The HP Slimline S3720F is an excellent slim form-factor pc with a few limitations. I needed another small sized PC at my engineering lab, so I purchased the S3720F. Typically I build my own machines, so I was quite impressed when I purchased this model, assuming one understands its limitations.
The HP Slimline S3720F runs Intel's Dual Core E5200 processor (mid-range processor line). Note that this is not Intel's "Core 2 Duo" line (the high-range which has a faster front-side bus). Regardless in conjunction with a healthy 4 gb of RAM, there is enough horsepower to run most of my engineering applications, which can be quite intensive. The 500 GB harddrive is adequate, though I see myself needing more storage space in the future (easily remedied with an external HDD).
The S3720F runs Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack1. Contrary to the negative sentiment against Windows Vista, I have to clarify that Windows Vista SP1 is very functional. I use numerous operating systems including, various Linux packages, OS X (Mac), Windows XP, even Windows 7 Beta. So after uninstalling some "bloat-ware" and removing some unneeded startup programs (msconfig), the S3720F runs Vista like a dream. Some slowdown occurs when one uses some Aero features (graphic-intensive features). But aside from that, it is surprisingly smooth. I can load firefox pages in seconds, run Matlab, Itunes, and an array of other programs simultaneously with no noticeable slowdown.
A very important exception to note is that this computer comes with a 64-bit Windows OS. This may cause some incompatibility issues with some 32-bit software. This is arguably of no fault of the OS in its own, but rather that the software was not designed to run on a 64-bit OS. Aside from these issues, once you optimize the system, the performance is much better than one would expect.
The physical design of the system borrows from the concept of minimalism. In the front, there are two USB ports, a covered CD/DVD tray, a HP pocket media drive bay, and the many different memory cards ports. The backside houses the standard ports, with no exceptional features. Note that the video-out to the monitor is VGA and NOT DVI or HDMI. Overall there is some great aesthetic appeal, and one would not be embarrassed to stash this PC in an entertainment center. Be sure to place it in an area that is well ventilated (as with most to all PCs).
Overall, I am very pleased with the overall package for the price. Whether you use it for common office tasks, light engineering work, or a living-room media center (though only one VGA-out is limiting), the HP Slimline performs its tasks admirably.
Product Positives:
+Compact form-factor
+Less bloat-ware than comparable computers
+Windows Vista SP 1 64bit (needed to take advantage of the 4gb+ of ram)
+Great performance after some tweaking
+Wireless B/G Network Card built-in
+Quiet operation
Product Negatives:
-Limited room for upgrades
-VGA out only (no DVI, HDMI)
-Some 32-bit software may not work on a 64-bit OS
-Built-in video card is a bit on the weak side, poor performance in graphic-intensive programs (Solid-graphic modeling, games)
-Midrange CPU E5200 slower than Intel's Highline of Core 2 Duo's
-I don't like the "tactile feel" of the included keyboard
Updates and Other Thoughts:
-I thought I'd post the "Experience Rating" from Windows Vista, which is built-in Vista tool that rates your hardware against some performance metrics. The scale ranges from 1.0 (poor performance) to 5.9 (excellent performance). This tool can be found by right-clicking on "My computer" and scroll to properties. For the HP Slimline S3720F here are the results:
Processor: --------- 5.4
Memory (ram): ------ 4.6
Graphics: ---------- 3.7
Gaming Graphics: --- 3.0
Primary Hard Disk: - 5.9
Overall Score of: -- 3.0
The overall score is 3/6 which would suggest an average score. However, the "Overall Score" is based on the lowest subscore, which is the Gaming Graphics. Otherwise, this machine scored exceptionally well in the processor, memory, and harddisk subtests. So in conclusion, unless you plan on using this machine for heavy gaming, or artwork/graphic applications, the S3720F is an exceptional value computer.
