HP launches £499 netbook killer

 

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Posted on 20 Apr 2009 at 13:07

HP has launched the dv2, a 1.8kg ultra-portable laptop that only costs £499. It's designed to be cheaper than other ultra-portables but more powerful than a netbook. It's the first computer to come equipped with AMD's new 1.6GHz Neo MV-40 processor, which will be exclusive to HP for six months.

AMD's European Marketing Director, Richard Baker, claims that the Neo is more powerful than Intel's Atom processor and capable of playing 720p Blu-ray video. The dv2 has a 12.1in glossy widescreen display with a resolution of 1,280x800 pixels - large enough for 720p HD video. There's also a HDMI port for connecting a HD TV. A USB DVD writer will be included in the box, but there's no Blu-ray option.

The £499 model will come equipped with 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard disk, an integrated Radeon X1250 graphics chip and Windows Vista Home Basic. A £599 model will have 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard disk, while a £699 variant will have a massive 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk. The two more expensive models will come with Vista Home Premium and a dedicated Mobility Radeon HD 3410 graphics chip. HP currently has no plans to offer an SSD in place of a hard disk.

Although there was a SIM card slot on the pre-production model we saw, HP were unable to confirm if there will be a built-in 3G modem, either as standard or as an option. 802.11b/g wireless networking and Bluetooth are built-in as standard.

Our first impressions of using the dv2 were very positive. We were impressed with the large and comfortable keyboard as well as the big, smooth and accurate touch pad. The glossy black case felt very sturdy and barely flexed under pressure. Windows Vista felt much responsive on the dv2 than it does on Sony's Atom-equipped Vaio P series netbooks.

The £499 version of the dv2 will be available from this week, while the more expensive models will be available from late April. As soon as we receive a production model, we'll bring you a full review of this promising ultra-portable.

Author: Alan Lu