HP Pavilion dv6, dv6z, dv6t Select Laptops

HP Pavilion DV6 Buying Guide & Review

HP's dv6 laptop is marketed as a balance between mobility, size, and performance. What you're going to get is a highly upgradeable laptop with good performance at a good price. Those wanting performance out of a 15.6-inch laptop but not wanting to shell out more than necessary should consider the dv6. It will handle all basic computing tasks and more including playing 720p HD video, Hulu, Netflix, and even the latest graphic intensive video games when configured with a high performance graphics chip.

Different DV6 Models Explained

The HP dv6 is actually divided into four models: dv6z, dv6t, dv6z select, and dv6t select. All of these come with Windows 7 and a 15.6-inch LED backlit display featuring a resolution of 1366x768 (720p).

Here's a key to what each dv6 model number means.

• If it contains "dv6" it's a 15.6-inch laptop
• dv6t - "t" on the end means it's customizable with an Intel processor
• dv6z - "z" on the end means it's customizable with an AMD processor
• Select - in May 2010 HP launched "Select" editions of both the dv6t and dv6z. HP dv6 Select editions have silver metallic bodies, kind of like Apple MacBook Pro laptops and they can be upgraded with higher-performing specs than the regular, non-"Select" models
• dv6-xyzwhatever - no letter at the end of dv6 means it's a pre-configured, pre-built laptop that cannot be customized. These are often sold through retail stores other than HP direct.

Current specs for each HP dv6 customizable laptop model

• HP dv6t
• Intel Core i3 or Core i5 dual core
• "black cherry" default color, or upgrade to Sonoma Red, Shell White, or Champagne
• HP dv6t Select
• Intel Core i5 or Quad Core i7
• brushed aluminum metal finish
• HP dv6z - (cheapest)
• AMD Turion or Phenom processor
• "black cherry" default color, or upgrade to Sonoma Red, Shell White, or Champagne
• HP dv6z Select
• AMD Phenom II Quad-Core processor
• brushed aluminum metal finish

What happened to the "HP dv6t Quad"?

Before HP refreshed their product line in May 2010, they had a model called the "dv6t Quad." They just called it that because it had the Intel Core i7, which is a Quad-Core (4 cores) processor. If you were interested in the dv6t Quad, then the model you should get now is the HP dv6t Select and choose the Intel Core i7 for your processor.

Gaming with HP Pavillion DV6

But can it run Crysis?

Is gaming feasible on the DV6? Definitely if you opt for the Radeon 5470 or 5650 GPU. We particularly recommend the Core i5, Core i7, or AMD Phenom option, paired with at least 4 GB of RAM. Based on Notebookcheck benchmarks on the Mobility Radeon 5470 and the Mobility Radeon 5650, you can expect moderate to low gaming with the 5470 option (lower resolution, low to middle settings), and with the Radeon 5650, you can run games at medium to high settings, based on the game in question. Cyrsis in particular runs at about 20-24 frames per second with the DV6t + Radeon 5470 at medium settings, while the DV6t with Radeon 5650 can do about 25-29 frames per second at medium settings. If you want to play a graphically intense game at a higher resolution or setting, you should opt for the 5650 w/ 1GB of video RAM.

Additional resources and reviews:

• A student review of the dv6t with an in-depth, hands-on impression.
• A review of the previous-gen dv6t with clear tech specifications.