The HP Pavilion dm4t is a 14-inch laptop that is often overlooked but deserves more attention due to some nice upgrade options it has. The latest HP dm4t 2012 update has the option of a backlit keyboard and high resolution 1600 x 900 screen, two options rarely seen in a 14-inch screen laptop that costs less than $600 (the dm4t starts at $549.99 on HP.com). Add to that the fact the HP dm4t has the option to upgrade all the way to an Intel Core i7 processor, dedicated AMD 7470 graphics, up to 16GB of RAM and an mSATA SSD option + hard drive and you not only have a laptop with nice features but also a lot of power. The Pavilion dm4t is also well built, having the same sturdy aluminum case as that used in the dv6t Quad Edition laptop we reviewed.
Since the HP dm4t gets so little coverage we decided to purchase and review the following configuration:
- Screen: 14.0-inch diagonal HD+ Anti-glare LED-backlit Display (1600 x 900)
- Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2430M Processor (2.4 GHz, 3MB L3 Cache) with Turbo Boost to 3.0 GHz
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
- Memory: 6GB DDR3 System Memory
- Color: Dark Umber (brown)
- OS: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
- Storage: 640GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
- Battery: 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery – Up to 7.0 hours of battery life
- Optical Drive: Super-Multi 8X DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support
- Wireless: Intel 802.11b/g/n WLAN and Bluetooth
- Keyboard: Backlit Keyboard and Fingerprint reader
Design
The design of the dm4t is much like that of the HP Pavilion dv6t and dv7t. You get the same case colors, umber or dark grey, and the design fit and finish is the same. However, one style and usability advantage is that the dm4t offers a backlit keyboard. It’s beyond me why HP doesn’t offer a backlit keyboard in either the dv6t or dv7t lineup, but that’s the way it is. The backlit keyboard on the dm4t is effective, the keys are black with transparent white lettering and as you can see in the picture below it makes it easy to see each key in the dark:
I really like the dark umber coloring used on the lid, it’s a classy look and the silver accents at the back of the laptop compliment it well. The silver HP logo on the lid also looks nice set off against the brown color lid. If you have a Crate & Barrel décor room, this HP will fit right in with the color scheme!
Screen
Those that like a higher resolution screen are interested in the dm4t for the fact it offers an upgrade to a 1600 x 900 matte display. The upgrade cost from the standard 1366 x 768 screen is $100, but in my opinion is well worth it. With the higher resolution screen you can be more productive and fit a couple of windows next to each other side by side. Another bonus is that the 1600 x 900 display is matte, so it won’t give any reflections in a brightly lit environment. The dm4t is already a fairly professional looking laptop, and if you equip it with the high resolution screen option you can be really productive (less scrolling, easy to see more spreadsheet columns).
Below are some images of the 1600 x 900 HP dm4t screen. A camera can’t replicate the in person viewing, but it at least gives a good idea of color gamut, contrast and viewing angles:
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You will notice that the colors invert and distort as the viewing angles increase or decrease vertically, this is typical of any laptop using what is called a TN-panel. So long as you view the screen straight on (perpendicular to the eye) the colors will be correct and the screen will look nice. You’ll need to find a laptop with an IPS display such as the Envy 15-3000 to get better viewing angles.
Performance
The HP dm4t is no slouch in the performance department, at the time of purchase it came with a free upgrade to a 2.40GHz Intel Core i5 processor. You can get either dedicated AMD 7470 graphics or an Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics card. For most the Intel graphics will suffice, the AMD graphics card is not powerful enough to play the latest high end games, but will certainly be a better performer than the Intel. The cost to upgrade to AMD graphics is +$100, which is kind of a steep price.
Using PCMark Vantage as a benchmark, the dm4t under review scored 7,437 – a very respectable number:
| Laptop | PCMark Vantage Score |
| HP Pavilion dm4t – Intel Core i5-2430M, Intel HD3000, 6GB RAM | 7,437 PCMarks |
| HP Envy 15-3000 – Intel Core i7-2670QM, AMD Radeon 7690, Toshiba 7200RPM | 9,736 PCMarks |
| SONY VAIO SA – Intel Core i5-2430M, AMD 6750M, 6GB RAM, 7200RPM HD | 7,007 PCMarks |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 – Intel Core i5-2410m 2.30GHz, 4GB RAM | 6,056 PCMarks |
| Dell Vostro 3450 – Intel Core i5-2410m 2.30Ghz, 4GB RAM | 5,901 PCMarks |
| Dell Inspiron N411z – Intel Core i3-2330m 2.30GHz, 4GB RAM | 5,285 PCMarks |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T420 – Intel Core i3-2310m 2.1GHz, 2GB RAM | 3,204 PCMarks |
The HP dm4t easily outperforms other 14-inch laptops that have an Intel Core i3 processor.
Full Review Coming
We’ll have a full review of the HP dm4t coming in the next couple of weeks that covers this laptop more in depth. Issues such as build quality, keyboard, heat and noise and port selection will be covered. Stay tuned, and until then check out the video overview we have of the dm4t:
Availability
The HP dm4t starts at $549.99 at HP.com before any coupons, with the HP student discount it starts at $529.99.
Thank you, great review. Is there a way for you to see how many nits the display is?
I can’t find the exact specs for the screen brightness and don’t have the tools to measure it (sorry, too expensive), but to my eye I’d say it’s about the same brightness as the ThinkPad X220 I have which is rated at 300 nits
Thanks for the review and video of this laptop, been hard to find much information on it! I haven’t been able to find any local stores carrying this model yet, and the main thing holding me back from ordering one is not being able to see the screen. I am currently on a 2009 MacBook Pro, and wondering how the upgraded 1600×900 dm4t screen might compare. I currently do photo editing(Adobe Photoshop), and soon as I get my new camera will be doing HD video editing as well and need a system that can handle these tasks as well as render the colors correctly. Any input from you on this would be much appreciated!
Hi Monika, compared to the current MacBook Pros the 1600 x 900 screen is not as good as what Apple offers. It’s not as bright the overall color reproduction is just not the same quality to this eye at least. Now, that’s my opinion, the LaptopReviews.com editor reviewing the laptop might have a different take, he will be done with the review within the next week or so and if you can wait until then get another opinion from an advanced user.
Thanks for your reply Andrew, I will on the lookout for the next review. My current screen resolution is only 1280×800 (13.3 MacBookPro)… but the colors are great on it. Tempted by the 1600×900 option of the dm4t … as well as all the options you get for the price!
http://www.laptopreviews.com/hp-pavilion-dm4t-2012-review-2012-02
Can you confirm if the HP logo on the back of the screen lights up? Thanks
Dev, the HP logo on the back does not light up on the dm4, just the ENVY series.
Thanks Andrew just wanted to confirm because I got the steel gray version this week.
I jus got mine a week ago and I love it… The only problem I have with it is I can’t seem to get java to install properly, together with flash. Even though the computer says the installation is complete, I still get nothing… I wonder if it could be my firewall, internet options, or jus the browser itself? I jus have 2 surf the web 2 find out… Anybody?