HP Pavilion DV6 review

The HP Pavilion dv6 is a 15.6 inch laptop that boldly goes where, admittedly, many laptops have gone before, but it does so in style and with impressive speed. It’s geared more towards entertainment than office-related tasks, but still boasts decent performance.

What we like best

With its matte chrome, faux-serious black exterior, some people have accused the dv6 of overreaching in the design realm, but we quite admire the chutzpah to kit out a mid-range laptop like it were a luxury car.

The build of this laptop proves that HP still know how to manufacture good computers. Sturdy, with a reassuring feel around the hinges and the keyboard, the HP Pavilion dv6 gives every impression of being able to withstand knocks and bumps.

As a result, it’s not exactly lightweight, but this is more of an entertainment device anyway. Which is probably HP’s reason for including a DVD rewritable drive. As far as ports go, the dv6 is generally kitted out well: HDMI and VGA ports are included, as are three USB ports.

Users can choose between a couple of Intel Core and AMD Quad-Core CPU options, and it’s well worth shelling out for Intel Core i7-2630QM version – you’ll be able to fly through most mid-range games and keep multiple browser tabs open.

The keys on the Pavilion dv6 laptop are spaciously laid out, isolated and sizable enough to ensure nigh-on error-free typing.

What we like least

The dv6 is not a laptop you’d risk taking on the road, due to its below-par battery life. Heavy multitasking will drain it too quickly for most people’s liking, which is a shame considering its satisfying performance abilities.

For a laptop with a 15.6 inch screen, the HP Pavilion dv6 doesn’t really deliver when it comes to visuals. Colours seem to be lacking in vibrancy, and 1366 x 768 pixel resolution is, by now, standard.