In the first article in our blog we will talk about the Hp dm3t (2010} laptop.
If you placed them side by side, you wouldn't realize that the 2009 and 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t shared the same name. That's because HP completely redesigned its 13-inch consumer notebook, making it thinner, lighter, and faster. The company also added in technology designed to keep things cool, including a unique soft-touch cover and bottom. One thing's for sure: The sexiness of this machine belies its $624 price (as configured). A low-power Core i3 CPU provides enough power for most everyday tasks, and while we wish its battery lasted longer, it should see you through most of the day. So how does the new dm3t stack up to the competition?
Editor's Note: Although our configuration contained a 1.2-GHz Intel Core i3-330UM processor, the dm3 is now offered with a 1.33-GHz Core i3-380UM CPU for the same price. Users should expect to see slightly improved performance. We will retest the notebook, and update this review after we get an updated model
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Design
Looks-wise, the 2010 HP Pavilion dm3t is a huge departure from last year's notebook with the same name, but to us that's a good thing. Instead of a brushed aluminum lid, the new dm3t's lid and underside are coated in a soft-touch plastic that was comfortable to hold, but isn't curved like the older dm3. Inside, the deck is made of brushed aluminum and matches the island-style keyboard. Above the keyboard is the battery and the power button; this area has a dotted pattern, adding a subtle visual punch.
The chassis has a slight wedge shape, which makes the dm3t taper from 1.3 inches in the back to 0.9 in the front when closed. While it's equally thin as before, the 4-pound dm3t weighs 3.2 ounces lighter than is predecessor. For us, this weight puts the dm3t on borderline between an ultraportable and a thin-and-light laptop. We noticed the notebook's weight while carrying it around in a messenger bag, but not so much that it was uncomfortable. Overall, the design feels solid and thoroughly modern, which is no small feat for a sub-$650 price tag.
CoolSense Technology
HP paid close attention to heat when designing the dm3t, battling warm temperatures with what it calls CoolSense technology. In fact, HP claims that this is the company's coolest notebook. What does CoolSense mean? For starters, the vents were redesigned; now, air is sucked in through a grille that extends across the front of the system, and expelled on the left-hand side, which was made larger than is normal. This is supposed to disperse the air over a wider area. HP also moved the hottest components away from the wrist rest.
Using a built-in accelerometer, HP's Thermal Assistant can detect if the dm3 is being used on a desk or one's lap--the notebook gets jostled around more on the latter--and can automatically shift into maximum performance or maximum cooling mode. However, we noticed little difference between the two modes; the fan seemed to be blowing constantly, regardless of where the notebook was placed, and it did little to mitigate the heat.
After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad and the space between the G and H keys were a comfortable 77 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Last year's dm3t actually ran warmer in the same two spots, measuring 85 and 87 degrees, and the average ultraportable averages 93 and 95 degrees in those two locations.
After the same 15-minute Hulu clip, the dm3t's bottom measured 96 degrees--6 degrees less than last year's dm3. The average ultraportable notches 99.5 degrees in this location. However, the bottom of the dm3t reached 101 degrees after 30 minutes, and 103 degrees after an hour, while the other areas of the notebook stayed about the same.
Overall, CoolSense certainly helps, especially on the top of the notebook, but you may notice your lap warm up after a while.
