The HP Pavilion dm3t has been around for a while, but has quickly become the most popular 13-inch HP notebook. Is this laptop with a Core i3 and Intel integrated graphics a good buy?
BUY the dm3t Pavilion Entertainment PC with 320 GB HD, 2GB Memory
HP $ 599.99 Direct
see all pricing for the Entertainment Pavilion dm3t HD of 320 GB and 2 GB memory
Our HP Pavilion dm3 (dm3t) has the following specifications:
* Intel Core i3-380UM (1.33 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache) + Intel HD graphics
* 13.3-inch diagonal High Definition HP BrightView (glossy), LED (1366 x 768)
* Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
* 3 GB of DDR3 memory
* 320GB 7200 RPM HDD
* Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11b/g/n wireless
* Bluetooth 3.0 (Motorola Ralink BC8)
* 6-cell Li-ion (62 Wh) and the 65W power adapter
Dimensions: 12.83 (L) x 9.15 (W) x 0.88-1.26 (H) inches
* Weight: 4.1 pounds
MSRP as configured: $ 624.99
Build and Design
HP Pavilion dm3 updated the series last year with a new low voltage Intel Core i3 and a fresh design with a new cooling system designed to make the laptop more “friendly back.” This is not only 13-inch laptop coolerf touch, but it looks cooler than the previous generation dm3. Before long the laptop has become the trendsetter for the line of HP consumer notebooks like the HP Pavilion dm1z and HP Mini line of netbooks are designed with a similar appearance.
Build quality is on par with what we’ve seen from the rest of the HP Pavilion and HP Mini netbooks. The plastics used in the chassis are durable and thick enough to prevent bending or cracking under pressure. The lid of the plastic screen does a good job protecting the screen, but the center of the lid is folded in under firm pressure. The cover has a rubbery matte black paint job is ideal to avoid fingerprints appearing on the glossy notebooks. The hinges of the screen provides enough tension to keep the screen in place, but are loose enough so you can open the laptop with one hand.
HP decided to give the new dm3 a clean look, with two access panels without screws in the bottom of the notebook. Simply remove the battery and slide the release to upgrade the RAM or swap hard disk. This is a really great idea, not only to make upgrades easier, but has the additional security measure which required removing the power cord before messing with internal components (something you should do anyway) .