HP EliteBook 8740W Mobile Workstation review conclusion

primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' BoopinDetroit, MI Icrontian
edited October 2011 in Science & Tech
HP EliteBook 8740W Mobile Workstation review conclusion

Comments

  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited January 2011
    Well... SOMEONE has a Laptop-Crush. :D

    It sure sounds like HP has hit this one out of the ballpark. :thumbsup:
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    edited January 2011
    my only issue with this laptop is they put a $65 hard drive in a $5000 laptop. For that price I expect some OCZ Vertex 2's Raid_0 with a 1TB mechanical for backup/files

    and that you could buy a motorcycle for $5k :)
  • deepseadeepsea Lancaster, PA
    edited January 2011
    I can't justify the price - my little mechanical design sideline doesn't generate that kind of revenue - but it's one of those things that would make it much more enjoyable. Maybe I'd even learn how to do some photo renders and create a real portfolio...ah, probably not. I don't think I really want more work right now...

    Still, an awesome setup, great review.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited January 2011
    deepsea wrote:
    I can't justify the price - my little mechanical design sideline doesn't generate that kind of revenue.
    Well, I've quoted out several workstations at well over $10,000. I've never found a laptop that met my drafting users needs so they just accept that laptops are for meetings and maybe removing into their workstations. THIS laptop is different. They can get, maybe 90%, of their workstation but be portable. Now, my users REALLY need a really high end system. I think 90% of drafting/CAD users would be just happy with this laptop. So.. I think I MAY request one of these to see if my users like it. Wonder if it is EPEAT compliant?
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited January 2011
    I was looking at other models of the 8740W and I noticed there is one version that is nearly identical aside from having a 3800M instead of the 5000M. They're also anywhere from $1200-1600 cheaper.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2011
    TMH brings up a good point: The 8740w is available in a variety of configurations, including SSD as a primary drive, a less expensive display setup, etc.
  • photodudephotodude Salt Lake, Utah Member
    edited January 2011
    If I was going to get a laptop today this would be at the top of my list of options.
  • Rhonda
    edited February 2011
    Wow!! You're giving me all the reasons I need for wanting to buy this great piece of art. More and more I'm becoming involved with the workings, ins & outs of our company's online store. This is just what I need to be able to show them that I can stay on top of needed changes and maybe even show them ideas I may have for changes or modifications that will help grow the business.

    Thanks for sharing your review!
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    :wtf:
  • Alan languirand
    edited February 2011
    Have you compared this to a current mbp? All the things you love about this, minus the latest gpu, is what I've loved about my Mac book pro since I bought it in 2007.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    Show me a macbook pro that has a Quadro 5000 in it. A fingerprint scanner. A 30-bit IPS 1920x1200 display.

    Sorry, the display alone puts any Macbook to shame. Yes, I've seen the latest macbook pros. The displays don't hold a candle to this.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    A Macbook Pro? Seriously? Back away from the koolaid.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    But guys, it's a MacBook Pro. It BLEEDS professional applications!!!!1
  • jedihobbitjedihobbit Central Virginia, USA New
    edited February 2011
    Hummmmm.......after dropping all the money in trying to wc two systems, this comes closest to what the wife means when she says "Why can't you be like everybody an have just one computer like a laptop"! ;D

    :rockon: Nice review, almost makes me want to see what I've missed as I haven't used a real CADD program in 15 years! Also could possiblly convert me to the dark side! :shakehead
  • litenkulitenku Maryland Member
    edited February 2011
    So is the killer app for this the display, or the display plus Fermi-sourced GPU? I know you can get the Dreamcolor display on a far cheaper GPU.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited February 2011
    It depends on what you're using it for; but overall I'd say the killer app is the Quadro 5000M. It's the only laptop out there that's using it, and that makes it the only laptop out there that can do Adobe MPE.

    The display is icing on top of a massively powerful GPU.
  • Kevin
    edited October 2011
    Hey Guys

    I'm thinking of buying one of these babies...couple of questions:

    - can you buy a 3rd party hard drive and swap it with the supplied one? Or will it only take HP models?

    - if you get it with say 4GB RAM and you want to up that to 6 or 8, will you have to ditch the 2x2 GB sticks in order to maintain symmetrical pairs? Or can you just add a 3rd stick of RAM?

    Ta
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited October 2011
    Hi Kevin:

    Yes, you can buy any hard drive you want and it will work, but you'll need to download some of the HP driver packages (for the fingerprint swipe and SecureTools, etc.). Just make sure you hit the HP support site for all the latest driver packages and you'll be fine.

    I would recommend symmetrical pairs of memory.
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