HP Pavilion DM4 review

Graphics performance was underwhelming, which was mostly due to the lack of a dedicated card. Intel’s integrated chip is decent enough for watching high definition video at 1080p, even if you have to do it on an external display using the HDMI output, but it’s poorly suited to playing modern games. Our Dirt 3 benchmark proved too much for it, managing an unplayable 13fps at our standard settings.

We could still enjoy 720p video content on the 1,366×768 screen, which looked crisp and reasonably bright. However, colours were slightly muted and contrast was only average. Vertical viewing angles were also fairly limited, which could be a problem for anyone that works in direct sunlight; the glossy screen finish made light reflections quite distracting. Thankfully there was a reasonable amount of screen tilt, so we could usually find a suitable angle to work with. Audio was unsurprisingly basic, with the downward firing speakers producing quiet and slightly tinny audio. We recommend using the 3.5mm headphone port to attach a pair of headphones when watching films.

At £570, the DM4 is reasonably priced for a laptop small enough to carry around. Performance isn’t outstanding, and keyboard nuances could become irritating, but the compact design and decent battery life could make this the perfect budget laptop for taking on the move.