HP's latest business laptop, the thin-and-light Compaq 6910p, seems poised to woo corporate users away from their ThinkPads. It offers many of the same features as the Lenovo ThinkPad T61, including Intel's latest Centrino Duo platform, enterprise-level security via a Trusted Platform Module, and optional HSDPA--at a significantly lower price. The Compaq 6910p also undercuts the similarly configured Dell Latitude D630, making it a good choice for corporate users who need the latest business-friendly features at an affordable price.
Design
The HP Compaq 6910p features the boxy shape and subdued gray-and-black color scheme found across HP's business laptop line. Its solid construction and sturdy display hinges will no doubt appeal to IT buyers who want their laptops to last for the long haul. Its dimensions are fairly typical for a thin-and-light laptop and virtually identical to those of the Dell Latitude D630. The Compaq 6910p's 2.3kg weight falls in the middle of the range for the thin-and-light category, making it an eminently portable machine on its own. Unfortunately, its 0.5kg AC adapter brings its overall weight to a level that, while still manageable, is less than ideal for frequent travel.
The roomy keyboard on the HP Compaq 6910p, though not full size, lets you pound out lengthy documents without cramping your fingers. For navigation, HP offers both a pointing stick and a touchpad, each with its own comfortable rubberized mouse buttons. To the lower right of the keyboard, there's a tiny fingerprint reader which frees you from having to remember your Windows and Web passwords. Above the keyboard sits a row of light-touch buttons that should look familiar to anyone acquainted with HP's Pavilion laptops. In addition to a mute button and volume controls, there are buttons to launch HP's configuration tools, turn the wireless radios on and off, and adjust display settings for presentations. While the similar light-touch controls on Pavilion models make an annoying beeping noise that has to be manually shut off, the buttons on the HP Compaq 6910p are blissfully silent.
Features
The well-thought-out design extends to the laptop's 14.1-inch widescreen display, which you can customize with either HP's BrightView glossy finish or an antiglare finish. While the BrightView promises to make colors pop, it's also prone to distracting reflections; the antiglare finish (which our review unit had) makes it easier to work on spreadsheets and documents for long periods of time without straining your eyes. With a native resolution of 1,280 x 800, text and icons looked crisp without being too small, and video looked sharp, though the color was somewhat washed out on our display.
The HP Compaq 6910p includes most of the ports and connections we expect on a thin-and-light laptop, plus a few business-friendly extras. Specifically, the laptop piles on corporate-level security measures, including not only a fingerprint reader but also a SmartCard slot and an internal Trusted Platform Module. The Compaq 6910p also provides every possible networking connection: Gigabit Ethernet, 56Kbps modem, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi, and your choice of HSDPA radios. We were pleasantly surprised by the laptop's stereo speakers, which were rich and clear at all but the highest volumes. About the only thing we'd wish to add to the Compaq 6910p is an ExpressCard slot.
Performance And Battery Life
On performance benchmarks the HP Compaq 6910p fell toward the back of a pack of similarly configured thin-and-light laptops. Its performance was matched or bested by the Lenovo ThinkPad T61, the Dell Latitude D630, and the Fujitsu LifeBook A6030. One key exception: The Compaq 6910p finished well ahead of the Dell--but still behind the others--on our Multimedia multitasking test. Still, any current Centrino Duo laptop, including the HP Compaq 6910p, will be able to easily handle the Web surfing, document editing, and productivity work that compose the bulk of office tasks. Heavy multitaskers and data crunchers might get a slight power boost from the ThinkPad T61 or the LifeBook A6030, but the HP Compaq 6910p will provide plenty of performance oomph for most users.
On our resource-intensive DVD battery drain tests, the HP Compaq 6910p lasted a fairly average 2 hours 7 minutes, which was 5 minutes longer than the Fujitsu LifeBook A6030 but 20 minutes shorter than the ThinkPad T61. The Dell Latitude D630's extended-capacity battery outlasted them all, clocking in at 4 hours 45 minutes. Our DVD battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use. Power-hungry users can get a little more juice from HP's extended-capacity battery.
Service And Support
The HP laptop comes with a three-year international warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection. If more comprehensive coverage is required, you can purchase an option for onsite service and repair.
Design
The HP Compaq 6910p features the boxy shape and subdued gray-and-black color scheme found across HP's business laptop line. Its solid construction and sturdy display hinges will no doubt appeal to IT buyers who want their laptops to last for the long haul. Its dimensions are fairly typical for a thin-and-light laptop and virtually identical to those of the Dell Latitude D630. The Compaq 6910p's 2.3kg weight falls in the middle of the range for the thin-and-light category, making it an eminently portable machine on its own. Unfortunately, its 0.5kg AC adapter brings its overall weight to a level that, while still manageable, is less than ideal for frequent travel.
The roomy keyboard on the HP Compaq 6910p, though not full size, lets you pound out lengthy documents without cramping your fingers. For navigation, HP offers both a pointing stick and a touchpad, each with its own comfortable rubberized mouse buttons. To the lower right of the keyboard, there's a tiny fingerprint reader which frees you from having to remember your Windows and Web passwords. Above the keyboard sits a row of light-touch buttons that should look familiar to anyone acquainted with HP's Pavilion laptops. In addition to a mute button and volume controls, there are buttons to launch HP's configuration tools, turn the wireless radios on and off, and adjust display settings for presentations. While the similar light-touch controls on Pavilion models make an annoying beeping noise that has to be manually shut off, the buttons on the HP Compaq 6910p are blissfully silent.
Features
The well-thought-out design extends to the laptop's 14.1-inch widescreen display, which you can customize with either HP's BrightView glossy finish or an antiglare finish. While the BrightView promises to make colors pop, it's also prone to distracting reflections; the antiglare finish (which our review unit had) makes it easier to work on spreadsheets and documents for long periods of time without straining your eyes. With a native resolution of 1,280 x 800, text and icons looked crisp without being too small, and video looked sharp, though the color was somewhat washed out on our display.
The HP Compaq 6910p includes most of the ports and connections we expect on a thin-and-light laptop, plus a few business-friendly extras. Specifically, the laptop piles on corporate-level security measures, including not only a fingerprint reader but also a SmartCard slot and an internal Trusted Platform Module. The Compaq 6910p also provides every possible networking connection: Gigabit Ethernet, 56Kbps modem, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11a/g/n Wi-Fi, and your choice of HSDPA radios. We were pleasantly surprised by the laptop's stereo speakers, which were rich and clear at all but the highest volumes. About the only thing we'd wish to add to the Compaq 6910p is an ExpressCard slot.
Performance And Battery Life
On performance benchmarks the HP Compaq 6910p fell toward the back of a pack of similarly configured thin-and-light laptops. Its performance was matched or bested by the Lenovo ThinkPad T61, the Dell Latitude D630, and the Fujitsu LifeBook A6030. One key exception: The Compaq 6910p finished well ahead of the Dell--but still behind the others--on our Multimedia multitasking test. Still, any current Centrino Duo laptop, including the HP Compaq 6910p, will be able to easily handle the Web surfing, document editing, and productivity work that compose the bulk of office tasks. Heavy multitaskers and data crunchers might get a slight power boost from the ThinkPad T61 or the LifeBook A6030, but the HP Compaq 6910p will provide plenty of performance oomph for most users.
On our resource-intensive DVD battery drain tests, the HP Compaq 6910p lasted a fairly average 2 hours 7 minutes, which was 5 minutes longer than the Fujitsu LifeBook A6030 but 20 minutes shorter than the ThinkPad T61. The Dell Latitude D630's extended-capacity battery outlasted them all, clocking in at 4 hours 45 minutes. Our DVD battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use. Power-hungry users can get a little more juice from HP's extended-capacity battery.
Service And Support
The HP laptop comes with a three-year international warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection. If more comprehensive coverage is required, you can purchase an option for onsite service and repair.
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