Laptop Thoughts: The HP dv7t Wants all your Hard Work

"With a name like Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition, you know HP's latest 17-inch desktop replacement is no slowpoke. In addition to a blazing second-generation Intel Quad Core i7 processor and switchable AMD graphics, this aluminum-bodied speedster (starting at $1,099) packs both a 7,200-rpm hard drive and a 120GB SSD to give shoppers the best of both worlds. On the other hand, the $1,604 asking price for our configuration is hardly chump change. Is the dv7t Quad Edition splurge-worthy?"

Most people pick notebooks because they are portable, light and flexible. Most notebooks do that job well. However, there are some people want an incredible powerhouse and that is where the HP dv7t Quad Edition comes in. There are several manufacturers that make desktop replacements and all come with a beefy CPU, a beefy GPU and usually, a beefy design. A second generation Core i7 CPU and a higher end mobile video card means the HP dv7t will crunch through anything you will likely need, bolstered by a SSD. With options like this, is there a practical reason why desktops still exist?