14 DAY TRIAL // Following a series of previous reports, the Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett Packard has officially added new configuration options to its line of ultraportable Pavilion dv2z laptops, built on AMD's Athlon Neo processor platform. The configuration options include two new dual-core processors and a dedicated Radeon graphics card, optional upgrades that should provide users with a higher-performance computing experience. The solution is expected to increase the popularity of HP's alternative to the fast-growing segment for Intel CULV-based laptops, giving AMD a chance to increase its market share, compared to Intel.
HP's website now allows users to configure their Pavilion dv2z laptop with one of the latest Athlon Neo X2 dual-core processors, including the new L335 and L625 models. These new processors have been built to work at core frequencies of 1.6GHz, with 512k and 1MB, respectively of on-board L2 cache. Both models are designed to require a maximum power consumption of 18W, making them relatively low-powered, compared to other ultraportable laptops on the market. As you may imagine, adding optional processors to your basic Pavilion dv2z configuration will increase the overall pricing with US$25 and US$75, respectively.
Upgrading to AMD's latest processors will also provide users with an additional upgrade option, namely that of a new Radeon 3410 dedicated graphics solution, up from the integrated X1250 chip. This will also add some US$50 to the overall price tag of the system, but it is bound to enable you to take advantage of an increased graphics performance.
HP's Pavilion dv2 laptop has been the first portable computer system to adopt AMD's alternative to Intel's CULV platform, providing users with a different choice in hardware specs. The system has been widely praised for its performance and sleek design, although it has to compete with several other systems available on the market.