Windows 7 and new HP
Hello friends, hope everyone is doing fine. Well I didn't go MAC this time around as I thought I might. I stuck with getting a new PC and Windows 7. All I can say is that I am pleased. I purchased my computer last month through the HP Store and specially ordered it. Here is my setup. My system is an HP Elite Pavilion with the Core i7 920 processor, 12 gigs of DDR3 RAM, 1GB NVIDIA video card, 1 TB RAID 0 Hard drive setup (Western Digital Drives), Gigabit Ethernet, Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium sound card, Hauppauge Digital TV and Radio tuner with remote, Blu-Ray recorder and secondary DVD drive, Multi Card Reader, HP multimedia low profile keyboard (laptop style keys) and mouse, and HP 2709m 27 Inch Widescreen HD Monitor with 1080p resolution, and of course Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit edition. Since I am working on my Masters degree I did qualify for Academic Discounts and so everything with tax included came to $1985. I think I got a good deal and I am enjoying it.
I haven't had a single problem with Windows 7 and it runs very fast and smoothly. The Windows taskbar has essentially been turned into a dock. I feel like the lines between Windows and OS X are blurring. For one when you have several windows or programs open all you need to do is run the mouse over the appropriate icon on the taskbar/dock and you can see what is open as it pops up tiny windows much the way OS X's expose does. I like this feature and I am glad they have made the taskbar much like a dock. I wasn't fond of the older taskbar.
The one gripe I have is how MS revamped the control panel. Now instead of the larger easier to see icons you have smaller ones with the names in green out beside them. It's a total new look. I liked the older better but all things change. At any rate Windows 7 so far runs very smooth and I have had no issues. I have talked to my Apple Mac friends and they have all asked me about it. Heres what I know. It will run on bootcamp if you get the 32 bit version. As of yet I don't think the 64 bit version will run on bootcamp. Any MAC friends can correct me if that isn't true. Windows Aero Peek is a cool feature. It basically makes everything glassy so you can see through it to the desktop. Nice feature when you just want to check to make sure that download made it to the desktop! The Windows search is much better now and functions much like the finder on a MAC. I had tried the Search 4.0 under XP and that was horrible. It never worked right. It seems MS has fine tuned the searching capability and it is now very quick. I can say one of my favorite features of Windows 7 is flip 3D which was introduced first in Vista. You can throw that up there and scroll through the windows in 3D and when you find the window you want just click and it'll pop into place.
Back to the HP. HP has vamped up their systems here lately. They always have been the "MAC" of PC's as far as I'm concerned. They always seem to have unique case design, colors, etc. They have since added lighted Logos much the way Apple does on the Macbook. Even the tower's have this. Mine has a metal chrome badge thats nice and metal shiny when the unit is off but when it's switched on the whole thing becomes a very light "easy on the eyes" blue. HP has done the same with their new laptops as well. I've noticed that HP also has a new "all in one" that is strikingly like an iMAC". Sure they had their touch smart computer but this new one is closer to what an iMAC is.
All in all I am pleased that I didn't switch. Not to say that I won't ever get a MAC, I am still mulling a purchase. And remember I do own an iPod. It was that I had a mountain of software that would become useless to me if I switched. My university just purchased a load of the new 27 inch top of the line iMac's so yes I am around them.
Well that is enough rambling for now. That's my personal update. I am sorry I haven't posted much lately but I've been uber busy with my Masters degree. More to come though!
-Kevin ( TheDigitalBloke on youtube)
Kevin Bell Nov 17, 2009 at 1:08 AM
Reader Comments (7)
if you can please post pics or make a video of your setup. would love to see it . comming from a 24 inch imac user i am curious to see what windows 7 looks like on that big of screen
I can do a screen shot, is that what you are asking?
I can say that I have plenty of desktop real estate if that is what you're asking. The 2709m is HP's biggest monitor and the top of the line. It does have built in speakers but you cannot see them and you see no vents on front anywhere. It's a very nice monitor and does VGA, DVI, and HDMI. 3ms response time and 30,000:1 Contrast Ratio. Here is the link to it on the HP site if you wish to read up on it:
http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/display/display/1/storefronts/NT188AA%2523ABA
As far as Windows 7 I really no longer go to the start button (now known as the orb) to open a program. I have every program I use down on the taskbar which as I said is really a dock now. I think Mac users would like Windows 7 greatly. I honestly think it would be great to use in bootcamp but remember you need the 32 bit version in order to run it on bootcamp. I seriously think the Mac user would really appreciate Windows 7's functionality and stability. I haven't read a bad word from any Mac user about it yet. Most like it.
I'm a dedicated Windows user, What I mean by ' dedicated ' is that I've owned 4 PC's in my 14 years of living and everyone of them has ran different Windows OS. Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now the top dog Windows 7. Now I can definitely admit that Vista has a lot of problems, considering I've been using it for around 2 years. It has it's problems just like any other OS does, but Windows 7 is one of the biggest step-up in OS history I have EVER seen. Now the BIG problem with Windows Vista was it humongous amount of recourse usage. Windows Vista wasn't BAD. But Windows 7 has got to be the best OS out there. And I'm not one of those fanboys that dawg Apple users and has never owned or used one, because I have. And from what I see so far, Windows 7 holds the title, it's beautiful scenery and easy to maneuver OS is one-of-a-kind. And Mac users would love this setup. Remember how almost every Mac user said they would never bootcamp Vista? Well almost every Mac user is saying they would LOVE to bootcamp Windows 7. Guys, give your kudos to Microsoft please, they try and it's obvious. Windows 7 is very enjoyable and user friendly. I think it's time Mac users stop the hate. Lets get along guys =)
And another thing is Windows 7 is more like Apple's OS, as it's more plain. More easier to use, but at the same time, it's beautiful and user friendly. And also, Windows isn't trying to be more like Apple by the hole 'dock' situation, they are trying to make everything more simpler and blunt ideas. As in Windows Vista everyone was lost and complained a lot, Makes sense, doesn't it?
- Jeremy
no. i want to see the computer. take a pic of your desk with the computer on it
Kid,
I will try to take some photos soon for you. I have been so busy with graduate school that I allowed my DSLR to decharge all the way and it takes half the night to charge! I'm having a busy rest of week and next week but I'll try to get some photos. You might have to be patient! Of course my desk looks messy as I'm boggled down in graduate research so it won't be a pretty sight! That said though I'll try to get some photos when I can. You can email me at thedigitalbloke@gmail.com if you have any further questions about the system, HP, or Windows 7. Thanks for your interest.
-Kevin (thedigitalbloke@gmail.com)
Whoever the guy was who wanted a pic of the computer needs to email me. I have a few now.