Review – HP Pavilion DV7 6103ea

This is a heavy notebook. Comparatively, I have an actual paper notebook in my bag and this machine must be thirty times its weight!

Still, it’s an agreeably spacious machine. Its chrome metal finish impresses and despite some wholly useless traction pads, it’s a visually arresting unit. Initially this enamours users to the HP Pavilion DV7 6103 ea, however after a time, the amount of wasted space grates.

A jumbo notebook for giant humans with shovels hands it may be. But if so, why are portions of the keyboard so crushed? Why is the trackpad so small?

Of course there are reasons for this, notably its heaven-sent Blu-Ray Optical Drive. I’m more than happy to forfeit directional keys for the convenience of Blu-Rays on a notebook. It’s a simple fix anyway, slap num-lock and you’re set!

The presence of Simple Pass 2011 is less agreeable. If you’re unfamiliar with this fingerprint recognition tech, keep it that way! The rest of us are ruefully conscious of this unused system which needlessly interrupts the flow of typing and computer use. Best disengaged in settings.

That said, save its not inconsiderable heft and its inefficient application of space, the DV7 passes with colours that, while not exactly flying, enjoys heights lofty enough to offer this illusion.

The screen is immense; one would struggle to deny this. A 17.3” 1600 x 900 LED Brightview Display, the DV7 combines this generous screen with a plethora of ports including VGA, HDMI, USB (2.0 and 3.0) RJ45, headphone and microphone.

Inside it offers a thunderous 2 x 750 GB storage, a ridiculous sum for a unit two divisions below the standard “Laptop Computer”. However our recommendation: fill your 1.5 terabytes with local files because shiny and new as it is, the DV7 suffers from performance hiccups!

6GB DDR3 with 512MB Radeon Graphics DDR3 SDRAM combined with its AMD Quad Core A6 processor, the DV7 nonetheless struggles occasionally, with relatively minor tasks devouring CPU usage.

Still, these flaws are easily overlooked, particularly when considering its Beats Sound system with integrated keyboard subwoofer. That’s right, it’s not uselessly blaring from the underbelly, it screams at you from up top.

To regard the experience as intense runs the risk of understatement. While no substitute for external speakers, it will easily satisfy the vast majority of consumers.

With a market saturated with Netbooks, Notebooks, Ultrabooks and Laptops, it’s increasingly tasking for any machine to carve its niche. HP’s Pavilion DV7 6103ea sidesteps this pitfall, endeavouring instead to deliver the widest range of services to users.

It certainly earns points for effort!