Customer Reviews

HP Pavilion TX1320US 12.1" Entertainment Notebook PC (AMD Turion 64 Processor TL-60, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

This was an impulse buy for me when I was on vacation - and I have nothing but positive things to say about it. Regarding the bloatware - I managed to delete everything using the Programs/Functions in the control panel and simply deleted the Online Services folder from the proper directory. I actually removed too much software and needed to re-install some of the HP programs that make the tablet buttons work (HP Quicklaunch Buttons and QuickPlay are all I needed). The touchscreen works well enough, though it lacks any pressure sensitivity - screen calibration was simple enough, though I had to do it a couple of times to get it just right.

Pros: Sleek and attractive machine. Good build quality with a strong swivel mechanism. Lid locks down nice and secure when in tablet and notebook form. Affordable and readily available at local stores with numerous rebates. Tons of features and benefits right out of the box - and impressive specs to match it (2.0GB RAM, Lightscribe DL DVD-R, 250GB HD, Biometric Scanner, Express card slot w/ media remote, built-in webcam, media card reader, wireless connectivity, etc.) Compact/Light size and weight - easy to take with you anywhere. I dig the trackpad design - I like the feel and texture of it (no dry, chalkboard feeling - easy to clean) This machine continues to put a smile on my face daily. Vista runs flawlessly on this puppy and I've decided that this baby is a keeper for me.

Cons: Bloatware as usual. Required some tweaking to get it just the way I wanted it (as with most Windows machines). Noticeable body flex from the plastic shell. Top heavy - as the screen portion is significantly heavier than the bottom keyboard shell (you'll notice it if you try and open the laptop with one hand). Runs hot after some use. Battery life is short (way too short). Screen glare could be a problem for some. No firewire port (though the 3 USB 2.0 provide plenty). Integrated graphics get the job done, but not exactly spectacular. Touchscreen lacks the accuracy and features of other models. As the previous review noted, HP support is less than stellar.

I'd strongly recommend someone in the market to give this a machine a try. Test it out, and if it doesn't suit you - you can always return it for something else. I purchased my unit from a CompUSA.

My first laptop was a Dell Inspiron w/ a 14in screen about 7 years ago. It's still running WindowsME and I've never had major problems with it.

So for my new laptop I wanted a touch screen that was small and light. I've had a lot of problems carrying around that dell even though it was supposed to be light; so the lighter the better. I also wanted a touchscreen feature just for fun. I plan on taking handwritten notes on this in class. I used to take notes w/ my Dell and always wished I had the capability of just writing in the formulas or what not.

I looked at several touch screen computers such as the IBM Levnovo series and Toshiba's, et al. All were beyond my price range. So for the price, this was hands down, the winner for value. However, there were many things wrong with this computer that made me regret buying it (but not enough for me to return it). Primarily Windows Vista issues but that's not really HP specific.

The bloatware has not been too much of an issue since I removed them before I used it so it was pretty easy.

I've had the computer for about 1.5 months and I'm getting somewhat used to the quirks of the computer. For example the long boot up and the fact that the fingerprint reader will not work coming back from hibernate. yeah, weird. Anyway here are the main sticking points for me:

Cons:
-Very reflective screen. Much more than I expected. Really unusable outdoors or a bright room. You'd have to turn up the brightness to HIGH.
-2hr battery life w/c I expected. But the annoying part is the 4 hour RECHARGE.
-no parallel port! there is that docking port, though.
-Vista. All (yes, all) the programs I installed I had to right-click and put that option to run compatible to XP.
-dvd playback is slooooow. For whatever reason it starts out of sync. The audio is either ahead of the video or vice versa. It eventually catches up but very annoying.

Pros
-Very reflective screen. People around you can't see anything either so it's a plus while in class.
-awesome feeling trackpad. you can move it even with wet/greasy fingers(not that you'd want to).
-touch screen. It was a little bit off at first but when calibrated it was pretty useful.
-light when carried
-finger print reader is pretty useful when you're in bed in the dark and want to sign onto a site w/o typing in your password


EDIT:

-the webcam is useless for me. i'm comparing it to the logitech pro cams. the quality is horrible for the pictures and so-so for chatting because of light issues. it needs bright illumination to be clear which is fine but it affects the reflective screen. I haven't tried taking a video yet.

-the speakers are great. the dell speakers were situated on the side but on this they're on the screen so it swivels along with it. At full volume, they're nice and full sounding. No distortion.

-battery sticks out in the back. this is great since it gives you something to hold on to when you pick up the laptop, swing the screen around, fold it down flat and rest it on your forearm. you can view pdf files in full screen and make this laptop look like a book reader while you hold in in you hand. tap the screen to move a page. awesome.

-stylus is stored on the front of machine and it's connected to the laptop with a string. i'm not sure where this is supposed to go so the string just dangles outside the laptop w/c is very unsightly. I don't know if I'm supposed to tuck it inside somewhere or what but it's annoying. And I don't want to take the string out either because I don't want to lose the stylus.

The computer is about what I expected it to be. Prior reviews indicate that comparatively short battery life and a less-than-perfect tablet/stylus are to be expected. I find them to both be true. The HP picks up the stylus marks with a good deal of error. The tablet is about as useful as the old Apple Newton.

The biggest problem is the support. First you call in and get routed to a call center in India where they cannot even understand the letters when you spell your name. When you finally get to a tech support person, they have very little experience with the computer. It took me over two hours to remove only a small portion of the bloatware that ships with the computer. Some of the bloatware apparently cannot be removed at all. (At least that's the answer that I received from the HP tech rep.)

HP should have more consideration for their customers than to ship the computer with all the built-in garbage that most people will never want to run. One particularly annoying piece of the bloatware is an HP app that keeps trying to sign you up for some internet service or other (it seems to be unable to recognize that you are already connected to the Net). Once started, the HP app can only be killed with Task Manager; there is no cancel or close button.

The computer is available only with Vista. As far as I am concerned, that is a disaster. User Account Control essentially must be enabled and it requires constant interaction at the level of, "Do you really want to run the program?"

I needed a laptop primarily for browsing the internet, as well as managing my iPod, iPhone and photos. I've always wanted a small laptop as I felt those 14 inch and above ones to be closer to desktops. I've always loved tiny gadgets.

This tablet by HP seems made just for me; 12.1 inch screen (which is not as tiny or difficult to read as one might think), 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive (more than enough for me at this time), and about the size of an A4 sheet. Oh, and it's not too hard on the eye too (especially those neon blue Star Trek Enterprise flight deck-style lights, and the glossy black enamel-like finish, which can be used as a mirror when the battery dies).

It comes with a wafer thin, extra tiny remote which powers up the laptop, as well as manages media files; music and movies (play, stop, pause, rewind, etc). I must comment, I think the time it takes to boot is a bit too long, but it's nothing I can't live without.

The screen can swivel around through 180 degrees (perfect for presentations, or just hiding what you're doing/watching from the nosy person beside you) and lay flat to become a touch screen. Note, the touch screen needs calibrating first, or else you'll be touching way off target. There's a stylus with a slot towards the front right side where it slots and clicks into place. I find the string (to attach it to the laptop) dangly and gets in the way so I'd rather not use it. In touch screen mode, you can input data by writing with the stylus. A writing pad appears, or you could use some "post it" notes.

Other features are slots for 5 memory card types (Xd, memory stick pro, memory stick, MultiMedia and Secure digital), DVD/CD drive (writes both, as well as plays multi region DVDs, I don't experience the lag some have complained about), Webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and IR connectivity, and operates on Windows Vista Home Premium (which so far, I'm having no problems with). The slightly ribbed touchpad is very user friendly, and there's a dedicated track bar to the right. It takes about 1 and a half hours for a full battery charge (and the neon blue light at the power cable connection point is a nice touch). The speakers are quite good, better than on most other laptops (especially once you've adjusted the equalizer to your taste).

A few cons. The laptop does heat up quite a bit during use, and the battery lasts about 1 hour 20 minutes. However it comes with a spare, and there are a few battery life extending tricks; don't use laptops connected to the mains all the time (alternate between battery alone, and mains), let the battery discharge fully about 4 times, and don't store it fully charged for long periods of time without use, (store it half charged if you won't use it in a bit).

Anyway, I still haven't yet explored the full potentials of this lovely machine, but I know I'll have fun doing so, and will amend this review if needed with additional information. So far, it more than meets my needs. I hope this helps you.

P.S. (30 December 2009) The hard drive just packed up 13 months after I got the laptop. It just refused to boot and kept making an ugly whirring sound. My brother, who had the exact model had his pack up after 15 months, while a friend's packed up 24 months after. Same fault. Apparently, this is a serious problem with this model so beware.

The TX pavilion line laptops are LEMONS! After 7 - 15 months, you will experience the same problems that many people do - first you lose your wireless card (the computer stops recognizing it - not in device manager). Some time after this, the computer will start up, but the hard drive will not spool up. Maybe after 10 tries you can get it going, but eventually, it will not start up again. HP refuses to recognize this lemon, and if your out the one year warranty you are SOL. please, visit this website:

[...]

This if off of HP's website, and has a hundred something posts of people saying that exact same thing.

this laptop looks slick, works well at first, but it will burn you in the end.

The same thing: first the Wi-Fi dies, then the whole thing stopped working. HP should retire this piece of junk off the market and replace the ones we have. It's a shame that they're still selling this thing. A total waste of money! If you want a laptop that last for only a year, buy it.

ANYONE TRIED THE FIXING METHOD POSTED AT YOUTUBE?

La misma historia: primero falla el Wi-Fi, luego ni prende. HP debería retirarla del mercado y reemplazar las que vendió. Es una vergüenza que sigan vendiéndola. ¡Un desperdicio de dinero! Si quieren una laptop que dure apenas un año, cómprenla.

¿ALGUIEN PROBÓ EL MÉTODO CASERO PARA REPARARLA POSTEADO EN YOUTUBE?

My tx1320us has just stopped working and the diagnosis was that my motherboard is dead. I also had never solved problems (Wi-fi stopped working at first, overheating and now this). I went to HP Brazil and they don't do anything, I called HP US and none solution... and now I have nothing. All my work in the computer, lots of work to do, lots of deadlines and no notebook. I'll never buy another HP in my life. never. I can't spend a lot of money trusting that I'm buying a good notebook and after 2 years go constantly to the support service because there is always something that is not working and, in the end, find a motherboard dead.

Ok, it is pretty, but it gets overheated very quickly, and mine stopped working after one year only. A big piece of trash, i lost my money because I'm outside USA and HP Venezuela refused to even take a look on it. Do not buy it

My first laptop is an HP with a 17 inch screen running XP. It's size is OK in one location, but too large and awkward to move around. I had been wishfully eyeing the 12 inch laptops whenever I went into an electronics store and when Amazon had their recent contest which offered winning costumers the chance to buy a pre-selected item at a greatly reduced price and I was offered the (HP Pavilion TX1305US 12.1" Entertainment Notebook PC AMD Turion 64 Processor TL-58, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, Vista Home Premium), I bought one. Thank you Amazon!

This 12 inch laptop has the portability I was looking for. The screen is small and I must get very close to read it, but I wanted something easy to carry and the 12 inch screen is an acceptable tradeoff for me. I was not looking for a touch screen, but having one is a fun feature. The touch screen does not work with your finger the way a GPS with touch screen does, which would have been really cool. You must use the stylus.

Cons:
-I upgraded to VISTA on my PC and did not like it as much as XP so I went back to XP. This notebook PC has Vista installed and I will try to live with it and hope MS fixes problems quickly. One problem is my Sandisk flash drives with U3 will not work and neither MS nor Sandisk have yet to offer a fix although they know of the problem.
-This notebook came with 1 GB of RAM and my usage is often maxed out. Vista seems to use lots of RAM and rather than remove or turn off features, I will install 2GBs soon.
-I've had the computer for about 1.5 months and I'm getting somewhat used to the quirks of the computer. For example the fingerprint reader location is located in the middle of the left side of the screen. That is a good location for scanning my left thumb but this location gets accidentally touched and when I swivel the screen to use it like a tablet or rest what is now the bottom of the screen against my stomach. With the screen in tablet position I have also accidentally activated the small buttons located on two sides of the screen. Overall I like the location of the above mentioned and I am also learning to avoid accidentally touching them.
-This notebook runs longer than my HP laptop with a 17 inch screen, so I am pleased with battery life. I have not noticed how long recharge time takes. I did read where HP recommends unplugging power from the wall before unplugging at the notebook. That is a hassle. I would rather unplug at the notebook and keep the plug in the wall, as I do with my 17 inch laptop (the 17 inch has a different looking plug, but may have the same HP suggestion and I just have not read it.)
-The webcam is useless to me. Picture quality is poor.
-The mic sound level was too low at it's max level. After much searching I found a box to check for mic boost and volume is now acceptable at max setting. I can now use Skype without a headphone.

Pros
-One of the best features is the trackpad. The trackpad perforations and its location in a recessed area make it easy to feel for without looking for it. The trackpad also has a dedicated area for scrolling.
-dvd playback works fine. I played a movie first thing because I read a review stating problems viewing a DVD movie. Perhaps they had maxed out on RAM.
-The touchscreen was a little bit off (the point at which the screen recognizes the scribe) at first but when calibrated it was pretty useful. I did notice I had to recalibrate after changing screen orientation. I should have checked if that changed calibration in the previous screen orientation.
-light when carried
-I have seen fingerprint readers before and thought they were just a useless gimmick, but after using one I realized it makes signing in almost effortless.
-the speakers are great.
-battery sticks out in the back. This is great since it gives you something to hold on to when you pick up the laptop.
-stylus is conveniently stored on the front right of machine. The Stylus came with a srting, but I did not attach it, because I thought it would get in the way.

Until I switched to Apple products I had been using HP computers for many years (I believe I had owned eight HPs up until I decided to switch to Macs). I needed a tablet, and since Apple does not make one, I went this this one. While it meets my basic tablet needs, there are a few, in my opinion, bad design/manufacturing decisions.

First, the stylus holder's spring mechanism has some sort of design or manufacturing flaw as mine broke the second day I had the unit. I had the unit replaced and the new one broke on the second day. I have decided to live with the broken stylus holder because I do not want to spend the time to uninstall all the junk software HP insists on installing on new computers (I am assuming that they are getting paid for most of it so, basically, even though we are paying over $1400.00 for the computer, we are still getting advertisements!).

Second, I have to agree with another review here about their technical support. I first used their chat feature. After 45 minutes it became clear that the "support" person I was chatting with did not even know that the stylus holder was. I then phoned and had a similar experience. This is very disappointing coming from a company who, in my opinion, once had excellent customer support.

Third, there does not seem to be any way to switch which of the portrait screen orientations the screen switches to when swiveling the screen from notebook to tablet position. So, if you are left handed, or want the stylus on the top of the screen because the stylus holder is broken and you don't want it to drop out, you have to cycle through the screen orientations until you get to the correct one. One may also want to do this because the exhaust from the cooling fan is on the bottom corner. The computer weighs over four pounds, and if walking around for a long period of time I tend to place the bottom of the computer against my body. This blocks the half of the exhaust that is on the bottom of the computer, and it gets HOT!

Fourth, It comes with Vista. I thought all of the complaints that I had read about Vista's performance were exaggerated. I use XP at work, and while I prefer OS X, XP runs reasonably well. Vista, performance wise, is horrible. It is no wonder that PC Magazine named it the greatest disappointment of 2007. I have heard that some manufacturers offer "downgrades" to XP. If HP does, I will be upgrading my performance with the XP "downgrade".