Posts Tagged ‘2730p’
HP 2730p Review
I am up for a new computer at work and I couldn’t force myself to go with a netbook as my main laptop just yet. I currently have a HP 8510p and it works well for my needs. My biggest problem is its size. Sure the 15″ 1680×1050 screen is great but 80% of the time I am using it docked at my desk with a 24″ screen as my only display. So really what is the point of having that big of a machine 20% of the time.
So instead I opted for the HP 2730p. While not quite netbook size (12.1″ screen) it is still almost half the weight of my current laptop (3.7 lbs vs. 6.2 lbs). I had used the 2730p predecessor (2710p) last year as a demo and I had 3 major complaints with the system.
1. No touchpad (TouchStyk only)
2. No soft keys around the screen (like every other HP tablet has ever had)
3. Super slow performance (1.3 Ghz processor, 4200 RPM hard drive, GMA X3100 video)
The 2730 has fixed 2 of those issues so I thought I would give it a try as my main system this time.
The first complaint I had met was the lack of a touchpad below the keyboard. HP managed to squeeze in what looks like the touchpad from the HP 2140 (a.k.a. mini 1000) netbook but instead of having the buttons on the sides (thank heavens) they managed to cut out two slits from the metal casing which makes buttons that I think are even more worthless than the 2140 buttons. These buttons are so flush to the case and so hard to push you almost have to push straight down just to make sure you hit one. If I try to hit the buttons with my thumb I find I miss 70% of the time. I really wish they would have followed in Apple’s footsteps and made a buttonless touchpad because then at least there would be some space to move my finger on a normal size pad. I have actually just adapted to using the TouchStyk to avoid the touchpad all together. And as far as TouchStyk’s go (I wouldn’t say I was a fan but I loved the option), this is by far the best one I have ever used. The buttons feel just right and the sensitivity is almost perfect. It reminds me of my friends old IBM T42p.
HP did not see it fit to add any soft buttons back around the screen on the 2730p but they did put the ambient light sensor in the most ridiculous place possible. While they put it on the screen bezel just like they do for every laptop, if you want to use the tablet to, oh I don’t know, write on the screen, your hand constantly moves across the sensor making the screen dim and brighten with every line that you write. It is by far the most annoying part about this laptop. Luckily Fn+F11 still does work to disable this “feature”.
The performance has been bumped up significantly from the previous model. The model I have been demoing has a 1.86 Ghz Core 2 Duo, 3 GB ram (vs. 2 in my last 2710p), Intel 4500 MHD video card (still integrated but way better), and a 80 GB SSD which is awesome. The final machine I will be getting will have everything except the 80 GB SSD hard drive (mine will have a 160 GB 5400 RPM drive) which should still be an improvement over the 2710p. In case you are curious, the SSD option costs almost as much as the tablet itself.
After using the 2730p for about a week now I have 3 new things that I still just don’t like about the device and hope HP gets it right in the next model they put out.
1. Touchpad still sucks and might as well not be there.
2. Screen is not multitouch and only works with the stylus. (I have Dell envy right now) I have also seen some HP training material and know they plan to fix this with their next tablet line. It will function similar to the current Touchsmart tx2 but for busness users.
3. When the screen is flipped there isn’t much you can do (especially if you don’t have the pen out). I can’t change the volume, I can’t launch a program, and I can’t even click on a link or go back in the web browser.
The functionality in this laptop just seems to be lacking verses the old tc4400/tc4200 series tablets which my wife and sister-in-law have and enjoy. If the screen didn’t require the stylus (capacitive screen preferred) this wouldn’t matter at all but I still thought it was a relevant complaint on the current model.
Overall I still do love the size and reading in bed is much more enjoyable, so long as I have the stylus out. At work I don’t notice any of the shortcomings because I have a full mouse, keyboard, and monitor and at home I love the fact that I don’t have to be tethered to my plug to get enough juice for a whole evening of web browsing.
Overall the 2730p is what the 2710p should have been (and with the 2710′s short life of ~3 months it shows that HP knew this). Despite this review sounding very negative, I am fully satisfied with the performance, screen, size, battery life, and keyboard of this machine. Would I personally buy one for $1700? No. I would go get a current model Dell with a capacitive screen or maybe wait till HP rolls out their new tablet with a Intel Core i5 next year. Let me know if you have any questions or anything to add in the comments.
I added comments to a lot of the pictures so click through the gallery if you want some more info that I just didn’t put in the review.
