HP nx9420, nc6320 laptops woo biz users

Today HP announced two new laptops for business users: the heavy-duty nx9420 and the midsize nc6320.

The 7.4-pound nx9420 walks the line between midsize and desktop replacement, and it features a 17-inch wide-screen display with a choice of WXGA+, WSXGA+, or WUXGA resolutions. The rest of the specs indicate that this laptop is loaded for number crunching, graphic design, and other intensive tasks:

• Intel Core Duo processors from 1.67GHz to 2.17GHz
• Up to 4GB of swift 533MHz or blazing 677MHz RAM
• Discrete ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics (256MB)
• Hard drives from 60GB to 100GB, either 5,400rpm or smokin' 7,200rpm
• DVD/CD-RW drive or a dual-layer DVD burner with HP LightScribe disc labeling.

The company claims that the nx9420's battery life can exceed four hours, which would be impressive for a laptop with this size display and these components; we look forward to testing that claim in our labs. Starting price for the nx9420 is $1,499.

Also announced today, the nc6320 offers a bit more portability and a lot of configurations, with pricing starting at $1,049:

• Choice of 14-inch XGA or 15-inch XGA or SXGA+ displays
• Economical Celeron M or the latest Core Solo and Core Duo processors
• Up to 4GB of 533MHz or 677MHz RAM
• Integrated Intel graphics
• 40GB to 100GB 5,400rpm hard drives
• Optional WWAN connectivity through Verizon
• Optical drive options include a DVD burner.

Both new models include business-grade security features, such as fingerprint readers, smart-card readers, and a Trusted Platform Module. The HP nx9420 ships later this week, while the nc6320 is expected in early April. We have review units of both machines in CNET Labs, and we'll post a full review soon.