HP refreshes PC lines, adds AMD chips

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Hewlett-Packard Co is rolling out a back-to-school lineup of notebook personal computers in what will be its largest single launch of laptops featuring processors from Advanced Micro Devices.

HP said it refreshed or overhauled its Envy, Pavilion and Mini netbook consumer lines, and ProBook enterprise PCs. They will go on sale later in May and June.

HP and other PC makers have increasingly focused on design as a way to differentiate their products, which are often comparable in performance.

HP, the world's largest PC maker by a healthy margin, says it sells more than 2 notebooks per second.

The company said its designs emphasize etched metal finishes and "touchable" textures, and allow users to choose customized wallpaper from 12 artists.

"We took this opportunity to rethink and reevaluate what we're doing in the design space," said Stacy Wolff, director of notebook product design at HP.

HP launched new notebooks for its high-end Envy brand, with slot-load optical drives and back-lit keyboards, and cut the entry-level price to $999 from $1,299.

It also redesigned the entire Pavilion line and added optional AMD chips to a number of models. HP said AMD processors allow the company to provide consumers with more options and lower prices.

HP holds roughly 20 percent of the world's PC market, and shipped more than 15 million PCs in the January-March period, according to industry tracker IDC.