HP Pavilion Elite M9180F Desktop PC (Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 1 TB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) The updated chassis with sleek piano black paneling and components is far from the most significant improvements in the multimedia powerhouse HP Pavilion Elite m9180f desktop PC. It’s powered by Intel’s newest processor–the 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6700–which delivers four complete execution cores within a single processor for unprecedented performance and responsiveness in multi-threaded and multi-tasking business/home environments. You can also go wireless and clutter-free with wireless keyboard, mouse, and remote control, and it includes the next step in Wi-Fi networking with a quad-mode wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g/n).

You can watch, record, and pause live TV programming as well as schedule the PC to record upcoming episodes or entire series. The built-in TV tuner (providing both standard NTSC and high-def ATSC transmission) and personal video recorder (PVR) let you watch, pause, rewind, and record live television–up to 600 hours on the dual 500 GB hard drives (for a gigantic 1 TB of total built-in storage). An online Electronic Program Guide (EPG) lets you review the TV schedule and select individual episodes or entire series, so you can watch your favorite shows on your own time, at your own convenience. And you can easily burn TV shows and home video to DVD for friends and family with the dual-layer, multi-format LightScribe DVD/CD burner (16x for DVD R). It also incorporates an HD DVD drive that’s compatible with the new high-definition DVD disc format. Enjoy amazingly crisp and vibrantly colorful imagery from this new format.

Built-in drive bays fit optional HP Personal Media Drives and Pocket Media Drives, for up to 660 GB of additional storage that you can carry away with you when you go (media drives not included). Other features include 4 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT graphics (with 512 MB of dedicated video memory), Gigabit Ethernet, 15-in-1 memory card reader, up to 8 channels of surround sound output, FM tuner, and a remote control with up to 16 feet of range.

This desktop comes preinstalled with the 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, which delivers premier performance, reliability and enhanced performance. It includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you’ll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

The Basics

• Processor: With four execution cores, the 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6700 blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and makes the most of highly threaded applications. Whether you’re creating multimedia, annihilating your gaming enemies, or running compute-intensive applications at one time, new quad-core processing will change the way you do everything. The Q6700 has a top-of-the-class 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB) and dual 4 MB L2 caches (for a whopping huge 8 MB shared L2 cache). (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system’s performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  With four complete execution cores in a single processor, you get four dedicated, physical threads help operating systems and applications deliver additional performance that enhance multi-tasking and multi-threaded performance across many types of applications and work loads. The Smart Memory Access feature improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed. The Advanced Digital Media Boost feature effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications. And with the Intel 64 Architecture, the processor can access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit hardware and software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 Architecture can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory.

• Hard Drive: The incredibly huge 1000 GB (1 TB) capacity from the dual 500 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives (7200 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space–enough for storing up to 600 hours of television programming, a vast multimedia collection, or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data–akin to FireWire and USB 2.0.
• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (PC5300, 4 x 1 GB) will get you moving, but this desktop has room enough for 8 GB of RAM (4 x 2 GB) to speed along your multimedia and gaming applications. It also offers a top-of-class 667 MHz speed. To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.
• DVD/CD Drive: This HP Elite desktop offers the next generation of DVD entertainment with the HD DVD ROM optical drive, which provides the superior image and sound quality of high-definition images and multichannel surround sound as well as backward compatibility with standard DVD movie discs and content burned onto DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM. The HD DVD ROM drive offers the following read speeds: 2.4x HD DVD-ROM, 5x DVD-ROM, and 15x CD-ROM.

  It also includes a second optical drive that’s compatible with dual-layer (DL) DVD R discs that can hold up to 8.5 GB of data. It features the following speeds: 8x DVD+R DL, 8x DVD-R DL, 16x for both single-layer DVD R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 12x DVD-RAM, and 40x/32x for CD-R/RW. It reads DVD-ROM discs at 16x and CD-ROMs at 40x.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This desktop comes with a wireless HP keyboard with extended range (up to 16 feet) and a wireless optical mouse.

Screen, Video & Audio
Video is powered by the integrated, SLI-ready NVidia GeForce 8800 GT graphics/video card with 512 MB of dedicated graphics memory. Windows Vista can also allocate up to 1791 MB of total graphics memory from the system memory. With support for Microsoft DirectX 10 Shader Model 4.0 and High Dynamic-Range Lighting (HDR), it lets you rip through all of today’s most advanced and cutting-edge games and applications. Power through games at record speeds with vividly realistic, sun-up to sun-down HDR lighting effects, and crank up 16x full-screen anti-aliasing without missing a beat. The fully unified shader core dynamically allocates processing power to geometry, vertex, physics, or pixel shading operations, delivering up to 2x the gaming performance of prior generation GPUs. And NVidia’s SLI technology delivers up to 2x the performance of a single graphics card configuration for unequaled gaming experiences by allowing two graphics cards to run in parallel.

The video card includes composite TV out and dual DVI video out options. This PC also offers an integrated audio card that can produce high definition surround sound configurable to 8 speakers.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Intel Wireless 4965AGN Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It’s also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks. You also get super-fast wired connectivity via the Gigabit Ethernet port (10/100/1000).

For expansion, it includes drive bays that fit an optional HP Personal Media Drive (for adding 500 GB of storage) or an optional HP Pocket Media Drive (for adding 160 GB of storage)–for a total of up to 660 GB of extra storage. For expansion slots, it has one PCI (occupied), two PCI Express x1 (occupied), one PCI x16 Express slot (occupied), two 5.25-inch bays (occupied), three 3.5-inch bays (occupied), and the following external ports:

• 6 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals–from digital cameras to MP3 players (2 in front, 4 in rear)
• 2 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals (1 in front, 1 in rear)
• Composite video, S-Video, and analog audio inputs
• Video out: S-Video, DVI, HDMI, and VGA
• Headphone and microphone jacks
• Digital SPDIF audio input/output
• Surround sound speakers–rear, side, center (subwoofer)
• 2 PS/2 ports for connecting keyboards and mice
• 15-in-1 media card reader on the front, compatible with CompactFlash (Type I and II), MicroDrive, SmartMedia, Memory Stick/Pro/Duo/Pro Duo, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital, XD Picture Card, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+
• 56K modem

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family’s use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 (60 days of complimentary live update), HP PhotoSmart Essential, Muvee autoProducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Microsoft Works 9, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial)

Dimensions & Weight
This desktop measures 16.61 x 7.0 x 15.51 inches (LxWxD) and weighs approximately 24.25 pounds.

What’s in the Box
This package contains the HP Media Center m9180f desktop PC, wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, remote control, and power cord. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 90 days from date of purchase.
Customer Review: HP Customizable Elite 9000 Series
My review is for my own custom built HP 9000 series, very similar to this one.

I have 4GB of ram the maximum you can have in a 32bit system with windows Vista Premium.

I selected the highest Nvidia graphics card for use whether for TV, Gaming just onlne streaming video and I made sure it was blue ray/HD DVD so I have both as at that time they hadn’t chosen. Fortunateky I have both and even had HD DVD’s so this way I am ok for Blue Ray as well.

This is one of the best computers I have eve had. I had mine made back in mid December 2007 and I have been running it daily for many hours with virtually little issues or needs to contact support.

I have the HP 24″ flat panel monitor and it works flawlessly with the computer.

I recommend before you buy to go to the HP website and even just do a mock custom built machine to see what you want, what they recommend and see the pricing. Then go back to the net, to Amazon to shop for the best price and combo of choices. In many cases you may find exactly what you want already built. All of these computer makers create several commercial spec sytems with more bels and whistles and some with less all taylored to a variety of consumers.

I have the 750GB HD and 4GB of ram and this machine runs fast and quiet from my past large desktop towers and actually much smaller too.

I have loaded the full Adobe CS3 Design Premium Extended, full MS Office 07, Visio Professional, Project Professional along with several other large programs and have had a few open at the same time with very little lag compared to the past.

Like with just about any PC maker they all come with bloatware, not too much in comparison to my Sony laptop but still some. Simple fix is to delete the trial and other things they give or want you to try unless you are interested of course. Trial software though is good, just remember when you are near the end of the trial period so as to NOT sign up or make sure to say NO as you maybe charged. That is rare as most companies will ask several times first. Take on only what you want or need.

I have emailed support most often when needed and usually receive a response a few hours later with links or instructions on a fix. I have had very minor issues and all have been corrected via using the email tech support. Like with almost all computers except Apple iMac you get a 1 year warrenty via phone/email tech support. Although I love Apple computers, their latest all inone desktop comes with 90 days tech support after that you pay. That is unacceptable when paying a premium for any computer in my experience and opinion.

The computer is easy to set up with big diagrams for connections and pretty easy for cable hook up via your cable companies cable box or other ways that are described in the materials. For me it worked fine with a direct cable box coaxcial hookup on the back of the computer.

Remote works fine with the computer as well as the monitor being it is HP and I have BOSE speakers adding in the sound as the HP monitor has rear speakers and of low wattage so needed external to compensate and just turn off the monitor speakers.

All in all I have now had two products in the past year from HP and each have been above my expectations in their operation and customer support has been efficient so far from my personal experience.

Again, research the brands you like, check them out in any store to test them/sample them go to the brand websites, decide your needs and search for the best price before buying.
Customer Review: Great if used as is, ok if you modify
Out of the box this is a great machine. The case is elegant and quiet. 3GB of ram is the optimal configuration for a box running 32-bit vista premium (4GB can’t all be accessed). The TV card/Windows media center intergration is flawless. There are a decent about of usb ports, and I have yet to find anything to tax the cpu. The graphics card is a little bit of a letdown. The graphics card is a low end geForce 8400GS. While the rest of the pc’s components manage a Windows Experience index of 4.4, the card lowers it to 3.5. Its fine for general use, but you’ll only run into that issue if you plan to run a lot of high end games (e.g. crysis).

The only real down side of this machine is that it attempts to guide you down the path of more hp products by embedding a couple of ports for hp portable drives. The front of the machine has two slots avaiable. If you’ve ever looked for these drives, you’ll quickly realize that they’re more expensive than any external usb harddrive but are less compatible (read: will only work with another hp machine with the same ports). In addition to being a bad idea, the ports take up crucial real estate needed when trying to add additional drives or access memory modules. Bad HP. This isn’t a deal breaker (I love mine), but something to be wary of. Overall a great system.

Tags: Dell Computers, Cheap Dell Computer, Dell Desktop Computers, Dell PC