HP had itself a slew of promising notebooks at CES 2010, and one - the TouchSmart tm2 - has now become available in the U.S. priced from $949.99.
The convertible system, pictured below, arrives as the successor to 2008's TouchSmart tx2 and acts as both a traditional notebook and a tablet PC.
Inside, there's a choice of ultra-low-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processors - including a range-topping 1.6GHz SU9600 - and a choice of either integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics or a discrete solution in the form of a 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4550.
A potent enough mix, and that can be added to with up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, up to 500GB of hard-disk storage and Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system.
The real treat, however, is HP's 12.1in LED capacitive multitouch display. Offering a 1,280x800 resolution, the display promises "feather-light" response from either your fingers or the bundled digital pen. We've given it a whirl, and it's about as accurate and responsive as they come.
Hoping to make the touchscreen experience all the more rewarding, HP also throws in a number of finger-friendly applications - including a BumpTop 3D interface that we found to be hit or miss, a DigiFish Dolphin screensaver that's somewhat cool and Corel Paint It! Touch.
Need more reasons to buy? How about excellent HP build quality, a stylish design, three USB ports, HDMI out, Wireless N, Bluetooth and Ethernet connectivity, a five-in-one card reader, Altec Lansing stereo speakers and a standard six-cell battery that promises up to nine hours of operation?
It isn't perfect, though. Some users may lament the lack of a built-in optical drive, and at over 2kg in weight, it might be a little heavy for regular tablet use.
