HP Pavilion dv3510nr Review

by Kevin O'Brien

The Pavilion dv3510nr is an attractive 13.3" multimedia notebook from HP, offered in both Intel and AMD configurations. In this review we take a look at the Intel version of this notebook, packed with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, NVIDIA 9300M GS dedicated graphics, 4GB of DDR2 memory, and a 320GB hard drive. Retailing for $999, HP has it priced to compete with the Dell XPS M1330 and other mobile notebooks in the $1,000 price range. Is the high price worth it? Take a look at our review to find out.

Our review unit of the HP Pavilion dv3510nr was purchased at a Best Buy retail store and features the following specifications:

• 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P7350 (1066MHz FSB, 3MB Cache)
• 4GB DDR2 SDRAM (2GB x 2GB)
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with Service Pack 1
• 13.3" WXGA High-Definition HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1280x800)
• 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS with 512MB VRAM
• Intel 5100 802.11a/b/g/n wireless and Bluetooth
• 5-in-1 card reader
• Lightscribe SuperMulti 8x DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
• Backlit Keyboard
• 6-Cell 55Wh Li-ion battery
• Dimensions: (LxWxH) 12.6 x 8.9 x 1.2-1.4"
• Weight: 4.8lbs
• Price as configured: $999

Build and Design
The Pavilion dv3510nr shares the same classic look and feel as the rest of the HP Pavilion lineup, with smooth edges and its shapely contoured chassis. The color scheme uses the HP Imprint finish, a durable glossy finish that is resistant to scratches and other blemishes. The Imprint Finish on the dv3 offers an attractive bronze or ash gold color that is shared with the outer cover, palmrest, and keyboard for a consistent look and feel.

While the design looks great, this laptop is not without its flaws. The build quality of our dv3510nr review unit was not as good as other HP Pavilion notebooks we've reviewed ... in large part due to a squeaky chassis and uneven keyboard. The keyboard tray was bowed upwards on the left side of the notebook with the top layer of keys separating from the backlight. The two layers were supposed to be held together with adhesive but the glue failed. Each time you pressed in that section of the keyboard the layers would squish together and put off a sound similar to a pair of stickers being pulled apart. We were not impressed to say the least. Internally the cause of the bowed keyboard section traced back to rubber padding used to hold the wireless antenna in place, but these rubber pieces were slightly thicker than the space allowed. This pushed up on the keyboard, stressing the layers until the adhesive failed. Other parts of the chassis felt weak and the plastics would squeak while you carried the notebook around.

Display
The 13.3" LED backlit display was average when compared with other notebooks equipped with TN panels. Colors were bright and vibrant inside the viewing "sweet spot" and contrast was excellent with the glossy finish. The screen was bright enough to stand out in an office setting, but would be difficult to view outdoors unless it was overcast or later in the afternoon. Viewing angles were limited to a narrow viewing sweet spot, quickly distorting as you moved out to steeper horizontal or vertical angles.

Keyboard and Touchpad
Outside of the issues described in the build quality section the keyboard on the dv3 was actually pretty nice. The keys felt solid and weighted, with barely any wiggle if you moved your fingers across the surface. Individual key presses gave off a mild click, not loud, but a step above stealth typing. The keyboard had good support with little flex, a benefit of the thicker design needed for the backlit keys. The backlight adequately illuminated the keys and was bright enough to type in a poorly lit room, but not blind you in the process. The backlight was triggered on or off by pressing FN+spacebar, with no varying levels in-between.

The dv3510nr uses an ALPS touchpad which worked adequately during our testing. Lag was minimal with a quick response time, but sensitivity could be improved. Part of the sensitivity problem relates to the glossy touchpad surface which requires a firm touch, but if you press too hard your finger doesn’t slide well across the surface. The touchpad buttons were large and gave moderate feedback with a shallow throw.

Ports and Features
Port selection on the dv3510nr was above average for a notebook of this size, offering three USB ports total, an eSATA/USB combo port, VGA, HDMI, modem, LAN, audio jacks, and IR for the multimedia remote. It was nice to see a combo port included on the notebook, as some manufactures waste space by using a standard eSATA port. It's also worth mentioning that HP decided to remove the dedicated port used for the HP xb4 docking station, so you'll have to use a less-capable generic USB docking station if you want to use the dv3510nr with desktop accessories.

The complete list of ports includes:

• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards
• 3 USB 2.0 ports (including one USB/eSATA combo port)
• 1 VGA
• 1 HDMI
• 1 RJ-11 (modem)
• 1 RJ -45 (LAN)
• 2 headphone-out
• 1 microphone-in
• 1 Consumer IR (For remote)