Rating: 7/10PROS Strong specs for the price; configuration options include AMD, Intel CPUs; bright 14.1-inch display; extensive ports/connections
CONS Keys are noisy; too-slick touch pad
SPECS 2.16GHz Core Duo T2600; 2GB DDR2; 120GB hard drive; DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo; 14.1-inch TFT; Windows XP Home Edition Hewlett-Packard, 888-999-4747 www.hp.com Direct Price $1,754 (before a $50 mail-in rebate)
With its rounded EDGES and high-gloss finish, the Pavilion DV2000t inaugurates a new look for Hewlett-Packard’s Pavilion laptop line. More important, the laptop has better processor options than its predecessors did, from Intel’s Core Duo CPUs to AMD’s Turion 64 X2.
Our $1,754 test unit came with a speedy 2.16GHz Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive spinning at 5,400rpm, and an extended 12-cell battery. In our benchmark tests, theDV2000t ran 36.5 percent faster than the Turion-powered DV2000z did, scoring a BAPCo MobileMark 2005 rating of 243.With the extended battery, which adds 1.4 pounds to the base unit’s 5.5-pound weight, the DV2000t ran for roughly six hours. In terms of features, ports,
and connections, the notebook is capable of meeting any home user’s needs. Most prominent is
its bright 14.1-inch LCD, which has a 1,280x800 native resolution. For expansion, the DV2000t offers three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire port, an S-Video out, a VGA out, and a fiveformat
memory-card reader.Networking connections include built-in 802.11a/b/g and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.Our configuration also had a DVD-ROM/CDRW drive. Whenever we rested our hand above the optical drive, however, the CD whirring inside would buzz noisily—a small ding
against an otherwise impressive unit. We appreciated the touch pad’s vertical and horizontal scrolling functionality and its on/off button, but the touch pad itself was far too slippery to scroll with. Another quibble: the noisy keyboard.
Rating: 7/10