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HP upgrades Mini 210, Envy 14, and dv4 with new features and hardware

Teaser
New updated laptops will get some cosmetic changes with Sandy Bridge and GPU upgrades, to be made available this month and next

In a move to keep its lineup of laptops fresh, HP has updated a few of its notebooks both internally and cosmetically. This includes the popular Envy 14, the netbook Mini 210, and the Pavilion dv4.

First up is the reputable 14.5-inch Envy 14, which will predictably receive a Sandy Bridge CPU update. It will also receive a GPU update to the Radeon 6000M series, according to Electronista, and will have a larger, more responsive touchpad, according to CNet. At least one USB 3.0 port will be added to the refreshed Envy 14 as well. HP’s CoolSense will also debut for the laptop, which will dynamically change the intensity of cooling depending on where and how the notebook is being used.

The second laptop to receive updates will be the 10.1-inch Mini 210 netbook. The new Mini 210 is perhaps the luckiest of the bunch, as it will be refreshed both internally and cosmetically. Its chassis, touchpad, audio system, and even battery will be redesigned, according to Liliputing. Hardware-wise, the netbook will be available with a higher 1366x768 resolution screen (compared to the previous 1024x600 display) and more powerful 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 CPU. A previous report, however, indicated an Atom N570 option for a release in Japan.

Perhaps the most noteworthy change is the touchpad redesign mentioned above. HP has decided to fully blend the touchpad area with the rest of the laptop. While the result appears to be a sleeker looking laptop, the user will no longer be able to feel the edges of the touchpad, possibly leading to accidental swipes beyond the touchpad surface. Check out the gallery below for a close-up of the new touchpad, courtesy of Liliputing. The button right below the space bar allows the user to disable the touchpad as needed.

Finally, the third laptop to receive a facelift is the 14-inch Pavilion dv4. Similarly to the Envy 14, the dv4 will be getting the same Sandy Bridge and dedicated Radeon GPU treatments, as well as the CoolSense technology. Beyond the internals, the laptop will be available in two additional colors, espresso black and pacific blue.

The updated Envy 14, Mini 210, and Pavilion dv4 are not yet available online, but will be up for sale beginning this May and June. The Pavilion dv4 is slated for a May 18th release at a base price of just $600. Those interested in the Envy 14 and Mini 210 will have to wait until June 15th, where both will be available for $1000 and $300, respectively.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2011 05 > HP upgrades Mini 210, Envy 14, and dv4 with new features and hardware
Allen Ngo, 2011-05- 9 (Update: 2012-05-26)