Acer LC.BTP00.017
Review HP Pavilion g6-1352eg Notebook.
We recently took a closer look at the 17 inch Pavilion g7-1353eg. Now, the 15 inch version of the affordable multimedia notebook faces our tests. It's not very surprising that HP has the Pavilion g6-1300 available in several versions. Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522DF battery For example, we find Intel-based devices that are equipped with either a Pentium B960 (2.2 GHz, 2 MB L3 cache) or a Core i5-2450M (2.5-3.1 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache). Beyond that, a few AMD devices are also available. They aren't quite as expensive and feature the dual core A4-3305M (1.9 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache).
There are also differences found in the graphics card configuration: While some models have to be satisfied with Intel's HD Graphics 3000, other models are accelerated by the Radeon HD 7450M and/or the Radeon HD 6480G. The hard disk capacity ranges from 320 to 640 GB and that of the main memory is either four or six GB. Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522DHBF battery They all have the operating system (Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit), optical drive (DVD burner) and screen (1366x768, glare) in common.
We opted for one of the lower priced alternatives with the Pavilion g6-1352 (RRP: EUR 499) and put it through its paces.
Like its bigger brother, the Pavilion g7, the case makes a good impression. The rounded shape and the charcoal gray surfaces (lid & keyboard bezel) give it a unique look. The high-gloss finish is definitely a matter of taste; we would have preferred a matt finish because of the high (smudge) susceptibility. Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522DOF battery
The buyer shouldn't expect too much from the notebook's quality because HP only uses plastic. Although a few components aren't quite flush (e. g. the transition between the lid and display bezel), we deem the workmanship to be acceptable. The stability is also all right, with exception of the somewhat wobbly lid. The top can be depressed in several places, but the bottom hardly yields. Another advantage: The 15 inch laptop can be carried around conveniently thanks to the moderate weight (~2.4 kg) and the moderate dimensions (374 x 245 x 36 mm). Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522DPF battery
Meanwhile, the metal-like hinges have room for improvement. Although they are pulled fairly tight (the base unit lifts evidently when the device is opened), surface vibrations cause the display to teeter. However, it should be possible to ignore that in view of the laptop's price. Overall, the case quality is located in the midfield.
Performance
Processor: AMD A4-3305M
Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522F battery To be able to offer the Pavilion g6-1352eg for a low a price as possible, HP uses a low-end dual core model from AMD. The A4-3305M is codenamed Llano, is manufactured in a 32 nm process and is - despite one billion transistors - one of the weakest CPUs currently available on the market. Clock rates of 1.9-2.5 GHz are fairly slow compared with Intel's Sandy Bridge models. For example, the popular Core i5-2430M runs with 2.4-3.0 GHz.
Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522HBF battery Moreover, it has a small L2 cache. Unlike the more expensive A4 models, the A4-3305M only has 1024 rather than 2048 KB. Intel's Sandy Bridge generation is equipped with a three to eight MB L3 cache. The TDP of 35 watts are acceptable considering that the A4-3305M contains the memory controller and an integrated graphics chip (Radeon HD 6480G). The dual core can also be called APU (accelerated processing unit) due to the amount of components.
System Performance
Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522OF battery The system benchmarks make it very evident that the Pavilion g6-1352eg is located in the entry-level field. Many devices only have a weary smile for a PCMark 11 score of 1313 points. Typical midrange notebooks, such as the Packard Bell EasyNote TS13HR-197GE (Core i5-2450M & GeForce GT 630M), easily surpass the HP device by 50%. There are more powerful alternatives in the EUR 500 range available (e. g. the Lenovo G770 M533PGE).
Gaming Performance
Acer TravelMate TM5740-X522PF battery The 15 inch laptop isn't really suitable for up-to-date games. Most tracks can only be played in low or medium details, because CrossFire rarely provides a benefit and the user is often troubled by micro-stuttering. Some shooter highlights (e. g. Battlefield 3 or Crysis 2) shouldn't even be considered. Even antialiasing isn't always possible. Casual gamers, who occasionally want to try out a new game, won't be happy with the Pavilion g6-1352eg in the long run.
Battery Life
Acer TravelMate TM5742 battery The 15 inch laptop's power consumption is pleasingly low. 9-12 watts in idle mode and 34-46 watt in higher load are evidence for undemanding components and good energy saving mechanisms. Multimedia notebooks usually consume more power. We measured a maximum power consumption of 89 watts in the Acer Aspire 5755G-2678G1TMtks (Core i7-267QM & GeForce GT 630M), so about twice as much.
Verdict
Acer TravelMate TM5742-X732 battery The Pavilion g6-1352eg notebook can't deny that it has been designed for a low price. It starts with the 15 inch plastic case that only sports a few interfaces, a clattery keyboard and a below-average screen. No matter if it's the brightness, black value or viewing angles: The reflective glare screen can't convince in any point. Videos and games sometimes look extremely gray and pale.
Acer TravelMate TM5742-X732D battery The performance also lags behind the expectations. Although a dual GPU configuration sounds exciting on paper, the result is occasionally more a pain than pleasure. In addition to the fluctuating performance (the CrossFire configuration is frequently slower than a single GPU in DirectX 9 games), the extreme micro-stuttering is particularly annoying. Hardly a current game really runs smoothly; stutters occasionally turn up even in medium or low details. We would have liked the notebook a lot more with simple graphics switching. Acer TravelMate TM5742-X732DF battery
But that is enough of complaining. The Pavilion g6-1352eg also has a lot of strengths. The 15 inch laptop's biggest advantage, compared to other multimedia devices, is that it's surprisingly quiet and cool. The fan pleasantly stays in the background during 3D applications and video files can be enjoyed adequately. HP also deserves praise for the compact power adapter and the low power consumption. Nevertheless, the all-rounder doesn't receive a general purchase recommendation from us. Acer TravelMate TM5742-X732DHBF battery
Review HP Pavilion g7-1353eg Notebook
Price-conscious users looking for a versatile notebook will likely prick their ears when hearing about the Pavilion g7-1353eg. The 17 incher, currently available for about EUR 540, can boast with a surprising amount of hardware.
For example, it has a quad core processor from AMD. The A6-3420M only clocks with 1.5 GHz, but it has an integrated graphics chip (Radeon HD 6520G). To increase the performance even more, HP treats the multimedia machine to a second graphics card. Acer TravelMate TM5742-X732DOF battery The Radeon HD 7450M is a brand new entry-level model that runs in CrossFire mode with the HD 6520G.
Nor is six GB of RAM and a 750 GB HDD found in the price range of EUR 500 every day. A conventional DVD burner serves as the optical drive. The operating system, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit, is preinstalled. The high-gloss screen has a resolution of 1600x900 pixels. Acer ZG5
Although the case's quality can't keep up with that of a Pavilion dv7 or Envy 17, the case is absolutely acceptable for EUR 500. Like most contenders, HP completely relies on plastic. That is clearly noticed when taking a closer look at the laptop. The material nevertheless makes a robust impression; the workmanship hardly gives reason for complaint with the exception of smaller details (transition between display bezel and lid could be a bit finer). Acer UM08B74
The sensitive high-gloss finish isn't as convincing. Dust particles and fingerprints soon accumulate, in particular on the lid and in the keyboard area. However, stains are well-hidden since the surfaces are made of an elegant gray color. Apart from the fairly wobbly screen, we would describe the notebook's stability as acceptable. The top only yields around the drive and battery area under stronger force. Acer UM08B73
Meanwhile, the hinges are pulled fairly tight, which leads to the base unit lifting up along when the device is opened (both hands are needed for opening). Vibrating surfaces nevertheless cause the screen to teeter evidently. Dimensions of 412 x 268 x 37 mm and a weight of 2.8 kg aren't anything unusual. Most 17 inch devices are within the same range.Acer UM08B72
Performance
Processor: AMD A6-3420M
HP has opted for a low-priced, entry-level quad core processor from AMD. The installed A6-3420M (codenamed Llano) is not a CPU in the usual sense, but more an APU (accelerated processing unit), which fuses several processor cores, a graphics chip, as well as the memory controller and other functions on one die. Acer UM08B71
The integrated Radeon HD 6520G (320 shaders, 400 MHz core clock, no dedicated memory) makes a good impression when compared to Intel's Sandy Bridge counterpart, HD Graphics 3000, but the CPU performance is noticeably lower due to the lower default clock of 1.5 GHz. The Intel contender is also superior with a three to eight MB L3 cache, in contrast to the four MB L2 cache in the AMD graphics. In return, the manufacturing process of 32 nm is state of the art. The thermal design power of 35 watts corresponds to most i5 models. Acer UM08A74
System Performance
In the competition against other multimedia machines, the HP would often leave the field as a loser. The fairly lame quad core CPU and the relatively weak graphics chip combo lead to rather poor benchmark results. 4656 points in PCMark Vantage are by no means a sensation. The one or other office device achieves a higher score (4832 points @ Dell Latitude E5420). But then again, this 17 inch laptop only costs about EUR 500! Acer UM08A73
Gaming Performance
As can be seen in our gaming chart, the Pavilion g7-1353eg has an awfully hard time with the latest tracks. Maximum graphic options are only possible in the odd case. The 17 inch device also tends to struggle in medium details. A few games aren't rendered smoothly even in low details.
Acer UM08A72 High resolutions, like the native 1600x900 pixels, are often beyond the range of the possible. This makes it twice as aggravating that the multimedia laptop doesn't support 1366x768 pixels (1280x720 pixels result in an extremely blurred picture). Moreover, the CrossFire configuration sometimes calculates slower than a single Radeon HD 7450M. Users who want to occasionally play a small game should therefore carefully consider buying this notebook. Significantly faster devices are available for an additional EUR 100 (e. g. the Acer Aspire 7560G).
Battery Life
Acer UM08A71 A big advantage of the low-end components is the moderate power consumption. The notebook is satisfied with 40 to 60 watts even in higher loads. The Pavilion g7-1353eg is even happy with 11 to 17 watts in idle. The Acer Aspire 7560G has a similar power consumption despite faster hardware.
More would certainly have been possible in terms of battery runtime. A 6 cell battery with 47 Wh may be common for the industry, but such a model isn't suitable for long trips. Like many other multimedia devices, the HP laptop only manages for one hour in BatteryEater's Classic test (maximum brightness). Acer UM08A51
The battery runtime increases noticeably in normal conditions. For example, it's possible to enjoy a DVD movie for almost two hours; wireless surfing is possible for about three hours. The battery is first drained after over five hours in the ideal case (no load, minimum brightness, CrossFire off). Nevertheless, HP pointlessly wastes potential in this category.Acer UM08A31
Verdict
The Pavilion g7-1353eg offers a quite successful blend of price, performance and quality. Although the 17 inch device doesn't really excel in any point, the multimedia notebook hardly makes any major blunders, either.
Above all, there is the mediocre screen on the con side. HP uses a viewing angle dependent and intensely reflective low-end screen that reproduces a grayish black and "scores" with a low contrast, like the majority of contenders. Acer LC.BTP00.017 Not everyone will take a liking to the touchpad's dotted surface texture and the somewhat clattery keyboard, either. The connectivity (no USB 3.0) and mobility also have room for improvement.
On the other hand, HP deserves praise for the low power consumption and moderate emissions. Regardless whether idle or 3D mode: The multimedia laptop is never particularly warm or loud. Unfortunately, we can't make a general statement about the performance. Acer lc.btp00.127 Although two graphics cards and a quad core are truly remarkable for EUR 500, there are a few points to criticize in the details. For example, AMD's quad core A6-3420M can't compete with Intel's current Sandy Bridge generation - despite the cutting edge idea.
The CrossFire mode also proves to have a lot of problems, such as micro stuttering or a partly poor DirectX 9 performance. Standard notebooks with only one graphics card are less error prone and more comfortable in maintenance. Acer as10d75
Overall, the g7-1353eg is primarily suitable for users focused on versatility and who don't want to spend more than EUR 600 on a notebook.