HP Pavilion dm4-3090se Beats Edition Pro Reviews

Drawing a final impression on the HP dm4-3090se is difficult. On the positive side, the notebook reflects its price reasonably well in key areas including the sleek designs, rubber padding, red backlit keys, high resolution display, respectable sound output, low fan noise and temperatures and great general performance with its hybrid HDD/SSD setup. When standing alone, the HP notebook can easily be seen as above average across most 14-inch categories. Unfortunately, the dm4-3090se is anything but alone in the notebook world. The asking price of $899 is a bit steep for a non-ultrathin notebook without a dedicated GPU or full aluminum alloy body, especially at this time in the mobile market. 2012 is the year that Ultrabooks are expected to bloom in full force, many of which are already selling for $899 with dedicated SSD storage, thinner and lighter builds, higher quality aluminum frames and promise of longer battery lives. The dm4 Beats notebook is by no means bad, but it doesn’t have the oomph or aggressiveness needed to standout in the 14-inch notebook market that is progressively shifting towards less expensive Ultrabooks. Unless HP can offer the dm4-3090se starting for a couple hundred less, the ultrathin category could have a very good chance of overshadowing this speedy-but-quiet 14-incher in a heartbeat.

The HP Pavilion dm4-3090se Beats Edition is an impressive-looking laptop with features you can't find in other midprice, midsize systems. But the additional investment to trade up the higher-end Envy line is between $150 and $200, which includes all-metal construction, discrete graphics, and even double the warranty coverage, making it a tough call unless you're very intent on making a smaller initial investment.