AdsFriday : Black Friday & Cyber Monday Deals 2012

HP 530 - Cel 530 15.4 1024MB 120GB

HP currently sell more notebooks worldwide than any other company and taking one look at the HP 530 Laptop you can see why. This device has been designed to meet a specific price point and audience.

Because it's aimed at the entry-level market you won't see too many frills or neat flourishes in the design, but for all that it's attractive and, more importantly, built to last.

Constructed from plastic over a magnesium-alloy frame, you'll find that the chassis is solid to the touch and there's even plenty of protection in the lid to protect the screen.

Open the lid up and you'll find a bright and clear 15.4-inch Super-TFT screen. While it may not be the very brightest around, we found it sharp enough to use out and about. The display is widescreen, which means that there's plenty of space on the main body for a good-sized keyboard.

HP 530 Laptop

Who says you can’t have it all? Get the essentials that add to your productivity, not your budget. The HP 530 Laptop Computer offers low-cost computing without compromising mobility. Integrated Wi-Fi with Intel Centrino® Duo processor technology lets you connect to the Internet, e-mails, news, and more. With an Intel® Core™ Duo processor, a 15.4-inch diagonal widescreen display, and ample hard drive capacity, this notebook helps keep you connected and productive around the office and on the road.

Comfortable keyboard
With budget-priced notebooks you can usually see where corners have been cut by the quality of the keyboard. However, there's no such feeling here because the keys are firmly attached and comfortable to use.

What's more, they've been designed with a small dip in the centre or each key, so your fingers won't slip as you type while on a speeding train, for instance.

As you'd expect at this price point, the graphics are an integrated solution and because the machine comes pre-loaded with Windows Vista Basic, you won't be able to run the Aero interface.

If there was one area we'd consider upgrading straight away with the 530 it would be the memory, because there's only 512MB installed. You'd see a greater speed advantage straight away.

Basic skills
At first glance, the specification of this machine doesn't really compare well but then it is priced very aggressively. So we can forgive the use of an Intel Celeron M processor, which is a rather meagre single-core chip with a 533MHz Front Side Bus, largely because the 530 is simply a great machine to use.

The surprising thing about the HP 530 is how well it handles everyday computing tasks. We used it out and about for a couple days and while the machine is a little large for the daily commute, it's ideal for writing documents and even watching movies on the built-in DVD rewriter.

Weighing 2.6kg, this machine is fine for shorter journeys but with a battery life of less than two hours, you'll need to take a second battery with you to get the most from this machine.

One of the problems often associated with HP machines it that the specification doesn't always offer the best value for money. We're happy to say that the 530 bucks the trend here: you get a decent entry-level spec at a price that's considerably less than other notebooks around.

What really makes this machine great value for money is the sheer quality of the keyboard and overall design. This is a notebook that you'll simply enjoy using either at home or on the road. We can't say fairer than that.

Technical Details

CD Read Speed    24
CD Rewrite Speed    10
CD Write Speed    24
Connectivity    Ethernet, RJ-11, RJ-45, USB, VGA
Data Link Protocol    802.11b/g
Databus Speed    533
Dimensions    359 x 242 x 39
Display Resolution    1280 x 800
Display Standard    WXGA
Drive Speed    5400
DVD Read Speed    8
DVD Rewrite Speed    4
DVD Write Speed    8
Graphics Chipset    Intel GMA 950
Graphics Memory (Mb)    224
HDD Capacity (GB)    80
Installed Cache Memory (MB)    1
Installed RAM (MB)    512
Laptop Display Size    15.4
Laptop Form Factor    Laptop
Memory Card Compatibility    PC Card
MPN    GH634AA
No. of USB Ports    2
Notebooks & Tablet PCs Display Size    15.4
Operating System    Windows Vista Home Basic
Optical Storage    DVD-R/DVD-RW
Processor Speed (GHz)    1.46
Processor Type    Intel Celeron M420
Protocol    Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g
RAM Type    DDR2 SDRAM
Type of Battery Required    Lithium-Ion Rechargable
Warranty Length    1 Year
Weight (kg)    2.7

Review from Customer

"good value for money"
"If you use it for serious work no better value for money. If you just play, it's just OK."

Prices change without warning.Grab it now if you want it. (Update - as of 2011-10-26 00:52:34)

Product Details

Shipping & Handling: Details
Release Dates: 2011-10-26 00:52:34
List Price: Check Price
New From: Available on: Amazon.com

HURRY! Click to see if the "HP 530 Laptop Review" Qualifies for Super Saver Shipping from Amazon!.