HP's High-Performance Notebook Covers All The Bases

new notebook models

Part of the new 8200 wide-screen laptop series, rolled out under HP's mobility initiative, the nc8230 is a top-of-the-line model. HP offers slower processors, smaller-capacity hard drives and the option to increase or decrease memory. Pricing varies according to the options chosen by a solution provider.

The CRN Test Center evaluated an nc8230 with an Intel Centrino Pentium M 2GHz processor, 1 Gbyte of memory and an 80-Gbyte hard drive. The unit features a 15.4-inch wide-screen display that provides plenty of desktop space. The wide-screen format is ideal for presentations or spreadsheets, but unlike competing notebooks, the large display doesn't require a heavy base. The result is a powerful, full-featured notebook with a travel-friendly weight of just 5.7 pounds. It measures 14 x 1.1 x 10.4 inches.

The nc8230's display has the highest native resolution of any notebook ever tested by the Test Center. The 15.4-inch WUXGA display has a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels, which, needless to say, makes for a stunningly sharp image. The display is driven by an ATI Mobility Radeon X600 PCI Express graphics accelerator with 128 Mbytes of memory.

The test unit included a combo DVD/CD-RW drive installed in the notebook's ultra-slim MultiBay II. The hot-swappable MultiBay II drive bay lets users interchange a variety of optical drives, a floppy drive or a second battery. Intel Centrino power-saving technology is used in conjunction with HP's power-down NIC technology, and an ambient light sensor adjusts the display brightness according to the environment. These features allow the nc8230 to run for up to four hours on a single battery charge. Battery life can be extended up to four more hours with the addition of an optional second battery.

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Other built-in features include an Intel 802.11a/b/g wireless network interface card, a Gigabit wired NIC, a 56-Kbps modem, a PC Card slot, a Secure Digital media slot, three USB 2.0 ports, an S-video out connector, a 1394 FireWire port, one serial port, a Fast IR port, a full-sized keyboard, and both a touchpad and pointing stick with three buttons and a scroll control.

The nc8230 is built to withstand a hard-knock life. The notebook has a shock-mounted hard drive, a scratch-resistant exterior, a scuff- and scratch-resistant display, and a spill-resistant keyboard.

Test Center engineers were extremely impressed with the HP Compaq nc8230. Lightweight, powerful, rugged and feature-filled, the HP's latest high-performance notebook is a winner.