Can't decide whether your next computer should be a laptop a desktop? Now you don't have to decide. HP has released its largest laptop yet, the HP Pavilion HDX, which features a 20.1-inch LCD and weighs a hefty 15.5 pounds. This semiportable home theater system is based on Intel's new Centrino Duo platform (a.k.a. Santa Rosa) and boasts a Media Center remote control that docks next to the full-size keyboard, an HDMI output, and an optional HD DVD drive.
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To support such a large display, the Pavilion HDX features a long neck that attaches to the middle of the lid on the back of the LCD (instead of using the typical hinges to connect the two halves of a laptop). This design makes it somewhat tricky to open and close the screen, but you'll quickly grow accustomed to it.
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When placing the HDX next to two regular-size laptops, you can begin to understand its immensity. Also huge is the price. When it starts shipping in July, the Pavilion HDX will start at $2,999. After upgrades, the price could easily top $4,000.
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The Pavilion HDX's wide-screen 20.1-inch display dwarfs the competition. The HDX is seen here next to 11-inch, 14-inch, and 17-inch models. The screen features a 1,680x1,050 native resolution, but why not 1,920x1,200 for true 1080p HD viewing?
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Making use of the space provided by the huge 20.1-inch wide-screen display, to the left of the keyboard is a detachable Media Center remote control.
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The dockable remote means you can control your media--music, movies, and photos--without sitting right in front of the HDX.
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You can lug the HDX from one room to the next, but don't expect to take this monster laptop on the train during your morning commute. Seen here is senior editor Dan Ackerman heading to his chiropractor with the HDX in tow.
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The full-size keyboard includes a dedicated number pad to the right and the docked remote control to the left. Under the hood, our HDX evaluation unit featured a top-of-the-line Core 2 Duo T7700 CPU, 3GB of memory, ATI's new Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT GPU, and a pair of 100GB hard drives
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The Pavilion HDX is a bit cumbersome to use as a laptop. You're better off keeping it perched on a desk or coffee table. It features an embarrassment of riches, including four Altec Lansing speakers and a subwoofer, an HD TV tuner, an HD DVD drive, an HDMI output, and an eSATA port, which provides a fast connection for external drives.
