CAUTION: HP seems to have decided on short term profit rather than quality. Deceptive advertising, evasive service policies have convinced me the most recent extra I paid for HP "quality" was absolutely worthless.
After about 6 years of heavy use, my wife's previous "cheapie" off-brand small laptop crumbled physically—initial price of about $200. Wanting something a little faster, and with backing of a major respected company and service policy to back up problems, I bought the HP Viv-Tam mini-laptop. When the charge cord kept falling out of its computer connection all the time, and they replaced that for us about three months after purchase. The same week we got the cord replacement, the screen fell off the keyboard (!!!), bending some of the framework. The screws had simply fallen out, unnoticed till the last one gave way.
I understand an occassional lemon occurs, so I had bought the warranty that covers EVERYTHING, even accidental dropping, and shipping. I was shocked when on contacting their service handlers she was told the item wasn't covered and she must have dropped it. (It is still immaculate, no scratches or dents, NEVER misused—even accidently.) We were referred to a stateside service rep who said he was the highest ranking service person we could contact. He begrudgingly admitted we had bought the service contract after we gave him the company codes for it, but the told us the full warranty didn't apply to this one particular model, and we would have to pay shipping both ways—plus be without a computer for whatever weeks it took to fix it.
Fortunately we had resources to pay for repair locally, and for other computer access for my wife in the meantime.
The local serviceman was VERY uncomplimentary of recent HP models and service. I wish I had known before I spent full price for item and top of the line warranty.
Now you do.
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