HP Debuts $699 dv2 Ultraportable with AMD’s Yukon Platform, 13-Inch dv3

Last summer, HP unveiled a fresh design for its consumer-friendly dv series. Today, it rounded out its lineup with the dv2, a 12.1-inch ultraportable, and the dv3 (starting at $799), which has a 13.3-inch display. Starting at just $699, the dv2 costs hundreds of dollars less than any other 12.1-inch ultraportable (overgrown netbooks, such as the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, which run on Intel’s Atom processor, don’t count). HP pulled this off by choosing AMD’s new Yukon platform, which was designed for notebooks this size. It claims to offer more power than Atom, but remains inexpensive. Check out our detailed coverage of AMD’s new platform in both our Q+A with a Yukon product manager and a summary of the specs of the platform. In addition to a 1.6-GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 CPU, it has ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3410 graphics, an LED-backlit display, SRS premium sound, integrated webcam, up to 4GB of RAM, and 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, or 500GB 5,400 rpm hard drives. 802.11g is standard; users can upgrade to 802.11n, Bluetooth, and Gobi. Users can choose either a four or six-cell battery. Key ports and slots include 3 USB, VGA, optional HDMI, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Like a netbook, it has a 92 percent keyboard, and users must use an external optical drive (users can opt for one that reads Blu-ray discs). It starts at 3.8 pounds, is less than an inch thick at its thinnest point, and will be offered in black and white. Stay tuned for our detailed hands-on post and video of the the dv2 from the show floor. The dv3 is HP’s second 13-inch notebook (the first was the Pavilion dv3510nr, a Best Buy exclusive), and the first of its size that customers can configure online. While it has the same liquid metal design as last summer’s dv notebooks, its chassis is bronze, not silver, with a subtle argyle pattern. Starting at 3.8 pounds, it’s offered with a range of AMD CPUs with integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics to match. Users can add up to 8GB of RAM, and choose a 160GB, 250GB, 320GB, or 400GB 5,400 rpm drive. In addition to the 13.3-inch LED backlit display, which helped it win Energy Star approval and an EPEAT Silver rating, it has a DVD burner, Altec Lansing speakers, an integrated webcam, and touch-sensitive multimedia controls. It comes standard with 802.11g and a six-cell battery, but you can upgrade to 802.11n and a nine-cell, respectively. The ports and slots include 3 USB (one of which is also eSATA), HDMI, VGA, consumer infrared, Ethernet and modem jacks, headphone and mic ports, Kensington lock slot, an ExpressCard/34 slot, and a 5-in-1 memory card reader. Users can also add a fingerprint reader.