The tx2050ea has fairly limited graphics capabilities, but it's fine for anything outside of gaming. Its Nvidia GeForce Go 6150 chip plays high-definition movies without dropping frames, and video can be piped through the D-Sub port. There's no digital output, so anyone with a TV that uses DVI or HDMI will need an adaptor.
You won't find an Intel Centrino badge on the tx2050ea, but that's not to say it doesn't have Centrino-esque features. Its wireless adaptor supports 802.11b/g networks, plus the high-speed pre-n standard, which allows for super-quick media streaming and file transfers. You also get a Gigabit Ethernet adaptor for fast wired transfers.
Performance
We didn't expect great performance from the tx2050ea, and we didn't get it. There's plenty of memory, but its AMD CPU isn't as quick as those you might find in an equivalent Intel-powered laptop. As a consequence, it scored 3,185 in the PCMark05 benchmarking test -- a pretty middle-of-the-road result.
Graphics performance was lacklustre. It achieved 220 in 3DMark06, which isn't good enough for moving polygons around at a decent speed. Don't even think about playing games with this thing unless they've got the word 'Solitaire' somewhere in the title.
We're unable to give you an accurate battery-life figure for the tx2050ea, since the battery on our review model was an engineering sample. For reference, however, the tx1020ea lasted 100 minutes in the intensive Battery Eater Classic test.
Conclusion
We have to admire the HP Pavilion tx2050ea's flexibility. The fact that its screen can be rotated and flipped into tablet mode means its ideal for use in cramped spaces or while standing up. We also love the relatively low price, but the tx2050ea lets itself down due to its bulk, weight and lack of screen quality.
Edited by Charles Kloet
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