HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium)

by HP

Product Details

• Item Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B002ONCDRO
• Item model number: VM237UA#ABA
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,227 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 18, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

IDEAL FOR Replacing a desktop PC and entertainment. Edit and enjoy photos and high-definition videos using the large widescreen display, plus listen to music in premium audio and play games. Work in multiple applications at the same time and count on fast data entry with the numeric keypad.

SPECIFICATIONS

Processor 2.40GHz AMD Turion™ II Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor M600 Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit Memory (RAM) 4GB DDR3 Display 17.3" Diagonal HD+ High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1600 x 900) Hard Drive 500GB (7200RPM) SATA Optical Drive LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD±R/RW with Double Layer Support Wireless Wireless LAN 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN Graphics Card ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4530 with up to 2302MB total available graphics memory with 512MB dedicated Battery 8-cell Lithium-Ion Battery; Up to 4.5 hours battery life* Weight & Dimensions (w x d x h) 7.69lbs; 16.2" x 10.9" x 1.37"/1.70"

FEATURES

LightScribe Technology Burn labels directly onto CDs and DVDs Built-in HP Webcam Video chat live Mobile Remote Control music and videos easily from across the room 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader Transfer photos from digital cameras without using cables INCLUDED

Remote Control

Product Description

For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv7 Entertainment series delivers desktop-replacement performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your lifestyle. Enjoy full-screen viewing of HD TV and movies with the large 16:9 17.3-Inch diagonal display. HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer amplifiers put out 12W total while supporting a full range of treble and bass frequencies. Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add fun special effects. Enter data quickly with the separate numeric keypad. Create personalized, silkscreen-quality DVD and CD labels with LightScribe.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overall Great Laptop, November 16, 2009

By 

K. Anwar "Electronics Geek" (Woodbridge, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)

Wow what can I say about this laptop? I placed my order on 11/7, product was shipped 11/9 and delivered 11/11! The shipping was listed as free super saver shipping but since Amazon had a free 2-day shipping promotion going on shortly after I bought it, I think they may have automatically upgraded it to that.

Anyways back to my review. Since I've only had this computer less than a week, I cannot be too critical or list every single pro/con. However I will attempt to list that which I have experienced (Typing the review on the laptop now!)

1) Computer came securely packaged and arrived on time, much earlier than expected. Package had the computer, battery, user manual, quick-start guide, power adapter + cord, and an HP remote (made for use with HP MediaSmart technology)

2) Initial set up is a breeze for a novice user. I'm not a novice by any means, so it really was a snap to get this computer up and running. Just make sure to plug it in and then let the computer run all the necessary updates and whatnot. Expect to set aside a minimum of 2 hours to get all this done.

3) I have been using Windows XP since...about my 7th or 8th grade year (2nd year sophomore in college, currently), so suffice it to say I didn't want to use Windows 7. Because this is a 64bit computer, and it has 4gigs of RAM and a 2.4GHz processor, I must say that Windows 7 is surprisingly fast and a very refreshing change after the last disaster of Windows Vista. The transparency effects arent too flashy like in Vista, and everything runs very clean, fast, and efficient. It does take a bit of time to get used to all the new options, but that might only be me since I did NOT upgrade to Vista, so I'm really learning for the first time the new layout of Windows.

4) As far as performance and graphics, I have not done any task which is terribly processor or graphics card intensive for me to have any opinion on that. I have installed Unreal Tournament 2004 and Rome: Total War. Both games are pretty graphics heavy and have run very very smooth so far. The settings are automatically calibrated in the game and it is nice to see the game set everything to HIGH quality. Proves this computer really has the punch to deal with games, even in a laptop form. The 17.3" screen is very vivid and bright while gaming, allowing the user to experience the best high-quality and high-def computing experience available.

5) A MAJOR point I want to make is the size of the computer and the search for a laptop case. I read alot about this computer before I bought it, and I did my best to try and shop online for a case to fit a screen this big. Unfortunately, not many case manufacturers have items made for a 17.3" screen, so my advice is to NOT shop online and have it be a hit-and-miss for finding the right size. I initially bought an (overpriced) backpack from Best Buy for damn near $80, and very quickly realized the incredible markup and bloated price they charge. Very soon after I returned it since both Staples and a local computer specialty store (GT Computers) had much cheaper and better quality items. I do want to make a note that some cases say 16", but they CAN fit this computer if they are spacious enough. My personal decision was to buy a laptop backpack rather than a case since this computer weighs in at a hefty 8lbs and is not the easiest thing in the world to carry around. Long story short is the advice to go to a store, rather than rely on a website, when it comes to buying a laptop case that actually fits.

6) Accessories + junk: The computer comes with an Altec Lansing Premium Sound System with Built-in Subwoofer. While this sounds good on paper, its not the best sound in the world in actuality. Perhaps I'm a bit biased since I have a 2.1 system with 40W subwoofer at my desktop, but for a pair of laptop speakers for the average user, they are really good. I was in a loud cafeteria setting, and my friend pulled out his USB powered speakers to hear a video he was playing...just for comparison purposes I turned my speakers up maxed and they not only drowned out HIS speakers (these were seperate, dedicated, USB powered speakers) but they also drowned out some of the cafeteria noise. An audiophile or someone who is really tech-savy will be able to tell the difference between low quality and high quality, but any other user or someone just looking for a casual computing experience will appreciate this laptop. Another fun accessory is the built-in HP MediaSmart remote control. It is slim, stylish, fits easily into the computer, and its alot of fun to show off to friends by turning my music on/off or skipping tracks and changing the volume from across the room. This computer really is aimed to be an entertainment PC, and hooked up correctly with an HDMI cable and a decent sound system, one could stream movies or videos from the internet, watch them on the tv, and control it all from the comfort of your couch! Very nice touch, and very fun to have.

7) Battery life: The product name boasts an "Up to 4.5 hour battery life" and I'm not sure how true this claim is, since I don't get anywhere NEAR 4 hours, but more on the low end of 3. All my settings are set to low, including screen brightness...everything is designed to save power. Don't get me wrong though: for a laptop with a screen this big, and with the processing power it packs, the battery has stunning performance. However, don't expect to get more than 3 hours, maybe 3.5 hours if you do -nothing- but word process and web surf. Windows 7 doesn't show the battery time remaining when you hover over the system tray icon like Windows Vista and XP do, but to circumvent that I downloaded a free program called BatteryBar, and it gives detailed statistics on the battery's time left to charge, full charge capacity (measured in megawatt-hours, or mWh), as well as the charge/discharge rate, full lifetime, and battery wear (Mine is at 3.4% of 73,440 mWh, meaning I can use about 97% of the battery's full capacity. Its current capacity is 70,963 mWh, and this is just due to normal degredation that happens as soon as the battery if manufactured.) On that note, it is really best to USE the battery rather than not to, since either way it is going to degrade. You cannot stop the natrual degredation process, so its better to just use it up. The HP user guides recommend discharging the battery down to 5% before fully recharging, to help the battery retain its charge/discharge cycles.

Anyhow, I think that is more than enough information from someone who has only had this computer 5 days. I'm sure I will write a revision to this review in the future, if I notice any major changes, or decide to upgrade the information for more potential buyers. Thanks for reading, and I hope it helps in your decision! My verdict? Get this computer if your are someone looking to watch lots of movies, view pictures or slideshows, and do alot of music/video based stuff (watching Youtube, movies, etc). I'm not a gamer but in looking for a laptop I wanted something that HAS the performance, if I need it, whether I decide to use it or not. If you are a college student (like I am), its a great laptop with great battery life, but be prepared to carry around a bit of added weight, just due to the sheer size of this thing.

Overall great laptop and I wouldn't change it for the world. Thanks for reading!

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb for the Money, November 1, 2009

By 

Beauno "Tech Audio/Video" (Radio Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)

I had bought a zd8000 series 17 inch laptop 5 years ago. And not had a single problem with it.
So I went back to HP for this model. The zd8000 is a p4 and cannot chomp high def video.

This computer, dv7 3060us can chomp/edit the high def video. You'll be able to hook up that 500 $ canon
high def camcorder to it and flow easily. Which is what I was looking for. Using magic edit movie pro 15
when I added 3D titles, it began to struggle and the cpu went to 100 %.
Hehehe, this is to be expected. Regular titles are no sweat. I'm having no probs with high def playback.

Came sealed in the box, which is a +++ Nothing cheeky.
I seen someone complain about the chrome touchpad in another review, believe me, its a non issue.
I see someone else complain about fingerprints, believe me, its also a non issue.

This computer is high tech looking, and when I compare it to my old zd8000 it sits lower
but is wider. My wrists are very happy with this lower position, good work HP.
Super wide comfortable keypad ....

I'm also using this laptop to do multi tracking with music, and so far, no hiccups for that.
Working like a dream for multi tracking.

Windows 7 on this will boot up in about a minute, which is very nice also.


For the money, its a great laptop, good update for me.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for grandparents, November 7, 2009

By 

J. Lass (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP Pavilion DV7-3060US 17.3-Inch Espresso Laptop - Up to 4.5 Hours of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)

My parents (in their 70s) bought the DV7 w ith AMD TurionII last month, and they love it. Very easy and intuitive, nice sreen size, not heavy--it's perfect for them.