HP Compaq 8510p Review

Published on Sunday 31st August, 2008 (AEST)

I've been using a new HP 8510p laptop for the last couple of months and have been meaning to pen a review for some time. Between turning the certification treadmill and taming our backyard, however, little time has been left for the luxury of writing.

I've been more than impressed with this machine, despite a couple of minor annoyances. The model I've been using is a KM230AV, with a 2.5Ghz Core 2 Duo CPU, 256MB ATI Radeon X2600 graphics card, and 4GB of RAM (upgraded from 2GB). I won't delve further into the specifications since these can change significantly with each new model.

Practicalities

I compared three models when looking to buy this laptop. The first was a 6710b, which is roughly the same size and shape as the 8510p, but not as slim. It has integrated graphics, using shared memory, so the performance of the 6710b is average. The other model I looked at was the larger 8710w. Although it has better graphics capabilities, I find the 8710w is simply too large to travel with. The 8510p, on the other hand, is a suitable workstation replacement, without being too bulky to actually use as a laptop.

I work with HP laptops an a daily basis so all of the ports and controls are where I would expect. That said, I would prefer for two of the four USB ports to be at the back of the laptop, rather than having two on either side, as the cables can get in the way of the mouse. Another issue that may chafe users is the location of the fingerprint scanner, which I find tends to get brushed accidently more often than not, prompting me to configure my credentials. It wasn't long before I disabled the scanner in the BIOS to forestall frustration.

Performance

The system performs well. I usually have one or two virtual machines running throughout the day, and even then I rarely notice a performance hit. For those interested in benchmarks, the system scores a Windows Experience Index rating of 5.1, with memory and gaming graphics being the limiting factors.

I've been running Vista x64, and the system runs well with the supplied drivers and applications. There is a known issue with the video driver crashing occasionally, and at the time of writing the latest drivers and firmware do not resolve the problem. The screen merely flickers for a second when the drivers crash, so it's not a major issue (though it would no doubt drive some people around the bend).

The screen is crisp and bright, and is another selling point over the 6710b. The video card has plenty of grunt and handles Vista's Aero interface beautifully. I use the system mainly for work, and haven't tested the gaming capabilities at all.

The speakers produce good quality sound, and can reach a decent volume. Their location under the front lip of the system can cause the sound to easily be muffled if the system is sitting on a lap though.

Conclusion

I'm more than happy with the 8510p and can give it a thumbs up. It's performance and build quality give it an edge over the popular 6710b, making it well worth the extra dollars spent.

Save to del.icio.us Digg this Submit to StumbleUpon