HP has released a number of interesting designs in recent months all at different price points and while the budget end of the market doesn't leave much room for innovation, the Pavilion G6032ea is nevertheless an appealing notebook.
Our quick take
Ultimately, the HP Pavilion G6032ea succeeds due to its more than capable design and the strength of its keyboard.
If you're looking for a machine that is capable of handling a variety of basic tasks, this is a highly recommended notebook.
HP Pavilion G6032ea laptop - 4.0 / 5
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Aimed at the entry-level market, you'll find the design is understated and simple. Made from plastic, this notebook feels solid and robust for the price. The lid is thick and adds to the overall build. The chassis needs to be fairly robust, as the overall weight of 2.6kg means you can carry it around with you without too much stress on your shoulder.
Sadly, when we used it out and about we were less than impressed with the battery life, which was a mere 2 hours when simply using it for word processing and running music in the background. We'd suggest that while it's fine for shorter journeys, this machine is better suited to the home or office.
The screen is a 15.4-inch widescreen Super-TFT and considering the price of this notebook, it's bright and clear with crisp images. Powered by the Nvidia GeForce Go 6100 graphics chip, you'll find this machine can handle basic tasks but you won't be able to use it for games or anything too demanding.
However, the real joy of this machine is the keyboard. The keys are big and well-spaced and while most budget notebooks have keys mounted on a single board, the Pavilion uses individually mounted keys so there is plenty of traction as you type. If you're looking for a simple word processor this machine will definitely appeal.
The touchpad and mouse buttons were slightly less impressive but there is a small button on the touchpad that allows you to disable it when required, which can come in handy when typing on a choppy train.
The design and build of this machine may be more than acceptable but it shows its budget roots when it comes to performance. To keep costs down, HP has opted for an AMD processor. The AMD 1.7GHz Athlon 64 X2 TK-53 is a dual-core chip but even with 2048MB of memory we found it could only handle basic tasks. You wouldn't want to use it for anything too taxing but as a simple word processor or for using the internet, it's more than capable.
The main specification is rounded out by a 160GB hard drive, which should prove more than enough for the average user. When it comes to connectivity, there are the basic number of ports, with three USB ports and an S-video out adapter. Wireless LAN is the current 802.11g standard and you'll also find Ethernet fitted.
To recap
A simple design with a versatile keyboard and screen that is only hampered by a less than average battery life