HP Pavilion M8400F

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Computer for Price [Posted on 2008-04-20]
I purchased this computer to replace a Gateway laptop whose internal HD failed after less than 2 years. The HP is GREAT. MUCH faster than the laptop (a Duo Core, 2GB Ram). I really like the Personal Media Drive option, although I was not sure I would like it when I purchased the HP. Very convienent to just slide in a big HD, useful both for backing up and archiving important data. I did not have much problem with installing my existing software on the new 64 bit version of Windows Vista Home Premimum although I did need to get a few new drivers for external devices (ie a Sypder Pro 2 monitor calibration device). Only one program did not either run on the 64 Bit Vista or did not have a 64 bit version that I could download (that program was DxO Optics Pro Version 5. A good program, but if it won't load, it's not much use...).

Great computer for the price [Posted on 2008-04-21]
I've been very pleased with the application speed and ability to run multiple programs including games without problems. The wireless keyboard and mouse are great, definitely a good computer that is fast and very quiet.

Disaster (m8430f) [Posted on 2008-04-21]
I cannot review the performance of the PC because I was never able to turn it on. It came with defective video card. HP sent me a replacement part (shipping from Ohio to NY was quick) but instructions provided offered explanation on how to replace other parts, not the video card. Called tech support and was on hold for annoying amount of time. Moreover, when I did speak to someone, I could not understand what the guy was saying because his Indian accent was very thick. I did manage to understand that for replacing a video card HP does not provide written instruction, instead a technician has to walk me through it because it's not easy to replace this part. I concluded that it is much easier to return the pc than go through all this trouble.

Amazingly Fast, Best price for a Quad-Core. [Posted on 2008-04-28]
The biggest seller of this PC to me was the price of a quad-core and that it is scary quiet. The only noise you will ever hear from this PC is the CD drive and maybe the hard drive if you're in a very very quiet room.

Multitasking is amazing. I've never used a computer as fast as this.

I've had Dell's, Alienware's, and Gateway's. This blows them all away. Dell has great customer service, but HP's CS isn't bad at all. Everyone else is asking so much more and offering less than what HP is offering. Dell was offering a computer simular to this one without a TV Tuner and a smaller hard drive for over $500 dollers more. That's just crazy.

HP honestly is a little more cheap when it comes to parts than Dell. But if you take good care of your PC you shouldn't have any problems. I had to return the first one of these computers I bought due to a broken front power button. Besides that, I haven't had any trouble at all.

I'm a huge multitasker. I have had 7 Mp3's downloading, Playing Crysis and Listening to music (WMP) and this computer didn't even think about slowing down at all. Also all of the office 2007 (not included) programs run amazingly quick and very very smoothly.

Vista is awesome. I've had Vista on three computers so far, and Vista on this computer runs the best. I have had a few little problems with the 64-Bit OS. Over-all it works great, but there are a few seperate folders for 32-bit programs and 64-bit programs. There are two Internet Explorers (32-bit and 64-bit). Not all web pages work in 64-bit. But all in all, what works in 64-bit runs much smoother and a bit quicker. None of the little tiny problems I've had with the 64-bit OS are worth talking about and would never stop me from buying this PC again.

There are way more than enough ports for me. Lots of USB and the media card reader in the front is great. An optical audio port would have been really nice, but I picked up a cheap external optical sound card and it works great. The HDMI output is a nice touch, but I found the DVI to VGA adaptor to hook it up to my 52'' LCD worked much better.

All in all, this is a perfect machine. Fast and super super quiet. A must buy if you are looking for the perfect media machine.

Fast and plays well with others [Posted on 2008-04-29]
Needed a replacement for my Acer laptop that has had media buffering problems since the day I bought it.
Was going for a Quad Core with 3GB I saw at Costco, but after a couple of days of research it was gone. Found this at Best Buy just in to replace the previous model I was eyeballing.
I knew that in the windows world 4GB = 64bit OS that gave me a little bit of pause but I always want leading edge in my computers so they last a couple of years.

The only real headache so far has been that Zone Alarm is not ready for a 64bit world, so I went with Trend Micro. Took a lot of tweaking to get the machine not to respond to pings (if Zone Alarm can make it so easy why cant everyone else). Once Security was up it was all good.

My default browser is Firefox and so far it's doing fine, on this box.
I have widgets setup to watch CPU, Ram, and network traffic and I have yet to really see this machine stress.

Multiple downloads from different sites, running Call of Duty 4 with a bunch of other stuff going on all no problem.

You want some power that will not be outdated tomorrow? Here it is.

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