HP Pavilion Laptop 16 review: A capable, versatile laptop

With a spacious keyboard and large, 16-inch display, the HP Pavilion Laptop 16 made all my general computing tasks so easy – from watching movies to browsing and just mucking about on social media and even running the odd office application. Nothing (except playing AAA games) seemed like hard work. It also had enough battery life to confidently see me through a whole day’s use. Read on to find out more.

Further reading: Best laptops 2024: Premium, budget, gaming, 2-in-1s, and more

HP Pavilion Laptop 16: Specifications

HP’s website shows you can configure your HP Pavilion Laptop 16 with different Intel Core Ultra processors up to the most powerful Core Ultra 7 155U. If you choose that option without any upgrades, your laptop’s graphics will be rendered by the processor’s Integrated Graphics chip, which should be suitable for lightweight tasks. That option comes with 16GB of onboard RAM.

The model I reviewed, however, had a step-up discrete GPU in the form of an Nvidia GeForce MX570 A. That upgrade costs $150 at checkout and comes with 32GB of onboard memory. My review unit’s other specifications included:

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U
• RAM: 32GB DDR5 / 4800MHz
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce MX570 A
• Display: 16-inch, WUXGA (1920 x 1200p), IPS-grade LCD, anti-glare, 16:10 aspect ratio, 300 nits peak brightness
• Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
• Connectivity:  2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm combo jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
• Battery capacity: 59Wh
• Dimensions: 14.08 x 10.03 x 0.70 inches
• Weight: 3.97 lbs (1.80 kg)
• Cost:  $769.99 as reviewed (starting price $619.99)

Looking at competitor models, the Pavilion Laptop 16 costs more than the Acer Aspire 3 (starting price $499,99). The Pavilion 16, however, has better graphics performance.

Compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (starting price $999), the Pavilion Laptop 16 is the more affordable option, despite the two having similar benchmark performance. The Dell is a slightly more versatile option for using in different modes while the Pavilion’s large display makes for a more relaxed viewing experience.

HP Pavilion Laptop 16: Design and build

The HP Pavilion’s design benefits from its designation as a jack-of-all-trades laptop. As the all-rounder in HP’s lineup, it needs to be useful for a broad number of things – from leisure to light office work and even gaming. That balance has mostly been achieved.

For starters, like an ultrabook it’s very sleek with a low-profile so it can be the go-anywhere laptop you need it to be. If you want to throw it in a backpack and take it to work, college, or the library, or just move it from one room to another, the laptop’s 0.7-inch thin chassis and 3.97-pound weight makes that so easy. The 100W charger is also small and compact and ideal for carrying.

Yet like other portable laptops the HP Pavilion 16 feels anything but cramped. That balance between sleekness and space creates a casual and relaxed user experience.

Indeed, everything about the design just feels so effortless. The display is so big you don’t need to squint to see details in images and movies – even from two arm lengths away. Typing on the keyboard – even just resting my hands at the sides — felt relaxed too because of all that room.

Those points make the Pavilion Laptop 16 ideal for leisure time, be that plopping it on your lap before bedtime for a movie, browsing, or just pottering around on social media. But they also make the laptop a spread sheeter’s dream, a writer’s best friend, and a gift for doing homework.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

Dominic Bayley / IDG

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    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Dominic Bayley / IDG</p></div>

While it exudes that casual practicality at every corner, it also feels quite durable. The hinges are rigid, and the lid doesn’t flex unless you apply serious pressure, both of which instill a lot of confidence that the Pavilion won’t bust up with everyday use.

HP Pavilion Laptop 16: Keyboard, trackpad

Not only is the keyboard really big, but HP has also gone to town incorporating as many useful keys as possible. You’ll still see familiar favorites like the Fn keys and Left and Right Shift keys as you might in any other large laptop’s keyboard, but you also get a full-sized numpad and dedicated Home, End, Pg Up, and Pg Down keys too.

Dominic Bayley / IDG

            <div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="HP Pavilion Laptop 16" class="wp-image-2419042" width="1200" height="900" loading="lazy" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><p>The HP Pavilion Laptop 16 has a spacious keyboard with a full-sized numpad.</p>

Dominic Bayley / IDG

    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Dominic Bayley / IDG</p></div>

Since they’re dedicated, straining to remember which keys have these as secondary functions isn’t an issue. There’s also a Windows Copilot+ shortcut key located near the right Alt key. Microsoft Copilot+ keys are new additions to keyboards, but they do save time, so I was glad to have quick access to Microsoft’s AI assistant.

The key feel is firmer than in some laptops. I put that down to their long vertical travel and springy rebound. On the plus side, the keys are very stable – they don’t wobble or skew sideways on the down press, which makes for very accurate typing. The key backlighting is also bright and easily visible at night.

The touchpad feels solid rather than hollow. Its moderate size means there’s plenty of room either side to rest your wrists.

HP Pavilion Laptop 16: Connectivity, webcam

The laptop has two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, which accommodated my external mouse and keyboard and my external SSD with no fuss.

That left me a USB-A port as a ‘floating port’ for USB sticks. The two USB-C ports are quite useful in that they support DisplayPort 1.4 and PowerDelivery. That means they allow you to attach extra displays or charge the laptop. The Pavilion Laptop 16 also has a HDMI 2.1 port and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The ports are a little clustered together, which looks to have been a decision made by necessity. The laptop’s width tapers from thinnest at the front to thickest at back. Still, they are neatly arranged, which helped me manage desk space for my varied components.

Wi-Fi 6E connectivity provided my Pavilion Laptop 16 with a snappy connection for downloading the large files I needed to benchmark it. My review model also had Bluetooth 5.3 which I used to stream music from the laptop to my portable speaker.

This connectivity was quick enough to render images in live chats mostly lag free via the laptop’s 1080p IR camera. The picture I got had a natural light balance and the dual array microphones which incorporate temporal noise reduction did a decent job making my voice sound clear.

HP Pavilion Laptop 16: Display, audio

The Pavilion Laptop 16 ships with a 16-inch 1920x1200p LCD IPS-grade display. The base model is a non-touch version, but you can buy a touch-sensitive version for an extra $50 if you wish.

Summing up what I thought of the display’s visual quality, and it’s not trying to move mountains. The panel has a 65 percent RGB color, 1920x1200p resolution, and 300 nits peak brightness, which together make for no-nonsense visuals that look good but not amazing. I’ve seen a lot richer color saturation and contrast in OLED panels.

Still, while I was never wowed by the visuals, I was never unhappy with them either. Besides, the more modest specs meant there was no lag or delay playing media, videos were fluid and flicker free. The anti-glare functionality