Why it matters to you
Customers looking for an affordable, snazzy new laptop now have six options packing seventh-generation Intel processors, and more.
During the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Hewlett-Packard revealed its refreshed family of Pavilion and Pavilion x360 notebooks. There are six devices (SKUs) in all: three “vanilla” Pavilion units starting at $599, and three x360 convertible units starting at $349. The refresh focuses on thinner, lighter form factors, better battery life, and better visual appeal.
HP says the refreshed vanilla Pavilion units borrow design elements from the Spectre and Envy products. HP incorporated a metal faceplate surrounding the keyboard and injected the Pavilion family with different “hues, finishes, and textures” for a highly sophisticated look on a mainstream laptop. They also borrow the “Lift” hinge from the Envy family to promote better airflow to the bottom vents.
On the hardware front, the updated Pavilions are configured with seventh-generation Intel Celeron and Core i3/i5/i7 processors, and E2/A10 APUs from AMD. The laptops also include one USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C port (5Gbps), two USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports (5Gbps), HDMI output, and an SD card reader at the very least. The color options consist of opulent blue, silk gold, orchid pink, mineral silver, and empress red.
One of the big points HP sells with the refresh is the reduction in size compared to last year’s models. For example, the Pavilion 14 2016 model had a side bezel of 17.2mm and a top bezel of 13.4mm. For the 2017 model, the side bezel measures 13.99mm and the top bezel measures an impressively thin 6.5mm. Even more, from a side “closed” view, the Pavilion 15 2016 model measured 22.5mm thick whereas the 2017 model is 19.9mm thick.
As for the refreshed Pavilion x360 line, they arrive in mineral silver and silk gold colors sporting a flat metal surface in the keyboard area, or an artsy “strata” pattern design. Like the vanilla Pavilion units, the new x360 models are thinner and lighter than the 2016 lineup. A good example is the x360 15-inch model, as the 2016 version measured 23.9mm thick and weighed 5.07 pounds. The new model measures 20.3mm thick and weighs 4.63 pounds.
On the hardware level, the x360 offers seventh-generation Intel Pentium and Core i3/15/i7 processors, storage capacities of up to 512GB on an SSD, and even discrete graphics options provided by Nvidia and AMD. But don’t expect to see GTX 1050 options, as the x360 isn’t designed to handle that kind of heat.
Below is a generalized overview of the Pavilion refresh arriving in the May/June release window provided by HP. Note that the prices don’t reflect the starting prices HP announced on Thursday:
Pavilion 14
Pavilion 15.6
Pavilion 15.6
Pavilion 17
Price:
$700
$725
$600
$630
Processor:
Core i5
Core i5
AMD A12
AMD A12
Memory:
12GB
8GB
8GB
8GB
Storage:
1TB HDD
1TB HDD
1TB HDD
1TB HDD
Resolution:
HD
FHD Touch
HD Touch
HD
x360 11.6
x360 14
x360 14
x360 15.6
Price:
$400
$400
$720
$700
mProcessor:
Pentium N4200
Core i3
Core i5
Core i5
Memory:
4GB
6GB
8GB
8GB
Storage:
500GB HDD
500GB HDD
128GB SSD
500GB HDD
Resolution:
HD Touch
HD Touch
FHD IPS Touch
HD Touch
Pen included:
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Now here are the starting prices:
Pavilion 14
Pavilion 15
Pavilion 17
x360 11
x360 14
x360 15
$700
$600
$630
$350
$450
$580