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By Darius Chang, CNET Asia
May 08, 2008

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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