# HP Pavilion dv6-6121tx Long Term Review



## swiftshashi (May 15, 2012)

*HP Pavilion dv6 6121tx Comprehensive and Long Term Review*​
*Introduction*-This review is about my "Budget Beast"-HP Pavilion dv6 6121tx.Its a long term review, spanning over the entire ownership period of this beast, hence it covers all the pros & cons of the product. Therefore,this review is a bit long,so kindly have patience. I would also like to state that opinions regarding all products mentioned here is entirely my view on it,and is not meant to offend their owners.So here it goes-

*History*-Before this laptop, I had a Compaq Presario Desktop(refer to my siggy) which can be termed as a Budget Desktop at best.It was purchased in the year 2006,a time,at which I didn't even know how to start a game,let alone play it.The only thing I knew about computers was Programming,paint and MS Office.So it wasn't surprising that I bought the desktop which the neighbourhood dealer recommended me.
However,its ownership was hassle free and largely satisfying,the only fly in the ointment was its gaming capabilities. Back in 2011,My gaming abilities far exceeded my machine's and I knew it was time for an upgrade. Admission into an engineering college also boosted the need for a laptop,hence that's it-the decision was taken-I was going for a laptop.

*Requisites*-Having learnt from my previous experience,I was clear that the laptop has to be a Core i7 model,with original os and oodles of RAM,cache and video memory.It should also be backed up by the best service.No compromises on that front. Looks,display and audio were the last priorities.

*Budget*-Below 1 Lacs,if the Specs Justify.

*Laptop Selection*-Back in 2011,when the dv6-6017tx was launched,everybody went ga-ga over the specs,and so was I. I had almost finalized to go for hp,as my Compaq ownership experience was nothing short of GREAT. The desktop came with a 3yr hardware warranty,and during that period,I experienced the best after sales service I ever knew of. You can imagine the level of their service,that when my keyboard used to get dirty,I used to call them and get a complaint lodged that my keyboard is malfunctioning(a false complaint),and next day,a hp service person was found standing at my door with a brand new shining keyboard!!!! Similar service was taken them numerous times during the three year period for various reasons like Juice spill on keyboard,dusty speaker cover,color wear of mouse etc. In a nutshell,I exploited(yes,exploited is the word) hp service to the maximum. Hence I decided to go for hp dv6 6017tx. However,when in college,I found my college full of Dell XPS fanboys,who always advised me to go for Dell,even if its a Vostro!!
This thing confused me and I started researching on the net. 6017tx purchase was delayed,the model went out of market and in came the dv6-6121tx with its crippled GPU(initially). During multiple site visits,I came to know that the prime reason for such a huge fan following behind Dell XPS was the peace of mind that it came with(Complete cover).Add to it the awesome JBL Speakers, back lit keyboard and an online configuration option,there was nothing more that the youngsters can ask.Hence dell XPS became my preferred choice.Add to it,the net was full of horror stories of dv6(previous gen),the hp was almost dumped.

*1.Dell*-
_XPS 15_-The XPS model was finalized.If I'm right,it was a l502x model with Core i7,500GB HDD,4 GB RAM,GT 525 1GB GPU with regular XPS specialties at Rs.61k(on flipkart).I was at a Dell Showroom when a person came with a half lit backlit keyboard. The arrow keys light was not functioning and it looked damn ugly. The shopkeeper told that these keyboards are not meant for rough usage and if "type writer style" typing is done,it will not last long.
However my main concern with the XPS model was not its keyboard,as anything,if misused can malfunction. I was worried about the pathetic GPU it had in comparison to the awesome units available on hp and asus(HD 6770M). When configuring online,the best I could get was a GT 540 with 2GB memory,and this configuration was going as high as Rs.64k.This was still behind the best in business 6770 graphics.Add to it an additional 12k or something for 3 year complete cover,the deal was no more into consideration.

_Alienware m14x_- I had a look at this model when the XPS's rate was going near 80k. Since I had a budget of 1 Lacs,I could easily extend 3 more grands and get this model if it made sense. However,besides its looks and the Alienware branding,it had nothing extra than the dv6 model. The specs were-Core i7 2670qm(a slightly better proccy),6 GB RAM,1.5 GB GT 555 Graphics,XXX amount of HDD(I dont remember the exact figure),which were just about 5-10% better than the dv6.GPU was almost equal,with the nvidea unit just a wee bit better. However,the price of Alienware was double than that of dv6,hence it appeared as a average deal to me.However,It was in the consideration till the end.

_XPS 17 with 3D_-The prime demerits were the same GPU as that of XPS 15 and a bulky laptop which wasnt ideal for a college going student.Hence it went out.However,I must mention that it had the best display I've seen on a laptop till date,even better than the Alienware 14x unit's.I haven't experienced Alienware m17x's display,hence cant comment on it.

*HP*
1._dv6 6121tx_-This model was basically a 6017tx with 640GB HDD and a 2GB HD 6770M GPU. In its earlier days,the GPU was crippled due to a faulty BIOS Setting or something.However that issue was solved by hp by a BIOS update and the new 6121tx became even better than the 6017tx model.It was available for 57k in most of the shops.

2._HP Envy 17 with 3D_-This was available at one of the shops for 95k.However,as it came with an i5 processor and HD 5XXX 1 GB GPU,i just glanced past the lappy.

*Other Brands*-Brands like Lenovo,Acer,Toshiba etc were not even considered.We had a look at Sony,but its flashy design was not to my liking.Add to that,it was a bit overpriced then for the Core i7 Model and the pathetic after sales of Sony(we have experienced it as my father has a gifted Vaio)meant that sony vaio wasn't for me.A model of ASUS was also seen with similar specs as the dv6 at 49k,but lack of OS and very sparse after sales coverage in my city brought ASUS on the backfoot.
So that was it,the dv6 6121tx was finalized and I had decided to get an extended warranty on it to avoid any future complications.

*Deal*-The cheapest quote I could get in my city was 55k.But then thanks to my friend,I managed to get the *laptop* from Letsbuy.com for just 46.3k.Dont believe me??Have a look at the maths-
Price at Letsbuy-55000
Offers-Discount Coupon Flat 5% off+HP v250w 16GB Pendrive worth Rs.900+Seagate 500GB External HDD worth 4200+HP HeadPhones worth Rs.500+HP cleaning kit(Rs.300)
So,it came down to Rs.46,350 
It was a steal at that Price.The packaging was delivered after 16Days thanks to a strike in between.

*Extra Accessories Bought*
1.Cooler Master Notepal E1 Cooling Pad(1.1k)
2.Logitech Wireless keyboard mouse combo mk260(0.9k)
3.4 GB RAM Upgrade(1.2k)
4.3 Years warranty extension,complete cover.(8.3k)



*About the Ownership*

What's Great​1.Mobile Monster-This laptop is a performance maniac.It has never hanged or got stuck.The GPU has also handled all the tasks with aplomb.
2.Display-The display is the Best 720p I've seen,sony included.Nice colours and great viewing angles for HD movies.
3.VFM-The laptop came at a stunning price.
4.FingerPrint reader-This is simply superb,especially considering that in a college hostel,every body is after your lappy for usage.  It is also quick and fuss free,unlike the face recognition ones.
5.Well Spaced Keys-The island style keyboard makes for great working space.Add to that,the keyboard comes with a numpad,unlike XPS which makes it very convenient.
6.USB 3.0-This machine has 2 USB 3.0 ports which makes this machine future proof.
7.Switchable graphics-The switchable graphics function is a great tool for energy saving and getting a good battery life.
8.Decent Battery Life-The battery is good for about 4-5 hrs of light work.
9.Awesome HP Service-Had a bit of issue with them,mainly due to miscommunication,and when I expressed my displeasure towards their offered resolution,they also offered me option of Laptop replacement,and that too after 1.3 years of ownership.

What's bad​1.Glossy screen reflects background badly.
2.Sound isn't as great as XPS.However it is better than most other laptops of this range.
3.Heat buildup-The unit heats up a bit more than those similarly specc'd units from ASUS.However its not that uncomfortable like previous gen dv6 units.All it takes is coolsense to cool it down,significantly.
4.Build quality isn't great and feels average and squeaky at some places.But it has sustained numerous falls and bumps,and has just a scratch to show for it.
5.Bulky and heavy Power Brick.

*Let the pictures speak*​
1.The Laptop
[URL=*imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/15052012312.jpg/]*img844.imageshack.us/img844/1972/15052012312.th.jpg[/URL]

[URL=*imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/15052012295.jpg/]*img854.imageshack.us/img854/1271/15052012295.th.jpg *img848.imageshack.us/img848/4442/15052012294.th.jpg *img195.imageshack.us/img195/8666/15052012291.th.jpg *img404.imageshack.us/img404/2739/15052012290.th.jpg *img801.imageshack.us/img801/8783/15052012287.th.jpg *img856.imageshack.us/img856/7766/15052012279.th.jpg *img214.imageshack.us/img214/3143/15052012280.th.jpg *img138.imageshack.us/img138/3335/15052012281.th.jpg *img859.imageshack.us/img859/8369/15052012285.th.jpg *img706.imageshack.us/img706/5285/15052012286.th.jpg *img844.imageshack.us/img844/1972/15052012312.th.jpg[/URL]

*img252.imageshack.us/img252/5412/15052012318.th.jpg
*img96.imageshack.us/img96/1573/15052012317.th.jpg


*2.The Cooling Pad*


*img98.imageshack.us/img98/593/15052012303.th.jpg
*img690.imageshack.us/img690/2287/15052012304.th.jpg
*img607.imageshack.us/img607/5272/15052012305.th.jpg
*img684.imageshack.us/img684/2578/15052012306.th.jpg
*img849.imageshack.us/img849/8072/15052012307.th.jpg
*img848.imageshack.us/img848/3838/15052012300.th.jpg
*img59.imageshack.us/img59/1148/15052012299.th.jpg


*3.Gifts from Letsbuy*

*img821.imageshack.us/img821/3134/15052012322.th.jpg
*img233.imageshack.us/img233/7845/15052012321.th.jpg
*img23.imageshack.us/img23/4277/15052012310.th.jpg
*img204.imageshack.us/img204/7391/15052012273.th.jpg
*img826.imageshack.us/img826/5936/15052012278.th.jpg

4.The Power Brick


*img196.imageshack.us/img196/416/15052012309.th.jpg


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## samudragupta (May 16, 2012)

wow thats a good review and im glad that it hasnt given much trouble... i have just got a 6165tx and am yet to exploit its gaming potentials... i just watch movies and browse internet... hence once i use it for gaming after 2 months or so, only then can i judge its real potential....


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## swiftshashi (May 16, 2012)

^^
It isn't that the ownership was entirely fuss free,but most of the issues were due to software issues and my stupidity(the laptop has survived a free fall crash test from height of around 1m).But I'm glad that atleast I havent faced any hardware issues.
The laptop has a huge gaming potential,and with a slightly better processor,your 6165tx is an even better machine.


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## samudragupta (May 20, 2012)

swiftshashi said:


> ^^
> It isn't that the ownership was entirely fuss free,but most of the issues were due to software issues and my stupidity(the laptop has survived a free fall crash test from height of around 1m).But I'm glad that atleast I havent faced any hardware issues.
> The laptop has a huge gaming potential,and with a slightly better processor,your 6165tx is an even better machine.


+1 i agree


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## swiftshashi (Aug 18, 2012)

Guys,I'm planning to upgrade my laptop's hdd to an ssd...initially I was eyeing a 512gb ssd but it was dan expensive.Kindly guide me to a cheaper solution.Is it possible to retain my previous hdd and use a smaller ssd for apps and games??Kindly elaborate.
Also is there any possibility of sourcing a dv6 backlit keyboard??I tried on sites like ebay,but couldn't find one.


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## aniket.cain (Aug 19, 2012)

^^
Here you go:

Dual Harddrive laptop: Add an SSD into an HP DV6 6190us.flv - YouTube

Get a 128GB SSD, and put your Windows on it. Use your HDD as the secondary drive for storage purposes. You could boot from any one you wish.

Beware: Even though the motherboard has 2 Sata 6gbps ports, the HDD controller seems to be working at 3gbps in this laptop. Someone correct me if I am wrong.


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## swiftshashi (Aug 20, 2012)

Thanks,any particular brand or model to go in for the ssd??
Also any views on backlit keyboard for dv6??


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## aniket.cain (Aug 20, 2012)

You can get Crucial M4 from Primeabgb for 8.5k. One of the most recommended ssds around.

No idea about the keyboard. Will do some Googling tonight.


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## swiftshashi (Dec 23, 2013)

*A short review of my beast after almost 2.5 yrs*


*Things which I like-*
1.Reliability.
2.Fast as Hell
3.Cooler than Most i7;s out there.
4.Awesome Sound..Now I love it and look forward to hearing songs from my lappy's speakers.
5.Performance-Runs heavy Apps and Games easily.

*What I Dislike-*
1.Display-Viewing angles are not so great.
2.No backlit keyboard.

*What things have been replaced under warranty-*
Battery conked off within 6 months,as I was too much careless and sometimes played heavy games on it.

*What things have been replaced under ADP*
BAse enclosure,Top Speaker,Fan. It was a minor accident,when my laptop fell flat on its base from about 10ft height

*Upgrades & Mods.*
1.8GiGs of RAM...That makes it 12 GB now.*Cost*-Rs 3600
2.250 GB SSD Samsung 840Evo. So total storage-~ 830GB.*Cost*-Rs 12450
3.Arctic Silver 5 thermal Paste.Cost-Rs 880
4.Optical disk drive removed to add HDD,and now its being used as an external DVD writer  *Cost*-Rs 1000 for the cable plus caddy
5.Insulation added from inside chassis so that metal top panel doesn't heat even a bit. I'm a heavy gamer with my gaming sessions lasting even more than a day in a strech !!!*Cost*-Rs.0
6.GPU overclocked.*Cost*-Rs.0
7.Processor added from 6165tx(it was a damaged model lying at HP service,and was about to be surveyed off,managed to get processor out of it,by paying merely 500 bucks to the guard.Surveyed off means scrapped)-*Cost* Rs.500

*
Now WEI-*



Total moolah spent on this Laptop till date-
Rs.52250+8300(Ext Warrnty)+3600(8GB RAM)+12450(SSD)+880(AS5)+1000(caddy)+500(proccy)=Rs.78980


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## $hadow (Dec 23, 2013)

Wow man 2.5years and still rocking the laptop


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## swiftshashi (Dec 23, 2013)

$hadow
Thanks bro.
The laptop is a delight to own,completely fuss free and has sufficient power for most works-haven't felt lack of power till date. This is probably the only gadget which I've been holding so long without feeling any itch to upgrade.Plus I've been torturing it like hell,sometimes not even shutting it down for 42days(yeah thats my maxm),but it has never let me down!!
Total Paisa Wasool!!!


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## aniket.cain (Dec 23, 2013)

^Completely agree! I have been using the same laptop with similar specs (an extra SSD and extra RAM ) since same time (purchased in June 2011 - 2.5 years )

This was not my first choice initially (I wanted to get a Sony CB15 then), but little did I know that this would turn out to be the most satisfying of all gadgets I purchased in last few years. 

I never had it opened up yet though. Not even for cleaning. 
Only upgraded the RAM and changed the DVD drive to a hold a SSD with a caddy. The battery is working fine and provides decent backup too.


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## swiftshashi (Dec 23, 2013)

aniket.cain said:


> ^Completely agree! I have been using the same laptop with similar specs (an extra SSD and extra RAM ) since same time (purchased in June 2011 - 2.5 years )
> 
> *This was not my first choice initially (I wanted to get a Sony CB15 then)*, but little did I know that this would turn out to be the most satisfying of all gadgets I purchased in last few years.
> 
> ...



My first choice was a XPS 15 
However I regularly open my laptop myself,despite being in warranty for modding things,airflow,cleaning etc,as the cooler my laptop runs,the better I feel


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## aniket.cain (Dec 23, 2013)

swiftshashi said:


> My first choice was a XPS 15
> However I regularly open my laptop myself,despite being in warranty for modding things,airflow,cleaning etc,as the cooler my laptop runs,the better I feel



A couple of weeks ago sat down with the laptop and a screwdriver set and opened up the service manual PDF. However, the lazy me decided to postpone it for some later time, looking at the number of screws that need to be dealt with.


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## swiftshashi (Dec 23, 2013)

aniket.cain said:


> A couple of weeks ago sat down with the laptop and a screwdriver set and opened up the service manual PDF. However, the lazy me decided to postpone it for some later time, looking at the number of screws that need to be dealt with.




But I must say,the manual is very accurate...I can now open my laptop even in my dreams 
Thanks to this laptop,the RANCHO within me woke up,and now every overheating or hardware malfunctioning laptop ends in my hostel room(its now also being called a service centre)


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## swiftshashi (Jul 4, 2014)

*A short update of my beast after almost 3 yrs.*

Things which I like-
1.Reliability.
2.Fast as Hell
3.Cooler than Most i7;s out there.
4.Awesome Sound..Now I love it and look forward to hearing songs from my lappy's speakers.
5.Performance-Runs heavy Apps and Games easily.

What I Dislike-
1.Display-Viewing angles are not so great.
2.No backlit keyboard.
3.Build quality isn't exactly premium.

What things have been replaced under warranty-
1.Battery conked off within 6 months,as I was too much careless and sometimes played heavy games on it.
2.HDD replaced twice. But that was probably due to my mistake rather than HP's fault. You can't blame a product if its not used under ideal conditions.

What things have been replaced under ADP
BAse enclosure,Top Speaker,Fan. It was a minor accident,when my laptop fell flat on its base from about 10ft height

Upgrades & Mods.
1.8GiGs of RAM...That makes it 12 GB now.Cost-Rs 3600
2.250 GB SSD Samsung 840Evo. So total storage-~ 830GB.Cost-Rs 12450
3.Arctic Silver 5 thermal Paste.Cost-Rs 880
4.Optical disk drive removed to add HDD,and now its being used as an external DVD writer  Cost-Rs 1000 for the cable plus caddy
5.Insulation added from inside chassis so that metal top panel doesn't heat even a bit. I'm a heavy gamer with my gaming sessions lasting even more than a day in a strech !!!Cost-Rs.0
6.GPU overclocked.Cost-Rs.0
7.Processor added from 6165tx(it was a damaged model lying at HP service,and was about to be surveyed off,managed to get processor out of it,by paying merely 500 bucks to the guard.Surveyed off means scrapped)-Cost Rs.500
8.Got some cool stickers and logos from modsticker.com Cost-Rs 650


Some pics


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## seamon (Jul 4, 2014)

swiftshashi said:


> *A short update of my beast after almost 3 yrs.*
> 
> Things which I like-
> 1.Reliability.
> ...



Can't see attachments. TDF attachment mechanism is broken. Kindly use some other image uploading service.
I just went ahead and checked that GT 555m is slightly weaker than HD 6770M and not vice versa. Also, HP 6165tx has core i7 2670M, so better than AW m14x. 
BTW which SATA to USB cable did you buy?
Nice review.

Meanwhile my Y500 SLI is over 1 year old now and still performing better than most Indian laptops. Only Alienware 17 with GT 780m can beat it.


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## swiftshashi (Jul 4, 2014)

seamon said:


> Can't see attachments. TDF attachment mechanism is broken. Kindly use some other image uploading service.
> I just went ahead and checked that GT 555m is slightly weaker than HD 6770M and not vice versa. Also, HP 6165tx has core i7 2670M, so better than AW m14x.
> BTW which SATA to USB cable did you buy?
> Nice review.
> ...



Sorry about the issue,here I am reposting them

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- - - Updated - - -

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BTW,your Y500 SLI is the best one can buy without robbing a bank. Absolute VFM. However,one of my friends had a horrible experience with a Lenovo Y500 (nOn SLI version). His laptop was bought from USA,and Lenovo India created some sort of dispute in honouring the warranty when some issue developed in his mobo. He spent Rs 16k to get it right,however again it became dead within 5 months of usage. He decided to pay again,and the latest one also has come minor issues like some USB's are dead etc. And the worst part is I was the one who had recommended him the laptop. 
How is your laptop now??Any issues?? I hope not


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## shabbir182000 (Aug 28, 2014)

hay man.. i  thinking of upgrading my dv6 ram to 16 gb... what do think is the maximum frequency supported by this dv6 6121tx  laptop...

i have upgraded my regular 640 gb hdd with 1 tb samsung evo ssd... and i am using the previous one as etra hdd in bay...


please respond immediately


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## swiftshashi (Sep 14, 2014)

1600MHz is known to be working on this lappy..
1TB evo-now thats some real high end stuff. Mind sharing its price??


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