The good: Laminated scratch-resistant body; discrete graphics card option; integrated Webcam; HP QuickPlay function; stylish touch-sensitive buttons.

The bad: Thick chassis; below-average battery life.

The bottom line: HP's entertainment notebook not only delivers in features, but also goes the extra mile to redesigning the chassis to appeal to those with unconventional tastes.

Read full review of the HP Pavilion dv2000 »

By Darius Chang, CNET Asia
Aug 14, 2006

Notebooks with 14.1-inch screens seems to be gaining popularity, with other entertainment models like Dell Inspiron 640m and Samsung X11 sporting similarly sized displays. If you get a feeling of deja vu with the HP Pavilion dv2000, that's because it is the fraternal twin of the Compaq Presario V3000 minus the integrated Webcam and Zen wave design. Like the latter, the dv2000 offers a full suite of connectivity ports and entertainment features and--with a starting price of S$2,499 (US$1,795.13)--doesn't attempt to bust your budget while doing so.

	The backlit capacitive buttons are an attractive alternative to the usual button controls. (Click for larger image)

Design
The most striking feature is the wave design of its glossy cover. Resembling instant noodles attractively twirled on a plate, the aesthetics is further enhanced by what is best described as a showroom shine finish. The top cover and keyboard areas are laminated with a scratch-resistant coating. For those wearing watches and metal jewelry, these two areas are the most prone to surface damage and the dv2000 should be able to withstand some light abuse. An absolute fingerprint magnet, this can easily be remedied with a cleaning cloth.

Design notwithstanding, this is not really a thin laptop. Weighing 2.4kg, it occupies 334 x 237mm of real estate and stands 39mm high at its thickest portion. Similarly weighted models like the Sony Vaio VGN-FJ77GP and Acer Aspire 5550 have depths which top off at 33mm and 35mm, respectively, and sport the same screen size as the Pavilion notebook. Fortunately, the rounded contours of the dv2000 give it a slightly sleeker appearance.

According to HP, the HP Pavilion dv2000 is the first notebook to possess capacitive backlit buttons. That is a S$20 (US$14.37) dollar phrase for describing touch-sensitive buttons (similar to the LG Chocolate KG800 touch keypad) which light up according to the function activated. The controls include volume adjustment, HP QuickPlay activation and standard multimedia buttons.

All the connectivity ports and optical drive are located on the flanks of the unit, with the audio jacks and wireless switch occupying the front, leaving nothing to mar the rounded hinge at the rear. However, some may find the ports are too closely crammed for comfort, especially if bulky USB devices are in use. The HP dv2000 deploys a latchless design that allows an integrated 1.3-megapixel Webcam to sit above the 14.1-inch display. All things considered, this is an aesthetically appealing portable with easily accessible connections.

Features
Capacitive buttons and showroom gloss chassis aside, the HP Pavilion dv2000 offers a full suite of features which should leave most users satisfied. Billed as an entertainment system, the dual-core platform offers sufficient processing power for work and play. For those requiring even more perks, an optional discrete Nvidia GeForce Go 7200 graphics card is available on some models for greater versatility.

Connectivity-wise, the Pavilion dv2000 offers three USB 2.0, one spring-loaded ExpressCard slot and a mini-FireWire port. Networking is handled by the Ethernet and modem ports, with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios for wireless communication. The memory card reader can handle SD/MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro and xD-Picture Card flash formats. External video displays can be jacked into the VGA or S-video ports with an expansion port for the optional HP xb3000 docking station (which costs an extra S$399 (US$286.62) and includes a wireless keyboard and mouse) for more connectivity options and better speakers. All these ports are somewhat crammed at the flanks of the unit, which detract from an otherwise clean and sleek design. The mini remote control--an item which is important for entertainment notebooks--hides in the ExpressCard slot when not in use.

Rate It Now

Rating guidelines

HP Pavilion dv2000 (Core Duo T2400 processor 1.83GHz, 1GB RAM)

Rate this product:
1 - Abysmal 2 - Terrible 3 - Poor 4 - Mediocre 5 - Average 6 - Good 7 - Very good 8 - Excellent 9 - Spectacular 10 - Perfect

Need help? Read our guidelines for what each number rating represents.

Submit your opinion

User Reviews

More Products To Consider

User Discussion

 

• Most Popular

• Upcoming

Latest Downloads

 

What's Hot