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The new HP Pavilion dv7 promises faster running programs, noteworthy graphics, quality audio, and even has enough hard drive space to store your music, videos, photos, and games. Just make sure you are prepared to lug a notebook that weighs 3.52kg.
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Spending $2299 for a 17.3-inch notebook seems steep, but HP is promising good hardware specifications on the dv7. The system features a 2.66 Ghz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GT 230M graphics card with 1GB memory, and 1TB of storage (two 500GB drives). Also included are Altec Lansing speakers with an integrated subwoofer.
This means that you can edit photos and videos, play games, or watch movies in HD without experiencing slowdowns. The 17.3-inch BrightView widescreen display has a native resolution of 1600×900, although it could have been better if HP used a Full HD panel. The Altec Lansing speakers were loud, but those who want to enjoy movies or music in peace can connect their favourite headphones in the jack located up front.
The shiny black finish looks good but is a fingerprint magnet. The touch pad is large, while the keyboard is well-spaced and responsive. Users can find touch-sensitive media controls above the keyboard that allows a user to adjust the volume, put audio on mute, and even play or pause an audio file or movie. It also comes with a Wi-Fi button that changes colour depending on status (connected = blue, disconnected = orange).
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The dv7 garnered a score of 6961 in 3DMark06 and lasted for 158 minutes in our movie playback test.
Connectivity is not an issue with the dv7 as it has a lot of input/output ports. It comes with four USB ports (one shared with eSATA), D-Sub, HDMI, Firewire, Ethernet, Modem, two headphone out, microphone out, IR, expansion port, and Expresscard slot, and 5-in-1 digital media reader. A built-in web camera and microphone are also onboard that can be used for Skype or other video conferencing software.
Overall, the HP Pavilion dv7 is a powerful multimedia notebook that performs well under most circumstances. Whether it is playing games, working on spreadsheets, or watching movies, this notebook will not slow you down. It may be heavy and hard to bring around, but it won’t certainly be an issue for those who do not want to sacrifice productivity.
