HP TouchSmart Touch Screen Laptop Adds A New Member to the Family
The HP TX2000 is unique in entertainment touch screen laptops in that it is the only touch screen laptop to have a digitizer display. It's distinction from the previous TX1000 model is a handful of system updates and improved functionality in full tablet mode.
Starting at around $1,700 this laptop physically resembles the previous model except for minor aesthetic improvements such as a more consistent body color and direction arrows at the hinge of the swivel screen.
There are a handful of design ingenuities that users could appreciate off the bat. One of them being the placement of speakers on the hinge which makes media viewing in tablet mode ideal since it points at the user unlike standard laptops that point away.
The keyboard hasn't changed much either and resembles most keyboard designs of the Pavilion family. It remains sleek and the smooth tactile feedback makes the keyboard easy to use. The only downside is the noise of the keys are a little on the loud side but we can expect the noise to wear down after some use.
In connectivity, a/g/b WIFI is supported as expected with any laptop today but includes built in Bluetooth for any Bluetooth enabled device. Also included is a 5-in-1 card reader which is starting to become part of the HP Pavilion brand. The three USB 2.0 ports are placed nicely on both sides of the keyboard as well as S-video.
The 12.1 inch widescreen has a native resolution of 1280x800, which is comparable for such a small display. Clarity is only fair and off-angle viewing is well below average but shows improvement in brightness over the previous model. And while the ultra glossy screen looks nice, it is very reflective and not recommended for use outdoors or in very bright environments.
Weighing 4.26 pounds sounds nice but considering it is only 12.1 inch laptop, that is actually pretty heavy. Most models come with 2 gigabytes of RAM but different customizations are optional up to 4 gigabytes. In general, the speed is average and the graphics is below average for an entertainment focused machine.
One of the pros in HP designs is the fan location underneath the base of the laptop which does a good job of mitigating noise during operation. Heat becomes an issue when the touch screen laptop is in full tablet form because the fan then blows the hot air directly onto the user's leg.
HP has brought some great products to the market with thoughtful design and innovation. This touch screen laptop is unlike others in its targeting at being a media computer. And for the extensive battery life it is quite a deal for all the features packed inside. But for a touch screen laptop, it's on screen recognition is not as accurate as we would like it to be.
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