Customer Reviews

HP Pavilion Elite m9060n Desktop PC (Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600, 3 GB RAM, 640 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

HP Pavilion Elite m9060n Desktop PC (Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600, 3 GB RAM, 640 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

I have the M9060N unit for a month now. I intended this for video and photo editing mainly. I have since reconfigured this to 4GB memory and added a third SATA2 320GB HD using the space inside the box reserved for HP's slip-in drive.

I picked this because of its HDMI output (besides Quad Pro), which amazingly connects to my Sony LCD BRAVIA 40-in in full HD resolution (1920x1080p). I am impressed with its built-in NVIDIA graphics card. The memory usage usually doesn't get into higher than 70% range until I simultaneously work on Google Earth (memory hungry), Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0 editor and Premiere Elements 4.0.

I thought the era of BSOD is gone with Vista but it happened once with those 3 programs simultaneously open. Vista blamed it on NVIDIA graphics driver (with use of Google Earth would crash although very rarely).

I have rendered a 25-minute HDV captured as MPEG2 file to H.264 in one hour. I also rendered an edited 16-minute .AVI file to flash video for upload to YouTube using Premiere Elements 4.0 It took about 50 minutes with lots of superimposed JPEG photos.

The PC is very quiet. I agree that HP's documentation could be better. Even their online doc is insufficient. I dared not go to HP's web for tech support due to previous experience. Just researched the answers myself. Windows Media Center receives my digital HD stations and plays Bluray/HDDVD. I have successfully passed Dolby Digital through its SPDIF coax to audio/video receiver for 5.1 sound. The PC's TV tuner is no better than my 3-yr old HD TiVO TV tuner, which outputs to Windows Media through S-video in the back. Wireless keyboard and mice work fine even when someone is using the cordless phone unless I happen to be playing PC games with the keyboard. I connected the KB/mouse USB receiver in front for better and longer range. I have yet to figure out how to turn on built-in RAID support...perhaps later if needed. Again not enough docs both online and hard. Also how to capture analog video through front video ports and how to easily remove bloatware...oh well.

UPDATE dated 01/11/08: After running out of Web sources, I finally chatted with HP's online support, which after 2 hours, albeit needlessly, confirmed that the front video ports are NOT yet enabled by Vista and the other video capture software vendors. They said they are in talks with Microsoft and the vendors to support these video ports. Fortunately, my DV camera can pass through analog video through its Firewire connection (A/D) - so I can keep capturing/editing.

I have not pursued the RAID option, which can be turned on through the BIOS and Intel's Storage Matrix built-in. HP's box came with a slight doc about this but not accurate and helpful. So far, I have not experienced any crashes during capturing, editing, and rendering that I might attribute to hard drive performance.

This computer does it all. The piano black exterior is great to look at, and the performance is excellent. I couldn't be happier with a purchase. I did run into an issue with the power supply fan not working, however HP service was exceptional and they not only replaced the power supply, but sent someone to my home to put it in. The entire process took only a few days. Since then, the computer has been everthing I hoped it would be and more.

Well, I purchased this for a excellent price form a national retailer that was/is going out of business. I am replacing my 4-5 year old Sony Desktop that I am finding hard to give up. Now, I purchased it knowing I couldn't return it if there was a problem since all sales were final. Unfortunately there was a problem, seems the TV tuner card installed in the computer was 'bad'.

Knowing I couldn't send it back to the store I went trough the common steps to try and correct the problem (update/install new drivers), no luck so I called HP... Their tech phone service is great! The tech gave me a couple more options to try and again with no luck we determined the card was bad. He sent me another TV tuner card, it arrived in two days! I plugged it in and my computer works flawlessly, quick easy fix and couldn't be happier. Dell should take some pointers from the customer service rep I talked to at HP!

Now on to the computer... this thing will do anything I ask it to. Very powerful and lightning fast, hard to beat the built in DVR/TV Tuner Card and the impressive video card. I don't care too much for Windows Media Center that is included with Vista but I am getting use to it, most problems I have/had with it were due to the bad TV tuner card. I have erased some of the software `junk' installed by HP, (now if they would only keep that out of the computer to begin with). For the price I bought it at I don't think you could find another Blue-ray/HD DVD equipped computer. Can't wait to give the Blue-ray a try.

Having opened the computer and changed the card, I now see where users say there need to be more room in there! I am not sold on HP's pocket drive and Media Drive, I feel the space could be better used or left empty for the purchaser to decide what to use that wasted space for.

Overall I am VERY impressed with this computer now if it can stand the test of time as my old Sony desktop did I will be extremely happy! Yes this computer deserves the 5-stars even with the minor and easily fixed problem.

I am a sole-practicing attorney with a small staff, and generally four or five computers running in the office. My last computer purchased before the HP pavilion m9060n was this spring, when I bought a desktop loaded with Vista Ultimate, fast ethernet, etc. That computer has been a good, serviceable upgrade, but it did not prepare me for the technology boost that has happened between then and my recent computer purchase. I love (not an emotion I generally feel about computers) this new HP desktop. Over the air HDTV; HD-DVD and Blu-Ray combo player; dual-core processing, and dual hard-drives (which I believe has a mirroring raid option) make it the best computer in the office. Having said that, I wish HP would package Vista Ultimate in more of its machines, and, after one look at, and use of, the included mouse, I bought a higher-end wireless mouse for the new computer. I run the computer with two monitors to help with multi-tasking. Of course, that now also includes the occasional TV broadcast in one corner of one of them.

I spent months trying to find the perfect PC that would serve as my Media Center and this is it! If you plan to use this in your movie room couple of things to do. 1st the PC ships with two 320GB hard drives(it has both raid1 or 0 support) but you need to set it up as the factory did not! This requires changing the bios controller options and using the restore disks you create to reinstall the software(pain but works). 2nd the PC ships with an HP DVD/Blue ray software it works ok but not great (personally I downloaded Cyberlink Power DVD ultra which works great for movies and audio) ARCsoft also has a product but it is new and promising. 3rd when you connect the audio to SPDIF for your receiver you need to setup realtek correctly to get good DTS/DD. 4th. The TV card is ok analog signal is good thru cable but you need a ATSC external antenna to get HDTV as the card does not support Clear-QAM for cable (bummer). I would also recommend a wirless keyboard with integrated mouse from Vidabox but you can use the one that HP ships(very good). I have been using it for a few weeks now and I'm extremely happy with it. The image playback is beautiful on my Infocus SP7200 HD projector! For those that don't want a Media Center PC it has lots of horsepower and would be a solid desktop(but is overkill).

This PC may be 32bit, it may be low on RAM for today's PCs, it may have an HD DVD player, but make no mistake this is one powerful PC. When combined with the HP w2207h monitor, it's fantastic. I love it so much, I bought a second one. I have only had a few glitches with Vista installing a few legacy applications. But it wasn't critical software. Had to upgrade my printer, which also was okay, was time to upgrade to the HP photosmart C5580 All in one. Have the tower attached to my Samsung TV to stream via HDMI not only HD DVD movies, Blu-ray movies, but also displays great media off the web [...] and downloaded video content. Windows media center acts like another DVR in the house for non HD content. You have the capability of recording the DVR files to DVD and DVD-RW discs to play on any DVD player. Kewl! I think there's even a way to edit out commercials before archiving using window movie maker. Vista's help is one of the best I've seen. I love this tower so much, I may get a third, but they are extremely hard to find, even on the 2nd hand market. Yes it's that good!

This product is refurbished and that information was not in the Amazon description and not clearly identified by the 3rd party vendor Tiger International. Since I have previously bought two refurbished computers (HP) with very negative results, I returned this item.

Pros: This is a first-class product mix. Vista now works well (for me) and with all my software packages including graphics (e.g., Photoshop, MS Office 2007, IE, Visio 2007, MS Project 2002 & 2007 ...). Adding my old and beloved monitor (Sony 234) went w/o problems. I have no hardware problems at all and the system meets all my needs, plus the often not inconsiderable demands of Vista. The HP updater is quite good as well, tho' maybe a bit redundant in some cases.

Cons: Not liking battery changes, I'm not a "wireless" fan and wish there had been an option for wired mouse and keyboard. However, I simply removed the antenna and replaced the wireless mouse and keyboard with my old mouse and keyboard, without a hitch.

I'm very happy with this purchase, the machine came with minimum bloat applications installed by default. It gets a Vista Rating of 5.2 and that is only because of the video card. To my surprise it also includes configurable on board RAID 0 or 1. The Video card and MB are ASUS branded so you know that you are getting quality product. The PC case itself could be a little better quality though, you really can't complain about that for the price though.

The only complaint that I have was with shipping/storage, the product arrived in the original HP Box, but it was taped at the top and slightly beat up. I checked the box and everything was there and looked to be in good shape except the case cover was not fitted properly and therefore the screw was nearly stripped out. No actual damage though.

The reviewers are not reviewing the model listed on the link I clicked. I have seen the same review for two different HP models. I believe the 9060 is being confused with the 9040.