HP Pavilion dv7-4060us Review

A gaming computer for under $1,000 USD? One that gives superfast 3-D display of the latest games and has enough sound to rock your virtual world? Just a few years back, that was an impossibility. Now thanks to Hewlett-Packard’s clever partnering with leaders from other industries including Microsoft and music producer Dr. Dre, the HP Pavilion dv7-4060us gives you superior audio, video, and 3-D graphics at an affordable price. With this laptop (notebook), you can take the virtual world with you wherever reality takes you.

A desktop replacement for work or play

Of course, it’s not just all play and no work. Professional architects and graphic designers will enjoy the mobility of this 8.16 pound laptop to take ‘into the field’  as it is powerful enough to run 3-D CAD applications.  Advertisers, marketers, and office IT ‘geeks’ will all appreciate the small body size at 16.35” x 10.8” x 1.25”/1.46” and big 17.3” screen as a desktop replacement that is easy on the eyes.

HP’s got game

Hewlett-Packard has gotten into gaming in a big way by offering the power of DirectX 10 running on the Windows Vista operating system (some models may even include DirectX11). The application programming interfaces (APIs) are a gamer’s dream as Direct X handles most tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video. The dv7 laptop handles all the newest DirectX 10 games with remarkable aplomb: everything from the old 2006 “Dungeons and Dragons” to the newest “Sims 3 (October 2010)” will run on this machine. You will get fast playable frame rates if you join the 12 million other subscribers to the hugely popular online “World of Warcraft” game.

What makes the dv7-4060us tick is the AMD Phenom II N830 triple core processor which clocks at 2.1 GHz. Three cores means tasks are distributed, making multi-tasking a breeze. Each core has an L2 cache of 512KB which adds up to an actual available cache memory of 1536KB.  It comes with 4GB DDR3 memory in two slots which you can increase up to 8 Gigs. Almost endless storage capacity is available in the 500GB hard drive which runs at a fast 7200 RPM. There is also an integrated SuperMulti8x DVD +/-RW drive with double layer support with LightScribe technology allowing you to record DVDs and burn labels right on to the disk. Surprisingly, despite all this power-drain, the 9-cell ion battery will give you up to 7.5 hours of cable-free computing time.

The big picture

One of the largest laptop screens available at 17.3 inches, the widescreen display is LED backlit and your video graphics appear in High Definition. The powerful ATI Mobility Radeon 5650 graphics card has a discrete dedicated 1GB of DDR3 video memory and a total available graphics memory of 2714MB. ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology supports up to 6 external displays at once with independent resolutions. This means you are able to play games with 1080 pixels HD content. Films and TV show correctly in 16:9 format as the Brightview HD display resolution ratio is 1600*900.

Dr. Dre’s “Beats” inside

Where the dv7 series really sings is its audio output. Partnering with famous record producer and performer, Dr. Dre, HP has invested in the “Beats™” brand which aims to bring recording studio quality sound to new generation computers. Beats Audio is built in with stereo speakers and supported by a High Definition Audio Chipset. An optional HP Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer can be installed when ordering. 

Multiple connections

Lots of connectivity is possible with a 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader, Headphones-in and Mic-out jacks, and the variety of ports needed for today’s technologies including 4 USB 2.0 ports (the 4^th port is shared with eSATA), an eSATA + USB 2.0 combo, RJ-45 Network port for 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, and both VGA and HDMI ports to allow you to output to larger monitors and HD televisions. HDMI is supported by the HP MediaSmart software. Improved wireless connectivity comes when you hook into a Wireless-N (draft 802.11n) network but you also have the options of connecting to 802.11 b/g networks or high-speed wired networks. Some models come with Bluetooth (check when ordering).

Security at your fingertips

With all this power packed into a backpack-sized machine, damage and security may be  issues. HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection detects sudden drops and bumps and acts to keep your hard drive safe. HP designers have also come up with SimplePass Identity Protection in the form of an integrated Fingerprint Reader located next to the touchpad that stores your fingerprint as a unique secure password. 

Good looks inside and out

Handsome both inside and out, it comes in a brushed aluminum finish with a stream design in Argento. The keyboard has 101-keys (compatible with island-style full-size keyboard) with an integrated numeric keypad. The touchpad is HP’s own Clickpad with an On/Off button. Above the screen, you will find an HP TrueVision Webcam with integrated digital microphone especially designed for low-light settings so you can chat or play games all night.

Conclusion

Whether as a desktop replacement or a gamer’s fantasy laptop for those on a budget, this version of the Pavilion at 17.3 inches offers some exceptional audio, video, and performance for a mid-range notebook computer under $1,000 USD. The price has dropped over the past year and ‘Black Friday’ sales show it marketed on numerous websites between $600 - $700 USD. Note that the ‘us’ suffix on the end of the model number indicates that the dv7-4060us is primarily sold in the United States and some pepole says its the best gaming laptop 2011 so one can realise its performance.