HP Compaq 6910p

The HP Compaq 6910p delivers just about everything that business users on the go are looking for: performance, security, durability, and mobile broadband. Compatibility with Centrino Pro allows IT managers to remotely manage the system and push out important security updates, and the optical drive can be swapped for a weight saver or additional hard drive. We'd like to see a mobile broadband connection, but otherwise this notebook is a strong competitor to the Dell Latitude D630 and Lenovo ThinkPad T61.

Donning a strictly professional exterior, the 6910p is designed to withstand daily abuse. Like the nc6400, this 5.2-pound notebook has a magnesium-alloy frame, as well as rubber bumpers around the screen and keyboard to protect the display. You also get the same in-mold lamination around the keyboard deck to prevent scratches and general wear and tear. What's new is the DuraKeys keyboard, a clear coating on the layout that protects the finish and printed characters. Last but not least is HP's Mobile Data Protection System 3D, which parks the hard drive heads when the notebook detects shock or vibration.

The left side of the system houses two USB ports and a FireWire jack, as well as a PC Card slot and the mic and headphone jacks. The DVD burner, another USB port, and the modem and Ethernet jacks line the right side, and a VGA port and S-Video port line the back of the notebook. A SD/MMC Card reader is on the front of the 6910p, which is surrounded by the speaker.

The 6910p's 14.1-inch, 1440 x 900-pixel LCD, which has a business-friendly matte finish, delivered bright and sharp images. As typical for a business notebook, the 6910p includes two input options--a pointing stick and a touchpad. Both performed well, but some may find the rubbery touchpad and pointing stick buttons a bit too soft. Above the very good keyboard are touch controls for HP's wireless on/off, presentation settings, and volume. Pressing the Info Center button pulls up a menu of quick links to Microsoft Office, HP ProtectTools Security Manager, and Wireless Assistant.

Security features abound on the 6910p, starting with a built-in fingerprint reader. You also get a TPM chip, hard drive encryption, and a smart card reader. IT managers will appreciate that the 6910p uses Centrino Pro with Intel's Active Management Technology, which enables remote manageability and blocks incoming threats to the network. This technology works in tandem with HP's Out of Band Management Console, a component of the company's PC Configuration Management Solution. This separate solution is free for HP customers to download directly from the Web site.

Our test system was powered by a 2-GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of RAM. We had absolutely no trouble multitasking with the 6910p-we ran a virus scan while watching Two for the Money on DVD and didn't notice any stuttering. The notebook's score of 3,844 on PCMark05 is above average for thin-and-light notebooks. Dell's Vostro notebook with the same processor and RAM turned in a higher score of 4,683, but that system benefits from discrete graphics. The 6910p lasted 2 hours and 27 minutes on our DVD rundown test with Wi-Fi powered off. That means you should expect about four hours of runtime when performing productivity chores. HP offers extended-life batteries starting at $129.

The 6910p's 3DMark score of 1,682 is on a par with other notebooks with integrated graphics. If you need more 3D horsepower, you can opt for one of two other configurations with ATI Mobility Radeon Graphics cards, one with 64MB of dedicated video memory ($150 more than the UMA configuration) and one with 128MB of video memory ($30 more than the 64MB). Wi-Fi performance from the 802.11n radio was good, with 17.2 Mbps and 16.6 Mbps of throughput at 15 and 50 feet, respectively. The Bluetooth connection allowed us to pair both our Motorola RAZR and Jabra headphones-although we had to reset the device on one occasion.

To keep workers connected beyond hotspot range, the 6910p features a mobile broadband modem that connects to Verizon's EV-DO data network. Unfortunately, this system uses the slower Rev. 0 standard instead of Rev. A, which offers much faster uplink speeds. The 6910p took about 20 seconds to download a 1MB file via FTP and, on average, two to three minutes to upload the same file--a time that's definitely on the slow side. Firefox took over two minutes to download-on a par with other Rev. 0 notebooks but well behind those with Rev. A. HP also offers an HSDPA module that connects to AT&T's mobile broadband network; that costs $50 more, but it enables users to stay connected abroad. Users can also swap WWAN modules at any time after purchase.

Overall, the HP 6910p offers a good balance of mobility and power while offering the security and durability mobile professionals need. It feels like it's built to last beyond the three-year warranty. However, this $1,855 machine is a little too expensive for what you get. We prefer the ThinkPad T61 for its enhanced screen protection and better ergonomics ($1,588, when similarly configured at time of review) and the Dell D630 for its EV-DO Rev. A option (only $1,395).

source : LaptopMag.com