First AMD Phenom II-based notebooks from Hewlett Packard

16th May, 2010 by adina
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Hewlett Packard is the first PC builder to use the new mobile Phenom II processors from AMD in a notebook. The Pavilion dv5, dv6 and dv7 have the same option of using the dual-core and quad-core models of AMD’s new chips and this way overcome the performance and battery life problems with Intel chips. A dual-core 2.8GHz Phenom II N620 processor can be about 69 percent faster than the best previous Turion Ultra used by HP and also gets up to 24 percent more of battery life.

All Pavilion notebooks include the new HP philosophy called MUSE (materials, usability, sensory appeal, experience). Compared to their frequently plastic predecessors, the new models are partly using aluminium and a thinner design in unusual colors, such as red, champagne and black cherry. Some software customization of the previous special edition is still present over the Pavilion line and gifts users with fifteen artist-penned backgrounds for the desktop.

The top of the series, the 17.3-inch dv7, sports new features for Pavilions, such as a 1GB Mobility Radeon graphics chipset supporting Crossfire and Beats-processed audio including a subwoofer. Dual drive bays allow up to 2TB of storage and the dv7 can use up to quad-core processors.

The dv6 has a 15.6-inch display and is the first in the series to have a touchscreen as an option. Its smaller design permits quad-core processors. The single drive bay allows 1TB of storage. The Pavilion dv5 is the first of HP with a 14.5-inch display and still keeps the option for quad-core chips and 1TB of disk space.

All these Pavilion dv updates are scheduled for May 19th and will have starting prices of $650 for the dv5 and dv6 and $800 for the dv7.

Along with the dv series, the ultraportable dm series has been updated with the Pavilion dm4, which has a large 14-inch LCD and also full-power Intel processors instead of using CULV. There also is an option for a dedicated Mobility Radeon high definition video. The device is less than an inch thick and is weighing less than 4.4 pounds by dropping an optical drive. However, its storage is 640GB. The dm4 is scheduled for shipping on May 19th like the other larger models but its price is only $730.

AMD’s Phenom II-based devices are considered to be a potential turning point for the company. AMD often had the single chance of competing solely on cost, because a poorer efficiency in its manufacturing process involved sacrifices with respect to speed and battery life. The existence of the new processors opens large perspectives for AMD-based Macs. Apple could this way keep aiming to high-end MacBook Pro or MacBook lines without being forced to use Intel hardware.


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