HP has, with moderate success, plunged into the so called “Ultra Thin” laptop category with their DM3-1030US. This system has a slower CPU that makes it best used for everyday simplistic computing. The processor is actually the AMD’s newest creation (Athlon Neo X2 Dual Core) running at 1.6GHz. The machine comes with a 320GB hard drive, 4GB of DDR 2 RAM, and a 13.3-inch LCD screen (1366 x 768 resolution). Of course it’s got wireless g/n, WLAN, and Bluetooth, and a 5-in-1 digital media reader.

When you break it down to the bare essentials, the DM3-1030US pro’s and con’s are about even. On the good side the battery lasts about 5 hours, the system can has enough power to play high def movies, the keyboard works well, and the system has a sleek design. On the bad side PC Mag reveals that AMD’s processing power is substantially weaker compared to Intel Dual Core machines. The toughpad is a serious failure according to Wired; its glossy surface is very hard to use. The laptop weighs 4.2 pounds – pretty heavy for an Ultra Thin!

You can find the HP DM3-1030US priced $609.95 at B&H Photo, $614.95 at Amazon, and $649.99 at ClubMac.

If you’re attracted to the long battery life but are turned off by the negatives consider Toshiba’s T135-S1309. It’s an 8 hour Ultra thin machine that has Intel Dual Core processing power. Here’s the full review on CNET.

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