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By Justin Jaffe
Feb 16, 2006

The HP Pavilion dv1000 has been a mainstay of HP's laptop lineup since 2004 and during that time, has become one of CNET readers' most favored models in the US. With the Pavilion dv1000t, HP gives its thin-and-light updated internal components (read: Intel's Core Duo processor), makes some useful tweaks to the design and the feature set and doubles the starting price. Though HP still doesn't offer Windows XP Media Center or a discrete graphics for the Pavilion dv1000t, it serves up excellent power and multimedia functionality for the price. For more basic use, we recommend the far less expensive Pavilion dv1000 model.

Editors' note: This review is based on the configuration available in the US. As the HP dv1000t has not been official launched in Asia Pacific, the specifications may be different for units retailed in this region.

Design
Aesthetically, the black-and-silver Pavilion dv1000t is very similar to its sibling, the 3.01kg Pavilion dv4000. Just like the original Pavilion dv1000, the dv1000t weighs 2.5kg (2.86kg with its absolutely petite power brick) and measures 334 x 234.7 x 38.1mm. It's a bit larger and heavier than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z60t and the Sony VAIO FJ58GP.

The Pavilion dv1000t's 14.1-inch wide-aspect panel has a 1,280 x 768 native resolution, as do the panels on the ThinkPad Z60t, and the VAIO FJ. Though we often find HP laptop displays lacking, the Pavilion dv1000t's looks crisp, clear, and bright--considerably brighter than the ThinkPad Z60t's. The Pavilion dv1000t's keyboard isn't full size, but it's responsive and comfortable enough to type on. The touch pad and the mouse buttons are of average size and the touch pad features vertical scrolling and a convenient on/off button that lets you disable the pad when it's not in use.

Features
Multimedia controls abound: Above the keyboard, the Pavilion dv1000t has a complete row of disc-control and volume buttons, as well as two for launching HP's QuickPlay media applications which can play CDs and DVDs and access photos without booting Windows. Our test unit included a neat built-in Webcam above the display--a feature that adds US$50 (S$81.45) to the price. The Altec Lansing speakers are loud but light on bass.

	The ports are easy to locate with its labels.

Like the other models in the Pavilion dv family, the Pavilion dv1000t has a solid array of ports and connections for its class that are particularly well distributed and clearly labeled. You get a ExpressCard slot, three USB 2.0 ports, a four-pin FireWire port, an S-Video out and a six-in-one media-card reader that supports XD. Along its front edge sit a microphone jack and two headphone jacks--rare extras. Networking connections include a 56Kbps modem, 10/100 Ethernet and integrated Wi-Fi (for which the laptop has a handy on/off button). Also onboard is a double-layer DVD burner.

Performance And Battery Life
Our high-end test unit had strong components which include a 2GHz Intel Core Duo T2500 processor, Intel integrated 945GM graphics which borrow up to 128MB of main memory, 1GB of DDR2 RAM running at 533MHz and a 100GB hard drive spinning at 5,400rpm. In CNET Labs' benchmark tests, the Pavilion dv1000t impressed us. Its MobileMark 2005 score of 238 were right in line with those of much larger and more expensive Core Duo machines and nearly 70 percent ahead of those of the previous dv1000 model we tested. There's no question that the Pavilion dv1000t is up for nearly any productivity, encoding, or multitasking job. On the other hand, without a discrete GPU, it's practically useless for serious gaming and we have our doubts about its ability to process video efficiently enough for an enthusiast.

At 232 minutes, its battery life is just adequate, falling short of the prior model's 246 minutes and the ThinkPad Z60t's 255 minutes. For power users who require more uptime away from the office, HP offers a 12-cell battery option.

Service And Support
HP notebooks in the Asia Pacific region have a one-year local warranty. At HP's support Web site, laptop owners can download the latest drivers and manuals. In the event of a simple malfunction, the company offers an online knowledge database and support forum for troubleshooting. Further diagnosis or repair can be made at the service center, though the owner has to bring the notebook there. Telephone support is available during normal working hours and for current or potential customers who are not sure which HP notebook is right for you, a dedicated number is available for assistance in purchase selection. There is no option to extend or upgrade the warranty.

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