HP Compaq nx8220

A Reader's Digest version of the review: This review consists of two parts. The first, more belletristic, presents the experiences collected through the seven months of intensive use of the HP Compaq nx8220 (sold as the HP nc8230 in US) as a workhorse. The second, short and technical one describes the procedure of replacing the notebook display (from WXGA to WUXGA).

My general opinion about this HP notebook is very positive, and only some minor details spoil the very good overall picture of the notebook as a reliable companion. Nowadays, in the Core Duo era, its performance is not blasting anymore (but still satisfying) and hence efficiency issues are not the leitmotif of the text: I focused rather on the notebook usability, reliability, and on its design. It is very likely that the refreshed version of nx8220/nc8230 family (likely to be named nx8420/nc8430) will get a richer interior but the same appearance,' and these comments remain helpful for the potential HP buyers.

Introduction and Family Affairs:

A widescreen 15.4" notebook the HP Compaq nx8220 is offered in Poland (as well as in other European countries) by HP in a business notebook HP Essential' series (which is barely equivalent to the performance laptop'). This category has two branches in the US: the first is represented by the widescreen 17'' desktop replacement notebooks based either on Pentium 4 (elder nw9600) or on Core Duo processors (a newborn nx9420). The other branch consists of widescreen 15.4'' twins, nc8230 and nw8240 which appear to be just wealthier brothers of the nx8220 (which, as in the Grimm's fairy tale, had to go into the world and... has not been offered in US).

Configuration:

When bought (September 2005), the computer featured:

* Pentium M 730 1.6GHz, 2MB L2 cache (Dothan)
* Mobile Intel 915PM Express Chipset (Sonoma)
* Widescreen matte LCD 15.4'', WXGA (1280 x 800) with ambient light sensor
* ATI Mobility Radeon X600 with 64MB of discrete memory
* 512MB (2x 256MB DDR-333) (replaced later by 2x 512MB DDR2-533)
* 60 GB, 5400 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100 (Toshiba MK6026GAX)
* MultiBay II DVD+/-RW (Matshita UJ-822Da)
* Full-size keyboard and two button Touch Pad
* Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200BG and Bluetooth 1.2, FIR (Fast IrDA)
* NetXtreme Gigabit PCI Express Ethernet Controller, Agere Systems AC'97 Modem
* VGA 15-pin, TV-out, line out, built-in microphone, stereo speakers
* 3x USB 2.0, FireWire IEEE-1394
* PC Card Type II, SmartCard interface slot, SD/MMC cards slot and docking connector
* 69Wh Primary 8-cell Lithium-Ion Battery and 90W A/C adapter 110/

The nx8220 dimensions are 1.1" x 14.0" x10.2" (28mm x 355mm x 259 mm). It weighs 6.1lb (2.77kg) with DVD drive and 5.8lb (2.63kg) with the weight saver'.

Together with the computer, I purchased:

* 52Wh 8-cell Lithium-Ion Travel Battery
* HP Sport Backpack (fabricated by Samsonite)
* Extra AC cord with US plug

Reasons for Buying:

I work at a university and need a computer to write articles, develop and run numerical software, prepare tests and lectures. Fed up with carrying CD discs & pendrives back and forth from home to my university office I finally matured to a notebook. Having positive (both practically and aesthetically) experiences with a borrowed HP Compaq nx7000 (X1000 in USA) I started looking for a similar notebook for my own. I briefly considered the competitive Toshiba M70/M40 families, the mentioned (but hardly available) nx7000/nx7010 and, finally, one of the nc8230/nw8240/nx8220 triplets. At the time of purchase Lenovo had not yet offered its Z60m series notebooks, or I would have considered it. The decisive factors were:

* Build quality
* Battery life and mobility
* Price and pulchritude of the notebook.

Much cheaper than the nc8230 and nw8240*, the nx8220 enjoys the same design, accessories and build quality -- the choice was obvious.

* They were horrendously overpriced then in Poland. For instance, the nw8240 with PM 770, WUXGA WVA, 1GB, 60GB, DVD+/-RW, WLAN, and BT, used to cost astronomic 18000+PLN ("Polish zloty") with VAT, which is no less, no more but $6000! Now, it is available at the half of that price.