This HP laptop came in as the #8 best laptop for League of Legends. It brings an Intel i5 processor, a refresh rate of 144Hz, & a 15.6” display to the table. Price-wise, it’s one of the best gaming laptops under $800, making it a great option as one of the entry/mid-level gaming laptops.
Why We Like It – HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15.6
The HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15.6 is a solid sub-$1,000 gaming laptop. With a 1TB hard drive, a 144Hz refresh rate, & an average battery life of 7.5 hours, this HP Pavilion gaming laptop is the perfect entry-mid level setup. Do you want to check out the world’s first dual-screen gaming laptop? Open our HP Omen X 2S review.
- 8 GB of RAM
- Lightweight (At Only 4.84 Pounds)
- Thin Bezels
- Poor Quality Control
- Doesn’t Have An Intel core i7 Processor
Power & Performance
You can expect a high level of performance from this HP gaming laptop. It has decent specs: 144 Hz refresh rate, 8 GB of RAM, 1 TB of storage space, & a 1920 x 1080 WLED display. This computer runs on an Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card & is powered by an Intel Core i5 quad-core processor (for about $300 more you can get the Lenovo Legion Y540, which has an i7 processor). While you can easily find laptops out there with far better specs, this HP Pavilion gaming laptop still offers a lot given the price. To get high-end graphics and processing power for your multitasking and gaming needs, go for a HP Pavilion laptop like the one featured in our HP Pavilion gaming laptop review.
Battery
HP claims that the battery on this laptop will last (on average) 7.5 hours during normal use. However, given the fact that it only has a 52Wh battery & this is a gaming laptop, you shouldn’t expect anything near that long from this laptop. Results from users on Amazon vary, but they generally range from 1.5 to 2.5 hours of battery life when using the computer for gaming, although one user reported a measly 45-minute battery life. Regardless of the exact amount of time, it’s nowhere near the 7.5 hours that HP claims.
Ports & Expandability
Although this laptop is severely lacking when it comes to battery performance (much like the Lenovo Legion Y7000), it manages to hit the mark when it comes to connectivity options. The HP has three USB 3.1 ports, one USB-C port, an ethernet port, headphone jacks, & an HDMI port. The USB C port can be used to connect devices, or as an audio/video out port. While this HP computer doesn’t have as many options as higher-end laptops, the options it does have are more than sufficient for a sub-$800 gaming laptop.
Build Quality
This HP computer looks metallic, but this laptop actually has a plastic chassis. It’s of decent quality though, so you shouldn’t damage this laptop under normal use conditions. HP seems to have taken inspiration from Alienware because this laptop has a somewhat futuristic design. On most laptops, the screen connects via two hinges in the lower corner on each side of the screen, but on this laptop the screen cut inward before the hinges, giving it an original (but sleek) design.
Value
The Pavilion Gaming Laptop is priced fairly at $771.67. Shipping will cost you another $22.82, bringing the total cost to $794.49. If you decide to return the device, it will cost you extra. Supposedly there is a warranty, but no information is listed. However, you do have the option of purchasing a protection plan for your laptop. A 2-year protection plan will cost you another $79.99; a 4-year protection plan costs $129.99. HP is not known for excellent customer service, so we would recommend picking up a protection plan (just to be safe!).
HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15.6 Wrap Up
Although this sub-$800 computer does have a few flaws, the HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15.6 is still a good entry/mid-level laptop for gamers on a budget (for a premium experience check out the Asus ROG Strix Scar III!). As mentioned, the quality control of these HP laptops can be an issue, but if you get a protection plan you should be good-to-go!
