HP is overhauling its laptop branding as part of a refresh that will also see the company introduce its first models based on Intel's Santa Rosa technology and the Centrino Pro platform. Most of the new models will be capable of 3G broadband wireless, HP said, as part of a greater emphasis on mobile working.

The top-selling PC vendor is simplifying its laptops into three ranges: a 2000 series of ultralight models, the 6000 series of balanced mobility and an 8000 series focussed on performance. A suffix letter indicates target market, with s for SMB, b for mid-market, and p for enterprise. There is also a w suffix for mobile workstations.

"All of the p-class systems are on Santa Rosa and the Centrino Pro standard, while the b-class are not so cutting edge but do have new industrial designs," said Steve Gales, HP's business development manager for mobility. "The p-class models have lots of HP value-add, such as protect and secure software, fingerprint ID and a magnesium alloy case. The b-class still has HP's build and reliability, but we want to encourage customers to move up the range."

In the ultralight range, the new Compaq 2510p is HP's thinnest and lightest laptop, weighing just 1.29kg or 1.5kg with an optical drive. It ships with a 3-cell battery for mobility, while an optional 9-cell unit allows up to 10 hours use.

A new Tablet PC, the Compaq 2710p, introduces LED backlighting to save on battery power, a brushed aluminium finish and more durable keys that will " never go shiny," according to Gales. The model is a convertible with two slimline clip-on slices, one to add an optical drive and the second an extended battery.

Gales said the 2710p showed that the Tablet PC is coming of age. "It offers the best of both worlds - it will appeal to vertical customers needing a thin and light unit, plus other users that want a longer battery life," he added.

In the balanced mobility range, all the new models support 3G broadband wireless. The HP Compaq 6910p replaces the current nc6400 while the 6710b replaces the current nc6320. The latter has a 15.4in widescreen display while the broadly similar 6510b has a 14in screen for greater mobility.

"We have found that corporate customers are more interested in lighter models, and the 14in display cuts the weight a bit," said Gales.

The 8000 series will replace the current 8400 models, with the Compaq 8510p and 8510w featuring 15.4in displays and a choice of either ATI or Nvidia graphics cards with 256MB video memory.

The 8710p has a 17in screen and Nvidia Quadro NVS 320M with 256 MB, while the 8710W also has a 17in screen but a beefier Nvidia Quadro FX 1600M with 512 MB and is aimed at mobile CAD/CAM users. All 8000 series systems can have up to 4GB memory and an optional HP LightScribe DVD writer.

The 6000 series models are available from this month, while the 2000 and 8000 series will ship later in the summer, HP said.