HP Pavilion DM3 Review

There's so much to like in HP's new Pavilion dm3 that it's hard to know where to start. Perhaps with the looks: The aluminum and magnesium case looks cool, totally modern, and though it's got some plastic components (most notably the underside), it feels quite durable. The Mac-style keyboard is spacious and comfortable, even though the unit's got a 13.3-inch screen to keep things portable and svelte.

One of the highlights is the new keyboard. Though the sample we saw had a US one, we were still impressed with both the layout and the key action of this isolation-style effort. As far as we can recall, this is the first time HP has used this kind of keyboard on one of its laptops and it appears to have nailed it first time.

Key Specs
Processor: 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300
Memory: 2GB RAM
Storage: 500GB hard drive
Optical Drive: None
Screen: 13.3 inches (1,280x800 native resolution)
Graphics: Integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD
Weight: 4.2 pounds
Dimensions (HWD): 1.2x12.8x9.1 inches
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

Hardware configurations will vary, with single-core and dual-core versions likely. There'll be both AMD and Intel variants available, too, but with HP claiming a whopping 10 hours from the Intel version (powered by a six-cell, 57 Watt-hour battery) it would appear to be the one to get.

The glossy 13.3in display, meanwhile, has a 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution, and image quality raises it substantially above the average. Vibrant colours and good contrast made the most of our test photographs, and our HD movie clips positively leapt from the screen.

The big problem with going down the AMD route is that it seriously lags behind its CULV counterparts when it comes to battery life. The Pavilion dm3 battery struggled to an unimpressive 4hrs 37mins in our light-use battery life test, and under heavy load that figure dropped further to 1hr 43mins.

The dm3 is a thin and light notebook with a 13′ display. It weighs in at just over four pounds, making it light enough to carry around all day long. It utilizes mild processors that are relatively affordable and that increase battery life.

The DM3 is that next step in this evolutionary path. The machine comes in both AMD and Intel flavors, so let's get the differences between these 64-bit Windows 7 machines out of the way, first. The AMD version packs the 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 dual-core CPU, a 320GB hard drive (7200 rpm), and an ATI Radeon HD 3200 series GPU. In short, a spunky little system.

The Intel version, on the other hand, offers the 1.3GHz Pentium SU4100, a 500GB hard drive (7200 rpm), and an integrated GPU--not exactly heart-stopping. It'll probably be enough to get you through the day and watch videos without a hitch, but the lack of a proper, discrete GPU on the Intel model already tips the scales in favor of the AMD (in my humble opinion)--but I haven't had a chance to play with either, yet. Obviously, we can't go into performance specifics at this time, but for a little perspective, the dv2 got a 45 in WorldBench 6. Another thing we can't test right now is battery life. HP spokespeople promise that this machine will last up to 10 hours with the standard-issue 6-cell HP Pavilion DM3 battery.

With the exception of an internal optical drive, the dm3 brings over most of the features found in the HP dv3z, including three USB ports, HDMI-Out, a multi-card reader, VGA-Out, and an ExpressCard slot. HP remains faithful to the Altec Lansing speakers, although they have been relocated from above the keyboard to the bottom of the front bezel. There will be an embedded 3G option as well, either with Verizon or AT&T.

Naming schemes follow the same recipe that HP has had since day one: A "z" at the end means there's an AMD inside, while the "t" denotes Intel. So the dm3z, for instance, will sport AMD's latest Neo processor, the dual-core version of the one found in the HP Pavilion dv2-1030us. The dm3t, on the other hand, will use either Intel's consumer ultra-low voltage or standard voltage processors.

You don’t have to splurge for a $1,599 Envy 13 to get a notebook made with premium materials in HP’s lineup. Like its higher priced cousin, the Pavilion dm3t uses a combination of aluminum (on the deck and lid), while the bottom casing is made of aluminum alloy. We especially like the Moderno Argento gray finish and how it contrasts with the glossy black display bezel. This brushed metal looks a bit more modern than the ASUS UL30A, which has a lighter-colored aluminum lid but a plastic deck (albeit with a cool intersecting pattern).

The 4.2-pound dm3t is heavier than both the UL30 (4.0 pounds) and the Envy 13 (3.8 pounds), but because it omits a DVD drive, it measures just 1.0 inch thin; we had no problem slipping this laptop in a backpack.

Not everything is as we'd like, though. Network connectivity is restricted to slower 10/100 'Fast' Ethernet and Wireless-G Wi-Fi, as opposed to the Gigabit and Wireless-N Wi-Fi oft demanded these days, though Bluetooth is at least included. Whether the dm3's lacklustre network speed matters is up for debate. Many ordinary users probably won't see the problem, but those with more demanding tastes might baulk at these restrictions.

General connectivity, on the other hand, is good enough. It might lack niceties like eSATA or standby powered USB ports, but the dm3 has HDMI and VGA for video and a total of four USB ports - a good number for a portable machine like this. These are joined by a memory card reader, audio jacks for headphones and a microphone, and the Ethernet port.

The HP Pavilion dm3 laptop battery is one of the fastest thin and light notebooks we've seen. It posted a WorldBench 6 score of over 100--a feat achieved by very few laptops - and had very good PC Mark 05 and PC Mark Vantage numbers. Its Nvidia GeForce G105M graphics card is not really meant for gaming but at low-settings (and low expectations) you can just about manage to play 2-3 year old games. Both 720p and 1080p high-def videos played smoothly, without any stutter on the Pavilion dm3 - multitasking isn't an issue as well.

Although it's not really an entertainment-tuned laptop, the HP Pavilion dm3-1035tx manages to pull off a rather good audio-visual experience - courtesy of its LED-backlit widescreen and better-than-average onboard speakers. The included six-cell battery lasted 1 hour 43 minutes in our battery tests, at high performance preset and full-screen brightness; expect just over 3 hours of surfing the web over Wi-Fi on a single charge at power-safe mode.