HP dm4-3000ea

HP dm4-3000ea Beats Edition review

HP's Pavilion range was never going to offer the same 'wow factor' as its premium Envy line and we couldn't pick out its previous dm4 Pavilion in a line up. But HP's new dm4-3000ea Pavilion Beats Edition is far from anonymous. Thanks to the ubiquity of Beats Audio technology, HP has decided to give its non-descript dm4 Pavilion a chassis overhaul and specs update. That upgrade does bump up the price to £849, so it's not the very best value for money, but the Beats redesign is a success for various reasons. It looks super-modern without being too cool for school, enjoys a solid feel for a 14-inch multimedia portable and – most importantly – it sounds absolutely fantastic. Punching above its weight Despite its slinky dimensions (338 x 225 x 32 mm), the dm4-3000ea is fairly heavy. A weight of 2kg for such a small chassis is surprising, but every component – including the great backlit keyboard – feels robust and well-made (although it's not the solid mag-alloy chassis that HP puts in its Envy laptops; just serviceable plastic here). The board marries the same soft red and matte black hues that adorns the case. The Beats logo also sits front and centre, which could annoy, but the font design is so nice it actually really works.