To this point, most tablet notebooks have served primarily a business or educational function, but HP has added a new twist with it’s Pavilion tx2500z. Not only does this compact system have full tablet and touch functionality, but it also boasts multimedia features and above-average 3D performance. This update to the tx2000 owes its stronger performance to AMD’s new “Puma” platform, which consists of new processors and much improved integrated graphics. However, while the HP Pavilion tx2500z has improved in some areas, the lackluster display hasn’t. And you’ll sacrifice battery life for Puma’s performance boost.
Pavilion tx2500z Design
The tx2500z sports the same high-gloss look as HP’s previous tx2000 tablet and wears the “Echo” inlaid finish, a subtle grid pattern that extends from the black lid to the silver keyboard deck and palm rest. Measuring 12.1 x 8.8 x 1.2-1.5 inches, the tx2500z maintains the same build and form as its older brother and weighs 5 pounds with its 8-cell battery.
In tablet mode, the notebook, with its large battery and protruding base, can feel heavy in the crook of your arm, but the optical drive can be swapped out for the in-the-box weight saver to bring the system to a slightly more reasonable 4.8 pounds. However, we noticed that one corner of the system—the upper-right corner—gets very hot: at one point, we measured the temperature at 130 degrees.
On the right side of the tx2500z is a VGA port, an expansion port for HP’s dock, Ethernet, S-Video, and one USB port. Along the front are two headphone and one mic jack, and on the left, you’ll find the DVD burner, an ExpressCard/34 slot and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Two USB ports, a modem jack, and a Kensington lock are positioned on the back.
Spacious Keyboard, Novel Touchpad
We continue to be big fans of the tx2500z’s spacious keyboard. The keys are full size, the spacing between them feels much like a standard desktop, and the coating makes for a comfortable and smooth typing experience. Our only reservation is that the top row of function keys, including the Delete key, have been shrunk to save space.
HP continues to use its unique inverted nub design on its touchpad, which provides precise cursor control. A separate column of nubs on the right makes scrolling easier and less error-prone than conventional touchpads.
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