HP Pavilion dv5t Review
With budget notebooks, mini notebooks and business notebooks abounding in the marketplace, it’s a pleasure to find an all purpose notebook that can meet be used by everyone for all kinds of applications. The HP Pavilion dv5t is a replacement for the still popular dv6000 notebook series but it is not just a case of tinkering around with what was there before to make it look new. It’s a complete redesign and is really a completely new notebook with the latest Intel Montevina Centrino 2 mobile technology.
Looks wise the dv5t is simple stunning. The notebook has a soft design with rounded off corners and edges. The overall shape is sleek and very modern looking. The thin chassis (1.65 inches) and the single hinge on the display add to the appeal. The body is in a dual color scheme with silver and black.
The body is made out of high strength plastic and has a solid feel to it. The solidity shows in the palm rests which do not flex under palm pressure. The slight flex that most plastic bodied notebooks have under the palm rest is harmless but the rigidity if this build quality adds a feeling of toughness. Also many notebooks cut costs on the plastic thickness used on the bottom on the grounds that (a) it is not seen and (b) this is not a part of the body that is subjected to any stress. The dv5t does not make this compromise and this once again adds to the solid feel of the notebook.
With this notebook HP has finally gotten around to offering high resolution displays. There are two display options – WXGA and WSXGA+. Besides the higher resolution (1680x 1050 pixels) as compared to the WXGA (1280 x 800), the WSXGA+ screen offers 40% more viewable area which means that less scrolling is required when viewing documents or web pages.
HP has also upgraded the speakers from Harmon/Kardon to Altec Lansing. While there is no dedicated sub woofer, the sound quality is well above the standard notebook level and there is very little distortion even at high volumes.
The web cam is just about average, but then its not fair to expect much more from a small built in notebook camera. Its more than adequate for normal video chat situations.
The notebook also has a remote which tucks away in the ExpressCard slot when not in use. Its designed for media center use and is definitely a plus point when watching movies or listening to music.
The keyboard of the dv5t is really outstanding. The keys have a glossy finish and give a nice feel. The well balanced key movement gives a nice feed back, which, along with the size and ergonomic layout, make it easy to work without looking at the keyboard.
As far a noise goes, the notebook is very silent with a barely perceptible fan noise. The heat however, is a drawback. The bottom can get very hot when the unit is used for gaming. Under heavy use conditions it would be better not to place the notebook on your lap but find a table to place it on.
As for performance and technical features, the dv5t has all that you could expect from a notebook in the $1200 range.