HP's ProBook 4310s ultraportable now on sale, starts at $799
We got a chance to toy with HP's latest "pro-level" ultraportable at the tail end of last month, and while it proved to be a bit chunky, the specs list is hard to argue with. Available now for those with at least $799 (plus applicable taxes), the ProBook 4310s can be ordered up with your choice of Core 2 Duo processor, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 160/250/320/500GB SATA II hard drive, optional Blu-ray drive, a 13.3-inch LED-backlit HD display (matte or glossy), an optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 GPU, three USB 2.0 sockets, HDMI / VGA outputs, an ExpressCard socket and even a Gobi mobile broadband module if you'd like. Now that you're drooling at the thought of having one in your lap, good luck avoiding the read link for long.
[Thanks, Michael]
[Thanks, Michael]























Clean Line! Beautiful! too bad I just ordered DV3T with $400 off coupon + this 32 bits kills the deal...64 bits FTW!
Seeing as it has 8GB of DDR3. I think it's safe to say this will come in the 64-bit variety.
Does anyone know if the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 is the DDR2 card or DDR3?
I have the DV3T with P8600 and G105M, faster than I have ever expected, but it's also probably the heaviest 13.3 machine out there.
great specs, great price, but alas, it's windows.
Gee, if only there was a free operating system that someone could install and utilize in lieu of Windows...
Shutup
When is the last time you actually used windows? I highly recommend that you install the 64bit Windows RC1 on this. No looking back.
Wow, seen those specs somewhere else before...
minus the blu-ray drive, naturally
Did it include a $400 upcharge?
Haha, I've been counting down to today. Time to check out the pricing.
great specs, great price, but alas, it's windows.
alas we heard you the first time
So install OSX or Linux but to be honest Windows 7 is awesome.
With a "professional" level of 1366 x 768 screen? No thanks, I had similar screen resolution back when all laptops actually had 13" screens.
When did all laptops have 13" screens?
I agree about the resolution though. The Sony Vaio Z has had 1600x900 resolution for nearly a year now, and the Lenovo X300 has had 1440x900 resolution for over a year. Come on HP, Dell, Apple, etc, get with the times!
Higher resolutions suck on a smaller screen. I have a 17" dell e1705 with 1920x1200 and everything is just too freaking small.
High resolutions rock! The higher the resolution, the better for me! I find my computer is way more usable if I have higher resolutions. I have a Thinkpad T61p with a 1680x1050 screen (15"), and it's way better than my Dell M1330 at 1280x800 (I also used a Macbook and frankly it sucked). YMMV of course.
schweeet
Too bad you can't customize the crap out of this yet. You're stuck with the ready to ship models...for now.
Hmm.. not bad.. I might consider this one.. in black though, not chillin' with the idea of red.
But the black is all glossy!
http://images.macnn.com/esta/content/0906/hpmini2.jpg
Really? Sure doesn't look that way to me. A simple Google is all it took to find that image.
I think that's a picture of the mini. The 4310s back is glossy. The merlot red is matte.
http://www.engadget.com/photos/hp-probook-4310s-hands-on/2107297/
http://www.engadget.com/photos/hp-probook-4310s-hands-on/2107298/
Just install Ubuntu on it and you have the perfect 13"...wait a sec, it's a HP, do'h!
Interesting size. Seems pretty usable.
Is that plastic?
Windows suck....
Blow me
How do you feel about roofs?
.... then replace your windows! They don't suck, they give us light and let us see what's outside!
If you opens your windows, you are sure to get a Virus...... or worse. :)
"If you opens your windows, you are sure to get a Virus...... or worse. :)"
hasn't happened to me ever. But I have antiviral drugs on hand just in case
Good enough. I wouldn't want my limp small thing near your diseased hole anyway.
Nice specs but to reach even half the high-end spectrum, you'd still need to shell out over a grand. I don't see how this is any different for any other BTO/Pre-configured brand(i.e Dell,Compaq,etc...).
Besides, it's still an HP. You can dress it up however way you'd like and even lower the costs, but in the end it's still a crappy company.
HP has proven time and time again:
1. Horrible technical support.
2. Inferior build quality; Almost as if it's never been probably QA'ed.
3. HP is the definitive example of the phrase, "You get what you paid for".
So yeah, if your looking for a subpar so-called "Pro" series notebook then by all means enjoy your steaming pile of ... you-know-what.
See you go and buy cheap crap from Best Buy and think you can judge a brand. Maybe you should know that customer service changes dramatically based on which model line you buy. It can change based on how you buy.
With Dell if you buy from the home/office store you will get crap service. If you buy from the EPP or Education store, your support levels will be as if your company or university bought the machine. There is a world of difference in low long you have to wait and the quality of service you will get.
But I will admit you are right in that you get what you pay for. There is no such thing as a $799 "premium" machine no matter what some misguided Engadget writer thinks. It will likely be the lowest end business machine, probably Dell Vostro level, not Dell Latitude level. And it won't touch a Thinkpad X or T series. It won't even be close.
"You get what you pay for" applies to any company.
Too bad that it comes with all the HP Crapware in addition to windows. When will these manufacturers learn?
The load so much crap on them it nuts!
HP Business models dont come with bloatware (or if they do, I think they have an option to remove it)
Now the consumer models yea, they have bloatware
After I had a Sony laptop (more bloatware than you can imagine) that ran slow as hell even after uninstalling the bloatware, I will always clean install Windows.
Hey, did anyone at Engadget also notice that the HP 5101 netbook went on sale today, and at $399 is less than the $449 they quoted earlier this month. No WXGA option just yet though. Actually, no real options at all
Just saw that. I notice they also seem to charge 2 prices for the same laptop....
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF25a/321957-321957-64295-3841267-3955550-3973865.html
The more expensive one probably has the mobi wireless for the cell phone networks even though it doesn't say it.
would you care to donate that fine piece of machinery to me, mr. engadget sir?
the starting weight for this is 4.34lbs. How is that 'ultraportable'? That tag shouldn't apply to anything over 3.5lbs. The Acer Timeline is pretty much exactly at that weight, and more competitively priced ($599) and with better battery life (though the processor is considerably slower). Even dell is starting to see the need for lighter laptops that aren't netbooks.
ichheissesuperfantastisch I was going to say the same thing!!! I have a more expensive but much lighter Sony with a 13" screen, optical drive, same processor, memory, drive.
My clients always ask before anything else about the laptop they are choosing is "how much does it weigh" price and speed are close seconds.
I'd say the Sony Z series is a good (although pricey) ultraportable unit.
I'd call this a cheap but good unit - if I had to use the term portable I would use it without any superlatives or prefixes. Or is "adequatelyportable" a going classification for laptops?