HP Pavilion a610cl – My New Home PC

Let me show off my new home PC – HP Pavilion A610CL.

The front of the box. Looks nice

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© Jian Shuo Wang

I opened the box to add additional 256M memory.

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© Jian Shuo Wang

Clean motherboard.

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© Jian Shuo Wang

I installed Windows XP on it.

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© Jian Shuo Wang

I went to buy a new PC because I am tired of typing on laptops. I have a Dell Latitude D600 and Wendy has a Dell Latitude C200, but we have to bring it to the company and back home back and forth. As the keyboard instruction on the laptops indicates, the laptops are designed only for mobile computer and not for office use – long time typing on a laptop keyboard may hurt the hands and arms. I believe in it since my hands start to hurt when I type a long blog entry. So I need to get a home PC in my home.

Buying a PC is convient for me. The Metro City computer super market and the Pacific PC are just downstairs (if you are interested in the location, here it is: #1111, Zhao Jia Bang Rd. You can get there by Metro Line #1, Xujiahui Station).

This is the first time I buy a branded PC for myself. This is the second PC I have in my home. The first costs 8400 RMB (as I remember) and was bought when I stayed in my rented Meilong house

I bought every computer part and assemblied together. Later, I became very frustrated with the computer due to the drivers’ and compatibility problems. I bought very nice display card but I seldom play game on it after I bought XBox. (Yes. I didn’t play XBox often after getting it for a while). So I decided to buy a branded computer with tested compatibility, with driver CD and service. Then my choices are either HP or Dell. Dell has a longer shipment cycle. Do they really manufacture by order? So how many days it takes between building it in Xiamen to send it to my home? When I want something, I just want to bring it home immediately.

I never used HP before but want to have a try. I have to say the “Plus” advertise worked well for me – it brought a new face to HP.

There are many local PC providers. The largest is Lenovo. However, I checked the PC and found it is almost the same (if not worse) than the manually built system – the design, the configuration and the compability problems.

From this purchase experience, I found Wintel is really facing big challenges. The CPU in HP Pavilion a610cl is AMD Athlon XP 3000 and operating system is TurboLinux. The reseller offered to install any version of Windows system for me after my purchase free of charge. This happens all the time.

S/N: CNA42801JY

21 thoughts on “HP Pavilion a610cl – My New Home PC

  1. Congrats – very nice box indeed. It seems that you use Windows XP English, not Simplified Chinese. Any specific reason?

    Your Lenovo comments are as pertinent as they’re a little sad. Ever since their computers first became available outside the mainland, I had wanted to buy one to do my “Buy Chinese goods” bit. Yet, to this day, their PCs remain unattractive compared to the major brands, just as you described. I sincerely hope that they get their act together well before the 2008 Olympics – otherwise all that sponsorship money will be wasted. :(

    “The reseller offered to install any version of Windows system for me after my purchase free of charge. ” Using an “unofficial” Windows XP copy!?

  2. Congratulations Wangjianshuo!!!

    Was this blog entry typed on the hp or the dell latitude??

    I agree. Hp is a trusted brand that offers great products worldwide. Hope you have great success on this new computer!

  3. Congrats Jianshuo! But I couldn’t believe you guys are getting tired of laptops and going back to use PC, while I’m still longing for a laptop to get rid of my PC monster, whatever

  4. Nice PC, powerful. Congratulations !

    And thanks for your advice regarding Lenovo !

    We were shopping for a “collected” PC, but got the eyes on a Lenovo, with 3 years of guarantee.

    Now we know to look for something well branded.

    For others who want to use the company laptop at home, it is an option to buy a flatscreen and a keyboard. These can easily be attached to the laptop.

    If there’s more money, buy a connection-bay so the laptop can be easily plugged in to all the stuff when coming home. The laptop doesn’t even have to be opened if it has been setup in the right way.

    The flatscreen is really worth to spend some money on. The light in this doesn’t flicker like in a CRT display. A 1280×1024 (17″?) is “future proof” for 4-5 years. Expensive, yes, but it can follow on to the next PC, and does not take up any space on the table behind the keyboard.

  5. Anyone who knows to set up XP english and chinese on same PC ?

    (Using two partitions is ok.)

  6. I feel the same way about typing on a laptop. What is the current technology status with voice recognition to replace typing, Chines or English?

  7. Nice piece indeed!

    You didn’t say how much you paid for this HP, mind leaking bit? :-)

    Sad to know that Linux becomes sort of trick for those PC vendor to sell more hardware with hidden M$ OS copyright vilation…

  8. Ummm…if the only thing bothering you was the size of the small keyboard, why not just buy a full-size keyboard. I imagine this would be a cheaper option than getting a full blown PC :-)

    David

  9. Yes, why not just buy a full sized keyboard for your laptop. CRT monitors do not benefit much if you don’t play games.

    A question here is who installed the Win XP for you, HP or the reseller? Did they know you are from M$? so ironic :)

    CB

  10. Let’s explain some of the questions you have.

    1. I am always using English edition of Windows and use the Chinese (PRC) Locale (Start -> Control Pannel -> Regional and Language Options -> Advanced tab -> Language for non-Unicode Programs -> Chinese (PRC). This way, my English Windows XP behaves just like Chinese Windows XP.

    2. The reseller just help customers to install pirated software – whatever software the customer wants.

  11. hello seller?

    i want to buy the item for you .so how can i pay you and the item is going to shiped to my friend son in school so can u just tell me how u pay and if u have any other item to sell just tell me because my sister is selling to in nigeria so can i just get back to me thank.

    john

  12. i have bought all the parts(componets) of a pc but not very sure on how to asseble it please i need help.

  13. I feel the same way about typing on a laptop. What is the current technology status with voice recognition to replace typing, Chines or English?

  14. Sir,

    How to change the language of chinese from MS microsoft to English.

    Pls reply giving details.

    Suhas

    EDP dept.

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