Digital Trends

HP Compaq 2510p October 22nd, 2007 | by Josh Norem

Use and Testing

When we broke the 2510p free from its cardboard confines and our initial impression was one of shock, simply at how thin and light it was. The notebook uses a magnesium alloy shell that is very light, and yet pleasingly firm. The notebook feels well-made and solid despite its thin stature. What’s most striking is how razor thin the LCD is. It’s just a few millimeters thick, and weighs next to nothing.

From there we booted to Windows and were immediately pleased at the sparse software payload displayed by the mostly empty desktop. Most Tier 1 builders pile on the free software trials and fill up the system tray with useless widgets, but we saw very little of that on the 2510p. In fact, the only ones that aren’t a part of Windows were icons for the pointing device, a Norton icon, HP Quick Launch and an Intel icon.

For daily business use, the 2510p is fast enough. It has 2GB of RAM, which does wonders for Vista performance. The full-sized keyboard is easy to type on and doesn’t seem cramped at all. We had a few problems getting used to the small touchpad, and the only real issue is that the left-and-right click buttons are right on the edge of the chassis which is something we’re not used to.

In terms of overall performance, the Vista experience score is a 2.5, which is not surprising given the low clock speed of the processor and its integrated graphics. Like we said, it’s more than capable for office work but you won’t be playing Crysis on this notebook, that’s for sure.

We carried it around with us for about two weeks for testing, and it’s amazingly light. If you stick it in a laptop bag you would almost forget you are carrying it due to its weight, which is listed at 2.9lbs. If you travel a lot, the 2510p should be right at the top of your list. Your lower back will thank you.

Conclusion

Sure, we have some gripes about the 2510p, but overall it’s a very impressive notebook that offers a powerful combination of technology and sophistication. First off, an ultra-portable that includes an optical drive is rare, and we love this feature since it means you don’t have to buy a docking station. Secondly, the 2510p is brimming with new tech, including the LED backlight display, ambient light sensor, and a very elegant design that is spot-on in our eyes. The lack of 80211.N is disappointing, as is the speed of the hard drive, but these quibbles aside the 2510p is a must-have for people who demand maximum portability with minimum sacrifices.

Pros:

• Very portable
• LED backlit display
• Very little pre-installed software

Cons:

• Touch-sensitive controls are finicky
• 4200rpm HDD
• No 80211.N support