HP Pavilion dv2 Notebook Review
HP looks like its going to turn the world of the ultra portable notebooks on its head. Its latest offering in this range, the Pavilion dv2 has successfully bridged the huge gap that has existed between the low performance netbooks and the high priced ultraportable notebooks. And it seems to have done a brilliant job of it. The base configuration consists of:
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Features:
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1.6 GHz AMD Athlon Neo 64 bit processor
ATI Radeon HD 34210 graphics – with a dedicated memory of 256 MB
12.1 inch screen
3 GB of RAM (upgradable to 4 GB)
Wi-Fi
External Blu ray optical drive
4 cell battery
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
Pretty good specs for a unit this size. The price for the above configuration is expected to be in the range of $800 plus. It’s not a bad price for those going to college or those who want a highly mobile multimedia computing platform.
The dv2 is very thin and weighs in at just 3.8 lbs., thanks mainly to the new Athlon platform. The body is of durable plastic and the rounded edges make is every easy to carry around in the hand. The latch less screen design means that it very easy to open and the strong hinges hold the screen firmly in place with little or no wobble.
The 12.1 inch BrightView display (1280 x 800 pixels) is clear and the images are sharp and well defined. Although it is physically impossible, the screen seems to offer more viewing area than other 12.1 inchers.
The keyboard is firm with absolutely no excess play which compliments the great key travel that gives a nice “in control” feel when typing. I liked the fact that the glossy key finish means that they will not develop the usual shine you find appearing on most keyboards after a few months of use.
The touchpad too, is very ergonomically designed and easy to use. The touchpad disabling button placed on top of the pad is a useful feature especially for those who prefer to use and external mouse.
Performance wise the pavilion dv2 can stand shoulder to shoulder with many larger full sized notebooks. The processor is not as frugal in regard to power consumption as the up to now pack leader, the Intel Atom, but benchmarking tests found the Athlon Neo to be between 50 to 140% faster than the Atom, depending on the task. It also does not run as hot as the Atom.
But what makes the dv2 really standout is the ATI Radeon graphics that work very well with the processor to provide this small notebook with top of the range video playback and 3D gaming options.
This long overdue ultraportable is a replacement for the tx1000 and 2000 series that are, by today’s standards, thick and dated in looks. But more than that, now there’s finally a 12 inch notebook on the market that has the size of a netbook without its limitations and seems eminently suitable for work, gaming and video watching.