8/4/08

HP Pavilion dv5t


Type: Gaming, General Purpose, Media
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
RAM: 2 GB
Weight: 6.3 lb
Screen Size: 15.4 inches
Screen Size Type: widescreen
Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8600M GT
Storage Capacity: 250 GB
Networking Options: 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

After nearly two years of sticking with the same design, hp is making several moves to spice up its Pavilion line. The hp Pavilion dv5t ($1,525 list) is part of a large group of hp consumer laptops (all the Pavilion ones, as well as the Compaq Presario laptops) to receive an interior chrome treatment. If in these new models the convergence between a laptop and a home-theater experience isn't otherwise apparent, its new "frameless" widescreen and built-in TV tuner should drive that point home. And now that Intel has finally launched its newest Centrino 2 platform, the dv5t is one of the first to get a complete performance tune-up.

For all the laptops that took out their built-in TV tuners, like the Toshiba Qosmio G45, Many peoples happy to see hp headed in the opposite direction. Instead of the lame ExpressCard TV tuners that hp used to offer, all the newest Pavilions, including the dv5t, will have an option for an integrated ATSC (HD) tuner. You'll have to attach a separate coaxial dongle and antenna, but these had no problems receiving over-the-air, high-definition channels at my Manhattan location. As part of the new Centrino 2 platform, code-named Montevina, the dv5t runs one of the newest Penryn processors. The 2.53-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 has support for the new 1,066-MHz front-side bus (FSB) and can also be found on the Sony VAIO VGN-FW198UH.

The dv5t's SYSmark Overall score lagged behind the VAIO's by 4 percent. The Sony has 4GB of memory, compared with the dv5t's 2GB, which could account for the slight difference. But in general, the dv5t's SYSmark scores surpassed those of the Dell Studio 15 and the Apple 15-inch (Penryn), both of which had earlier Penryn models. The "frameless" part of the 15.4-inch widescreen is a glossy treatment extending past the viewing area and into the black edges, creating a unified look. hp introduced this idea in the hp 2133 Mini-Note PC, while Lenovo perfected it in the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510, complete with a drop-down hinge. As always, hp offers several options for screen resolution. In this configuration, the 1,680-by-1,050-pixel screen really made videos and photos pop. The touch-sensitive keys—a volume bar, a mute button, and DVD playback controls—are backed by LEDs and add to the cinematic appeal. The Altec Lansing speakers sounded very good, although hp should consider matching the five-speaker system (with subwoofer) on the Lenovo Y510..