So apart from the occasional Atom-based computer, it is on the AMD side that most are released at the moment. And the occasional really fun computer has seen the light of day. The HP Pavilion dv6-6c21eo is one of the very few computers we’ve seen with the AMD A8 Fusion processor. It’s a shame, we think. Because it is a really interesting alternative to the Intel dominance among more powerful processors.
Play with style. Gaming and media computers that don’t look like them are a trend that is becoming more and more common. The Pavilion dv6 is most reminiscent of HP’s own luxury Envy series. But is more plastic and lighter.
Four cores and fresh graphics card
The A8-3530MX, as it is called, is a quad-core processor that is complemented by integrated graphics, specifically the Radeon HD 6670G. It’s a really good combination that can clearly compete with Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 processors. It is not quite as fast in the peaks as the quad-core mobile systems from Intel, but on the other hand, it is not in the same price range either. And in return, AMD’s graphics card is more nimble.
This is also a distinct gaming and media computer with additional graphics cards under the hood, the new Radeon HD 7000 series. It does not deliver extreme gaming graphics, but good enough for a not too picky gamer.
Above all, it is cool and low-power compared to its predecessors. Eight gigabytes of memory also help boost performance a bit. However, we would have liked to see a faster hard drive. Maybe a hybrid drive. It wouldn’t have cost that much more and would have done the trick.
Screen slightly short
On the outside, it is somewhat thick and clumsy, but has an elegant metal shell with a plastic undercarriage. As always, HP has a high-quality mouse pad and keyboard. The display is at a meager 1366 x 768 pixels and is slightly below average in terms of brightness, but has pleasant colors and contrast for film and gaming purposes.
Good sound. The Beats Audio sound system means extra good sound circuits and drivers. Especially for listening to music. But in this computer it means you need good headphones, the built-in speakers are really boring.
The computer is well equipped with connections and functions. Four USB ports, two of which are 3.0, blu-ray reader, fingerprint reader with a really smooth login system in Windows, double headphone sockets (good if you want to watch movies without disturbing the surroundings, for example) and a really good internal sound card and drivers signed by Beats Audio. But you need either external speakers or headphones plugged in, because the speakers built into the computer sound infernally bad.
It’s hard to complain about such little things considering the price tag. We’re not blown away by the Pavilion dv6-6c21eo. However, it was nothing we expected either. It does the job and does… well, just fine.
HP Pavilion dv6-6c21eo
Manufacturer: HP, www.hp.se
Processor: AMD A8-3530MX.
Graphics: Radeon HD 7670M / Radeon HD 6670G, 1 GB.
Memory: 8GB ddr3.
Storage: 500 GB hdd, 5400 rpm.
DVD: Bd-r/Dvdrw.
Screen: 15.6 inches, 1366 x 758 pixels.
Brightness, display: About 195 nits.
Webcam: 1.3 megapixels.
Connections: 2 pcs usb 3, 2 pcs usb 2, lan, hdmi, vga, 2 pcs headphones, microphone.
Wireless: 802.11b/g/n.
Card reader: Sd, sdhc, mmc.
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium, 64 bit.
Size: 37.7 x 24.8 x 3.9 cm.
Weight: 2.56 kg.
Battery life: 7 hours 13 minutes (low load) 1 hour 55 minutes (high load).
Sound level: 34-40 dBa.
Approximate price: SEK 7,000.
Plus: Good performance. Good battery life. Blu-ray.
Minus: Dim screen. Lousy speakers. Not enough for some games.
Grade: 
(7 out of 10)
Pcmark score
Total: 5205
Pictures: 3411
Television and film: 3640
Game: 4153
Music: 5070
Communication: 4759
Productivity: 4468
Hard disk: 3353