Product Summary
7.6
out of 10View score
The bad: No expansion port for Pavilion accessories; thick and heavy for a 13.3-inch portable; no integrated TV tuner.
The bottom line: If you are looking for a strong entertainment machine at a reasonable price, the HP Pavilion dv3000 certainly fits the bill nicely. Just be aware that it's not the lightest or sleekest in its class.
Read full review of the HP Pavilion dv3000 »
Average User Rating
from 6 users
7.2
out of 10CNET Asia Review
HP Pavilion laptops aren't exactly petite machines. The smallest option was the 14.1-inch dv2000 series which was quite the bear to carry. So when we heard that the Palo Alto company extended the lineup to include a 13.3-inch model, we were hopeful that true portable entertainment was within reach.
But when we finally laid eyes on the unit, we were shocked that despite the reduction of about an inch off the display, the dv3000 had almost the same dimensions as the dv2000. Granted, the Pavilion includes a built-in optical drive, but in an age of MacBook Air, LG P300 and ThinkPad X300 machines, the dv3000 is one of the largest 13.3-inch laptops in the market. Weight and size aside, we were quite impressed with the comprehensive entertainment suite and the USB/eSATA combo port, the latter being one of the first to appear in a portable. We set out to find if function is able to overcome the sizeable heft.
Design
With a footprint of 320 x 228 x 38mm and tipping the scales at 2kg, it is debatable if the marginal reduction in size and weight from the larger 2.4kg HP Pavilion dv2600 is worth the smaller display. Like the rest of its Pavilion brothers, the chassis is decked out with the HP Imprint technology. Here, the Mesh design resembles a net laid across the top cover and palm rest. Though the exterior of the unit is an attractive glossy black, we got a shock when we peered inside.This may be the first time we've seen a laptop palm rest covered with a shiny silver paint job. In fact, it's so reflective that this area can easily be used as an impromptu makeup mirror. It doesn't help that the glossy surface picks up prints easier than a forensic investigator. To be fair, the mirror finish may appeal to some users, so we suggest checking it out in person before shelling out your dough.
The touch-sensitive multimedia controls are a joy to use, and when the unit is turned off the backlit buttons disappear from view. The ports are all easily accessed on the flanks of the unit, with only the audio jacks gracing the front panel. The latter is positioned such that headphone wires won't tangle your arms while typing.
According to HP, the keyboard had been specially treated for greater durability (though not as hardy as the HP DuraKeys found in the business range). The company claims the labels and paint will last longer than conventional keyboards. Though it's unlikely that an entertainment portable will be used for writing encyclopedias, this is a nice touch to extend the life of the machine.
We do have a minor quibble with the indicator lights at the front of the unit, which use a trio of surprisingly bright white LEDs. While watching movies in a dark environment, the blinking lights were so intense they actually distracted from our entertainment experience. A quick fix was to place a small opaque object in front of the LEDs, though this would have been unnecessary if the indicators were located at the sides instead.
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User Reviews
It is a real Rubbish!
Apr 18, 2009Rating: 2 out of 10 (Terrible)
Pros: Good look, Light weigt
Cons: Windows Vista and can not be downgrade to XP!
Opinion:
This is actually a rubish product by HP!
Why? I let u know:
1- about 11 GB of HDD is resereved for recovery image!, it means. In case of crash, this image is not usable at all.
2- The OS is Vista, and you can not downgrade to XP! the BIOS does not let you know do it!
3- All technical specifications are good, but as you can not insatll XP, you can not use it at all!
dv3000 vs XPS1330
Aug 19, 2008Rating: 7 out of 10 (Very good)
Pros: value for money
Cons: metalic silver keyboard & interior
Opinion:
Can someone pls advice or make a comparison between dv3000 & XPS1330... Find it hard to decide which 1 of them to buy... And also is Centrino2 worth the money or wait? Are there any small (12-13") good ones loaded with Centrino2?
Thanks!
too coollll...
Jun 23, 2008Rating: 8 out of 10 (Excellent)
Pros: strong, cool design
Cons: none
Opinion:
excellent... anyone tells me how much does it cost?



