HP Pavilion dv5-2035dx Review

HP Pavilion dv5-2035dx

 Among the budget group of laptops in our current roundup of retail back-to-school laptops, the HP Pavilion dv5-2035dx is a little pricier, a little smaller, and a little slower than most. The budget models we've reviewed in this roundup have come in between $499 and $599 and have featured a 15.6-inch display. The Pavilion dv5-2035dx costs $629 and features a 14.5-inch display. It also uses an AMD Turion II processor, which is a beat or two slower than competing Intel-based laptops. 
 The Pavilion dv5-2035dx boasts HP's new laptop design; the glossy, fingerprint-attracting surfaces and chrome highlights of yore have been replaced by a more unified and subdued look. The overall design is a massive improvement upon the old, and the keyboard is just about perfect. The new touch pad, with its integrated mouse buttons, however, will likely require an adjustment to your mousing methods before the erratic cursor movements and commands cease.

The good: Attractive design; 14.5-inch size offers same resolution as 15.6-inch laptops while saving a bit of size and weight; awesome keyboard; above-average audio.
 
The bad: Touch pad with integrated mouse buttons is difficult to use; performance trails similarly priced Intel-based models; so-so battery life.

The bottom line: The HP Pavilion dv5-2035dx is an AMD-based laptop that straddles the line between budget and mainstream laptops. We like the updated design and can tolerate the merely average performance, but the new touch pad is an exercise in frustration.

 Buy from Amazon.com at 695$