Pros & Cons
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- Speedy 7,200 rpm drive.
- Quad core performance.
- WiFi 802.11b/g/n built in.
- Lots of expansion room.
- Clean design.
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- Integrated graphics.
- Lots of bloatware.
HP Pavilion p6510f Specs
| Graphics Card: | AMD Radeon HD 4200 |
| Operating System: | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium |
| Primary Optical Drive: | Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW |
| Processor Family: | AMD Athlon II X4 |
| Processor Name: | AMD Athlon II X4 630 |
| Processor Speed: | 2.8 GHz |
| RAM: | 4 GB |
| Storage Capacity (as Tested): | 750 GB |
| Type: | Mainstream |
The HP Pavilion p6510f ($579.99 list) is a mainstream 
). However, it also means that the system's fat (like memory over 4GB) has been trimmed to the level that it approaches a good value per dollar. The AMD Athlon II X4 quad-core CPU gives you more multimedia performance, but the integrated graphics card means this system is definitely not targeted toward hardcore gamers.
Design
The HP Pavilion p6510f comes in an attractive looking glossy black HP tower case, similar to other current Pavilion p6000 systems like the 
) and ). Since this system lacks the "-b" of the previous systems, it doesn't come with a bundled monitor. The system's styling will work with just about any dark colored (black, dark grey) LCD monitor. It will also work with silver ones, since the system has chrome/silver accents on the front panel.
The p6510f has a bunch of I/O ports, handy for external upgrades that don't require you to open the case. There are six USB 2.0 ports (two in front, four in back), a FireWire port, a 15-in-1 media card reader, audio in/out ports. There are also two USB 1.1 ports near the bottom of the unit on the back. At first the USB 1.1 ports puzzled me, since they've been absent from desktops for at least 5 years. Then it occurred to me that this is a way to connect the keyboard and mouse without "wasting" two USB 2.0 ports. It's still a little odd.
If you must install internal components, you'll need a screwdriver to open the case. Once you do, you'll find a bunch of open slots and bays: There are three PICe x1 slots available next to the single PCIe x16 slot for graphics cards. There are two slots available for memory: You can drop two more 2GB DIMMS in for a total of 8GB or two 4GB DIMMS for 12GB (the system supports a total of 16GB). However, 4GB is plenty for most users. The expansion rounds out with two hard drive bays free as well as one optical drive bay free.
The system has a 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi card. It's not too much of a nit, but the card only supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, not the less-crowded 5GHz 802.11 a/n bands. This is only a concern if you live in an area with a lot of other 2.4GHz 802.1 b/g/n routers in it, like an apartment block.
Features
The p6510f comes with a bunch of useful programs, like the HP Advisor and other support programs. They're a little obtrusive, but they should be able to help you get out of a bind. On the other hand, the system also has a bunch of bloatware on it. Among the offenders: eBay, Netflix, Rhapsody, Pandora, HP Games, a short 60-day subscription to Norton Internet Security, and Office 60-day trial. The irony is that there's a newer app on the system called "HP Download Store" which is essentially an ecommerce site where you can buy utilities, games and other programs. I wish that this were the only extraneous thing on the system, so you could pick and choose what you wanted on your PC. The HP Download Store could be the single convenient superstore you went to get your programs. As it is, the system looks like a chaotic flea market with ads everywhere and places to buys stuff all over the system (desktop, start menu, HP Dock).
Customers who buy this system from Staples can avail themselves of several services the retailer offers. This includes setting the new system up, data transfer from your old PC to your new one, software installation, and tech support and protection plans that range in price from $14.99 to $169.99.
Performance
) and the 
). However, systems with Intel's Core i3 processors like the 
) and ) are a smidge faster. Regardless, the p6510f is fast enough to take care of the odd multimedia task for its user, whether that means uploading a video to YouTube or pre-procesing a stack of pictures before uploading them to snapfish or flickr.
The p6510f's 3D gaming performance is poor, due to the system's integrated graphics, but you should be able to play older 3D games on the ATI Radeon HD 4200 integrated graphics. Also you might be able to play current games, just make sure to set the quality levels to low or very low and set the resolution low as well.
Overall, the HP Pavilion p6510f is a decent PC for the mass market. It's got a little oomph at multimedia tasks, so you won't be stuck waiting too long if you're working on stuff for an art project or are learning Web design in school. It has a fairly large and speedy hard drive, and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi is a big plus if your house has a wireless router. However, the spectre of bloatware keeps it from gaining our best scores in this category, a space where the Dell 580s and Editors' Choice ) score higher.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS
COMPARISON TABLE
More desktop reviews:
Final Thoughts
HP Pavilion p6510f
The HP Pavilion p6510f is a good value at under $600 for a quad-core processor, 4GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive. It should keep the nascent photographer or videographer in your family happy.