Unlimited long distance $24.99/mo
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CNET editors' rating:
2.5 stars
OK
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 40 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Basic configuration is cheap; sharp case design; double-layer DVD burner; loud and clear JBL speakers.
The bad: Higher-end models can get expensive; no disc-play controls; slightly subpar battery life.
The bottom line: The Compaq Presario V2000Z's feature set and low base price are appealing, but you can get superior speed and battery life from slightly more expensive mainstream notebooks.
Specifications: Processor: AMD Turion 64 (2 GHz); RAM installed: 256 MB DDR SDRAM; Weight: 5.4 lbs; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 08/22/2005
- Released on: 06/15/2005
Mainstream laptops often feature uninspired case designs, but we like the HP Compaq Presario V2000Z's look. Unfortunately, it offers the performance and the battery life you'd expect in a low-end system: middling at best. This budget notebook carries a very attractive starting price of $699, where its sharp design gives it an added advantage over its entry-level competition. At our test system's price of $1,224, however, there are equally well-designed notebooks that are more powerful and last longer between charges.
At 5.5 pounds, the Presario V2000Z is light enough for occasional travel, and it measures a trim 13.2 inches wide by 9.1 inches deep. The case's thickness runs from 1.3 inches toward the front to 1.5 inches at the back. Both the $1,520 Dell Latitude D510 and the $1,409 Toshiba Satellite M45 weigh nearly a half-pound more than the Presario V2000Z; they're also wider, though the $1,224 Presario is slightly thicker. The Presario V2000Z's 0.8-pound (three-prong) AC adapter is of average size for a mainstream portable.
The system's 14-inch wide-screen display features a 1,280x800 native resolution; we found that it looked a bit dimmer than the Satellite M45's screen. The Presario V2000Z's full-size keyboard is the same one found on the larger Presario V4000, and it's a joy to type on. Though the wide rectangular touch pad is small, it has a great on/off button above it so you can disable it while typing or using an external mouse. Handy buttons for volume control and Wi-Fi on/off line up above the keyboard, though there are no external controls for playing discs. The laptop's front edge offers a rare feature, especially for an inexpensive laptop: JBL Pro speakers that actually sound loud and clear. HP incorporates icons along the left and right sides of the keyboard to indicate where corresponding ports, jacks, and slots are located on the left and right edges.
Speaking of ports, jacks, and slots, the Presario V2000Z has a satisfying selection: four-pin FireWire, S-Video out, VGA, docking, and three USB 2.0 ports; Ethernet, 56K modem, headphone, and microphone jacks; and one Type II PC Card slot and a 6-in-1 slot that accepts six types of flash memory cards, including Secure Digital, Memory Stick and Memory Stick Pro, MultiMediaCard, Smart Media, and xD card. The less expensive (and less portable) Presario V4000 offers one more USB port and a PCI-Express slot.
Our HP Compaq Presario V2000Z test unit came with Windows XP Home and the Microsoft Works 8.0 mini office suite, good for basic users who lack the big bucks to purchase pricey office apps. The software bundle also incorporates a few multimedia standards such as InterVideo WinDVD for playback and Sonic RecordNow and InterVideo WinDVD Creator for burning.
While a baseline Presario V2000Z configuration costs a very cheap $699, you'll have to cough up $1,224 to buy the configuration we reviewed, which featured a sweet double-layer DVD burner, an 80GB hard drive that spins at a sluggish 4,200rpm, a 2GHz AMD Turion 64 ML-37 processor, 1GB of slowish 333MHz memory, a cost-cutting ATI Radeon Xpress 200M graphics chip that sponges 128MB off main RAM, and an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi card. This price/parts ratio comes in a bit behind those of other mainstream laptops, such as the Dell Latitude D510, which for about $50 more offers a bigger 15-inch screen, a better Intel Pentium M processor, faster 400MHz memory, and a 5,400rpm hard drive, though no double-layer DVD burner. Another option is the Toshiba Satellite M45, which goes for $100 more and features a 15.4-inch display. The Presario V2000Z comes in preconfigured versions, or you can build your own on the HP site. We explore the laundry list of available components in our HP Compaq Presario V2000 series review.
In CNET Labs' mobile benchmarks, the Presario V2000Z lagged 14 percent behind the Dell Latitude D510 and ran on par with the Celeron-powered Satellite M45, making it adequate for basic computing work such as Web surfing, e-mail, and other productivity tasks; gamers and those with multimedia aspirations will need a more powerful system. The Presario V2000Z delivered slightly subpar battery life, however, lasting only 2 hours and 50 minutes; we consider 3 hours to be average for this class of laptop.
HP bundles a typical one-year warranty with the Presario V2000Z; however, for a reasonable fee, you can extend the term to three years. HP will also cover the cost of returning the system for repairs throughout your warranty. The company's toll-free telephone-support lines are open 24/7 and offer free help during your warranty period. The HP support Web site includes one of our favorite support features--real-time chat with a tech rep--though the company limits your free chat time to just one hour. After that, you can try to troubleshoot problems yourself by searching through the site's FAQ database.
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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BAPCo's MobileMark 2002 performance rating |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
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MobileMark 2002 battery-life minutes |
Find out more about how we test Windows notebooks.
System configurations:
Dell Latitude D510
Windows XP Pro; 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M 730; 512MB PC3200 DDR2 SDRAM 400MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS 910GML Express 128MB; Toshiba MK4026GAX 40GB 4,200rpm
Toshiba Satellite M45
Windows XP Home; 1.73GHz Intel Pentium M 740; 512MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM 333MHz; Intel 915GM/GMS 910GML Express 128MB; Toshiba MK1031GAS 100GB 4,200rpm
HP Compaq Presario V2000Z
Windows XP Home; 2GHz Turion 64 ML-37; 1,024MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM 333MHz; ATI Mobility Radeon Xpress 200MB 128MB (shared); Seagate ST9808210A 80GB 4,200rpm
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