Desktop Reviews

• Sleek and shiny black and silver desktop with 2.2 GHz Intel Pentium E2200 dual core processor
• 500 GB hard drive, three GB RAM 8 GB max, 16x dual layer DVD burner with LightScribe disc printing
• Open drive bay for an optional HP Pocket Media Drive, Intel GMA 3100 graphics with 287 MB of total available memory
• Connectivity: six USB 2.0, two FireWire, 15 in 1 memory card reader, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• Pre installed with Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1, will include keyboard and scroller mouse

Boasting a sleek and shiny black and silver chassis, the HP Pavilion a6400f desktop PC comes loaded with the all tools you have to easily create, manage, share, and enjoy your digital photos, home videos, movies, and music. You may be able to easily burn your home video productions to DVD for friends and family with the dual layer, multi format DVD/CD burner, which enables you to store up to 8.5 GB of data on a DL disc and gives a super fast 16x DVD±RW write speed. It also will include LightScribe technology for personalized silkscreen quality, laser etched CD/DVD labels produced right in the drive.

This desktop is powered by the 2.2 GHz Intel Pentium E2200 dual core processor, which increases the efficiency and speed of the PC while running many programs and the new multi threaded software. Store more music, videos, and data on the super sized 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive, which offers fast move rates. It also will include an open drive bay for an optional HP Pocket Media Drive which can add up to 160 GB of storage. Other features are three GB of RAM which may be bumped up to eight GB, an Intel GMA 3100 graphics with up to 287 MB of total graphics memory, a large range of connection ports on both the front and rear of the box, and a 15 in 1 memory card reader that is matched with today’s most liked digital camera formats.

It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1, which will include all of the Windows Media Center potential for turning your PC into an all in one home entertainment center. Also to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your audio library, you will be able to record and watch your beloved TV shows even HDTV. Vista also integrates new search tools during the operating system, will include new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of imminent hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: The 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium E2200 dual core processor delivers extra computing resources and help expand the PCâ€,™,s potential by higher throughput and concurrent computing. You will be able to do many tasks like digital generating and gaming all while running virus scan or another background tasks seamlessly. And its Intel 64 architecture is prepared for tomorrow’s 64 bit applications, and offers improved performance through improved virtual memory. Each core shares one MB of L2 cache, and they have an MHz front side bus. An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data, and a bigger L2 cache may help speed up your system’s performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front side bus will deliver better in general performance.

• Hard Drive: The super sized 500 GB Serial ATA SATA hard drive 7200 RPM offers a money of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive has a 3Gb/s interface speed that enables up to 300MB/s data move rates double the speed of the current SATA interface of 1.5Gb/s.

  This desktop also will include a drive bay that fits an optional HP Pocket Media Drive, which enables you to add up to 160 GB of extra storage. The Pocket Media Drive also works with any USB enabled PC, for easy transferring of multimedia files from other computers in your home.

• Memory: The three GB of installed RAM PC5300, two x one GB and two x 512 MB is an excellent start, but you will want to add more RAM to manage today’s calling for multimedia and gaming software. It also offers a top of class 667 MHz speed. This desktop has an eight GB maximum RAM capacity 4 x two GB. To get the faster data move benefits of the dual channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is matched with writing both DVD+ and DVD disc formats also as dual layer DL DVD+/ R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It features 8x DVD R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R DL Write Once, 16x DVD+R, 8x DVD+RW, 16x DVD R, 6x DVD RW, 12x DVD RAM, 40x CD R, 32x CD RW write speeds and 40x CD ROM, and 16x DVD ROM read speeds.

  This LightScribe DVD±RW drive allows you to laser etch silkscreen quality text and pictures on to CDs and DVDs . Your software, PC and discs work together for a no hassle way to burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert and burn your label anything from a simple title to a full disc work of art.

• Keyboard &amp, Mouse: It comes with an HP multimedia keyboard and scroller mouse both with PS/2 connections.

Video &amp, Audio
Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3100, which uses Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology DVMT and gives 128 MB of dedicated graphics memory. Windows Vista may also allocate up to 287 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. It also has an integrated audio card that can create high meaning surround sound configurable to eight speakers.

Networking, Connectivity &amp, Expansion
For expansion, this desktop has one PCI slot occupied, two PCI Express x1 slot available, one PCI Express x16 slots available, two 5.25 inch bays one available, and three 3.5 inch bays one available. It comes with the following external connectors:

• 6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a large range of peripherals from digital cameras to MP3 players 2 in front, four in rear
• 2 FireWire also called IEEE 1394 or i.Link port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals 1 in front, one in rear
• 2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 2 headset and two microphone front and rear
• 2 line in front and rear
• Digital coaxial audio input/output also as surround sound speaker outputs rear/side/center
• 15 in 1 multi format memory card reader, matched with CompactFlash I/II, IBM Microdrive, Secure Digital SD, miniSD, MultiMediaCard MMC, Reduced Size MultiMediaCard RS MMC, MultiMediaCard Plus MMC plus, MultiMediaCard Mobile MMC mobile, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, SmartMedia, and xD Picture Card.
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
• 56K modem

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it will include all of the Windows Media Center potential for turning your PC into an all in one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your audio library. You may also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your beloved TV shows even HDTV and to access new types of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an secondary Windows SideShow display will also let you to access key data when your computer is off. It’s also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista gives the essential tools and technologies to help protect you if you’re browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of imminent hardware failures long before you have lost any vital personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that let you to manage and monitor your family’s use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other actions.

Preloaded Software
Will include Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition 60 day trial, Muvee Autoproducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite, PC recuperation, HP PhotoSmart Essentials, and Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 with 60 days of Live Update.

Dimensions &amp, Weight
It measures 16.3 x 6.9 x 15.25 inches LxWxD and weighs roughly 22 pounds.

What’s in the Box
This package holds the HP Pavilion a6400f desktop PC, power cable, keyboard, and mouse. It’s supported by a restricted warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of buy also as technical telephone help for one year. Software is protected for 90 days from date of buy.

Note: Monitor not included.

HP Pavilion A6400F desktop will include a range of features that make taking and sharing digital pictures easier than ever. Every HP Pavilion A6400F PC gives you the tools to make working with digital photos and video clips fun and convenient. Manage, edit, share and protect your digital photos with HP Photosmart Essential. The front panel 15 in 1 memory card reader makes it simple to move photos and files to and from your digital camera and other peripheral devices. The SuperMulti DVD burner with LightScribe technology allows you to create custom, silkscreen quality labels and artwork directly onto LightScribe enabled CD and DVD discs. . The Windows Vista Home Premium with service pack one operating system is the favored edition for home desktop PCs. With broad digital entertainment features, extended search potential and the liquid three dimensional Windows Aero user interface, it gives a really surprising user experience. Windows Vista Service Pack one gives the new operating system enhancements and improvements from Microsoft. Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3100 with 128MB dedicated with up to 287MB Shared Graphics Memory LightScribe SuperMulti DVD+ R/RW with Double level High meaning Audio, eight speaker configurable 10/100/1000Mbps Ethernet LAN 15 in 1 card reader Front ports two x USB, IEEE 1394, Microphone Back ports four x USB, IEEE 1394, two x PS2 ports keyboard, mouse, headset, audio In/Out, Microphone/Line in/Line out, Rear speaker out, Side speaker out, Center subwoofer, RJ 45 LAN, RJ 11 Modem, VGA Expansion slots one x PCI occupied, two x PCI Express x1 two available, one x PCI Express x16 one available Drive bays two x external 5.25 one available, one x external 3.5 occupied, two x interior 3.5 one available Monitor isn’t included

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2008 at 8:47 am and is filed under Desktops. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.