HP Pavilion dm3 (dm3t)

Ultrathin and decked out in brushed aluminum, the HP Pavilion dm3t is one of the best looking notebooks of the year. In fact, it looks more expensive than its price tag would suggest (starting at $649; $839 as configured). And thanks to an Ultra-Low Voltage Intel processor, this Windows 7 system lasts all day on a charge while offering good performance compared to the competition. However, the sluggish touchpad on the dm3t makes this laptop more difficult to use than it should be.

Design

You don’t have to splurge for a $1,599 Envy 13 to get a notebook made with premium materials in HP’s lineup. Like its higher priced cousin, the Pavilion dm3t uses a combination of aluminum (on the deck and lid), while the bottom casing is made of aluminum alloy. We especially like the Moderno Argento gray finish and how it contrasts with the glossy black display bezel. This brushed metal looks a bit more modern than the ASUS UL30A, which has a lighter-colored aluminum lid but a plastic deck (albeit with a cool intersecting pattern).

The 4.2-pound dm3t is heavier than both the UL30 (4.0 pounds) and the Envy 13 (3.8 pounds), but because it omits a DVD drive, it measures just 1.0 inch thin; we had no problem slipping this laptop in a backpack.

HP took a minimalist approach to the rest of the design, and it mostly pays off. Like the Inspiron 14z, we like that dm3t skips dedicated multimedia keys and instead uses the top row on the keyboard for controlling playback and quickly adjusting things like brightness and volume—no function commands required. Other welcome touches include a red LED above the mute button (to let you know when it’s activated) and a touchpad lock button that changes from white to red when engaged. We just wish that the power button was up top for easy access; instead, it’s a switch on the right side.