HP Pavilion ze4900

The ze4900 is positioned as the high-value member of HP's Pavilion line. As we all know, the word "value" often means the company had to leave out some features and cut some corners. In the case of the ze4900, however, we suspect most users won't even notice most of the omissions.

Nothing about the Pavilion ze4900's styling, materials, or construction indicate any compromise. The overall design is excellent, while little details like the curvature of the lid and the five backlit, programmable one-touch launch buttons add a touch of luxury to the case.

While the core hardware components don't begin to approach the cutting edge, they perform very well within the context of a budget system. Powered by a 1.5-GHz Celeron M processor and 512MB of RAM, the zd4900 turns in a respectable MobileMark score of 152. In real-world terms, programs snapped to life quickly and responded without the lag we sometimes encounter at this end of the price spectrum.

The system's integrated graphics won't impress hard-core gamers, but there's sufficient pixel power for viewing everything from Web pages to digital photos. Part of the credit for that goes to the screen, whose comfortable XGA resolution isn't very demanding on the supporting hardware.

We watched a couple of DVDs on the Pavilion ze4900, and were very impressed with the screen's fast response and excellent contrast. The multimedia experience was greatly enhanced by the very good sound quality delivered by the system's Altec Lansing speakers. Just don't expect to get through a double feature or do a lot of work while unplugged; the ze4900's battery lasted only about 2.5 hours.

Despite its relatively large, 6.7-pound frame, the ze4900 features only two USB ports, which are stacked on the back panel. We would recommend getting a USB hub that would allow for more peripherals to be connected and for two or more thicker devices to be plugged in simultaneously. No memory card reader is provided.

When it comes to connecting with the outside world, HP provides a standard 10/100 Ethernet jack for wired networks, an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi adapter, and HP's own Network Assistant to help you get started. Acting as a shell over Windows XP's less intuitive processes, it greatly simplifies the task of connecting to an existing wireless network. We don't recommend straying too far from your router, however, as the Pavilion's throughput dropped to a very low 2.2 Mbps at 50 feet.

Ergonomically, the Pavilion ze4900 is mostly excellent. The keyboard layout is convenient and familiar, and the individual keys respond with a satisfying snap. There's a slight amount of flex towards the center, but it has no appreciable impact on the keyboard's overall feel. The large two-button touchpad is superb, and is equipped with a dedicated scroll area.

HP includes a generous software package that includes Microsoft Works, Quicken, Easy CD Creator Basic, PhotoSuite ToolKit, and a 60-day trial subscription to Norton AntiVirus. The company also includes some worthwhile (and mercifully non-intrusive) HP-specific system management tools. These include an online software update and a rudimentary diagnostics utility.

The Pavilion ze4900 has a price that's just right. Even with a few trade-offs, it should more than satisfy those looking for a basic productivity and multimedia machine that looks and sounds good.