Laptops Arena

In my opinion, if you are not looking for a gaming laptop (in which case Alienware is definitely the wisest choice to make), then the HP Pavilion HDX laptop is probably one of the best desktop replacements on earth.

It is nick named “The Dragon” maybe because it is so imposing when you take a good look at it. The 20.1 inch display is one of the most beautiful o have ever seen and it’s what makes this laptop such a monster. The HP HDX laptop has a design to die for. It has a combination of glossy black and silver imprint finish which definitely catches the eye. The laptop also looks quite durable even if no one has tried to bash it against the wall or drop it on the ground to make sure. The glossy surface will attract fingerprints but the imprint finish is somewhat of a distraction. One of the most amazing features of this laptop is the dual hinge that does an excellent job in keeping the display into place. Choosing the perfect viewing angle has probably never been easier.

Let’s see what the specs of the reviewed unit are. There is 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, 4 GB of RAM, dual drives that add up to a total of 200 GB of free disk space and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics card that has 256 MB of video memory.  One very nice touch of this multimedia laptop is the Integrated HP HDTV Tuner with 4 Altec Lansing speakers and one subwoofer. If I am not mistaking, it’s the same sound performance as that of the Toshiba Qosmio. Like I said, the 20.1 inch display is a beauty.  The horizontal and vertical viewing angles are splendid and HD videos will look amazing on this display. The glossy screen does tend to create strong reflections now and then but the dual hinge allows you to position the display with great accuracy and precision in order to avoid reflections. The webcam works just fine. HP took into consideration some past customer complaints and feedbacks and has put on this HDX a webcam that produces great images in different light situations and the color don’t look as faded as they do on other webcams.



As expected, the speakers are excellent. The 4 Altec Lansing speakers combined with the subwoofer that offers al the bass you may need will make sure that you never need any external speakers on this laptop ever again (unless you want a surround sound experience). This is one entertainment laptop that really has everything it needs to be a good one. The keyboard is also superb and there is no flex in the delicate areas where flex is usually registered. Above the keyboard we have a set of multimedia control buttons which are touch sensitive. On the left side of the keyboard there is a special slot for the remote control which is a super cool feature that should be present in every true multimedia laptop if you ask me. This is the only way to enjoy 100% that integrated TV tuner.  The imprint finish is also found on the palm rest. The touchpad is not going to give you any problems because it is very responsive and the scroll features also work quite well. The touchpad can be disables if you want to attach an external mouse. However, we think there will be no need of an external keyboard because this one is fully sized and the feedback it gives is really nice too.



When I started reading the list of ports and connection it seemed like it was never going to end. This laptop comes with 3 USB ports, one HDMI port, one VGA port, one TV (or S-Video if you prefer it) port, the Ethernet jack, the eSata port, one 4 pin FireWire, one Expansion port, an Express Card slot, a 5-in-1 one media card reader (which supports the following formats: SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD), 2 headphones out and one microphone in jack. Is that something or what? I think each and every laptop which is meant as a desktop replacement should have such a wide selection of ports and connection that multiply the possibilities of your laptop. The nasty part about this desktop replacement is the not affordable price. The unit reviewed here has a $4500 price tag which makes it as expensive as an Alienware laptop. It kind of makes you wonder which one to go with. With a weight of 15.5 pounds, you won’t be carrying this laptop around very much with you unless you desperately want to show off at school or work or at a friend’s house. Other than that, we recommend you put it on your desk and keep it there or else it’s going to break your back. Besides, I couldn’t find any general aspects as far as the battery life is concerned so I can’t exactly say how long the HP HDX laptop is going to stay turned on when it’s away from a power outlet.



If you take a close look at it, you may discover that this laptop is quite thin considering the weight, the dimension of the screen and the huge number of ports and connections. Before you tag this laptop as being way too expensive and not worth the money, think about all the benefits we have written above. The 20.1 inch display which will make TV and movie watching really relaxing and a great experience.



If you have enough money to spend and do not need a gaming laptop, this is a great choice. If you need a desktop replacement and have a room where you don’t have a TV like the office or your bedroom, even better. The HP Pavilion HDX will replace a small TV if the room is not big. You may still not be able to see much even on a 20.1 inch display if you are too far away from the screen.