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HP today has announced the availability of the HP Pavilion dv8000 series. Based on a brand new chassis, this 17-inch widescreen laptop is powered by the AMD Turion 64 processor ML-32.

The HP Pavilion dv8000 battery comes with BrightView screen technology, integrated Altec Lansing speakers and a remote control and pre-loaded Inter-Video software. User don't even have to wait for the machine to boot with the provision of HP QuickPlay allowing the user to jump straight into both movies and music.

The problems with this computer are not with the hardware -- instead, it is the absolutely terrible tech support that sinks this ship. Twice I have sent it in for repairs (in-home repair unfortunately was not an option), and twice HP has managed to royally screw things up.

The first time I called, they didn't have me on record as being under warranty, because "that is handled by a separate department." At first, they attempted to have ME spend time verifying the validity of my warranty, but after some persistence, I was able to convince THEM to do THEIR job. The repair ended up taking about 10 business days; not terrible, but nowhere near as quick as hp compaq business notebook 6715b battery (they've turned around my computers in as few as three days, with much more efficient tech support).

The second time I had to send the dv8000 in for repairs, they sent the shipping box to my old address -- THREE TIMES! And this was after I started verifying they had the correct address after the first mis-shipment. At any rate, for this repair, I included my power cord, because it was fraying and needed to be replaced. The other minor repairs took just over a week to complete. Upon opening the repair box, I immediately noticed I had not received a power cord back. Little did I know that it would be another THREE MONTHS before I would receive a replacement power cord from HP! dell inspiron 1521 battery At first, they tried telling me they did not guarantee the return "accessories," at which point I reminded them that the cord had been included in order TO BE replaced. For the next several months, they continued to inform me that the part was "in back order" and I should be receiving it shortly. Fortunately, I have a brother-in-law who works in the I.T. business and he was able lend me a cord for the duration.

The hp pavilion dv8000 battery keeps the same popular design of their Pavilion notebooks but with updated specs. The dv8000 features a 2 GHz AMD Turion 64 processor, 1/2 GB of RAM, two 5400 RPM 80GB HDD, a DVD burner, a 17 inch WSXGA widescreen display, ATI Radeon XPress 200M, WiFi support, and a 5 in 1 card reader. Despite the fact that you’re dealing with a 17 inch notebook, the dv8000 only weighs in at 8.1 lbs and measures 11.1 x 15.6 x 1.5/1.8 inches. Here’s the verdict:

Specifications of the dv8000 reviewed

• AMD Turion-64 ML-32 (1.8GHz/512KB L2 Cache)
• 512MB 333MHz DDR SDRAM (1x512MB 200-pin SODIMM)
• 100GB 4200RPM HD
• 17-inch Ultra Brightview WXGA+ screen
• 128MB ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M w/Hypermemory
• DVD+/-RW/R & CW-RW Combo w/Double Layer Support
• Windows XP Home
• Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN

At the heart of the HP Pavilion dv8000 lies the AMD Turion 64 ML-32, offering wireless connectivity on the move. The model also comes with an ATI RADEON XPRESS 200M graphics, 128Mb of dedicated video memory and 1Gb RAM.

In summary, the computer itself is a hardy unit, capable of running specialized graphics software (and most games), but the atrocious tech support has permanently soured me on HP computers.

The HP dv8000 is a respectable budget desktop replacement notebook that provides good power and a pleasantly large screen in a well-built package that is not too heavy to carry around or to use on your lap. With prices currently ranging from around $800 for the barebones to $1600 well equipped, the hp pavilion dv6000 battery provides excellent value compared to other comparable systems and adds HP's reputedly good customer service.

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