HP Unveils 20.1-Inch Dragon Notebook

Hewlett-Packard's new Pavilion HDX notebook sports a 20.1 inch screen, HD DVD drive, TV tuner, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics, and Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 CPU.

Not content to let computer maker Dell steal all the thunder with notebook computers which severely strain the definition of “portability” and “laptop,” Hewlett-Packard today announced its  Series Entertainment Notebook PC, dubbed “the Dragon,” along with a selection of Pavilion and Compaq Presario notebook offerings based on Intel’s new Centrino Pro platform. (PDF). The Pavilion HDX might be best described as a desktop replacement rather than a notebook computer system, because it definitely abandons the concepts of “slim” and “lightweight” in favor of “big,” “powerful,” and “multimedia.”

“HP continues to drive innovation in consumer notebooks by combining stylish, thoughtful design with leading mobile technology,” said Ted Clark, senior VP and general manager of HP’s Notebook Global Business Unit, in a statement. “Our new 20-inch notebook projects a dragon-like mystique with its evocative HP Imprint finish and unique dual-hinge construction along with several other new Pavilion and Presario introductions that feature the latest mobile technology, security solutions and stylish new designs.”

The the first thing to notice about the Pavilion HDX is its mammoth 20.1-inch LCD Ultra BrightView widescreen display; HP doesn’t give the resolution, but claims the display supports true 1080p high definition. The display is mounted on a substantial dual hinge which lets users tilt and move the screen. While the system is arguably portable, it shouldn’t be confused with a laptop…unless you have a very large, strong, and well-insulated lap, since the system weighs over 15 pounds and is a whopping 2.3 inches thick.

But the Pavilion HDX does pack features, including one of Intel’s new Core 2 Duo T7700 processors running at 2.4 GHz, ATI Mobility Radeon HD X2600 XT graphics with 512 MB of video memory and DirectX 10 support, support for 4 GB of RAM, support for dual SATA hard drives (along with an ESATA port) for integrated storage up to 500 GB, an integrated ATSC/NTSC television tuner with an IR blaster, 802.11a/b/g/n W-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networking, an ExpressCard slot, HDMI output, and an integrated HD DVD reader/dual-layer DVD writer. Also on board: an integrated Altec Lansing audio system with four speakers and a subwoofer.

HP says the Pavilion HDX Series should be available “this summer”—we’re assuming in the northern hemisphere—at prices starting at $2,999…although customers can expect to easily spend over $4,000 once they start configuring the system&hellp;and maybe buy a handcart.