Prime Notebook Computer Review

Is this laptop with a Core i3 processor and Intel integrated graphics a good purchase? Ultrathin and decked out in brushed aluminum, the HP Pavilion dm3t is one of the best looking notebooks of the year. In fact, it looks more expensive than its price tag would suggest (starting at $649; $839 as configured). And thanks to an Ultra-Low Voltage Intel processor, this Windows 7 system lasts all day on a charge while offering good performance compared to the competition. However, the sluggish touchpad on the dm3t makes this laptop more difficult to use than it should be.

Fresh design with a new cooling system designed to make the notebook more “lap friendly.” Not only is this 13-inch laptop coolerf to the touch, but it looks cooler than the previous generation of the dm3. The plastics used in the chassis are durable and thick enough to prevent flex or cracking under pressure. The plastic screen lid does an okay job protecting the screen but the middle of the lid does bend inward under firm pressure. The lid also features a rubber-like matte black paint job which is great for avoiding those fingerprints that show up on glossy notebooks. The screen hinges offer enough tension to hold the screen in place but are loose enough so you can open the laptop with one hand.

Port selection on the HP Pavilion dm3t is pretty standard without any surprises. HP gives you two standard USB 2.0 ports, one combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port, HDMI-out, VGA, Gigabit LAN (hidden behind a rubber door), and two audio jacks for headphones and a microphone. It also features a SDHC-card slot for loading images off your camera while traveling or expanding your available storage. Once again, the only port that’s missing here is a USB 3.0 port or an ExpressCard slot.

The 13.3-inch LED-backlit screen on the HP Pavilion dm3t is like most of the other glossy screens you’ll find on 13-inch notebooks. The 1366 x 768 resolution is great for browsing the web, editing photos, or even watching 720p HD movies. Color and contrast are average thanks to the glossy surface and LED backlighting. We recorded a real-world contrast ratio of 214:1 in our lab and a maximum screen brightness of 180 nits; bright enough for indoor use under almost any artificial lights and bright enough for outdoor use (as long as the unfiltered sun isn’t shining directly on your screen and creating reflections).

The dm3t has one of the better keyboards in its class, with a well-spaced and thoughtfully designed chicklet-style layout. Powered by a 1.3-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo U7300 processor and 2GB of RAM, our configuration of the dm3t notched a PCMark Vantage score of 2,874. That’s below the thin-and-light notebook average of 3,101, but about 400 points above the similarly equipped $799 ASUS UL30A.

Because the ULV CPU inside the dm3t sips power, the six-cell battery lasted an impressive 9 hours and 7 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi). This endurance is significantly better than the Toshiba T135’s 7:23, but the ASUS UL30A is still the champ in this category with a run time of 9:55. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to use dm3t for most if not all of the day before needing to hunt for an outlet.

You can step up to a Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with the same clock speed but more cache (3MB vs. 2MB) for $50 more. If you want better graphics muscle for games and video editing, you can pair the above processor with Nvidia’s GeForce G 105M card ($100 upsell), or splurge for a 2.26-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP9300 with the same Nvidia graphics.

On the memory front, you can upgrade to 3GB for free or 4GB for $40. 6GB ($240) and 8GB ($440) options are also available, but for most that’s just overkill. Hard drive upgrade options include a 320GB or 500GB drive running at 5,400 rpm ($40, $90) or 7,200 rpm ($60, $100). All of these drives have ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection to shield your data in case of a fall.

Overall the HP Pavilion dm3t offers an impressive value for those looking for a 13-inch travel laptop. If you can live with those annoyances then the HP Pavilion dm3t is an affordable solution with enough performance to get your work done.