HP Rolls Out New Systems at CES

Leading computer maker Hewlett Packard has landed with a splash at CES, introducing a plethora of new and revamped computing products targeting essentially all market segments—including the low-cost ultra-portable market.

First up for the gamers in the crowd, HP has announced its new HP Firebird desktop gaming rig, featuring Voodoo DNA. The system is the successor to last year’s BlackBird 002, and features an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU, dual Nvidia GeForce 9800S SLI graphics cards, two hot-swappable 320 GB hard drives, and a liquid cooling system to keep the machine running efficiently and quiet. The systems should go on sale from HP’s Voodoo subsidiary this week, with retailers setting their hands on them by February; prices start at $1,799.

On the notebook front, HP has introduced the 13.3-inch Pavilion dv3 and the 12.1-inch Pavilion dv2, both aiming at digital entertainment enthusiasts. The Pavilion dv3 is available with a range of AMD Athlon and Turion CPUs, ATI Radeon 3200 graphics, up to 400 GB of hard drive capacity, support for up to 8 GB of RAM, along with a dual layer DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking, along with both VGA and HDMI output. The systems sport a 1,280 by 800-pixel 13.3-inch display, and have prices starting at $799.

The Pavilion dv2 is based on AMD’s Neo platform with a 1.6 GHz Athlon processor, sports a 1,280 by 800 pixel 12.1-inch display, is less than one inch thick, and weighs just 3.8 pounds. The system is available with up to 500 GB of hard drive capacity and 4 GB of RAM, and can be set up with an ATI Mobility Radeon HD3410…which, in turn, can show high-def content from an option external Blu-ray player. The unit also sports HDMI output, a Webcam, and optional Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networking. Expect to see the dv2 in March, with configurations starting at $899.

Wondering what HP had in store for Atom-based notebooks? Check out the HP Mini 2140, which offers a 10.1-inch screen with either 1,024 4by 576 or 1,366 by 768 resolutions and a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor. (Previous editions of the HP Mini-Notes were based on VIA processors.) The units offer an ExpressCard/54 slot, Wi-FI, optional Bluetooth, an integrated Webcam, and a 92 percent-sized keyboard with a protective clear coating. HP expects to make the Mini 2140 available later this month at prices starting at $499.

And, just so folks know, the company has also introduced a swath of new configurations in its Compaq Presario, HP Pavilion, Pavilion Slimline, and Pavilion Elite desktop PCS, as well as its HP TouchSmart PCs.