HP TX2-1020US TouchSmart 12.1-Inch Laptop (2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82 Dual-Core Mobile Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium)

by Hewlett-Packard

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 12.5 x 1.2 inches ; 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 8 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001LF35VY
• Item model number: TX2-1020US
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,532 in Computer & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computer & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 19, 2008

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

More than just a Tablet PC, the HP TouchSmart tx2-1020us laptop is the world's first multi-touch consumer laptop, enabling the use of two fingers to navigate HP's entertainment MediaSmart applications. You can also surf the Web and use applications intuitively by touching the screen with a finger. The tx2 is also a true Tablet PC, allowing you to fold the display flat for writing and drawing with the included pen.

Twist the display up to 180 degrees to share content and watch films--or fold it flat for writing (see larger version).

The tx2 Reaction Imprint reveals an energized pattern inspired by the circular elements found in audio equipment (see larger version).

For multimedia mavens on the go, the tx2 tablet PC is light enough to take anywhere and is a great resource for showing presentations thanks to its 180-degree swiveling 12.1-inch touchscreen display. Weighing just 4.33 pounds, the tx2-1020us delivers the same screen resolution and performance as a 15.4-inch notebook. Dual headphone jacks enable you to share films and music without disturbing others, and the included HP Mini Remote Control can be stored in the ExpressCard slot. This stylish laptop features a high-gloss HP Imprint finish, which is more durable than traditional painted surfaces. The tx2 Reaction Imprint reveals an energized pattern inspired by the circular elements found in audio equipment.

Protect your system and online accounts with your unique fingerprint for advanced security and peace of mind. The integrated 1.3-megapixel WebCam (and integrated microphone) provides easy video conferencing via VoIP and video IM chats.

Optimized for mobile performance, it's powered by the 2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-82 dual-core processor, which offers 64-bit computing capability and higher throughput for simultaneous computing tasks. Other features include a 320 GB hard drive, 4 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), quad-mode Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11a/b/g/n), multi-format/dual-layer LightScribe DVD+/-RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard slot, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics with up to 1470 MB of shared video RAM, SRS Premium Sound audio, and Gigabit Ethernet. It comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (Service Pack 1).

Mobility You Can Touch
With multi-touch support within HP MediaSmart, the HP TouchSmart tx2 is the first notebook PC for consumers that enables the use of two fingers to navigate HP's entertainment applications. HP has developed a specific set of gestures to help you get the most from the TouchSmart tx2.

• Single, Double Tap: Select objects by touching them once (single tap), or double tap to open objects/programs.
• Flick: Scroll or pan within an application either horizontally or vertically. For example, in MediaSmart Photo, flick your finger to the left on the display and the inertia from your flick will move the photos leftward, just as if you pushed a piece of paper to the left on a table.
• Press and Drag: Touch an object on the display and hold and drag it to the desired destination.
• Arc: Allows you to move tracks to/from playlists without having to make a straight line.
• Pinch: Touch an object on the display once to select the item then place 2 fingers on opposite corners of the object, then move them closer together to decrease the object's size or to zoom out. Move fingers away from one another to enlarge the object or to zoom in.
• Rotate: Rotate photos by touching the object once to select the item then use 2 fingers on opposite corners of the image and rotate the image either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
• Launch MediaSmart: Touch the screen with two fingers together and write the letter m on the display to launch the MediaSmart Smart Menu.

The Basics

• Processor: The 2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-82 processor offers a dual-core architecture, which delivers additional computing resources to help expand your PC’s capabilities by providing higher throughput and simultaneous computing--increasing your performance by up to 80 percent. You'll be able to perform multiple tasks such as digital rendering and gaming all while running virus scan or other background tasks seamlessly thanks to the innovative Direct Connect Architecture. And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance. You'll enjoy long battery life thanks to the AMD PowerNow! power management technology, which delivers performance on demand and can extend system battery life up to 65 percent. And the AMD Digital Media XPress technology delivers stellar multimedia performance and playback on digital entertainment such as games, streaming video and audio, DVDs, and music.

  It has a 2 MB L2 cache, and this processor can deliver up to 4400 MT/sec. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance.)

• Hard Drive: The extra large 320 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

  Spec Check 12.1-inch LCD screen 2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 ZM-82 dual-core processor 320 GB hard drive 4 GB RAM (8 GB maximum) Dual-layer DVD±R drive Quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1) Weighs 4.33 pounds

• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM helps boost the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this notebook's video card. This notebook has an amazing 8 GB maximum RAM capacity (4 x 2 GB). To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

• DVD/CD Drive: This multiformat DVD/CD drive is compatible with writing both DVD+ and DVD- disc formats as well as dual-layer (DL) DVD+/-R discs, which can store up to 8.5 GB of data. It features 4x DVD-R DL Write Once, 2.4x DVD+R DL Write Once, 8x DVD+R, 4x DVD+RW, 8x DVD-R, 4x DVD-RW, 16x DVD-ROM, 40x CD-R, 24x CD-RW, and 40x CD-ROM speeds.

  This LightScribe DVD±RW drive lets you laser-etch silkscreen quality text and images on to CDs and DVDs . Your software, PC and discs work together for a no-hassle way to burn just the labels you want. After you burn content, just flip the disc over, reinsert and burn your label--anything from a simple title to a full-disc work of art.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 101-key keyboard and a touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical/horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad. It also includes two quick-launch buttons (HP QuickPlay Music and DVD).

• Integrated Fingerprint Reader: A fingerprint reader offers advanced security by using fingerprints instead of standard passwords to access online accounts, such as banks and e-mail. To set up access, each fingerprint is associated with a password through Verisoft Access Manager. Verisoft Single Sign On (SSO) stores user names and passwords to an unlimited number of sites and automatically enters logon credentials. If more than one person uses the notebook PC, each can use a fingerprint to logon to a computer user account and access preset preferences and files.

The included HP Mini Remote Control can be stored in the ExpressCard slot.

Write, draw and erase accurately with the included pen.

Screen, Video & Audio
The 12.1-inch touchscreen-enabled WXGA high-definition LCD can swivel 180 degrees, providing optimal angles for viewing DVD movies and business presentations, and it folds flat for working in tight travel spaces such as airplanes or trains. It has a 1280 x 800-pixel resolution. Video is powered by the ATI Radeon HD 3200 with RS780M chipset, which features 64 MB of DDR2 sideport memory and up to 1470 MB total graphics memory (as allocated by the operating system). The AMD 780 Chipset series lets you connect to a wide range of the latest HD panels by supporting numerous display technologies. Take advantage of ATI SurroundView to support up to four monitors. It also offers support for Microsoft DirectX 10, providing compatibility with today's most advanced and graphic-intensive games and applications.

The Altec Lansing speakers provide exceptional sound, and a pair of stereo earbud headphones with volume controls is included. You'll be able to privately share enjoyment of multimedia with a friend via the dual headphone jacks. One of the headphone jacks is also compatible with SPDIF digital audio output for home theater surround sound.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion
Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with this notebook's integrated quad-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). You also get super-fast wired connectivity, with a Gigabit Ethernet port (10/100/1000).

This notebook includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (replacing the PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. You get a good offering of connectivity options:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
• Analog video out: 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 ExpressCard 34
• 2 headphone jacks (1 with S/PDIF digital audio compatibility) and 1 microphone jack
• 1 notebook expansion port 3 (for use with the HP xb3000 Expansion Base or the HP Notebook QuickDock)
• 1 consumer IR (infrared) for remote control
• 5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
• Gigabit Ethernet port for 10/100/1000 networking
• Integrated 56K modem (V.90)

Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 (32-bit) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Includes Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60-day trial), Muvee Autoproducer, Cyberlink DVD Suite, PC Recovery, HP PhotoSmart Essentials, and Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 (with 60 days of Live Update).

Dimensions & Weight
This notebook measure 8.82 x 12.05 x 1.52 inches and weigh 4.53 pounds.

Power
This notebook is powered by a 6-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which offers between 2 and 3 hours of battery life (dependent upon computing conditions).

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Pavilion TX2-1020US tablet PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, IR remote control, earphones, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 30 days from date of purchase.

Product Description

Experience intuitive, two-finger control of entertainment within HP MediaSmart.

Enjoy music, photos, movies and TV programs within HP MediaSmart. Get fast, direct access to an HP tx2 Support Specialist @ 866.408.5408(U.S. only).

Twist the display up to 180° to share content and watch films -- or fold it flat for writing.

Surf the Web and use applications intuitively by touching the screen with a finger.

True Tablet PC: Write, draw and erase accurately with the included pen.

Simplify your password management with the optional integrated fingerprint reader.

Engage in live video chat using the HP Webcam and integrated microphone.

Enjoy the ultimate audio entertainment experience with SRS Premium Sound.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Works well for me, February 7, 2009

By	Grayson Hill (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: HP TX2-1020US TouchSmart 12.1-Inch Laptop (2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82 Dual-Core Mobile Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) (Personal Computers)

I'm pleased with it.

I'm a heavy Mac user; I purchased this to keep different parts of work separate from one another, and to make it easier to work with clients and students. I needed something small so I could carry it and a 17" MacBook Pro.

RUNDOWN:

Bulk: It's thick for its size. BUT, most of the outlying thickness is due to the touchscreen. Tradeoff.

It doesn't have Firewire or HDMI. Don't know if either is common in SMALL notebooks. Tradeoff.

The processor speed seems fine to me. But I'm not trying to play first-person shooters or run Maya or Mathematica on the thing.

The keyboard is a real pleasure compared to a lot out there. I wanted small, but mini-notebooks are too tiny for my paws. The trackpad works nicely. The buttons seem a little misplaced, but I may just be used to the over-sized one on the MacBook. YMMV. The fact that you can manually lock out the trackpad is nice.

Sound volume gets loud enough, thank you. The DVD drive is removable to cut weight. Sometimes DVD playback doesn't synchronize video and sound, so you feel like you're watching a 70's Kung Fu movie.

(Waaatchah!)

Another reviewer complained about the battery jutting out from the back. I find it useful, and I think it was done on purpose, because it makes it easy to hold the computer when you're using it as a tablet. Otherwise the screen would have to be small for the lid, or your thumb would be on the screen at all times.

The screen image is very pretty. Sharp, bright. Good contrast. The built-in software controls are easily accessed via a button on the lid, so you don't have to go bird-dogging through Vista to chase it down. The touchscreen is unresponsive on battery power if you're not using it frequently. Also on startup. It is multi-touch, for what it's worth. It took some getting used to. But if you don't have sausages for fingers, you'll be fine. In fact, I enjoy it so much, I find myself jabbing in vain at the MacBook's screen.

The fingerprint reader is annoyingly on the face of the lid (next to the screen) instead of on the body in front of the keyboard as on most laptops with these things. So you have to use your thumb. Since mine's the size of a Norway rat, it's a little tough to hit the sweet spot. But then, tradeoff. It has to be there to be accessed while in tablet mode.

It can get cookin'. I use the Targus HeatDefense pad to perfect satisfaction.

Use OneNote instead of HP's drawing software if you ever want to get a usable file out of it.

The neck seems durable enough when you're doing the Exorcist thing with it.

I haven't been a WIntel user much since Windows 3.11, but I found the Vista 64-bit Home Premium to be perfectly adequate and was glad to have it instead of the 32-bit version. Not that I know the difference. Goodies! Aside from the usual Mac-user whining about interface design, poor organization, and the use of so many detailed icons it goes from wayfinding to hieroglyphics, it's navigable enough. (Simplify! Use color to organize, not to merely decorate!)

The big downside: battery life is miserably short. I suppose more juice is going to the monitor than usual, but the 17" MacBook Pro's battery is nearly 2 years old and it still outlasts this thing at least by half. I hear there are better batteries out there, but that's the kind of consolation prize you get when you buy a $1000 laser printer and the salesmen tells you they went to the effort to supply you with a tiny toner cartridge, instead of just producing more of the most common one and charging you what it's worth. It's also environmentally irresponsible.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleased with my purchase, February 10, 2009

By	FNJ (Northern California, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: HP TX2-1020US TouchSmart 12.1-Inch Laptop (2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82 Dual-Core Mobile Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) (Personal Computers)

I am generally pleased with this purchase.

Cons:

1.) The only con I have come across has already been mentioned: the huge amount of bloatware hp puts on the machine: it does impinge upon machine performance.

Middle of the Road things:

1.) The screen would be the biggest thing. It is a little grainy and reflective, but I am told that is normal with tablet pc's. It does not bother me but it is noticeable.
2.) Second is the fan constantly running. It's also not so bad, but noticeable. HOWEVER it should be mentioned that the heat control on the tx2-1020us is the best that HP has been able to achieve with their turion based tablet pc's. The other models were recorded as running extremely hot. This one is normal, as far as notebooks go.
3.) Thirdly, the function keys ARE pretty small, but I have small fingers.
4.) Finally is the battery life. It is not bad, but not great. With the 6 cell battery I can eke out about 3 1/2 hours of battery life from the machine with the screen at full dimness and simply doing word processing. (The 8 cell battery could probably get you somewhere between 5-6 hours.) Part of the reason for this battery life I attribute to HP not developing some good power management software for their machines.

Before I mention the pluses I should mention that I did not purchase this unit for using the touchscreen. I purchased it for its use as a tablet pc. I also find the touchscreen features to be difficult, but for me that is not an issue simply because I don't plan to use it. When Windows 7 comes along ... who knows?

Pros:

1.) As a tablet this machine works very nicely indeed. I used it with Microsoft OneNote and the pen works very well indeed. I really like the screen controls on the "frame" of the screen itself when in tablet mode. Very convenient.
2.) The overall look of the machine I find very pleasing aesthetically - but I have liked the tx tablet series overall "look" for some time now.
3.) The notebook itself is made of strong material, and the keyboard is a delight to type on. I use an external wireless mouse, but I like the trackpad as well. It functions nicely and normally, as one would expect. It is a little heavier than most tablet pc's comparison wise, but for me it is not bad at all. (My previous machine was a 15.4" screen laptop weighing a little over 8 pounds.)
4.) The cpu and 4gb of RAM have been sufficient to handle any tasks I have thrown at it thus far and in good time.
5.) The wireless card works very nicely - and I appreciate the a/b/g/n compatibility. Bluetooth works fine as well.
6.) The speakers of the machine are the best I have had on a laptop - and while I know laptop speakers are never amazing things (unless you pay through the nose for premium stuff), still, these speakers are very decent in my opinion.
7.) The expandability of the machine to 8gb of RAM is also nice for future upgradeability.
8.) One thing I have especially appreciated, however, and which is something that should be mentioned, is the compatibility of the version of Vista Home Premium 64 bit with 32 bit applications. I am a sys admin of a small office and one member recently purchased another hp laptop with the Vista Home Premium system OS on it. I ran across some programs that would not install on it. However, when I tried to do these same programs on the tablet pc they installed without a hitch. I believe HP did something to the OS to make it more compatible with 32 bit software, possibly because some of the tablet based pc software they include with the machine is 32 bit based. The end result, however, is the advantage of 64 bit processing without the difficulty of 32 bit programs resisting install.

Conclusion:

I would recommend this as a tablet pc to anyone who does not mind the average to slightly above average battery life of the machine. Ultimately that to my mind is the only thing that would be a serious hindrance in purchasing this machine.

Overall I like this machine and would purchase it again.

Postscript notes:

Finally, a few things that were delightful surprises from amazon. In purchasing this machine the cpu was listed as an Turion ZM-80. When my machine arrived in the mail it was actually a Turion ZM-82. A nice unexpected bonus of a little more speed than I thought I was paying for. Also, I chose the Super Saver option from amazon. It said it would be shipped in over two weeks. It shipped out the next business day (a Friday) and arrived at my door the next business day after that (a Monday). So I basically got free 2 day shipping!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good machine, poor durability, March 20, 2009

By	Ricardo F. Galassi (Campo Grande, MS BRAZIL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: HP TX2-1020US TouchSmart 12.1-Inch Laptop (2.2 GHz AMD Turion X2 Ultra ZM-82 Dual-Core Mobile Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB Hard Drive, Vista Premium) (Personal Computers)

I was very excited about my purchase. The machine specifications are really very good for the price. When I got it, I was satisfyed: the computer is beautiful, stylish, fast, etc. The display appearance is OK, the touch screen works perfectly, more than I expected, and the pen is amazing (even if you are 2-3cm from the screen, it gets your position, so you know exactly where you are going to click when you touch the screen. Very good for drawing non-professionally). The keybord is good, with a good size. The screen frame is thicker than other computers, so I think that, although it's a 12''laptop, it has the size of a 13'', which reflects in a normal-sized keyboard.

Now, the cons: in the third day of use, the screen started to show a very unpleasant malfunction. When the computer gets hot and you rotate the screen, it starts to blink, turning on and off. You have to find a position that works, but it's generally an uncomfortable position. Besides, the computer is not finding the fingerprint reader anymore. I am in contact with HP to find out what to do. Detail: I purchased the computer in US, but I am not there anymore, and HP haven't released the TX2 series in my country. I don't know if I will get warranty assitance.

Another thing: I intended to use the SPDIF connection, but HP doesn't show, anywhere at all, that the SPDIF connection is optical (not coaxial), which doesn't work for me. They don't have this information ANYWHERE (manuals, website, forums, etc). I had to find out by testing.

For what I read about the computer before purchasing it, it shows a lot of deffects. People complain about screen and keyboard malfunction mostly. So, my advice is: it is a good and stylish machine, but be prepared to use the warranty, because it has a lot of malfunction problems.