USB0 - Computers, Laptops & Netbooks

User Reviews about HP Pavilion p6512uk Desktop PC (AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9GHz - 4 GB RAM - 1 TB HDD - DVD RW - Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit)

I wasn't looking forward to getting a desktop when my faithful notebook gave up the ghost. I eventually decided that a netbook could handle mobility, so a desktop could do the serious stuff at home. And that is exactly what this machine does. It sprints through all the photographic, music and internet I throw at it. In between times it chugs away on all the basic tasks of e-mail and data storage.
It worked straight out of the box, taking about 15 minutes to set up. That included logging on to the home wifi network which it found easily,(plus a really useful one just down the road). Everything you need is in the box, except of course a monitor, and I will come back to that.
HP is a big supplier of computers, so I did expect some corner cutting on the specification, but one look inside the tower, and I was gratified to see a Western Digital hard drive with a 16mb buffer, the RAM is made by Samsung, and its DDR3, whilst the graphics card is an ATI Radeon 5450. The AMD Quad core processor is superb, and never seems to get hot despite working on large photo files etc. HP also supply a wireless keyboard and mouse which are perfectly adequate, but I quickly invested in rechargeable batteries. All in all not bad.
The operating system is Windows 7 Home Premium, already loaded, but unfortunately so is a lot of HP software that does little but replicate Windows in a poorer fashion. There is also a trial version of Norton anti virus. My advice is to delete the HP bloatware, you really do not need it with Windows 7, and also ditch Norton for an anti virus less draggy and more friendly.
Now the monitor. This is where you should treat yourself. Do not go for some cheapy, but with the graphics potential of this machine have a look at the LG W 2361V or similar. You can read the reviews yourself of this range, but frankly this monitor is amazing. You can run it through the HDMI cable or DVI, but HDMI is breathtaking.
OK, it will cost you another £50 over an average product, but I look at it every day, and that makes the difference.
Bad points? None really, the power cable needs locating firmly, and I wouldn't vouch for a connection if you unplug it every night from the tower: but then most of us unplug at the wall socket. The fan, when it does cut in, and it doesn't do it often, can come in with a whoosh. I would have liked a firewire socket, but thats just me, and I will probably add a blu-ray player to the CD/DVD writer and player. There is ample room and a spare bay on the front of the tower.
Anybody wanting a decent desktop will surely find it with the p6512.
-- Well specified all rounder that lets you chose your own monitor