Gagan Kaul Blog

After a full one year of being fixated on Apple Powerbook, and waiting for the newer updated versions to come out, I finally ended up buying a HP. It was a long wait, complete with frustration and the indecisiveness to go in for a notebook that I might not be allowed to use in office, considering that the technology infrastructure did not support Mac hardware. Using a Mac in office would mean adding new drivers for printers, modifying existing LDAP and IMAP settings for network and mail, and a whole bunch of other tools and tweaks just to support one Apple laptop. That seemed a little too much to ask for, and in this vacillating state of mind, I was hanging on and waiting for a G5 Powerbook. During this time, I was interacting and networking with people in Powerbook forums and also seeking information about usage and support from various Mac Groups in India. The mixed reviews and advice that I got online, blended with the skeptical viewpoints offered by my seniors at work made the decision a little difficult. And then finally, the much awaited 20 September event happened and there turned out to be no updates. And that was it for me.

My primary requirements for using a laptop were:

• For both office and home use
• Small and lightweight; Ideally 2.5kg or less
• DVD writer
• 1Gb of ram or 1×512 so that I can easily upgrade in future
• Good graphics and easy to use keyboard layout
• Attractive appearance
• Under INR 65,000

As the wait became a bit too much, I went ahead and bought the sleek HP dv1345. There were a lot of options to choose from, considering a blend of performance and style. Sony, HP, Dell and IBM were the brands that I had shortlisted as possible options. Sony Vaios turned out to be a disappointment, as much as they were sleek, they had a lot of shortcomings including no separate CDs for recovery software, Windows XP was being provided as an installer file on the hard drive, the card reader was limited to only Sony SD cards et al. And given the price, it did not seem like a fair deal at all. IBM is one brand that was recommended to me by one and all, given its sturdy built and durability. However, the boring black color did not appeal to me much. But then came out the IBM Z60t with a silver titanium body, and I suddenly developed an inclination. And then the revelation that the laptop would get launched only after three months, made it seem too much to wait for again. I also checked out Dell, but the 700m had a 12” screen and was a lot heavier than I thought it would be. And it was then that I laid my eyes on the dv1000 series range from HP.

I liked the design and the awesome widescreen the moment I saw it. And the keyboard layout is class apart from other standard layouts that I have seen in a lot of laptops.

The HP dv1345 comes with a standard configuration that is as follows:

• 1.73 GHz Intel Centrino Processor
• 512mb RAM (512×1)
• WinXP Home
• 60gb 5400rpm HD
• DVD Dual Layer RW/CD Writer
• Brightview Widescreen 14.1” Display
• Intel 2200 b/g wireless w Bluetooth
• 6 cell battery
• Remote Control

Build and Construction
The dv1345 is a lot nicer looking than what it appears to be in photographs. The dv1345 has a shiny exterior painted silver, whereas the inside of the laptop is black in color.

The inside of the laptop has a very smooth matte feel, except for the QuickPlay buttons which have a shining and smooth plastic feel. The keyboard has a blue back-lighting, which is easy on the eyes and a pleasure to look at in the dark.

Overall, the laptop feels solid and sturdy, with both the exterior and interior looking very attractive.

I will be putting up a more detailed review with respect to specific features in sometime, as I am still testing it on various parameters. More pictures can be seen here.