HP HDX18Hewlett Packard recently unveiled their HDX 18t
Premium series of multimedia laptops. Like most of HP’s laptops, they can be configured to fit your needs. The media enthusiast who demands performance and longevity from a laptop will want to take a look at a maximized HP HDX18t. The HP HDX18t has all the goodies you’ve come to expect from a desktop replacement laptop—Blu-ray, webcam, full-sized keyboard, number pad and a newfangled fingerprint reader. Performance wise, the HP HDX18t packs a strong set of components that adeptly power the
18-inch, widescreen display. Casual gamers, movie fanatics and professionals with a need for power will find the HP HDX18t to be a great desktop replacement option.
Standout Features• 18-inch, 16:9 ratio display
• 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600
• 512 MB GeForce 9600M GT
• Blu-ray and DVD+/- R/RW disc drive
FeaturesThe majority of HP’s recent laptops have emphasized a glassy black minimalism that complements a modern home or office environment. HP’s current 18-inch media laptop adheres to the same aesthetic philosophy. The HP HDX18t looks as natural in an
IKEA model living space as it does in a trendy martini bar. The HP HDX18t’s elegant appearance makes it seem as if it were hewn from a single piece of shiny meteorite with a vein of precious metal running through it. It really is a handsome machine. The problem with the sleek style of the HP HDX18t is that it attracts fingerprints and smudges like crazy. If you so much as brush the polished exterior of the
HP HDX18t with a fingertip, you’ll leave a mark.
The interior section of the chassis maintains the understated elegance of the exterior and adds a convenient row of multimedia buttons above the keyboard. The onboard media software is more functional than in many others, but you’ll still rely on your preferred programs. No new frontier in media programs here. The huge, 18-inch display isn’t as cumbersome as it may sound—the 16:9 aspect ratio keeps the HP HDX18t’s dimensions manageable. More importantly, the 16:9 aspect ratio ensures that you can watch movies without annoying black bars running along the screen. A widescreen display that actually lets you watch movies as they were filmed! What a novel idea! It’s about time the cinematic display ratio became standard. The display is great for everyday use too. Side by side windows or applications are highly visible. You won’t need a new pair of reading glasses to get the most out of the HP HDX18t.
The HP HDX18t is chockfull of supercharged hardware that brings desktop performance to your laptop gaming and video editing. The HP HDX18t’s Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 CPU clocks in at 2.8GHz which puts its processing speed on par with the Area-51 m17x and Dell XPS M1730—more than enough processing power to crush recommended system requirements on the best games. Daily web surfing, photo editing and HD video won’t clog up the HP HDX18t even if you do them all simultaneously. The HP HDX18t is furnished with 3GB of RAM. Most desktop replacement category laptops boast 4GB of RAM, but 3GB will still give you stellar performance. If you, as many of us do, struggle with a media-hoarding addiction, the HP HDX18t is available with up to 640GB of hard drive space—you could fit the entire Library of Congress’ collection on a hard drive that large.
If you’re looking to get some serious gaming on, you know that the video card is what really counts. In the graphics department, the HP HDX18t is powered by the GeForce 9600M GT. The 512 MB GeForce 9600M GT is a pretty decent card as far as notebooks go, but it won’t result in a smooth gaming experience with Crysis and other newer games. Wrath of the Lich King and your general MMORPG needs will be met and exceeded by the HP HDX18t. A Call of Duty 4 or Unreal Tournament 3 frag fest won’t pose any problem at all. Diehard gamers looking to blaze through DirectX 10 games with triple digit frame rates might want to check out SLI dual video card configurations like those found on the Northwest Falcon Fragbook or Dell XPS 1730M. For the rest of us, the HP HDX18t offers impressive gaming performance for a laptop.
ValueThe HP HDX18t isn’t the cheapest desktop replacement on the block. But, the Blu-ray drive and huge 18-inch display are luxuries worth paying for. Retailing for $2,200 with a 320GB hard drive, 2.8GHz dual-core processor and all the extras, you get a comprehensive and versatile notebook at a good price. Users who want first-rate performance but who don’t need a maximized configuration can save a few hundred dollars by toning down the processor speed and selecting a smaller hard drive. A more modest build of the HP HDX18t will run as low as $1,400. Alternatively, if a huge display and Blu-ray capability aren’t priorities in your book, the Dell XPS and Studio series offer similar builds for a few hundred dollars less.
Summary of Reviews from Across the InternetReviewers respond positively to the T9600 processor and GeForce 9600M GT combination. Benchmarks and anecdotal reports confirm the speed of the HP HDX18t. Multimedia users and Blu-ray devotees love the HP HDX18t’s connectivity—the HDMI output connects you to bigger displays, the eSATA output makes external storage a breeze, and the SD card reader makes photo transfer quick and easy.
SummaryThe huge 18-inch display and fast components establish the HP HDX18t as a prestige class desktop replacement. The true widescreen 16:9 ratio on the HP HDX18t is perfect for movies and running multiple applications. The HP HDX18t is an eye-catching and powerful performer when it comes to resource intensive applications and casual gaming. The Blu-ray drive and multimedia console will put the HP HDX18t at the center of your HD video dealings. The HP HDX 18t will receive a warm welcome in the home of any multimedia enthusiast.
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