By Michelle Thatcher
17/06/2008
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050488,42811521p,00.htm

The differences between the HP Pavilion dv9700 and the dv9500 are subtle. Externally the two laptops are identical, but the dv9700 includes a current Penryn processor, an upgraded graphics card, and a higher display resolution. Also, the dv9500's HD-DVD drive has (out of necessity) been replaced by a Blu-ray drive in the dv9700.

The landscape of laptops has also changed since we last examined the 17-inch Pavilion model. CES 2008 saw the introduction of low-cost desktop replacements, which give the Pavilion dv9700 a run for its money, performancewise. However, the Pavilion dv9700's primary advantage over its cheaper competitors lies in its Blu-ray drive, HDMI connectivity, and massive hard drive capacity, all of which make it the superior machine for HD video. In the end it comes down to your primary reason for buying an entertainment-oriented desktop replacement: If for gaming, choose the Dell XPS. If for watching high-definition movies, choose the HP Pavilion dv9700.

Editors' note : This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details.

Design

The Pavilion dv9700 has impressive heft when you lift it out of its box; weighing 3.49kg without its power adapter, this is not a laptop you'll carry every day. Nevertheless, it is lighter than many other entertainment-oriented desktop replacements, such as the 4.81kg Dell XPS M1730. The dv9700's case features the familiar Pavilion design, with rounded corners and a glossy imprint finish--with a subtle circular pattern--that create an overall sleek look.

Features

We're fans of the Pavilion dv9700's glossy display, which features a crisp 1,680 x 1,050-pixel native resolution. The screen produced rich colors and sharp details, and there's plenty of screen real estate for traditional computer work as well. Like all Pavilion laptops, the dv9700 includes a row of light-touch buttons above the keyboard that launch the media player and provide volume and playback controls. Altec Lansing stereo speakers, located above those controls, deliver decent sound, though we prefer the depth and clarity of the sound produced by the speakers (and subwoofer) on the Toshiba Qosmio G40.

Our Pavilion dv9700 review unit incorporates HP's optional VGA-resolution Webcam with two built-in microphones for Web conferencing. Like almost all desktop replacements, the Pavilion dv9700's keyboard is full-size and includes a 10-key numeric keypad. The somewhat compact touch pad includes a scroll zone, and we love the power button at the top of the touch pad, which is handy when you want to use an external mouse. To the right of the touch pad, a fingerprint reader lets you log on to Windows and Web sites with the swipe of a finger. The final design feature of note is the handy Wi-Fi power switch located on the laptop's front edge.

The dv9700 has a typical array of ports and connections for a desktop replacement, plus a Blu-ray drive and HDMI output so you can watch high-definition movies on a TV. Unfortunately the HDMI jack comes in lieu of one USB port, leaving just three USB ports for you to attach peripherals. We do like the laptop's dual headphone jacks, which make it easy to share movies and music with friends.

Performance And Battery Life

Our HP Pavilion dv9700 review unit's 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo T9300 processor--just one step down from the top of Intel's Core 2 Duo line--carried it to the head of the pack on most of CNET Labs performance benchmarks. On our Unreal Tournament test, the Pavilion dv9700 did not perform with distinction. The Pavilion dv9700's frame rates, while acceptable, seem best suited for watching HD movies and playing casual games.









We hardly expect such a massive system to perform well on our battery tests. However, the Pavilion dv9700 lasted an impressive 2 hours 36 minutes on our taxing DVD drain test. That battery life would be admirable on a smaller laptop and is downright impressive for a desktop replacement with such a large screen.



System configurations:

HP Pavilion dv9700
Windows Vista Home Premium; 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300; 3072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS; 250GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

HP Pavilion dv6700
Windows Vista Home Premium; 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9300; 3072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB Nvidia 8400M GS; 250GB Hitachi 5,400rpm

Toshiba Satellite A300
Windows Vista Home Premium SP1; 2.2GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 Mobile TL-64; 3072MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB ATI Xpress 1250; 320GB Toshiba 5,400rpm

Service And Support

HP backs the Pavilion dv9700 with an industry-standard one-year warranty with term extensions are available for a fee. Telephone support is available 24/7 during your warranty period, and the HP support Web site includes real-time chat with a tech representative. If you want to troubleshoot problems yourself, you can search through the site's thorough FAQ database.