The HP Pavilion zd8000 provides desktop capabilities and media center functions for home viewing and is priced around $1400 for the base model. Equipped with an Intel Pentium 4 540 3.2 GHz processor and an installed 1 GB of RAM the HP Pavilion zd8000 delivers fast speeds and good memory for gaming, movies and all around processing; the memory frequency is at 400 MHz and is DDR2 type. Although the installed RAM is lower than some it can be upgraded to 2 GB to handle Vista. An ATI Mobility X600 graphics chip with 256MB of graphics memory allows for great viewing on this media laptop. In addition infrared, composite-in and S-video ports are also equipped on the HP Pavilion zd8000 for home media use. The hard drive is ample, but average, at 80 GB and should suit most home users needs; however, large media users will need an additional hard drive for extended storage.

A separate USB TV/Digital video recorder is also included but will take some time to set up; the instructions are very explicit, but easy to follow. The HP Pavilion zd8000 is a monster when it comes to weight but keep in mind that it is a desktop replacement model;. The model weighs in at 9.5 pounds, 12 with the AC adapter and 13.5 with the USB box, not a choice for the ultraportable user. The screen gives pristine graphics and is equipped with HP’s anti-glare coating which works better than most. The screen is a large 17 inches wide which may create some issues for smaller default font sizes; these can be easily changed. Overall performance of the HP Pavilion zd8000 is well balanced and suited for home media experiences, but could be used for business applications as well.

The HP Pavilion zd8000 delivers a multimedia experience balanced with desktop features; these features come at a price as the laptop is generally more expensive than most.

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