In January 2011, HP released their latest notebook creation, the HP Pavilion dm1z. This laptop features the portability of a notebook but pumps out more power than a netbook. The HP dm1z laptop may not be the thinnest or best lightweight laptop, but scores well in both categories.

On the HP website, reviews.shopping.hp.com, the laptop receives 4.5 out of 5 stars. The reviews showed 54 out of 59 people would recommend this product to others.

The HP DM1Z laptop has been reviewed as a netbook on some sites, even though it is a customizable notebook PC. The PC features an AMD Fusion processor which is preferred in terms of power and streaming than the typical netbook processor, the Intel Atom. The Atom lacks power, doesn’t stream well and has poor performance in comparison.

The dm1z comes equipped with Windows Home 7 Premium and has AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics. The CoolSense technology is one selling point the dm1z boasts that is very innovative way to keep your laptop cool. HP’s Thermal Assistance software adjusts the fan within the PC to keep the temperature down and keep your lap cool. Laptopmag.com tested the technology by streaming a video at full screen for 15 minutes and the touchpad, keys and underside of the laptop all measured at around 77 degrees.

Another perk of the notebook is the extended battery life. According to the HP website, the battery life extends up to 9.5 hours. But when tested, it averaged around 8 hours which still deserves kudos in terms of efficient battery lifespan.

The model has a full keyboard, which takes up all the space on the PC’s chassis and also makes it comparable to a netbook. The dm1z model does not come equipped with a CD/DVD drive, but there is an optional external drive available. This is another reason the laptop could be confused with a netbook.

Altec Lansing speakers provide premium sound while Dolby advanced audio creates an enjoyable experience in terms of sound quality. The model also features a VGA webcam as well as a VGA port for connecting to a monitor. The HDMI port is also available for connecting to an HDTV.

The PC has a multi-format digital card reader for Secure Digital and MultiMedia Card and 3 USB ports.

For users who value energy savings, this model ranks right up at the top with its Energy Star qualification. A one year limited warranty on hardware and a free 60-day Norton Internet Security subscription are included in your purchase.

This model is lightweight, powerful and can stream videos and movies surprisingly well so it should not be confused with a netbook. The netbooks today can boast none of these features. Maybe in the future a netbook will have more capabilities, but for now if a powerful PC best suits your needs, the Pavilion dm1z can deliver.

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