HP Pavilion ZE 1110 Review

Overall Rating

+Inexpensive (1000 MHZ, 20 GB Hard drive, DVD ROM, 256 MB RAM for $1000)

+ Powerful aplications: WINDOWS XP, S3 Graphics, Windows XP standard suites, DVD software Decoding
+ Battery Life is Reasonable at around 2 Hours.
+ Came with everything needed to get started.
+ Warranty 2 years
+15.X Viewable Screen ! (almost as large as my Desktop HP monitor 17 Inch.

- REFURBISHED
- NO CDRW,
- NO ETHERNET Imbedded in motherboard,
- NO SERIAL link Embedded in Motherboard,
- NO PS2 Connections for Keyboard or Mouse (PS2),
- HEAVY Around 5 Lbs,
- VERY SIMPLE CASE. Looks like a REGULAR LAPTOP. No special light up keys besides standards and no shiny neon accents like the New HP Omnibooks.

I went to PC RICHARD planning to spend NO MORE than $900 on a laptop Computer. I assumed according to the internet that I would get stuck with a LAPTOP less than 800 MHZ and it WOULDNT Be a high class brand like Pentium 3 or Athlon.
The guys selling LAptops on the NET are out of their DAMNED MINDS. They want around $800 for a K6-3 500 MHZ.

Well I walked into PC Richards and asked for a deal around $900. The salesman (who Ill refer to as "SLICK") said the best he could do for me would be about $1000.

Slick showed me the floor models and said he had an HP Laptop that was a Floor model and It was for sale out of overstock.

As it turns out, SLICK was LYING TO ME. He pointed out a REALLY HOT HP laptop Omnibook with dazzling display and lights and a nice case weight. When he returned with the laptop, he was carrying what appeared to be a SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE laptop with the HP logo on the outside. It looked like an Omnibook in its simplicity. Nothing fancy. Not even as Pretty as a compaq Presario.

The Laptop had:
a DURON 1001 MHZ Processor

a 256 MB RAM package (maximum amount possible),

2 USB ports

a Battery with Charger

Headphone Jack and Mic jack

and a very large screen. The Screen was a Very nice size in fact.

The system had a DVD-ROM but I'm suprised that at this day in age, computers sell with anything less than a DVD/CDRW Combo drive.
I was dismayed by the fact that the LAPtop didn't have a Ethernet link because I wanted to connect it asap to a ROUTER or DSL. It did however have 2 PCMCIA ports for extra connections.
I ended up buying a NETGEAR PCMCIA Etherlink.
I was also upset the LAptop didnt have SERIAL connections.
I buy alot of HP products and I own a Jornada 525 which uses the old style Serial to connect to Computers instead of USB. I wanted this Laptop to take to China with me to school to use as a ROLODEX, COMPUTER and Entertainment device. My Jornada (which I'm gonna sell) could have connected to the Laptop in the SAME way I use it on my desktop to syncronize Microsoft Outlook. This naffed me off.
SLICK said I could easily use something else to connect them but he was so desperate to sell the Laptop, he would have told me that it had the Blood of Jesus instead of Lithium ION in the battery for power if he was sure he could make the sale.

SLICK misinformed me by saying it was a "FLOOR MODEL". This computer is actually a Refurbished HP model that is SOLD AS A REFURBISHED MODEL.

Now being an old Customer of HP, I know that HP Refurbs are VERY GOOD. I had a Refurbed Palm Pilot after I broke the first one and it was almost EQUAL to the first.

THE ZE1110 Is a Very Good refurb product with VERY good specs. The WINDOWS XP makes it very reliable because WIN XP is almost flawless.

Besides the fact that I payed a little more ($100 for a 2 year Warranty and $40 for a PCMCIA card) It was a great deal. HP does a VERY good job with its products.

In fact, this laptop is more powerful than the Pentium 3 450 MHZ 19 gigabyte Pavilion Desktop I bought 4 years ago at a 3rd of the price. I havent had a SINGLE problem with my desktop. NOT A SINGLE call to HP customer service needed.
For that alone, I recommend the ZE1110 Pavilion and ANY PAVILION PC by HEWLETT PACKARD.

However, the CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR HP SUCKS. Unless you know alot about PCS and Laptops, steer clear of Customer Service for HP, Compaq and Dell.

Members' Comments onJing Cha.'s Review

• Ron. on 17th Sep 2002

  Very useful. Very good narrative. Nice writing. Thanks for sharing your experience.

• HH. on 11th Dec 2002

  Nice review!A++++