HP Puts Intel Core i5 Inside TouchSmart tm2 Convertible

Even though media slates have only just set themselves up as a market segment in their own right, tablet PCs and/or electronics otherwise known as convertible tablets have been on the loose for much longer. HP, as the leading supplier of PCs worldwide, obviously has a number of them on sale. One of said entities, the so-called TouchSmart tm2, isn't exactly a newcomer, but it seems to have become popular enough to warrant an upgrade. To be more specific, its maker just added a new Intel central processing unit into the mix.

The new chip is the Core i5-430UM and has a clock frequency of 1.20 GHz and a cache memory of 3MB. This is the second CPU upgrade that HP made to this particular mobile computer. The previous update was done about two months ago and marked the first time when Intel's Calpella platform, represented by a Core i3 chip, serviced this device.

Needless to say, the new chip is not the only hype-worthy component that the tm2 boasts. Its CPU is backed up by at least 4GB and up to a more than decent 8GB of RAM, while a hard drive provides 320GB, 500GB or 640GB of storage space. Furthermore, while the integrated graphics can readily take advantage of the 12.1-inch display, a Mobility Radeon HD 5450 DirectX 11-capable discrete card can be added to the tablet. Other specifications include a 5-in-1 card reader, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, a TrueVision webcam and a 6-cell battery.

The 12.1-inch High Definition HP BrightView LED screen has support for touch input and a native resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. The official product page, which contains all information on the convertible, can be found here. Finally, orders can, of course, already be set, for a starting price of $830.