Don't buy this junk, get a Dell instead
Written: Dec 29 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Bundled CD Writer
Cons: PC133 SDRAM instead of RAMBUS
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| stevelarrison's Full Review: Hewlett Packard Pavilion 8595C (D7491A#ABA) PC Des... |
Well, OK, maybe the title is a little strong but anyone looking at purchasing this machine should look closely at exactly what they are getting, then look at Dell instead.
You would think that a Pentium III 733 machine would be top of the line in all areas, right? You would be wrong. When you look closely at the spec of this machine, you will notice that it runs 133MHz SDRAM, not PC700 RAMBUS. On 12/29/99, 128MB of PC133 SDRAM goes for about $150, while 128MB of PC700RAMBUS goes for about $950. It is significantly better memory and will unlock the full potential of this coppermine class processor. (See my Pentium III Explained review ). It also means that this machine is using a motherboard based on the Via chipset as opposed to the i820 (Intel) chipset. Performance testing shows that the Via platform with PC133 is significantly slower than the i820 platform with RAMBUS.
Further examination shows that this machine uses an 8MB Nvidia Vanta video card. This will prove unacceptable for hardcore gamers, but is fine for pedestrian use.
A comparison of a similar machine at Dell shows a Pentium III 733 with 128MB of PC700 RAMBUS, a 19" Trinitron (nice) monitor, a high end graphics card (GeForce) and a high end sound system for 2855. The HP Pavillion 8595C lists for 2199 without monitor. Considering that a nice Trinitron 19" montior is going to run around $500, the $656 price difference between the Dell and the HP quickly evaporates. When you consider the remarkably higher performance that RAMBUS offers over SDRAM, the Dell is the system of choice. (Memory differences more than offset the bundled CD Writer the HP has )
Recommended:
No
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stevelarrison
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Member: Steve Larrison
Location: Scottsdale, Az. USA
Reviews written: 171
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