In this article, we compare the HP Envy and HP Pavilion. Both laptops are sometimes difficult to tell apart due to their similar designs.
But, they are quite different. Here’s everything you need to know about the HP Envy Vs HP Pavilion.
Overview
HP Envy | HP Pavilion |
|
|---|---|---|
Design (5) | 5 | 4 |
Build Quality (5) | 5 | 3 |
Upgradeability (5) | 2 | 3 |
Display (5) | 4 | 2 |
Thermals (5) | 3 | 3 |
Performance (5) | 4 | 3.8 |
Battery Life (5) | 4 | 4 |
Total (35) | 27 | 23 |
HP Envy – Pros and Cons
Pros
Beautiful Design
Solid Build Quality
Solid Performance
Slim & Lightweight
Cons
Cannot Be Upgraded
No Thunderbolt 3 Port
HP Pavilion – Pros and Cons
Pros
Solid Performance
Slim & Lightweight
Affordable
Cons
Dim Display
Not The Best Build Quality
Differences Between HP Envy And HP Pavilion
Configurations
Let’s start with the HP Envy. When it comes to the processors, the HP Envy can have up to Intel Core i7 processors or AMD Ryzen processors.
For the storage and RAM, it can have up to 1TB PCIe SSD and 16GB RAM respectively.
For the graphics cards, the HP Envy has either an integrated (Intel or AMD) or dedicated graphics card.
For the HP Pavilion. The processor can either be up to an Intel Core i7 or AMD Processor. It can also have up to 1TB SSD, 1TB HDD or both and 16GB RAM.
The HP Pavilion comes with an integrated graphics card (Intel or AMD) or dedicated graphics card.
Design & Build Quality
The HP Pavilion and HP Envy are quite similar in design. It is difficult to tell them apart. You have the same silver finish and look. There are a few differences though.
The HP Envy has smaller display bezels than the HP pavilion.
Secondly, the HP logo is embedded on the display of the HP Envy whiles the logo on the HP Pavilion is not but rather a circle with HP in the middle.
Finally, the colours. The HP Envy is either all black or all white. For the HP Pavilion, the black model has a black keyboard whiles the white model is all-white.
Aside from these differences. It is quite difficult to tell them apart.
When it comes to build quality. The HP Envy is made from superior materials. A unibody made from anodized aluminium that can withstand shocks and bumps.
There will also be no flex on the display lid and keyboard area.
Those who prefer the HP Envy x360 will be pleased to know that the hinges are strong. When it comes to the weight, the 13 inch weighs 2.88 lbs (1.3 kg) and 0.58 inches thick.
The build quality of the HP Pavilion is not as great as the HP Envy. Since it’s a budget line. The HP Pavilion is made from both plastic and metal.
The display lid and keyboard deck are metal whiles the rest of the laptop is plastic.
Because of the metal and plastic build, the laptop has quite a bit of flex to it. And it is noticeable on the display lid and keyboard.
The weight and thickness of the HP Pavilion vary depending on the model. It can be between 3 – 6 pounds and 0.7-0.8 inches thick.
All in all, the HP Envy has the best build quality because of the materials. It also looks better than the HP Pavilion because it looks more polished and has slim bezels.
Teardown/Disassembly/Upgradeability
The HP Envy is difficult to get into and not recommended. Doing so has a high chance of destroying the chassis and even if you can disassemble it.
You can only upgrade the SSD which is not worth the trouble.
The HP Pavilion is also difficult to enter but easier than the HP Envy. Removing the bottom case doesn’t destroy anything.
But, you will have a tough time removing the bottom cover. From there, you can upgrade the RAM, SSD, HDD and WLAN card.
Display
The HP Envy can have a 13 inch, 15-inch or 17-inch display. And the resolution is either Full HD (1920 x 1080) or 4K (3840 x 2160) touch or non-touch.
Both display resolutions are bright, have great viewing angles and sharpness. The colour accuracy is also above average.
However, the 4K panel takes the cake. There is even an AMOLED option if you want a vivid display.
The HP Envy with touchscreen display including the HP Envy x360 have glossy displays. Glossy displays are fingerprint magnets, show reflections easily and show quite an amount of glare.
The HP Pavilion, on the other hand, has a below-average display. The brightness is low making it difficult to use outdoors.
And the colour accuracy and gamut are below average. Colours on the display look washed out and aren’t vivid.
As for the sharpness, it depends on the display resolution. The Full HD (1920 x 1080) is sharper than the HD (1366 x 768). As for the display sizes, it can be 14, 15 or 17 inches.
In case you go with the HP Pavilion. Always make sure it has a Full HD display. You will enjoy better sharpness than the HD option. There is also a touchscreen option available.
Overall, the HP Envy has a great display. The HP Pavilion’s display isn’t that great, to be honest. It’s expected because budget laptops like the HP Pavilion always have displays that disappoint.
Keyboard & Touchpad
The HP Envy has a full-size keyboard with no Numpad. This makes the keys well-spaced and has sufficient size. The up and down arrow keys are small though.
The keys have a good amount of key travel and tactile feedback. That provides a satisfying typing experience.
The keyboard is also backlit and can be adjusted. The touchpad is large, smooth and has Windows Precision drivers. This makes it accurate and responsive.
The HP Pavilion’s keyboard is decent. The 15 and 17 inches have Numpad. The keys are well-spaced and have a decent size. Keyboards with numpads are normally cramped.
The key travel is shallow but not so much as to negatively impact typing experience. Also, the higher specced HP Pavilions have backlit keyboards.
When it comes to the touchpad, it is large and has a nice feel to it.
Performance
Both laptops provide similar configurations and so have similar performance.
Because both make use of the same Intel Core and AMD processors. They are great for everyday use and are quite powerful enough to handle demanding loads to an extent.
For the graphics card, depending on the configuration. You can have either an integrated (Intel or AMD) or dedicated (NVIDIA MX or GTX).
The integrated card is not suitable for gaming. Not recommended if you play games a lot.
The MX-series cards are entry-level gaming graphics cards and are meant for casual gaming not demanding games. The GTX cards can handle demanding games on medium settings.
The HP Envy and HP Pavilion offer have similar hardware configurations and are pretty much tied in performance.
Battery Life
For the HP Envy, the battery life is dependent on the display resolution. If it has a Full HD display, you are looking 9-10 hours under normal use. For 4K, it reduces to 6-7 hours under normal use.
For the HP Pavilion, it’s somewhere between 6 – 11 hours depending on the Pavilion model.
Unlike the HP Envy where the battery capacity if the same regardless. The battery capacity differs between HP Pavilion models.
HP Envy vs HP Pavilion – Which One To Get?
The HP Envy is the one to get. It has a better build quality, display and performance. Moreover, it is lighter and slimmer.
The HP Envy offers more value than the HP Pavilion and there is no reason for you to choose it.
Unless you are strapped for cash. The HP Pavilion is more affordable than the HP Envy. And for a budget laptop, it gets a lot of things right making it a great choice.
In short, the HP Envy is the better option in terms of build quality, design, portability and battery life.
But, if you are on a tight budget. The HP Pavilion is a great budget laptop and isn’t a bad deal.
