HP, one of the leading computer brands in the world today, began their journey in a one-car garage in 1939, when two friends, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, settled on the name Hewlett-Packard after a coin toss. Initially, a manufacturer of oscillators, the company eventually transitioned to computers.
Today, HP Envy and HP Pavilion are two of their most popular laptop series worldwide. Both offer great specs and performance, but which one is better? We try to find out – focusing chiefly on two of the most popular models, the Envy 13 and the Pavilion 15, though other models are taken into account as well.
Before we take a look at each feature in detail, here is a quick summary of our review.
HP Envy Vs HP Pavilion
Both the Envy and Pavilion are great options, overall the HP Envy series takes the lead over the Pavilion series. However, because of the different models available, it will all depend on your intended usage
HP Envy | HP Pavilion | |
---|---|---|
Processor (CPU) | 8 | 7 |
Memory (RAM) | 8 | 8 |
Storage | 8 | 9 |
Graphics | 7 | 6 |
Battery Life | 8 | 6 |
Overall Rating | 78/100 | 72/100 |
Price | Check Latest Prices | Check Latest Prices |
HP Envy Models
HP Envy 13
This is the answer to all-day constant work of the students with the best portability. It is portable not for the reasons you might think. Not for being a laptop or having top-notch firepower with Intel Core-i7 10th gen mobile variant having only 4 cores, but the best 4 cores. We perceive this as the best because of having more than 10 hours of battery life!
HP Envy 15
HP ENVY 15 has been targeted to a whole different class. If you are in the market for a top-notch work station that has the ability to compete with even the high-end desktop PCs, and you are not that much of a roamer as you plan to use the laptop on the desk for most of the time, then HP Envy 15 is for you.
HP Envy 17
15-inch screens might not be enough for some, and that is the reason why HP ENVY 17 exists. A huge 17-inch screen is a perfect fit for people who don’t want to go into all the hassle of building and upgrading a PC.
HP Envy x360
This year, HP hit the ENVY market with a big bang with its X360 model. This supposedly mid-range laptop is now available even with the highest optional upgrades under $1000! Thanks to the awe-striking AMD chipset. The chipset is able to outperform any laptops in its radius, the integrated VEGA graphics is better than any integrated graphics.
HP Pavilion Models
HP Pavilion 13
The entry-level HP Pavilion laptops have recently been announced. Still, they have been able to make strides in the market. HP has stepped up their game by offering the laptops in all fun and colourful designs. All the laptops will come with Intel Tiger Lake CPUs and the new Xe graphics. The first of the bunch, 13-inch Pavilion has 3-sided-micro bezel, a premium design for such low prices.
HP Pavilion 14
With a slightly bigger 14-inch screen, the HP Pavilion 14 resembles the 13 all the way. Both laptops are expected to have similar chipset options and screen upgrades available. However, the 14-inch version has a slightly bigger battery life of 8.75 hours.
HP Pavilion 15
The Pavilion 15, with 1-inch incremental screen size is supposed to be the star of the family with promising to have AMD chipsets besides the Intel one. Like other series of the family, it will also have options to have up to 4k screen and 1TB of SSD.
HP Pavilion Gaming
For the first time, HP has aimed for gamers with its entry-level Pavilion laptops. The laptop includes a 16-inch FHD screen with 144Hz refresh rate. There are options for Intel Core i5-10300H, i7-10750H along with GPU options of NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti, 1660 Ti Max-Q or RTX 2060 Max-Q. The price starts from only $800!
Features Comparison
Processor (CPU)
The HP Envy series boasts powerful Intel processors. The Envy 13 is powered by a quad-core Core i7-8565U (Whiskey Lake) processor, which has been configured to have a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 35 watts for a short period of time. The Core i7 processor has a base clock cycle of 1.8 GHz but can reach up to 4.1 GHz, 4.5 GHz, and 4.6 GHz with four cores, two cores, and one core respectively with its Turbo.
Other HP Envy laptops such as the Envy 15 and Envy 17 also feature powerful 10th Generation Core i7 processors. However, the HP Envy x360 has a few models which use AMD processors instead – mostly AMD Ryzen 7, although one model comprises a Ryzen 5 processor.
The HP Pavilion laptops, on the other hand, vary greatly in terms of processors – even for laptops of the same model. For example, the HP Pavilion cs-0003ng comprises an older quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U processor, whereas the Pavilion cs3096nr has a 10th generation Core i7 processor.
Some of the newer models, such as the 15z, comes with AMD Ryzen 5 and 7 processors but can be customized to your needs. Generally, the Intel processors of the laptops run at a base speed of 1.8 or 1.9 GHz, which can be boosted to 3.9 GHz with Turbo Boost. The AMD processors have a base speed of 2.3 GHz, which can be boosted up to 4 GHz.
Winner: HP Envy.
Memory – RAM
Each laptop of the Envy series has many different models, so the exact specification among HP Envy laptops can vary. Nonetheless, all the Envy laptops are powered up greatly in terms of memory.
All the laptops have at least 8 GB of memory, and the Envy 13 models boast a smashing 16 GB RAM. Add to that a powerful Intel Core i7 processor and high-powered GPUs from NVidia or Intel, and you have a laptop that can be perfect for gaming and video editing sessions, especially with the Envy 13s.
For HP Pavilions, judging memory is a bit more straightforward. In the case of HP Pavilion 15, all the models have 12 or 16 GB memory of a memory, which is enough for taxing tasks such as video editing, image processing, or graphics design.
Compared to the price, the Pavilion 15 offers 8 times more RAM than an average laptop. However, if you stick to something less strenuous, there is the HP Pavilion x360 for you, which contains models chiefly with 8 GB RAMs. This makes them less powerful than the Pavilion 15, but still enough if you want to keep a lot of tabs open in your browser or enjoy light gaming.
Winner: Draw.
Hard Drive
SSD (Solid-state drive) is still a relatively new technology, but the HP Envy series is ahead of the curve. SSDs tend to be more efficient when it comes to storage, since they contain less moving parts, and therefore, are faster.
The HP Envy 13 contains NVMe SSDs from Toshiba, with a capacity of 512 GB – of which 443 GB is available to the user. HP Envy 17t-cg00 is even more spacious, boasting a marvellous 1 TB of storage, which also makes it more expensive than other Envy products.
The Pavilion laptop also primarily relies on SSD storage, but if space is a bigger priority to you than speed, these laptops offer more flexibility. Base models of the HP Pavilion 15 come with 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage.
However, you can pump the SSD up to 512 GB, or attach a 1TB 5400 rpm SATA HDD drive along with it. Some of the HP Pavilion x360 models come with internal hard drives and offer as much space as 2 TB, whereas others come with a built-in SSD storage, but allows you the option to attach SATA HDDs as well.
Winner: HP Pavilion.
Graphics Card
Sure, you might be just looking for a “work laptop”, but it’s perfectly alright to crave a little bit of gaming secretly. Besides, if you’re a graphic designer or a digital animator, a laptop with a high-performance graphics unit is a must-have. The Envy 13 comes with the powerful NVidia GeForce MX250 GPU.
This isn’t suitable for strenuous gaming, but it’s still better than the integrated graphics that come with many laptops. As long as you’re sticking to e-sports or older games with low graphics settings, you’ll able to run them smoothly. If you need high graphics for work, though, this GPU might not be enough.
In the case of HP Pavilion laptops though, most of the models do not come with a discrete graphics card. The cheaper Pavilion x360s come with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU.
The Pavilion 15 models come with either integrated Intel GPUs or Radeon Vega graphics card (for AMD processors). The exception is the 15-cs3096nr model, which has an NVidia GeForce MX250 discrete graphics card along with the integrated Intel Iris graphics, bringing it on par with the Envy models.
Winner: HP Envy.
Screen Size and Resolution
Both the laptops in the Envy and the Pavilion series are named after the sizes of their display. This means that an Envy 13 display measures 13” inches, and Envy 17 measures 17.3” inches, and a Pavilion 15 measures 15.6” inches. Both the Envy and Pavilion have x360 models, where the laptops can be bent into the shape of a stand, tent, or tablet.
However, the Envy x360 models are more advanced in terms of specs than their Pavilion counterparts. Envy 13 also comes with a 4K model – which makes it an excellent choice to stream movies on Netflix. Its colors and contracts are crisp. Envy 13 also features BrightView, which makes your screen brighter, although it is less suitable for use outdoors.
The Pavilion laptops are mostly limited to 15.6” inch displays. They have different display options: 1080p IPS, glossy 1080p IPS, and the 4K model, which is again, a perfect choice for streamers. Some Pavilion laptops have touch-screen enabled, but Envy offers a multi-touch, which is a bonus for them.
Winner: HP Envy
Keyboard and Touchpad
The HP Envy keyboards are fairly decent. Taking the Envy 13 as an example – its model comprises keys that are at a distance of 1.2mm from each other. The spacing between the keys might be slightly shorter than the preference of most veteran users, but it’s nothing you cannot adjust to.
The actuation force for each key is a bit crisp, though. The size of the keys is generous allowing plenty of room to type smoothly. Did we mention the keyboards are backlit as well?
The touchpad is wide with a dimension measuring 11.5 x 5.5 cm. It supports multi-touch and has been integrated with Precision drivers, making the touchpad movement super accurate.
The Pavilion 15’s keyboards are smooth and elegant and provide room for fast typing. Each of the keys has an edge length of around 15 millimeters, which allows your fingers to rest and write comfortably.
Coming in many different colors, Pavilion models also offer backlit keyboards – but you can buy one without backlight as well. The touchpad measures around 11.5 x 6 cm – making it wider than that of Envy 13. It does not come with any buttons on its own, and its clicks are clean but less crisp than its contender.
Winner: HP Envy.
Weight and Size
Slim and elegant, the Envy series laptops feel amazing to look at and touch. The Envy 13 has a thickness less than 0.6” inches, it looks like a modern gadget that you would only see in 70s sci-fi movies.
The dimensions of the laptop are 12.1 x 8.3” inches, and weighs only 1.27 kg – small enough to fit in your backpack, and light enough for you to barely notice it. If you’re looking for portability, Envy 13 is the way to go. The other Envy laptops, Envy 15 and 17 are well over 2kg – but with larger displays, that’s understandable.
The HP Pavilion laptops vary widely in dimension and weight – depending on the model you’re buying. For example, the Pavilion x360 14t-dh200 is smaller, measuring 12.76 x 8.78 x 0.81” inches. It is also lighter in weight, around 1.5 kg. On the other hand, a standard HP Pavilion 15 laptop measures 14.24 x 9.67” inches but is slimmer at 0.7” inch thickness. Pavilion 15 is also heavier – falling just short of 2kg. Either way, the Envy series offers more flexibility, whether you’re looking to travel with your laptop or use it at home.
Winner: HP Envy.
Battery Life
The HP Envy series beats the HP Pavilion series when it comes to battery life. The Envy 13 laptops are fitted with 3-cell 51Wh batteries. HP claims that the Envy 13 can last up to 14 hours on battery. Of course, that is an ideal situation, but testing has shown that even when surfing the web on Wi-Fi, some models of the HP Envy 13 can last around 11 hours.
HP claims that the Pavilion 15 laptops can last 10 hours on battery in an ideal situation. This is not bad, but even at minimum brightness and without connecting to Wi-Fi; tests revealed that the HP Pavilion 15z touch lasted only for 8 hours and 24 minutes. At maximum brightness, the computer needed recharging after 2 hours.
Winner: HP Envy.
Price
HP Envy laptops have sleek designs and modern finishes, but it comes with a high cost as well. If you’re looking to buy an Envy laptop, you better be prepared to spend quite a hefty amount of money. The cheapest of the Envy 13 series models start at $759.99, offering a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, integrated Intel Iris graphics, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of SSD storage.
An HP Pavilion model within a similar price range, the Pavilion 15t, costs $749.99. Not only does it have the same processor and GPU as the Envy laptop, but also has 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage capacity, which can be expanded up to 1 TB if necessary.
As expected, other versions of both the laptops are more expensive (except the x360 series). Envy 17 as laptops start $1049.99, offering nearly similar specs, and the price goes up with better equipment. The Envy x360 laptop prices can vary anywhere from $659.99 to $1199.99, depending on your preferences.
On the other hand, Pavilion series laptops can cost as little as $499.99 (which comes with the ancient Core i3 processor), to as much as $1079.99 (the Pavilion 15-cs3096nr, featuring 16 GB of memory, 512 GB of SSD storage, and a discrete NVidia graphics card). All in all, the Pavilion laptops offer a better deal in terms of specs within the same price range.
Winner: HP Pavilion.
Pros and Cons of Each Laptop
HP Envy
Pros
- Attractive and lightweight chassis
- Precise touch display
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- Excellent battery life
- Variety of screen sizes to choose from
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be loud when running
- Reflective screen not suitable for outdoors
HP Pavilion
Pros
- Robust design
- Flexible storage options
- Inexpensive
- Smooth performance
Cons
- Short battery life
- Less portable
- Sub-par display
HP Envy x360 vs HP Pavilion x360
The HP Envy x360 and Pavilion x360 are two models of laptops that are confused with one another quite often. But let us assure you they are pretty different from one another in certain ways regardless of a similar model name.
In order to clear out that confusion and give you a better understanding of the two laptops, we are going to compare these two laptops. If that sounds interesting to you, let’s hop right into it!
Table of Comparison
In order to provide you a proper comparison and let you see for yourself, we prepared a comparative spec sheet that compares the two laptops on various criteria. The table allows you to see for yourself whether one is better than the other or are equal in some cases. So let’s look at this table of comparison:
Criteria | Envy x360 | Pavilion x360 |
RAM | Built in RAM: 8 GB Expandability: up to 16 GB | Built in RAM: 16 GB Expandability: None |
Storage | 512 GB of SSD. | 256 GB of SSD + 2 TB of internal HDD; SSD upgradable up to 512 GB |
CPU | Processor: Intel Quad Core i7-8565U (Whiskey Lake) Processor/ AMD Ryzen 7 Base clock cycle (of Intel Processor): 1.8 GHz (Can reach up to 4.1 GHz, 4.5 GHz and 4.6 GHz) | Processor: 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor/ AMD Ryzen 5 Base Clock Cycle (of Intel Processor): 1.8/1.9 GHz up to 3.9 GHz |
Size and Weight | Display: 15.6 inch display with touch screen Dimensions: 359.7 x 248.8 x 19.6 mm. Weight: 2.15 kg. | Display: 14 inches with 1920 x 1080p resolution. Dimension: 327.41 x 223.5 x 22.61mm size. Weight: 1.71 kg |
Battery | Up to 12 hours | Up to 9 hours |
Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU |
Keyboard and Touchpad | Backlit 11.5 x 5.5 cm keyboard | Backlit 11.5 x 6 cm keyboard |
As you can see, The HP Envy x360 beats the HP Pavilion x360 in a lot of ways and vice versa. In terms of RAM we have to say they are both equal over all, because of the expandability of the Envy. However, if we judge built-in RAM, the Pavilion wins.
The display sizes are different, and the Envy is bigger. But this one comes down to your preference. The Envy has a better processor, battery and a much better graphics card. However, the Pavilion comes at a lower price than the Envy.
So which one is the better laptop? In terms of features and quality, we have to go with the Envy for this one. But overall both laptops are great.
So which one is the better laptop? In terms of features and quality, we have to go with the Envy for this one. But overall both laptops are great.
Check Prices and Reviews for HP Envy X360
Check Prices and Reviews for HP Pavilion X360
Final Verdict and Conclusion
To conclude, whilst both the HP Envy and the HP Pavilion series laptops offer a strong build and decent performance, it is clear that HP Envy stands out. If you’re looking for a stylish laptop, suitable for travelling, that would be able to withstand large workload, Envy laptops (especially Envy 13) can be a great choice.
However, if you’re tighter on budget, the Pavilion laptops can offer nearly the same performance for a lower price. We prefer the HP Envy when it comes to specs, but you might have different needs. Whichever you choose to purchase, it’s a good choice either way.
Browse all the models mentioned here on amazon and decide which one would be best suited for your needs.
HP Pavilion | Check Prices on Amazon |
HP Envy | Check Prices on Amazon |