17.3" HP Pavilion 17-e117dx
via Amazon
HP Pavilion 17-e117dx is a budget 17.3 inch laptop with a 3rd generation Intel i3 processor, large HD+ screen and Intel HD 4000 graphics, with exactly the same features as the 17-e118dx model- the only difference being the AMD processor and the 7640G discrete graphics which is a bit better than the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics that makes it more suitable for gaming but for daily tasks and all the other stuff, you’re better off with the Intel i3 processor on the 17-e117dx model we’re reviewing now.
HP Pavilion has the Ivy Bridge dual core Intel i3-3130M processor (3MB L3 cache) at 2.6GHz speed with no turbo boost but hyper threading function for smart four way processing, 4GB DDR3L SDRAM memory for adequate multitasking which you can upgrade to 8GB easily by adding another 4GB to the second memory slot, 750GB SATA hard drive at 5400rpm as spacious storage for multimedia and regular files and the 64-bit Windows 8.1 operating system with its additional useful features. You get 25GB of Cloud based Box storage for access to your more important files wherever there is internet and HDD has the HP ProtectSmart to be protected against accidental bumps.
17.3 inch LED-backlit HD+ display with BrightView technology, 1600 x 900 native pixel resolution and Intel HD Graphics 4000 is quite bright and sharp. HP laptop comes with decent sound quality but the speakers don’t seem to be very loud for songs. HP TrueVision high-definition webcam with built-in digital microphone is good quality and great for live chats with family and friends. Non-backlit full-size keyboard and the trackpad work all right but the buttons on the trackpad are a little firm and the keys don’t feel very solid to type on, this being a budget laptop model but it is nice to have the 10-key numeric pad for quicker number crunching. Battery life is around 4 to 5 hours in average use on a single charge, it will depend on the light settings and what you use it for- reasonable battery life.
Silver and black microdot design with HP imprint Pavilion’s frame doesn’t feel cheap but not premium like those very expensive models either. It weighs 6.4 pounds with measurements of 10.50 x 16.50 x 1.30 inches so it is fairly slim and lightweight for a 17.3 inch laptop model but still not very portable, so think of it more as a desktop placement which you can carry around the house easily. and the connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n WLAN wireless, (no Bluetooth), 10/100Base-T Ethernet LAN with RJ-45 connector, DVD±RW/CD-RW optical drive, Multiformat Media Reader, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port and a VGA port. It is an Energy Star certified machine and comes with a 30 day trial version of Microsoft Office 365 and the Cyberlink Media Suite.
Conclusion: HP Pavilion 17-e117dx looks nice and stylish, has a solid build quality and works very well for daily tasks like web browsing, spreadsheets, songs, movies etc. It feels plenty fast and powerful even when you have several tabs and windows open with the Intel i3-3130M and 4GB memory but doesn’t appear to be that much of a gaming PC. Sure you can play some of the most recent games at lower settings and older titles at higher but Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics card is just not designed for gaming. The Intel i3-3130M has the Passmark Benchmark score of 3388 vs. the score of 2690 of the Pavilion 17e118dx model, so it performs better overall. It starts up pretty quickly, stays cool and you don’t get to hear much fan noise at all and great to have a larger screen with the HD+ resolution, so you can’t really go wrong with the e117dx if you’ll use it for internet, office tasks and entertainment other than advanced gaming. There aren’t many budget options in the 17 inch laptop market, performance to price ratio is high- better than the competition and you seem to get more than what you pay for.
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