HP ZT3000
Performance:
Performance wise, this laptop is excellent. 512 MB RAM is a must and definitely recommended. I added another 256MB chip to it to make it a total of 768 MB RAM. This laptop also contains dedicated video memory, which is still rare in laptops of this price range. I chose 64 MB video memory so that I never feel that my laptop is extremely outdated just 12 months from now. The front-side bus for the ZT3000 is 400 MHz, which is standard for most laptops now.
One of the advantages of having a Centrino processor is that the CPU speed dynamically switches based on the demands of the system. It does not always operate at 1600 MHz. For normal word processing and web surfing, the processor runs at 600 mhz. However, the system automatically switches to higher speeds when dealing with multimedia and games. This allows the laptop to conserve battery life and produce less heat.
I have yet to have this laptop hang up or lack in performance at any point. I would have thought this would definitely occur because of the dynamic switching of the CPU speed. However, I found no such effects and am thoroughly impressed by the performance of the processor.
Keyboard and Touch Pad:
HP ZT3000 Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is a standard one. Keys press down deep enough and are spread apart far enough that the keyboard is quite comfortable for typing. I have seen no reason to use an external keyboard. The touch pad is also excellent. On the right side, is a printed scroll bar which works great; the bottom edge is also a scroll bar for horizontal scrolling. All these regions can be configured and controlled through Synaptic touch pad program, however, it is nice to have a designated scroll area. Right above the touch pad is a small button that allows you to deactivate the touch pad altogether. This is a very useful feature as it prevents any accidental movement of the mouse when typing or when an external mouse is connected.
