New HP Computer- any opinions?

[Chris]

Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
too much about..

So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Grinder]

Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
too much about..

So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.

I've seen a lot of eMachines that are crap, but I can't say if I've seen
once since Gateway bought them out.

 

[Michael C]

Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
too much about..

So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.

Steer clear of the name brands, they're usually overpriced with propriety
hardware that's expensive to replace. They also have the added bonus of
being more difficult to upgrade.

Michael

 

[Justin Case]

Steer clear of the name brands, they're usually overpriced with propriety
hardware that's expensive to replace. They also have the added bonus of
being more difficult to upgrade.

Add to the above that thy're full of resource hogging crap software
that you'll probably never use. The software and the warrenty are the
most attractive things about them.
Of all the systems I've put together for other people,
I've only had one or two small hardware related problems that were
covered by the component manufacturers warrenty anyway.

You can put together (or go to a mom & pop pc store) a comaprable
machine for less money that's easily upgradable with anything you
want. The name brand pc's were never intended to be anything other
than what it is when you buy it. They'd rather see you buy a new one
in a few years.

One woman, after seeing Sunday paper ads, was convinced the P4
machine I sold her wasn't as good as the the ones in the ads and went
out a bought a HP. She's sent it out three times (!) for service
within a year for something or other so now it lives in the closet.

 

[RBM]

I think everything the others have said is completely correct, but may be a
moot point depending on your abilities. If you have no intention of building
or expanding on you own, the HP may be fine. I have one I bought at BJ's a
few years ago, and I've got to say, it was chuck full of goodies, and it
worked well for three years,when I retired it. I am not happy with their
tech service, which wouldn't even talk to me after the one year warranty
expired. Dell, for better or worse will always talk to you and answer
questions although it may help to speak Punjab

 

[General Schvantzkoph]

Steer clear of the name brands, they're usually overpriced with propriety
hardware that's expensive to replace. They also have the added bonus of
being more difficult to upgrade.

Michael

I beg to differ. My latest machine is a Compaq that I picked up at
CompuUSA for $1400. The components in the machine are all identifiable,
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum motherboard, SB Audigy 2 soundboard (doesn't work
with Fedora Core 3, I'm hopeful that FC4 will handle it), Athlon 64 3800+,
Coolermaster Wavemaster case, Enermax 465W supply, GeForce Fx5700
graphics. The only components that are HP branded are the DVD writer and
DVD Rom. The same components from NewEgg or Monarch would have cost $400
more (I was pricing that exact configuration when I found the Compaq
machine at CompUSA). The economies of scale are so large with the big
companies that even with the Windows tax they can be frequently be a real
bargain.

 

[JANA]

My preference is to build up a system the way I want it. I found that with
all of the name brands they are okay for something simple that comes with a
lot of useless extra software and services, that would have been better off
being given out in hardware for the cost.

You can build up a very good computer through a computer store if you can't
assemble it on your own. You will have the freedom to pick and choose the
exact types of hardware you want, rather than having something that comes at
the best price to the big name manufacture, who will squeeze you for the
most they can get.

I found that with many of the name brand manufactures, you are sort of
locked in to their system. Doing expansion on these computers may not always
be easy, depending on their design, and physical space in the case that they
give you.

For the most part, the advantage of a name brand computer is that everything
is done for you. If it does not work, most of them have a 24/7 support
service that you can call.

--

JANA
_____


Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
too much about..

So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[kony]

I've seen a lot of eMachines that are crap, but I can't say if I've seen
once since Gateway bought them out.

They were always lower-spec machines as that was their
target market, but given that, suitable for common tasks
that don't place high demands on the (usually integrated)
video. Their main shortcoming was the power supply, though
at their low cost a replacement PSU is just a slight offset
to that.

 

[Grinder]

They were always lower-spec machines as that was their
target market, but given that, suitable for common tasks
that don't place high demands on the (usually integrated)
video.

They cut too close to the bone, in my opinion.

Their main shortcoming was the power supply, though
at their low cost a replacement PSU is just a slight offset
to that.

I've also noticed a problem with floppy drives. In a period of a bit
more than a year, I replaced nearly every floppy drive in eMachines that
my friends has purchased -- about a dozen machines in all.

A couple of those friends were smokers, so that would be the expected
culprit, but most were not, leading me to believe they were using
substandard parts.

Also, the cases were so cheesy that threads for the case screws would
sometimes flake off while opening it.

 

[kony]

I've also noticed a problem with floppy drives. In a period of a bit
more than a year, I replaced nearly every floppy drive in eMachines that
my friends has purchased -- about a dozen machines in all.

What make/model of floppy?
I don't remember which emachines has used, but of all things
the floppy and HDD are most likely major manufacturer drives
you might find in many different systems or OEM-for-retail
individual purchase too.

A couple of those friends were smokers, so that would be the expected
culprit, but most were not, leading me to believe they were using
substandard parts.

Maybe, but as I mentioned above, it'd be a particular
makes/models of floppy which should be avoided regardless of
whether in an emachine or elsewhere.

Also, the cases were so cheesy that threads for the case screws would
sometimes flake off while opening it.

Yep, I hate cheap cases too, though they seem to be more and
more popular these days.

For how cheap they were there are still a lot of emachines
working fine though... low-end Compaq systems seem to fail
sooner though that might be an illusion based on larger
numbers of Compaqs sold.

 

[Larc]

| | > Hello,
| >
| > The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
| > model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
| > It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
| > Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
| > reader installed.
| >
| > I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
| > wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
| > at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
| > Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
| > features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
| > too much about..
| >
| > So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
| > the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.
|
| Steer clear of the name brands, they're usually overpriced with propriety
| hardware that's expensive to replace. They also have the added bonus of
| being more difficult to upgrade.

Amen! If you don't feel comfortable building your own, find a
reputable mom and pop computer store in your area and get them to
build you one. The upside is you can have exactly what you want in
the box and none of the stuff you don't. Plus if there are problems,
you know exactly who to go to and don't have to wind up trying to
explain what's wrong to some droid in India.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§

 

[Grinder]

What make/model of floppy?
I don't remember which emachines has used, but of all things
the floppy and HDD are most likely major manufacturer drives
you might find in many different systems or OEM-for-retail
individual purchase too.

I didn't take any accounting of that. I know at least one of them was a
Mitsumi, though.

 

[kony]

I didn't take any accounting of that. I know at least one of them was a
Mitsumi, though.

Well Mitsumi is one of the largest manufacturers so you may
find those drives almost anywhere. I'd think it more likey
the power supply was killing them, as I've used and
installed many of them myself and note no abnormal failure
rates... but then maybe they have an especially low-end
model that isn't made as well... hard to imagine on a mere
$6 part but you'd have to tear a few apart and examine them.

 

[Rod]

I don't know much about the system your looking at, just giving you my
impression of an HP I bought around Christmas, the Wal-Mart Special Bundle
for 468.00 It's been flawless for my business, used for internet access and
estimate writing. It's on 24/7. I added 512 MB RAM to it first thing which
added 100 bucks to the cost.

 

[Grinder]

Well Mitsumi is one of the largest manufacturers so you may
find those drives almost anywhere. I'd think it more likey
the power supply was killing them, as I've used and
installed many of them myself and note no abnormal failure
rates... but then maybe they have an especially low-end
model that isn't made as well... hard to imagine on a mere
$6 part but you'd have to tear a few apart and examine them.

I really wouldn't know what to look for.

 

[Paul Murphy]

Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

I thought these sounded like pretty impressive specs. So, I was just
wondering if this would be a good model to buy. The system retailed
at 1249.99 at Comp USA. This system seems to do quite a bit.
Although, I do question how much I'd actually use some of the
features. It has the XP Media Center version, which I haven't heard
too much about..

So, I was just posting to get some feedback. I wasn't sure if HP was
the way to go... or if I should go for a Dell or E-machine.

Thanks,

Chris

What is it that you want to do with your new machine?

There's no point in buying one with all the latest widgets attached if all
you want to do is write letters on it. Windows Media Centre is a special
version of windows based on XP Professional and it gives lots of multimedia
capabilities such as the ability to watch or record TV and radio on the
machine but all of these capabilities are available through other methods if
needed on older machines. If your search Microsoft's website for Windows
Media Centre Edition there's plenty of info on it there. I would suggest
that if you do decide to buy a Windows Media Centre PC, you steer clear of a
Pentium 4 one and go for an AMD 64 based one. The reason is the former comes
with a built in lounge heater (in the form of its CPU) where as AMD have
something called Cool N Quiet technology which does what it says. The last
thing you need is a Media Centre PC which has audible fan noise.

Paul

 

[fmofmo]

The m7070n is basically a combination of the m1270n and the m1280n with
new packaging, meaning the new silver case which has replaced the older

shiny black case of the HP Media Center PC line. I've seen both cases
in person and I prefer the new silver one.

The m7070n has this in common with the higher-end m1280n system:

- 3.2 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor 640 with HT technology
- L2 Cache of 2 MB
- DVD-ROM drive (instead of CD-ROM drive for 2nd optical drive)

However, unlike the m1280n, it doesn't have have a 300 GB hard drive,
or the Radeon X600 Pro graphics card, or a wireless keyboard & mouse,
instead opting for a 250 GB hard drive, the Radeon X300, and a wired
keyboard & mouse, all of which are also found on the m1270n.

The m1270n and m1280n are being phased out (discontinued) and have so
far been replaced by the the m7060n and m7070n. My concern with the
m7070n is that it's lacking in a few areas when compared to the m1280n
(as noted above), and a newer top-of-the-line HP Media Center PC hasn't
yet been announced. However, my sources tell me that one is on the way
that should equal or exceed the m1280n. I believe the model number
will be the m7087n (although m7080n or m7090n makes more sense to me).
I'm going to wait for this newer model because I prefer the silver case
and maybe there will be some other upgrades when compared to the
m1280n. Hopefully this newer model will make its presence known in the
next couple of months.

If you want HP's current top-of-the-line Media Center PC right now, and
don't mind the shiny black case, the m1280n is the one to get, and for
those retailers that still have it in stock, some are selling it for
$200-300 cheaper than just a few weeks ago.

To address some of the previous comments, building a computer like this
one is not as easy as building a standard system because of all the
features located on the front of the tower which include the 9-in-1
media card reader, the LightScribe Dual Layer DVD burner, the hot
swappable Personal Media Drive slot, all the front panel ports and
inputs (USB, FireWire, audio & video). Also, this PC comes with a
remote control. If you want a PC with all these options, it makes more
sense to purchase an HP Media Center PC rather than attempting to build
one which will end up costing you more money and most likely will be
sacrificing some of the features.

Regarding the point of the added junk (extra programs) that are loaded
on brand name computers which do tend to hog system resources, these
can easily be removed from loading on startup and running in the
background. I know it was a simple process to do this on my DELL
laptop.

You're always going to get those people that suggest you stay away from
brand name computers, but this is one of those cases where I think they
are wrong.

 

[Michael C]

I beg to differ. My latest machine is a Compaq that I picked up at
CompuUSA for $1400. The components in the machine are all identifiable,
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum motherboard, SB Audigy 2 soundboard (doesn't work
with Fedora Core 3, I'm hopeful that FC4 will handle it), Athlon 64 3800+,
Coolermaster Wavemaster case, Enermax 465W supply, GeForce Fx5700
graphics. The only components that are HP branded are the DVD writer and
DVD Rom. The same components from NewEgg or Monarch would have cost $400
more (I was pricing that exact configuration when I found the Compaq
machine at CompUSA). The economies of scale are so large with the big
companies that even with the Windows tax they can be frequently be a real
bargain.

That's unusual, mostly you get something in these pcs that is weird and
requires proprietry components.

Michael

 

[kony]

That's unusual, mostly you get something in these pcs that is weird and
requires proprietry components.

Michael

Depends a bit on how much one spends too. Buying a cheap
and/or smaller system makes it more likely to be
proprietary. Most OEM mid-full towers are fairly standard
except for the front-panel/bezel connectors which may still
be integrated into fewer plugs.

 

[Pelysma]

Hello,

The HP Media Center M7070N was just released about 2 weeks ago. This
model has the Intel Pentium 4 640 chip 3.2 Ghz with 2 MB of L2 Cache.
It also has 1 GB Ram, a 250 GB hard drive, 2 DVD drives, and an ATI
Radeon X300 PCI-E graphics card. It also has a 9 in one media card
reader installed.

Just to pitch my hat into the ring: I have a low-end Dell 2350 which I use
and love. I just built my son a custom machine from parts. I also gutted
an e-Machines computer a year ago and put it in a stronger case. I know two
people with HP computers, one very similar to the one you describe. I'll
try to give you the ups and downs of each.

For a year and a half my Dell was the only computer I knew of in my circle
of friends that had not failed in some way. It just kept on running.
Recently I discovered that the DVD-ROM doesn't read DVDs anymore. It's a
Dell branded Lite-On drive, usually a good brand. Even after this, I'll
recommend the Dell machine anytime. I'm not all that happy about Dell
marketing, on the other hand, and I suggest staying away from their featured
financing. I have never contacted Dell customer support, which probably
indicates a good situation. The Dell is fairly proprietary and will be
difficult to expand; there isn't a bracket in the case for a second hard
drive, for instance. Although the front of the case is plastic, it doesn't
have the cheesy feel of some low-end Compaqs or the eMachines; it seems nice
and solid.

My son's machine was a labor of love. Good thing, too, because building
your own can get expensive in a hurry. I generally used last year's top
parts, accepting a little obsolescence so that I could get the quality stuff
in my budget. The Abit AS7 motherboard is a thing of wonder, with
connectivity you wouldn't believe. The Pentium 4 2.8 seems to run hot, but
the 3.2 version apparently is hotter, and neither generates as much heat as
an Athlon 64, so you have to actively think about cooling, which is solved
for you in a brand-name box. The big shocker is that software isn't
included and it adds up as fast as hardware components. You get to choose
but you have to buy a la carte.

The e-Machines was a tinny little toy, but the actual components, other than
the power supply, were mainline ordinary stuff. I bought this 733 Celeron
model at Goodwill and separately bought a big steel case because the
e-Machines case and power supply just wouldn't hold what I wanted to add.
Now the case is mostly empty but the computer runs great.

Now the HP's -- the Media Center model is simply beautiful, and I'm envious
of what it can do, but I have to say they've had quite a little trouble with
it. Their CDRW didn't work from the very beginning, and the tech suggested
they reinstall Windows from the set of CDs you're supposed to make when the
computer first arrives... "No keyboard detected, press F4 to continue."
HP and Compaq, now combined at the business end, have some odd ways of doing
things. While my Dell provided a full set of CDs of all the software on the
computer (most of them still sealed after two years) the HP provided
nothing, not even a Windows installation disk. The computer is loaded with
software, but no backup; you're supposed to make a backup set when you get
it. Right now he's having a problem playing movie DVDs because of a missing
video codec. I have no idea where it might have gotten off to, but there's
no disk to reload it.

My other friend/co-worker who has an HP made such a set and when he needed
it, but both he and the computer couldn't figure out how to use it. I'm
inclined to say (in jest) that HP made two major mistakes on this computer:
they didn't provide the disks, and they sold it to an idiot. I heard him
rant and rave all morning about what a piece of crap it is, but I think I
could have it all smooth and nice in an evening of file-system
housecleaning. I really truly believe this was an excellent computer and he
just screwed it up. Again, though, there's that issue of no installation
disks.

While I've often railed against proprietary machines, the industry has gone
in that direction -- yesterday's proprietary motherboard is today's ATX
standard. A mass-market package machine can simply put more in the box for
the same price. Software is usually incomplete ("Hey, you wanna buy the
full version?") but serviceable. You have to look at it and say "What this
is, it will always be," and on those terms, will you still like it next
year? Some do.

Sorry to run long -- I hope it's helpful.