Customer Reviews

HP Pavilion Media Center a1610n Desktop PC (AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor 4200+, 1024 MB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I purchased the HP a1610n after comparing several Dell's and HP's, as well as performace benchmarks of Intel dual-core CPU's and AMD dual-core CPU's. The HP from Amazon offered the best value I could find. [...], not bad. I ordered it on Monday from Amazon, and it arrived on Tuesday, the next day! And that was with Super-Saver (no cost) shipping. Setting up this PC was simple. Be aware that the mouse is the old rolling ball type, so if you want an optical mouse, you'll need to purchase one. Also, I installed a 2nd DVD burner, and installation was not terribly eash. Apparently HP wants to make it ia little difficult in mounting non-HP drives. But I was able to do that. This PC also has 4-SATA and 2-PATA interface connectors on the motherboard. Great for using the less expensive PATA (IDE) DVD burners. There are also so many USB and Firewire ports (4-USB rear, 2-USB front, 1-Firewire on front and 1-Firewire on back). The 9-in-1 memory card reader was a nice bonus too. On top of all this, I ordered this PC just days before Microsoft announced the free Vista upgrade. The next day I got an email from Amazon saying even though I wasn't entitled to the Microsoft free Vista upgrade, Amazon was going to send me a $150 upgrade coupon. I believe the upgrade cost for Vista for this PC will be $159 for the Home version. That was very cool of Amazon to do that. Overall, a great value. PC performs great. Uninstalled all the garbage on-line and trial stuff. Connected the 2nd DVD burner, and external USB hard-drive, a new printer, wireless adapter and router, and all worked flawlessly with the WinXP MediaEdition OS. First Windows upgrade had fifty-plus new components. They installed with no problem. Kudos to HP and Amazon for offering a good value.

HP's "total care" service is a fraud. I bought a HP a1630n multimedia PC Oct 2006. For the past 2 1/2 months, it has been inoperable. It started fairly typically--corrupted windows files, operating system will not reformat as needed, multiple crashes, freezes, etc. But nothing has fixed the problem. At HP's direction I underwent 4 destructive recoveries in December alone. The last one wiped out the operating system but would reinstall nothing. They promised to send me recovery discs overnight but took 3 weeks. When I finally got them, they didn't work either. Took it in for repair. Sent back, tried it again, same problem. Asked me to do another destructive recovery, left me with an unformatted PC once again. They now are making me send it in for repair AGAIN.
You would think after over two months of doing everything they asked, and having it not work, HP would give me a replacement PC. But no.
The worst thing is that they have NO ACCOUNTABILITY. The woman in quality control handling my case, I am told, is my final resort. Her supervisor WILL NOT TALK TO CUSTOMERS. I was told my only recourse is "to write the CEO of HP." No matter who I managed to get hold of, I was given this answer.
I will never buy HP again.

Anybody thinks the PC is less expensive and a good bargain. For me the biggest investment is your time, not your money. I want to give this product rate 0 start, which is not available.

I could not agree more with the review by D.Alejandro. Same things happened to me. Seems it is not an isolated case. I first ordered A1610N, several days after I got it, screen became only dotted lines. Did several recoveries, no luck, had to return to HP. Thought it was only an isolated case, ordered an A1650. Arrived in Jan. It ran good for several days, then no boot. Had to do recovery three times, it always ran good for several days, then the PC just went on strike, no boot, blank screen nothing. Have to ship it to repair center. Not sure whether they can fix it or not. Just consider the hassel and long hours you spent on this junk. Called tech support, really could not help you in anyway, except thank you for holding the line. Don't know how HP claims it s customer service is one of the best.

Today's HP is no longer the old HP you used to know. I was a loyal customer, my old HP brio PC ran several years without a single problem. Today HP cuts corners to become price competitive. I don't care whether the PC is made in Mexico, or the support call center in india as long as it can provide quality services and products. Clearly HP can not do it. I should have given Dell a serious consideration. NO HP products any more!

I suppose all major computer mfgs preload a lot of free trial software these days and HP sure has alot preinstalled. It takes awhile to uninstall the componets not needed but the end result is a very nice computer for the money. Very quiet and fast. I installed a new graphics card quickly to enhance our photographs. The original onboard graphics should be acceptable to most though. A very good computer for the money!

I am happy with the new computer, only my second. I haven't decided whether to upgrade to Windows Vista since I spent a lot of time getting everything hooked up like I like it. I shopped Amazon and chose HP based on Consumer Reports.

I have had nothing but problems with this tower. Tech support is garbage. After wrestling with the preinstalled OS I finaly blew the drive and installed Windows XP (non media) addition. At present time the PC has no sound the eitheret port that came with the PC does not work. I instaled an after market PCI eithernet card and can at least surf the net. i will never buy another HP tower. I have wasted hours with thier coutomer "service". Another company that bases tech support somewhere in asia. Steer clear of HP. Build your own tower or go with Dell or gateway.

I am very happy with this computer. It arrived quickly and in good condition. It was very easy to set up, came with a very nice keyboard, is quite fast, and is a pleasure to use. After reading some other reviews, I decided to buy an HP monitor to go with it. Connecting the HP monitor was very easy as well.

The computer is set up and operational. On the whole, it is working just fine. I have only one serious complaint, there is no floppy drive, despite what the technical information may say. I would strongly suggest that Amazon correct their information about the floppy drive being installed, it is not there.

In spite of the absence of the floppy drive, we are pleased with the performance of the computer. It certainly has sufficient power and capacity to do what we will ask of it.

HP tech support does not understand basic English. I have wasted dozens of hours trying to get OS cd's to use for the replaced Hard drive. Computer was purchased 11/2006, and has been unusable for last month. Tech support denies problems, lies about status, is completely incompetent.

Oh - and, guess what! HP is *out of stock* of it's own OS cd's. No estimate of when they will get more!! This was a complete waste of money. I will buy a Dell now, and paying 3 times more would be a bargain compared to this.

i bought this hp a1610n after my emachine of 5 years finally gave up the ghost. i was leary of getting anything with the new vista on it, so i bought this one refurbished from the hp website. i have had nothing but problems one after the other with it since day one. the graphics card in it is "less than satisfactory"... one error after another on the system itself, have horrible problems trying to uninstall ANYTHING. And tech support is non existent.

To be honest .. everything i have ever purchased from hp has been a huge disappointment... to the extent i have informed my husband to beat me severely about the head and shoulders the next time i pick up anything from hp for the shopping cart lol.

From now on i believe ill recheck emachine or i will take my chances on Dell. this machine needs reformatted now and judging from the reviews, im afraid to even try. It doesnt matter how cheap something is price-wise.. if it doesnt function properly, then it is NOT worth the money. i realize that going refurbished is risky, however when it comes straight from the company, i expect minimal problems and have been VERY disappointed.

in my opinion hp takes advantage of those of us that cannot afford the higher priced machines, or those of us that arent technically inclined enough to make a pc do what we want it to do.