Customer Reviews

HP Pavilion TX2510US 12.1-inch Laptop (2.10 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-80 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium) Black

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Pros:
I think this system is probably the best deal you'd get in a TabletPC.
The top-notch Wacom 'Penabled' tablet hardware is a real nice bonus, because it supports pen pressure & it has an eraser.
The Fingerprint Reader is a real bonus, It makes me want to have one on all of my computers.
It comes with Corel Painter 4 Essentials, and Microsoft OneNote 2007.
It will play DVD-RAM discs that my Panasonic DVR creates -- Nice surprise.

Cons:
The AMD processor is not as good as the Intel Core 2 Duo, but you are paying a lot less.
The battery protrudes from the back, and the screen is smaller than the base.
I did a speed test with a friend, against a 2 year-old MacBook Pro (Boot Camp running Vista Business)
We compiled a very large software project. His was 25% faster.
Screen is glossy.

Remedies:
When I first bought this machine, I noticed that this thing would not stop accessing the hard drive -- It didn't make any sense to me. I thought Vista was at fault. So, I started out with the intention of getting rid of Vista. However, with a bit of research, I found that Vista was not the problem with this machine, It was HP's bloatware. Once the basic startup programs and services are properly configured, the system runs fairly efficiently. Vista also has the added benefit of tweaking minute details in how power gets used in their 'Power Plans'

Update:
After using this for a couple of weeks, I find the fan and heat output to be annoying, I adjusted my 'Power Plan' to run the CPU at 50%, even when plugged in, so it generates less heat. I just switch it it 'High Performance' when I need full speed.

I also purchased an anti-glare screen protector (photodon.com) and the screen glossiness is pretty much gone. This is a great improvement.

HP Pavilion TX2510US 12.1" Laptop (2.10 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-80 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium) Black

I had purchased the original TX1215 a while back, and that laptop was terrible. Although it was considered a tablet, it was not WACOM enabled and you had to press hard on the screen to write. The processor was slow and at times the machine was unusable. I sold it on eBay within 2 months and forgot about it.

However, I was impressed by the reviews of the TX2510us, and after trying it out and finally buying it, it is a terrific little machine. Leaps ahead of the tx1000 series, it has the WACOM tablet, the processor is MUCH faster, and it has great features. I recently used it to take notes in a week-long training class and I was amazed at how well it worked. Handwriting training also helped minimize conversion to text errors, which was impressive. Surprisingly, graphics were much improved as some (but not all) of the RAM was dedicated, and the rest can be allocated up to a gig. Running games are NOT an issue any more. Another surprise is if you up the machine to 4GB, it will still recognize ALL the RAM even though you have a 32-bit OS. The OS only uses about 3.2GB of RAM, but the rest can be allocated to the video card without regard to the OS (this is actually handled in BIOS).

The laptop does run hot, but not as hot as the TX1215. The form factor is basically the same but I never had an issue with that. Also, the screen is a bit cloudy at times but with brightness turned all the way up it still looked fine. Finally, I found that battery life, a problem with the TX1000 series, seems to be improved. Got almost 3 hours with Wi-fi and Bluetooth on and pretty close to full brightness. Using the included battery as well.

I think I got my money's worth with this one. Highly recommended.

I will not repeat many of the comments here, which are fundamentally accurate. The machine performs well in Vista with software programmed for the OS. This unit comes with the 32-bit version, so it can run many (but not all) XP programs. Multimedia programs for audio and video need to be vista compatible, in particular.

Con:

The tablet mode screen (flat) is very difficult to see, since you have to be about 75 to 90 degrees (nearly above) the screen...basically on top of it looking down. It does not display legibly at all from a 45 degree angle. HP even makes a $50 variable angle stand for just this reason.

This is true of all tablets I have seen.

I very much like the touch interface for certain tasks, even when not in tablet mode.

The future will hold better viewing angles and multi-touch screens I hope.

This little gem is doing everything well and more...especially after "decrapification" with PC decrapifier. I purchased it mostly with intention to use it as PDF reader and for the tablet function. The handwriting input and recognition are nothing short but amazing. Fingerprint reader allows you to login into webaccounts, which are too many these days, with just a sweep of a finger -- very convenient and actually useful! The computer is fast when it is up and running. A little slow to boot and switch users. The major gripe I have with it is the HEAT or my the HEAT!! Once the fan kicks in, it blows hot air like Chinese dragon! I live in Phoeniz, AZ and the last thing I need is the extra heat on my lap. The fan is super noisy. The noise is very noticeable even in moderately crowded rooms. So if you are sensitive to these issues, I would recommend to stay away from this product. If you can live with it, this is the best tablet PC you can get for <$1K.

I bought this laptop to have a portable but full featured complement to my 17" laptop and am generally quite satisfied with it.

Here's a summary of the pros and cons:

Pro's

Small form factor

Although the touch screen support makes the lid somewhat bulky and heavy for a device of this size, the overall small footprint still makes it ideal for carrying around unless you have an absolute aversion to weight.

Touch Screen

Unlike previous models, this one supports both active and passive touch meaning that for simple things like pushing buttons you can use your fingers but for fine drawing you can use the included stylus (which fits into a handy slot in the laptop). I have used both options and especially like the ability to bring up a program like Photoshop and rather than having to touch up photos using the mouse, be able to directly do it on the screen with high precision. I would love to see more applications designed to be driven completely by fingers as well.

Fit and Finish

Overall the screen is very bright and has good resolution. The cover is susceptible to fingerprints but otherwise looks very nice. The silver keyboard is nice (but note caveat below). The function keys are too small but probably to be expected given the form factor. The ability to flip the screen around is great but it would be nice if you could turn it in either direction as the viewing angle is small so I finding myself rotating the whole unit to the left to allow someone on my left to see the screen.

Fingerprint Reader

I've grown to like this feature. It does often take more than one swipe but it works and it's definitely more convenient than having to type in a password.

SD Card Slot

Speaks for itself

Other Components

I have no complaints about the DVD drive or Wireless b/g/n/bluetooth adaptor. They all appear to do their job well.

Speed

While not extremely speedy,it's not bad. I think Vista is to blame for most of it's issues. Once an application is fully launched and loaded in RAM, I've found it adequate for all but very demanding work (e.g. video editing). I would not buy a unit like this for editing AVHCD. Just not fast enough. But for everyday use including graphics it's fine.

Cons

Heat Generation

I was hoping that in the seven years since I bought my last laptop that the chip manufacturers would have figured out how to significantly reduce heat generation but such is not the case. The back right corner of this unit can definitely run hot. Furthermore, half of the vent is on the side of the unit, making it more awkward to keep unobstructed when holding it on your lap

Keyboard/Touch pad finish

The silver finish on the keyboard and touch screen is nice but it's just a finish. Already it has worn off of one of the touch pad buttons and I can imagine in a few years time the keyboard will start to look bad. Perhaps I will be able to by replacement key caps when that occurs

Music Skips

I have so far been unable to use this machine for listening to iTunes. It skips and chatters on a regular basis, even if I just sit there and don't run anything else or touch the keyboard. I tried downloading the latest sound drivers and Quicktime/iTune versions to no avail. HP help is a joke. After explaining and re-explaining several times, the person finally recommended I restore my system to factory configuration. Besides meaning dozen's of hours of re-installing software and setting up Vista the way I like it, this also wouldn't accomplish anything that I can see.

Battery Life

The battery life is not terrible (around 3 hours for my normal use which doesn't include playing DVD's). It's just disappointing that after all these years there appears to have been no significant improvement in battery life. It would be great if manufacturers provided a simple charging stand like I have for my power tools so that when one battery gets low you could just switch to another and put the first one to recharge. This would allow virtually continuous use with any cables.

Vista

I've made peace with Vista but would not be inclined to recommend it. Start Up is very slow -- a definite step backward from my XP based 17" laptop. You will spend a lot of time telling it it's OK to make some change. In some ways this is comforting but in others simply annoying.
Microsoft has an annoying practice of experimenting with the UI with no apparent regard for whether users actually consider it an improvement. I end up reverting most everything to the classic set up. Another annoyance is it's default shut down mode of "Sleep". It uses up battery time while not appreciably reducing start up time. I have to continually change this to shutdown.

First of all, you need to decide if you really need a tablet, because if you don't, you can find laptops smaller, lighter, brighter, and possibly cheaper.
But if you want a tablet, this one is a very strong contender. Current price ($850 in Circuit City) is simply the best in this category.
It's pretty small and lightweight (4.6 lb) and has removable DVD drive if you want to travel lighter. It's size and weight is not unlike other laptops in 12 - 13" category. It's not ultraportable. Neither it costs as much as ultraportable.
It's standard battery is pretty small, running for 2-3 hours depending on use. One can buy heavier extended 9 cell battery. Battery is slightly protruding and can be used as a tablet handle.
This laptop is not a slouch, it measured 196 in Scimark test. Compared to 5 year old 2GHz dual Athlon desktop, this laptop is 15% faster in mixed tests. Combined with 3GB memory, this laptop can run pretty much anything on Vista, except for the most demanding games. Microsoft gives it rating 3.6, which is pretty good (typical range for laptops 3.3-3.8). Some people like Vista, some don't. I think Vista is great, more stable and secure than XP, though eats more memory, which isn't a problem here. If you don't like Vista, don't buy this laptop, you will have hard time installing other OS.
It does have a variable speed fan and produces some heat, not much, unless it runs on full power - comparable to other similar performing laptops. Fan is quiet, unless runs on full power. So you probably don't want to use this laptop as a server, running heavy applications all the time. Neither you would want any laptop for that matter.
Watching DVD runs at around 40-50% of CPU frequency, the noise from fan and DVD drive are practically undetectable.
In a tablet mode you can rotate the screen in horizontal or vertical position. The second is absolutely great for reading PDF documents.
You can easily connect an external monitor (only VGA connector available), it works at least upto 1600x1200, maybe more.
After starting Windows, be prepared to load a huge number of updates (100 or so). It took hours and laptop has frozen couple times during this process.
OneNote that comes with this laptop works great with pen. It can save handwriting and search for it! This laptop has one of the best handwriting recognition software I've ever seen. So you can use it in tablet mode all the time.
Wireless 802.11b/g/n connection is stable. Vista is very nice connecting to the network, so you shouldn't have any problems.
On the negative side, this laptop is manufactured in China, and there are plenty of refurbished units for sale, which is an indicator that it can lack reliability.

It's small, lightweight, powerful. Multitasking with Vista is seamless. Can play most of the new games on this laptop. Can use most new editing tools like Photoshop, Adobe Suite, Ulead, Video Creator. No lags and delays. Fast working time. Processor and memory do not max out easily. Great for work and entertainment!

Note that the AMD Processor generates a lot of heat so be prepared for this. But for me, the tablet mode compensates for this hot drawback.

When I decided to purchase a smaller laptop to replace my ancient monster, I was torn between this one and a netbook. I am so glad that I went with the touchsmart. I have had it since late December.

To begin, the laptop itself is beautiful. The shiny surface and spiral markings are just gorgeous. The keyboard is the perfect size for my tiny hands -- I don't find myself reaching as much as with other keyboards -- but my fiance with his bigger hands has no trouble with it, either.

The handwriting analysis is incredibly good. It had my handwriting down from the get-go, and has only gotten better with use. The computer features a slide out handwriting thingy, which allows you to input text pretty much anywhere. I've found one program that doesn't handle it very well (extensive use causes it to crash), but that program has all kinds of other bugs when run with Vista, so I suspect that it is at fault. It's so much fun to write blog posts or put in comments on websites, writing them by hand. There's also a little slide-out touchscreen keyboard. The crashing program has no trouble with the keyboard.

The battery life is pretty good, longer than my old laptop by quite a lot. I don't normally use it not plugged in, but when I do, I keep glancing at the battery meter expecting it to be low. It also charges much faster than my old laptop.

Last but not least, the touchscreen.

Being able to browse the web without a keyboard is very nice. I can curl up somewhere and read the news, which I really like. The eraser function on the pen is cute. The pen also has a little button on the side that simulates right clicking. But where it really shines is the fact that it's WACOM enabled.

For those who don't know, WACOM tablets are coveted by digital artists everywhere. They allow you to draw on a touchscreen, and have pressure sensitivity, so that if you push harder, you get a heavier line -- just like a pencil. I'm not an artist, but my fiance is, and I've let him play with this computer. He wants one now.

He installed photoshop, and let loose. It took him a little while to get used to, but before long, he was making stunning pictures that really looked like he'd used oil paints, or charcoals, or pen and ink; and these were just sketches done while we were watching movies. And as a bonus, this computer is actually cheaper -- substantially cheaper -- than WACOM touchscreen tablets.

The computer does run a bit hot, but taking advice from comments here, I went to the power manager and set the max CPU speed at 50%, and that has brought the heat level to slightly less than my old laptop. I don't do anything on this computer that needs a ton of processing power, so it's not a big deal.

I'm at a loss to come up with a major problem I've had with the computer. It sometimes hangs a bit when I have Firefox open, but since it only does it when Firefox is open, I suspect that it's a software, rather than a hardware problem.

To sum up: Would I buy this computer again? Yes. In fact, I probably will buy another one.

I bought this and absolutely loved it! However, about two weeks in and the screen vertical switch stopped working. Then, about a week after the screen would just get very colorful and decide to restart the computer if it was not frozen from the screen glitch...making me have to perform a hard re-start..it never bothered to save my document/s I was working on. In the end i would expect an automatic shutdown at least once a day without warning or backing up of whatever I was working on- I am sure this is an OS issue but It definitely turned me off...I called HP support numerous times and gave remote access to which I was told it was "fixed" and OS was fine but restarts still occurred. Also, laptop runs extremely hot! I would have to shield myself from serious pain (I do not consider myself too fragile a person)were I to use it more than say 30min on my lap....also somewhat loud with the fan blowing all that heat out. I ordered from staples and it was to come with bluetooth and I could never get it to work and had to buy an external adapter to utilize my bluetooth accessories. I've had HP laptop since I've had laptops and I was very disappointed in all the flaws and problems I had with what was to be my "upgrade".

This laptop is very good as for its price... its problem though is that is runs very hot, and the battery drains a bit fast... nevertheless, the touch screen feels good, and the keyboard is very conformable.. still adjusting to mouse... Another annoying issue is the lights of the buttons of the screen... I wish I could switch the lights off..