PDA Buyer's Guide Reviews HP's iPAQ 4705

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/iPAQ_hx4705.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/iPAQ_hx4705.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The iPAQ hx4705 has been one of the most anticipated Pocket PCs of 2004. What's the big deal about this model? It's one of the few that offers a VGA display and it's an iPAQ, the most popular Pocket PC brand. Beyond its gorgeous screen, the iPAQ has the fastest processor currently available on a PDA and features both Bluetooth and WiFi. The hx4705 runs the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition OS with native support for VGA resolution and both portrait and landscape orientations. While larger than most PDAs, it's by no means a behemoth and is quite portable. It's a tad smaller than the Toshiba e805 and e830, but larger than the compact ASUS A730 VGA Pocket PC."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20041001-iPAQ4700.jpg" /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20041001-iPAQ4700-back.jpg" /><br /><br />As always, PDA Buyer's Guide gives an excellent run-through of the device.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Nice review. Based on everything I've been reading, this device, IMO, is the device is not the device for all other companies to beat.

I'm not too crazy about the squarish shape, but I love the 4" screen, the VGA capabilities and the touchpad is intriguing. I was ecstatic to hear that BetaPlayer ran well on this device also.

My only concern is that this device may be packing TOO many features into one device causing me to wonder about device stability. I can't wait to hear some user feedback once this starts finding its way to the masses.

[jgrnt1]

I've had my 4700 for two days and love it. It's incredibly fast and the screen is gorgeous. Though I haven't fallen in love with the shape yet, it makes sense, since this is an SE device and can be used in landscape mode. When you turn it on its side, it doesn't look like a portrait mode PPC turned sideways. It looks at home in both orientations.

[animenick65]

The really funny thing is that the Dell axim x30 is almost half the price, yet it kicked the crap out of the 4700 in all the benchmarks. If Dell sets some good standards for themselves and works hard on the x50, then the 4700 is seriously screwed. We can pretty much guess that the x50 will have at least the processing power of the x30 (i would hope so) so that means it would already beat the 4700. Thow in the new intel graphics accelorator and a high end model price of $499 (at least $100 less) and you have a very competative model.

[pdagal]

ekkie,

The device has been very stable so far, other than one hang in landscape mode in IE. I think HP has finally gotten the BT & WiFi driver thing down, and the unit doesn't run many processes out of the box which also helps stability.

[cgavula]

The X30 didn't "kick the crap" out of the Ipaq. In non-graphics test the results were very similar overall. In graphics tests the X30 only has to drive a screen with 1/4 of the number of pixels, so you aren't comparing apples and apples. In the CPU test the iPaq won (barely) as it did in about half of the memory and file tests so to say the X30 "kicked the crap" out of the ipaq isn't even close to accurate.

A far more interesting and appropriate test will be when the X50V comes out since it will have the same resolution display but the new graphics chip as support.

--Chris

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Well, typical of my amazing patience to wait and see, I went ahead and ordered mine via the DataVision ad link listed under the review. The price was $589.99. Not only is that $60 less than most other sites but I save myself another $50+ on sales tax (Datavision is in NY and I'm in CA). The only extra on my end is the $14 for shipping. Not bad.

Now I've got to wait and see how long before they have the unit in stock and are able to ship to me.

Thanks for the feedback pdagal/jgrnt1!

[Stephen Beesley]

Stupid damn touchpad....

Stupid damn price....

Apart from those little quibbles :D I really like this device. I must be one of the very few that like the shape and style of it - reminds me soooo much of my beloved Newton Message Pad 2000, right down to the book like flip screen. Maybe in 12 months time when the PPC world has moved on and refurb units start popping up on ebay I might be ready for a move.

[danlim]

Does iPAQ or ASUS have the so called USB-2 port or host that allow it to use or connect to any external USB-2 devices as USB-flash card, USB-hard drive, iPOD (as storage device), etc. ?

Dan 10-1-2004

[Jonathon Watkins]

Does iPAQ or ASUS have the so called USB-2 port or host that allow it to use or connect to any external USB-2 devices as USB-flash card, USB-hard drive, iPOD (as storage device), etc. ?

Welcome Danlim. Good to see you. :D

Currently, Duncan's very useful VGA comparison chart (http://www.firstloox.org/VGAppc.htm) shows that the USB hosing is USB 1.1 only. The iPAQ 4700 and Dell X50 do not have USB hosting, while all other currently known VGA devices will have.

[Lorenzo]

what's the difference between the 4700 and the 4705?

Lorenzo

[wiley]

Remember the good old days when you could review three units (Compaq, Casio, HP) and make a completely informed purchase.

Decisions, decisions ...