The Core i7 has earned accolades from every corner of the tech industry-it is truly a sublime piece of engineering. The machine HP sent for evaluation was outfitted with the former (the Core i7 940 would add $400 to this system’s $1,450 price tag).
If you purchase the Pavilion Elite m9600t directly from HP, you can configure it with either of Intel’s latest and most powerful mainstream CPUs, the 2.66GHz Core i7 920 or the even faster 2.93GHz Core i7 940. The Pavilion Elite m9600t delivers on both those counts. Computers like this one are instead aimed at mainstream buyers who want a machine that delivers power without drama and at a price point that doesn’t induce a nosebleed.
Those folks are a niche market, and HP bought the boutique manufacturer Voodoo PC to meet their needs. Gamers and PC enthusiasts will be disappointed with this machine, but they’re obviously not HP’s target market-at least not with the Pavilion series. When you’re considering a PC like HP’s Pavilion Elite m9600t, you have to give yourself honest answers to two basic questions: Are you a PC enthusiast, or do you just want a high-powered computer that doesn’t call a lot of attention to itself? And do you have the time and patience to suss out problems on your own, or do you prefer the peace of mind that only a large tech support operation can provide?
