AMD was never keen on netbooks, but the company’s mobile CPUs are becoming increasingly common in budget ultraportable notebooks. HP’s 11.6" Pavilion dm1z is the latest example. The system starts at just $450 thanks to a $100 instant rebate, and one can choose between a selection of single- and dual-core processors. Radeon HD 4225 integrated graphics should provide plenty of grunt for smooth HD video playback and be able feed your World of Warcraft addiction at the display’s 1366×768 native resolution.
11.6" systems allow plenty of room for decent-sized keyboards, and the dm1z’s claims to be 92% of the real deal. Better yet, the keys appear to be large and ever-so-slightly contoured. The keyboard looks a little like the one HP used in the Pavilion dv2, which was let down only by its glossy key caps. It’s hard to tell whether gloss infects the dm1z’s key caps based on the pictures available on HP’s website. However, the system’s top panel and palm rest are draped in a "premium metallic finish" that looks a whole lot like glossy plastic to me. At least the gloss seems to have been applied over a textured print that might help mask fingerprints and smudges.
With a weight hovering around three pounds and a thickness of less than 0.8", the dm1z is definitely the sort of system you’ll want to carry around. A six-cell battery provides a claimed seven hours of battery life, which would be quite impressive for an AMD-based ultraportable.
Otherwise, the dm1z is pretty standard fare for a budget thin-and-light notebook. 802.11n Wi-Fi is included by default, and you can add Bluetooth for an extra $25. 2GB of RAM is provided in the base configuration along with a 250GB hard drive. Throw in HDMI and VGA outputs, three USB ports, and a memory card reader, and you have a well-rounded system that’s small enough for a man purse. Thanks to Dealzon for the tip and a coupon code (SVMB39487) that’ll knock an additional $25 off the system’s price. Free Bluetooth!