The WXGA+ screen resolution (1440 x 900) is the most expensive option offered by HP due to the Ultra BrightView technology, but for those who want more screen real-estate, there is a WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) option with normal/non-Ultra BrightView technology. The wide format screen measures 17” diagonally and uses the Ultra BrightView technology which enhances contrast and color tones. Of course, a microfiber cloth is included to keep your new beauty shiny and looking like new. The surfaces are all glossy, making them a magnet for fingerprints and dust, but that seems to be a forgivable tradeoff in modern chic electronics. The keyboard is inset with a smooth curve, the bottom screen bevel swoops into the base, and the resin material that makes up the body was made using a unique technique to print subtle wave patterns across the flat surfaces. All the corners of the case are smoothly curved, and everything about the case flows nicely. The screen has very little bevel around it, meaning no space was wasted in the case design. Unlike a few years ago, when these systems weighed 10 to 11 lbs, the dv9200z is a “svelte” 7.8 lbs. Here, we see the same market direction from HP, bundling an HD-DVD player and remote with the system. Like other 17” notebooks, the dv9200 is a bit large for everyday portability, but generally preferred for media playback and desktop replacement. We were first struck by the size, weight, and layout of this computer. That in itself is a factor in the review that follows, and we will try to provide a perspective of how this laptop measures up to XP-loaded machines and concept designs for Vista machines available in the near future.
The HP Pavilion dv9200z laptop is the first Vista Ultimate pre-loaded portable we’ve had a chance to look at up close for any appreciable time.