HP Pavilion dv2 (1030-us)

The HP Pavilion dv2 (1030-us) is as close to a netbook as you'll see with an AMD processor. Though it was made clear that the semiconductor company had no interest in competing in the netbook category, this 12-inch beauty says otherwise. The dv2, which bears a strong resemblance to the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, is the first laptop to use AMD's new Athlon Neo processor, and at $749.99 (direct), it costs about $100 more than the HP Mini 2140 netbook. I think HP and AMD have the right idea here, as there aren't enough 12-inch form factors that are able to hit this price. The only catch is that you'll have to put up with fan noises and occasional heat from its underside. In terms of form factor, the dv2 as more like a netbook. The things that set it apart from that category are the new AMD Neo processor, 4GB of memory, a discrete graphics card, and a 12-inch screen, not to mention its steeper price. In that way, it straddles the line between netbooks and ultraportables.

Take away the brand logos and you'll see the striking design similarities between the dv2 and the Dell Mini 12. They have roughly the same dimensions: the dv2 measures 11.5 by 9.5 by-0.9 inches, and the Mini 12 is slightly thinner at 11.8 by 9-by 0.8 inches. Both have a glossy-black top that collects smudges and fingerprint marks. On closer inspection, it becomes apparent that HP paid more attention to subtle design details on the dv2, such as the chrome trimmings along the edges, the embedded patterns on the palm rest, and the chrome mouse buttons and touchpad. The Mini 12, as with most inexpensive netbooks, is more basic.

At 2.7 pounds, the Dell Mini 12 is more than a pound lighter, but the dv2's 3.8-pound frame is fit for travel. Granted, the dv2 weighed in with a bigger 55-Wh battery (its only battery option) than the 12's 24-Wh one. A 12-inch widescreen is a rare sight on a budget laptop, which is what makes the dv2 so appealing at this price. The 1,280-by-800 resolution is much more pleasant to work with than the 1,024-by-600 one that is typically employed for a netbook. It allows high-end applications like Adobe Photoshop CS4 to install (Adobe Photoshop CS2, CS3, and CS4 require a minimum 1,024-by-768 resolution screen), and makes multi-tabbed Web surfing more tolerable than on a 10-inch netbook screen.

A full-size keyboard would have improved the dv2's standing against other 12-inch ultraportables. Alas, it has a 92 percent keyboard, the same size as that of the Mini 12. The keys are very similar in design and in size to those found on the HP Mini 1000 and the Mini 2140. Unless you have stubby fingers, though, the typing experience is still exceptional for an ultraportable. If a full-size keyboard is a must for you, you'll get the best typing experiences from more-expensive ultraportable systems like the Toshiba Portégé R600-S4202 and the HP Elitebook 2530p. Because of the dv2's roomier dimensions, a pair of responsive mouse buttons is located beneath the touchpad rather than flanking the sides of it, as they do on the Mini 1000 and 2140. In case users find that the touchpad interferes with their touch typing, there is even a button above the touchpad that disables it.

For the most part, the dv2 hits the right notes in terms of features. An HDMI port makes it stand out from a netbook, and the built-in speakers pack more oomph than those on the Mini 12. Otherwise, it possesses many of the features that are commonly found on a netbook, including three USB ports, a 5-in-1 card reader (SD, MMC, xD, MS, MS Pro), an Ethernet port, VGA, and built-in Wi-Fi. Like all Pavilion laptops, it comes with a one-year warranty for parts and labor. Omitting an internal optical drive was necessary to maintain its slim silhouette, although an external dual-layer DVD burner comes standard with your purchase. And, no, you cannot opt out of it, but you can upgrade to an external Blu-ray drive, which will ship separately.

The dv2 is the first out of the gate with AMD's new Athlon Neo—a low-powered processor that's greater in physical size and slightly more powerful than the netbook-class Intel Atom. Running Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit is another thing that differentiates this system from a netbook, given that the OS on most netbooks is Windows XP Home Edition. As a result, the dv2 doesn't suffer the same memory limitations imposed by Microsoft (with XP Home Edition, manufacturers are restricted from putting in more than 1GB of memory). The dv2 comes with 4GB of DDR2 memory. And whereas other netbooks run on Intel's integrated graphics, the dv2 is capable of running 3D-intensive applications. Its ATI Mobility Radeon 3410 discrete graphics card, which comes with 512MB of video memory, can handle moderate 3D gaming (a Spore trial edition comes with the system). The card helps prevent lag and smooths out the decoding process while you're watching high-definition content on, say, Blu-ray discs.