HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr Notebook PC Review
One of the great paradoxes of modern day computing is that desktop computers continue to get smaller and more energy efficient while notebook computers have increased in screen-size, features and capabilities. At the top of the “desktop-replacement” category of 17-inch notebooks is HP’s dv7-3173nr, its a Blu-Ray slinging, 7-pound weighing, do-it-all notebook that rings in at $1,400 and banishes the thought that you should ever want a desktop PC.
While its naming scheme is the one area where HP could work on, the main difference between the two models is hinted at by the number five in the one, and seven in the other. Whereas the dv5 was a 15.4in notebook, the dv7 is, as you might have guessed, its 17in twin. And when I say twin I mean it; apart from the increase in size and a higher-capacity eight-cell HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR battery compared to the dv7-3173nr's six-cell model, not much has changed in terms of either looks or specifications.
Going for its looks and chassis first (we're shallow that way), like with the dv5 it's a very attractive beasty. It can basically be divided up into two parts, with the entire lid being black, while the bottom half is silver.
Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of the current line, the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr Refurbished Entertainment Laptop Computer is defined by modern lines and surprising iovations inside and out. This HP comes with a 2.3GHz AMD Turion II M520 Dual-Core processor, 6GB of DDR2 RAM, 500GB hard drive, LightScribe Blu-ray ROM with DVD±R/RW Double Layer Support.
Specifictions:
For people interested in watching TV, the dv7-3173nr also comes with a built-in TV tuner, an amenity the 18-inch Acer Aspire 8920G doesn’t have yet. The included remote is lightweight, with buttons large enough to press easily, and it stows away neatly on the side of the notebook. When we watched television next to a window, the sound was excellent, but the resolution was pretty mediocre; then again, this was using the included detachable antenna, which is pretty mediocre itself. The tuner receives both analog and digital signals.
The HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr ran for 3 hours and 21 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, which is an impressive performance for a desktop replacement, especially one without a giant extending HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR AC Adapter sticking out awkwardly from the bottom. The Dell Studio 17 ran for an additional hour, but at the cost of a bulky 9-cell battery.
The 17in screen has a 1,600x900 resolution that gives significantly more desktop space than 15in laptops with 1,366x768 resolutions. While it seemed dimmer than other LED-backlit screens, contrast and colour accuracy were better, especially where flesh tones were involved.
Driving the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr's stellar performance is Intel's new mobile quad-core processor, the 1.6GHz Core i7-720QM. Dual-core laptops are simply no match for this quad-core beast. Helping the processor rip through our benchmark tests is 6GB of DDR3 memory and the Nvidia GeForce GT 230M graphics card, which shows up to the party with 1GB of its own video memory.
A further annoyance comes from the cooling fans. With that powerful specification just begging you to tax it with gaming and heavy multitasking, it won’t be long before the HP’s noisy fans whirr into action. The speakers go loud enough to drown them out, but in quiet moments you’ll be in no doubt that the HP is working hard to stay cool. Battery life isn’t that impressive, with a result of just 3hrs 23mins in our light-usage test, but that isn’t altogether surprising given the power on tap and the size of the screen.
The large screen means there's plenty of width to include a full-sized keyboard, with a chunky Enter key and a full numeric keypad. The keys are moulded into a comfortable shape, and have a light action and crisp feedback. The metallic touchpad is surprisingly responsive, with chunky buttons that feel responsive. At 3.5kg, the dv7-3173nr isn't particularly portable, but its HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR battery lasted a respectable three and-a-half hours.
The 17 inch WXGA (1440x900) wide screen is called 'Infinity BrightView' by HP. However, the measured maximum brightness (in the middle of the screen) of 157 cd/m² is not very bright. Because of the reflecting surface, the brightness is only sufficient for indoor operation. Furthermore, you should not have a powerful light source in front of the screen, because this would lead to heavy reflections. Due to the low brightness, the contrast ratio of 183:1 is rather moderate (in the middle). At least the maximum brightness is not further limited in battery operation.
For those who want rich digital entertainment capability coupled with desktop-caliber performance in a stunning mobile design, the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr Entertainment Notebook PC delivers! Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of the current line, the new dv7-3173nr laptop is defined by fluid, modern lines and metalized finishes with surprising innovations inside and out. A high gloss HP Imprint2 finish in onyx and chrome features a grid like mesh pattern for subtle contrast to the liquid appearance of the metallic finish. The streamlined look is enhanced with a color matched keyboard and touchpad. Touch media controls light up and become visible only when the system is powered on, further enhancing the clean appearance. Providing more choices than ever, QuickPlay enables access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, karaoke, games, Internet TV, and streamed or recorded TV at the touch of a button with the included NTSC/ATSC TV Tuner. Built-in demos show you how to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag and drop functionality and much more. An HDMI port enables you to watch films on an HDTV. Muvee autoProducer makes creating films complete with effects and transitions a snap. Extras include dual headphone jacks, 1 pair of stereo earbud headphones and an HP Mobile Remote Control.
The retail-only Pavilion dv7-3173nr comes in a single fixed configuration built around Intel's newest Centrino 2 platform; components include a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU (one of the new "power optimized" models) and a generous 4GB of fast 800MHz RAM, with 64-bit Windows Vista to take advantage of it. It's not surprising that such a well-stocked system finished at or near the front of the pack on CNET Labs performance benchmarks. The Pavilion dv7-3173nr finished statistically even with the Gateway P-7811FX on our multitasking test, and it pulled in just ahead of the Gateway on our Photoshop CS3 test.
Replacing a desktop PC and entertainment. Get the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr to edit and enjoy photos and high-definition videos using the large widescreen display, plus listen to music in premium audio and play games. With this Laptop PC, you can work in multiple applications at the same time and count on fast data entry with the numeric keypad. What’s more, you’ll experience some of the best of the Web like Hulu, Netflix,Twitter, and Pandora with stellar HP laptop.
HP has included a dedicated ATi Radeon HD 4350 graphics card which packs in more 3D power than everything but the Acer Aspire 5745, but the basic processor means that modern games and intensive design packages still suffer from lag.
A mixed specification and outdated OS are compensated in part by the excellent features and quality build of the Pavilion dv7-3173nr, but anyone looking for a high performance machine should look to the Intel Core laptops.
This HP dv7-3173nr 17.3″ Pavilion entertainment notebook also comes packed with Web cam with microphone, LightScribe Blu-ray drive (Blu-ray combo), Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound as well as HDMI port to display video from the notebook on a HDTV. Other essential features include 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 5-in-1 media card reader and full-size keyboard with integrated numeric keypad. It packed with HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR charger which offers up to 4 hours of life, there’s also HP mobile remote control. The HP MediaSmart, Microsoft Works, McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2010 are installed. Price, qvc has HP dv7-3173nr 17.3″ Notebook w/ 6GB RAM 500GB HD Blu-ray Win7 McAfee for $948.
While its naming scheme is the one area where HP could work on, the main difference between the two models is hinted at by the number five in the one, and seven in the other. Whereas the dv5 was a 15.4in notebook, the dv7 is, as you might have guessed, its 17in twin. And when I say twin I mean it; apart from the increase in size and a higher-capacity eight-cell HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR battery compared to the dv7-3173nr's six-cell model, not much has changed in terms of either looks or specifications.
Going for its looks and chassis first (we're shallow that way), like with the dv5 it's a very attractive beasty. It can basically be divided up into two parts, with the entire lid being black, while the bottom half is silver.
Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of the current line, the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr Refurbished Entertainment Laptop Computer is defined by modern lines and surprising iovations inside and out. This HP comes with a 2.3GHz AMD Turion II M520 Dual-Core processor, 6GB of DDR2 RAM, 500GB hard drive, LightScribe Blu-ray ROM with DVD±R/RW Double Layer Support.
- Color: Black
- Media: Personal Computers
- Autographed: No
- Memorabilia: No
- Batteries Included: Yes
- CPU Manufacturer: AMD
- CPU Type: AMD Turion 64
- System Memory: 6
- Hard Drive Size: 500
- Display Size: 17.3
- Shipping Weight (lbs): 7.7
- Dimensions (in): 10.9 x 16.2 x 1.4
- MPN: RB-WQ133UA
- Model: HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr
- UPC: 885631086612
- EAN: 0885631086612
- ASIN: B003YVV7HM
For people interested in watching TV, the dv7-3173nr also comes with a built-in TV tuner, an amenity the 18-inch Acer Aspire 8920G doesn’t have yet. The included remote is lightweight, with buttons large enough to press easily, and it stows away neatly on the side of the notebook. When we watched television next to a window, the sound was excellent, but the resolution was pretty mediocre; then again, this was using the included detachable antenna, which is pretty mediocre itself. The tuner receives both analog and digital signals.
The HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr ran for 3 hours and 21 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, which is an impressive performance for a desktop replacement, especially one without a giant extending HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR AC Adapter sticking out awkwardly from the bottom. The Dell Studio 17 ran for an additional hour, but at the cost of a bulky 9-cell battery.
The 17in screen has a 1,600x900 resolution that gives significantly more desktop space than 15in laptops with 1,366x768 resolutions. While it seemed dimmer than other LED-backlit screens, contrast and colour accuracy were better, especially where flesh tones were involved.
Driving the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr's stellar performance is Intel's new mobile quad-core processor, the 1.6GHz Core i7-720QM. Dual-core laptops are simply no match for this quad-core beast. Helping the processor rip through our benchmark tests is 6GB of DDR3 memory and the Nvidia GeForce GT 230M graphics card, which shows up to the party with 1GB of its own video memory.
A further annoyance comes from the cooling fans. With that powerful specification just begging you to tax it with gaming and heavy multitasking, it won’t be long before the HP’s noisy fans whirr into action. The speakers go loud enough to drown them out, but in quiet moments you’ll be in no doubt that the HP is working hard to stay cool. Battery life isn’t that impressive, with a result of just 3hrs 23mins in our light-usage test, but that isn’t altogether surprising given the power on tap and the size of the screen.
The large screen means there's plenty of width to include a full-sized keyboard, with a chunky Enter key and a full numeric keypad. The keys are moulded into a comfortable shape, and have a light action and crisp feedback. The metallic touchpad is surprisingly responsive, with chunky buttons that feel responsive. At 3.5kg, the dv7-3173nr isn't particularly portable, but its HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR battery lasted a respectable three and-a-half hours.
The 17 inch WXGA (1440x900) wide screen is called 'Infinity BrightView' by HP. However, the measured maximum brightness (in the middle of the screen) of 157 cd/m² is not very bright. Because of the reflecting surface, the brightness is only sufficient for indoor operation. Furthermore, you should not have a powerful light source in front of the screen, because this would lead to heavy reflections. Due to the low brightness, the contrast ratio of 183:1 is rather moderate (in the middle). At least the maximum brightness is not further limited in battery operation.
For those who want rich digital entertainment capability coupled with desktop-caliber performance in a stunning mobile design, the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr Entertainment Notebook PC delivers! Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of the current line, the new dv7-3173nr laptop is defined by fluid, modern lines and metalized finishes with surprising innovations inside and out. A high gloss HP Imprint2 finish in onyx and chrome features a grid like mesh pattern for subtle contrast to the liquid appearance of the metallic finish. The streamlined look is enhanced with a color matched keyboard and touchpad. Touch media controls light up and become visible only when the system is powered on, further enhancing the clean appearance. Providing more choices than ever, QuickPlay enables access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, karaoke, games, Internet TV, and streamed or recorded TV at the touch of a button with the included NTSC/ATSC TV Tuner. Built-in demos show you how to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag and drop functionality and much more. An HDMI port enables you to watch films on an HDTV. Muvee autoProducer makes creating films complete with effects and transitions a snap. Extras include dual headphone jacks, 1 pair of stereo earbud headphones and an HP Mobile Remote Control.
The retail-only Pavilion dv7-3173nr comes in a single fixed configuration built around Intel's newest Centrino 2 platform; components include a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo P8400 CPU (one of the new "power optimized" models) and a generous 4GB of fast 800MHz RAM, with 64-bit Windows Vista to take advantage of it. It's not surprising that such a well-stocked system finished at or near the front of the pack on CNET Labs performance benchmarks. The Pavilion dv7-3173nr finished statistically even with the Gateway P-7811FX on our multitasking test, and it pulled in just ahead of the Gateway on our Photoshop CS3 test.
Replacing a desktop PC and entertainment. Get the HP Pavilion dv7-3173nr to edit and enjoy photos and high-definition videos using the large widescreen display, plus listen to music in premium audio and play games. With this Laptop PC, you can work in multiple applications at the same time and count on fast data entry with the numeric keypad. What’s more, you’ll experience some of the best of the Web like Hulu, Netflix,Twitter, and Pandora with stellar HP laptop.
HP has included a dedicated ATi Radeon HD 4350 graphics card which packs in more 3D power than everything but the Acer Aspire 5745, but the basic processor means that modern games and intensive design packages still suffer from lag.
A mixed specification and outdated OS are compensated in part by the excellent features and quality build of the Pavilion dv7-3173nr, but anyone looking for a high performance machine should look to the Intel Core laptops.
This HP dv7-3173nr 17.3″ Pavilion entertainment notebook also comes packed with Web cam with microphone, LightScribe Blu-ray drive (Blu-ray combo), Altec Lansing speakers with SRS Premium Sound as well as HDMI port to display video from the notebook on a HDTV. Other essential features include 802.11b/g/n WiFi, 5-in-1 media card reader and full-size keyboard with integrated numeric keypad. It packed with HP Pavilion DV7-3173NR charger which offers up to 4 hours of life, there’s also HP mobile remote control. The HP MediaSmart, Microsoft Works, McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2010 are installed. Price, qvc has HP dv7-3173nr 17.3″ Notebook w/ 6GB RAM 500GB HD Blu-ray Win7 McAfee for $948.
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