Description:
The Basics
If you're one of the growing legions of multimedia hobbyists who use their home PC to process, edit, store and assemble their digital photo, digital video or digital music collections, the HP Pavilion a820n might be just what you need. Powerful where you need it to be and sporting intuitive features and software that help make challenging chores easy, the Pavilion a820n is most notable for its double-layer DVD burner that not only makes quick work of custom video DVDs and data backups but also features an innovative laser labeling system that allows you to etch labels and titles directly onto the surface of your discs. Though its graphics subsystem isn't powerful enough for buttery smooth frame rates in ultra-high-end 3D games, the Pavilion a820n is otherwise fast and versatile and ready for the vast majority of home, home office and business applications. Processor
At the heart of any computer lies the CPU (or processor), a massive collection of miniature transistors that governs the speed and power of the entire unit. For the Pavilion a820n, HP has turned to Intel and its new Pentium 4 540J CPU. This is a recently upgraded version of the venerable Pentium 4 chip, featuring one full MB of Level 2 cache and a more generous data "pipeline" than prior models. Operating at a speedy 3.2 GHz and of course sporting Intel's Hyper-Threading technology (Hyper-Threading allows a single CPU system to behave at times as a dual CPU system, thus adding substantially more speed to some high-end applications), this is a high-end CPU that will blaze through virtually anything. It does, however, follow the tried and true 32-bit CPU architecture of previous Pentiums rather than the substantially faster 64-bit architecture just being introduced in a small number of today's priciest, most advanced CPUs. That shouldn't be a serious detraction for most people, as only a few applications are ready to take advantage of 64-bit processing. Memory
Computers typically store information on their hard drive, but they keep frequently and recently accessed data in Random Access Memory (RAM) for faster retrieval. More RAM means more efficient computing, superior multitasking and less strain on your hard drive. The Pavilion a820n features 512 GB of fast PC3200 DDR SDRAM main memory, a typical allotment for today's midlevel and high-end PCs and certainly enough for most multitasking situations. Moreover, the system will accept later RAM upgrades to a stunning total of 4 GB. Video
CPU's are usually so busy doing basic calculations that they need help translating visual output to the viewing screen. This is the duty of the graphics card (or graphics controller). Generally, graphics controllers that incorporate their own dedicated built-in memory are more powerful and more desirable (but definitely more expensive too) than graphics controllers that share the system's main memory. The Pavilion a820n strives to offer the best of both worlds by utilizing an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics chipset with 128 MB of shared video memory. This is a new breed of graphics controller that's comparatively economical because it shares a computer's main memory rather than supplying its own dedicated memory, but is a decent performer too because it appropriates so much of it (in this case, 128 MB). Ultimately, the Pavilion a820n is capable of accurately displaying virtually any 2D and many 3D apps, but isn't quite ready for serious gamers who want to play the latest and most demanding 3D titles at the highest possible resolution and the smoothest possible frame rates. Those users will need to upgrade to a video card with 256 or 512 MB of dedicated video memory. Display:
A display screen is not included, thus allowing you to continue using your current monitor or select from today's many alternatives. Sound
The Pavilion a820n produces sound via an Intel High Definition Audio chipset with support for seven distinct channels and one subwoofer. Thusly, you'll hear the latest movies and games in all their surround sound glory. Hard Drive
At 200 GB, the internal hard drive offers enough room for a massive allotment of files and applications and ample music, video/photo and multimedia libraries too. Optical Drive
An optical drive is essential in today's computing environment. A "CD-ROM" drive allows you to install CD-based applications and play music CDs. A "CD-RW" drive adds CD "burning", so you can also backup your important files to long-lasting discs and create personalized music CDs. With a DVD-ROM drive you can enjoy all of the above plus watch the same big budget DVD movies you watch on your home entertainment system. And with a DVD-RW drive, you can also "write" home movies to durable discs and archive files to DVD (DVDs boast more than seven times the storage capacity of a CD). This system features two optical drives -- a CD-ROM drive for playing music and data CDs, and a state-of-the-art Double Layer DVD+R/RW drive through which you can burn music and data CDs, play DVD movies, and record home videos to long-lasting DVD media. The "Double Layer" designation refers to the unit's ability to handle double layer DVDs, each of which offers nearly twice the capacity of traditional DVDs (8.5 GB vs. 4.4 GB). Moreover, this innovative drive also features HP's new LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling system -- a wonderful new technology that etches labels, titles, and other information and customized graphics directly to the surface of your discs. With LightScribe, messy hand-printed disc labels are a thing of the past. Connectivity and Expansion
With no less than seven high-speed USB 2.0 ports -- three of which are conveniently located on the front of the unit -- you'll have plenty of room for plug and play gadgets such as digital cameras and printers. HP has also included two IEEE 1394 "FireWire" ports (commonly used for fast data transfer from digital camcorders) and a versatile 9-in-1 front panel card reader for reading memory cards from devices such as digital cameras, PDAs and more. Communication options include an integrated 10/100Base-T networking interface for fast Internet and network communication and a V.92 data/fax modem for low-speed dial-up connections. Operating System and Software
The Pavilion a820n incorporates a comprehensive software package headed by Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition operating system. HP will also pre-install Microsoft's new Works 8.0 productivity suite, two finance packages (Microsoft's Money Standard 2005 and Quicken 2005 New User Edition), and a thorough collection of top-notch digital photo, music and imaging utilities. Control
You'll control your Pavilion with an HP Internet keyboard (complete with several convenient one-touch hotkeys), and a super-accurate, no-hassle HP optical mouse.
| 
