HP Pavilion ZT3280US Laptop (1.60 GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/RW/CD-RW Combo)

What is Centrino? It's an Intel-developed technology built upon three interconnected elements -- an Intel Pentium M CPU (with 1 full MB of Level 2 cache), an Intel 855 chipset, and a cord-free network connection -- that work together to keep your notebook lightweight, wirelessly connected, power efficient, and faster than its rated CPU speed might indicate. The power section of the Pavilion zt3280us includes a 1.6 GHz Pentium M processor (Intel's second-fastest Pentium M), 512 MB of DDR SDRAM main memory, and a surprisingly capable ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 graphics chipset with 64 MB dedicated video memory. Though the unit can't be recommended for top-of-the-line 3-D games, it will easily handle most every other 2-D and 3-D task.

Measuring 14 by 10 by 1.24 inches and tipping the scales at 6.5 pounds, the Pavilion zt3280us is smaller and more lightweight than most notebooks but is not as compact as today's true ultra-lights. But ultra-lights don't feature a spacious, movie-friendly 15.4-inch widescreen display capable of crystal clear 1280 by 800 resolutions. The Pavilion zt3280us does, as well as internal Harman-Kardon speakers, a 101-key compatible keyboard with touch pad and dedicated scroll pad, and a variety of convenient one-touch controls.

For your data storage and handling requirements, HP has enclosed a comparatively enormous 80 GB hard disk and a versatile DVD+R/RW/CD-RW combo drive through which you can archive files, record and listen to audio CDs, watch movies and burn your own DVDs. The system also features a variety of state-of-the-art connectivity options, including three high-speed USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals such as scanners and joysticks, a single IEEE 1394 FireWire port for fast interaction with devices such as digital camcorders, a fast infrared port for cordless communication with infrared-equipped gadgets, an Intel Pro-Wireless 2200 802.11b integrated wireless LAN, a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet wired LAN, and a low-speed 56K modem for dial-up situations.

Bundled software includes Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system, Quicken's New User Edition financial centre, Microsoft's Works productivity suite, and several multimedia utilities.