Home > Consumer Reviews > HP Pavilion A6500F Desktop PC (2.40 GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core E2220 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium)

I purchased this PC at a very good price, but I wish I had researched it more thoroughly. My problem is with 64-bit VISTA Home Premium, which is incompatible with many of my software programs, including my CA Security Suite. The money I saved on the computer will be lost in purchasing updated versions of software. If I had had the option of buying this PC with Windows XP, it would have been a great deal. The PC does not include speakers, and the Polk Audio speakers supplied with my old HP Pavillion 754n are only capable of producing a barely audible volume. Apparently I have to obtain speakers with an amplifier.

The most annoying thing of all is that an HP Photosmart all-in-one C3180 purchased in May '07 won't work with this pc. The C3180 website does contain a purported driver download compatible with 64-bit VISTA, but at the end of a long download and installation, one is greeted with the error message that the software is NOT compatible with 64-bit VISTA. Thus a nearly new printer-scanner-fax has become a doorstop. No one at HP seems interested in helping me with this problem.

All that said, the pc is a powerful, fast machine. For anyone for whom the 64-bit VISTA does not present a problem, (such as someone willing and able to purchase all new software and peripherals) it's a good buy.

Two-month update: The on-off switch is broken! I didn't mistreat it in any way but I now (until I get it repaired) have to use a knife or box cutter to pry up the switch just to start the pc. Ridiculously poor workmanship! I have spent two hours on the telephone and online trying to find one simple piece of information: where and how do i get this fixed? HP "Totalcare" online takes one around in circles. The telephone automated attendant purgatory has DISCONNECTED me three times. AVOID HP!

Motherboard fried from normal use in 13 months -- 1 month after the warranty expires. That's the last HP computer I'll ever buy.

We have this computer for a few months now and have used it extensively without a single issue. Its powerful, fast, and the 500 gig hard drive is going to hold an enormous number of picture and music files. As I recall, I paid $579 and feel you can't beat the value. My only negative thought is that I wish HP added a wireless capability to this otherwise fabulous computer, and save folks $45-$50 for the cost of an add on product.

The Greatest Computer every created. The 4 GB Memory makes the computer super fast, easy to use configurations. This computer is the computer to for anyone looking for a new computer.

My dad bought this computer as our third HP for our house. He uses it primarily for internet use (email, research, etc.) NOTHING that would cause a memory drain and yet it still freezes at random! He's gotten so sick of trying to use it that it barely gets used. I've switched over from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox and turned off most other programs including the Sidebar and anything that doesn't NEED to run yet it still has too many problems to have my faith.

I'm not sure I'll go with HP after this experience. I want something that's reliable with 4GB of RAM and a 2.4GHz processor! It's a good thing he doesn't actually use the HD/save much on it or I'd be afraid he'd lose things all the time.