Product Review: HP EliteBook 8540w Mobile WorkstationRecently, I had the opportunity to check out HP's EliteBook 8540w Mobile Workstation that's already received some excellent marks around the web. A sharp looking mobile unit it is, with its brushed gunmetal finish and sturdy construction, and certainly good news on being able to take your work with you, and with little worry. Here, I'll give you some of my findings with this machine. First of all, the construction of this workstation is clearly very durable. It is a bit on the heavy side, but to be expected, as it was designed to withstand some extreme conditions. In fact, it was designed by military standards, being tested also for vibration, dust and humidity, and excessive high and low temperatures. I was informed by HP that the chassis is constructed of a magnesium alloy in a waffle pattern, and that it can withstand up to 300 pounds of pressure on top of it...not that I had actually tested this myself, but I certainly found this believable. The hinges I found also very nice and sturdy.  The keyboard is very nice as well, comfortable to use, and includes a full number pad, which is a definite plus. There is also a little pop-out light next to the webcam above the screen, for working in the dark. The touchpad is small, but I felt it adequate, and there is a pointstick. Both of these features have 3 corresponding buttons. The 15-inch display is beautifully sharp, with high-definition picture quality and better viewing angles than I've seen with other models. Brimming with ports, the HP EliteBook 8540w can certainly accomodate, but instead of listing everything here, check out the specifications page with full diagrams.  Now, HP has been a rock solid name in the computer industry, with machines designed for every user across the board. They also continue their commitment to the consumer, post purchase, through their specially designed tools to optimize performance and the whole user experience. And there is certainly no exception with this workstation. Included with the EliteBook 8540w, there are tools to help with power, performance, and security. First, there is the HP Power Assistant that shows where power is being consumed and allows for ways to optimize it, starting with preset configurations, to setting up your own configuration. This is especially a concern with battery life. There is also the HP Performance Advisor, which gives you all the info on your system, as well as all the help needed to configure and maintain optimum performance, including keeping drivers up to date. Security is also covered with HP ProtectTools, with options for drive encryption, file sanitizing, preboot security, etc. Next, there are a couple of features that are more for time convenience, but some may find these good to have available. These features are QuickLook and QuickWeb. This also brings me to mention the nice touchkey strip above the keyboard. Here, there are touch-sensitive keys that control things like the sound volume and mute, turning on/off wireless and the touchpad, as well as launching the QuickLook and QuickWeb features I will now discuss.  QuickWeb allows you to quickly open and browse the web at the touch of a button, and QuickLook 3 allows you to instantly access e-mail, contacts and calenders through Outlook. The way in which this works is that these keys open up a Linux environment in lieu of loading up Windows, and both of these features operate quickly from a shutdown state. While I found this does work in mere seconds, I didn't really see the need as Windows 7 boots up reasonably fast (true with the EliteBook, as well as my own desktop HP system running Windows 7). Although, perhaps this is another good way to preserve battery life when you just need quick info. In use, I found the HP EliteBook 8540w performed very well, was fairly quiet, and produced heat within reason for a mobile workstation. The fan is audible, but didn't get excessive, even under load. Heat was decent, but noticeably higher when playing a DVD, than it was while test rendering a 3D scene. The optical disc eject button is hard to feel, which is annoying and comes second out of only two complaints (after pricing). The verdict: Pros:
Cons:
All in all, HP's EliteBook 8540w is really an outstanding workstation that is capable of harnessing the power you need, plus additional convenience features and security, while also providing durability you can rely on. I would certainly recommend it. For more info on the HP EliteBook 8540w, have a look at the website.  Nick C.
Sorbin is a digital artist, sculptor, writer, and
Managing Editor for Renderosity's Front Page News.Renderosity Homepage  |
Please note: If you find the color of the text hard to read, please click on "Printer-friendly" and black text will appear on a white background.
|
|
||||||
|
||||||
|
|
Comments