wireless card went kaputt. Consequently, I've had to send my laptop away to the service department twice, and have had to reinstall some chip or other part so that the computer could pick up a wireless signal. The computer has been a complete lemon. My friends warned me about purchasing an HP product, and I didn't listen.

One of the worst parts about my HP experience has been the attitude of the customer service people. The technical guys in India were nice enough, but they kept me on the line for more than an hour before they agreed that I wasn't lying about my hard drive having crashed. My experience with the managers in the U.S. was much worse. My conversation with customer service notwithstanding all the scripted "I'm sorry to hear that, sirs" left me feeling absolutely powerless and with the feeling that, now that HP had my $500, they cared not a bit about my needs or satisfaction.

So, be warned this is not a good product. I wish I had listened to my friends and spent a little more cash for a better product instead of this toy laptop.