HP Pavilion Plus 14 review
The HP HP Pavilion Plus 14 ranks as the #258 laptops globally, achieving a LibraScore of 76. Across all metrics, this product stands out most for its #62-ranked connectivity among 332 laptops. Consider the HP ENVY x360 14 or HP EliteBook 840 G11, which offer higher scores while staying in the same price range.
Is it Worth it?
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 is an impressive laptop that nearly reaches premium territory without breaking the bank. With its sturdy build, premium materials, and fantastic display, this device delivers a great user experience. The keyboard and trackpad are also top-notch, and input standards are some of the best in class. Performance-wise, it's solid, with thermals being a notable improvement over previous models. However, battery life and speakers could be better. Considering its value, it's hard not to recommend this laptop, making it a strong contender against pricier Envy options. Is it worth the investment? Absolutely.
Build
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 boasts a sturdy build with premium materials, giving it a solid feel. The laptop's design is sleek and minimalist, making it suitable for both personal and professional use. The device's weight distribution is well-balanced, ensuring comfort during extended usage periods. The metal chassis provides durability and resistance to scratches, while the keyboard and trackpad are positioned comfortably, allowing for efficient typing and navigation. Overall, the build quality of the HP Pavilion Plus 14 is impressive, justifying its premium price tag. A better alternative might be HP ENVY x360 14, featuring a next-level build.
Display
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 boasts an impressive display, with vibrant colors and excellent brightness levels. The 14-inch touchscreen is a pleasure to use, with crisp text and detailed images. I was particularly impressed by the display's ability to produce accurate and nuanced color representations, making it perfect for creative work or simply enjoying your favorite shows. While some may find the bezels to be slightly thicker than desired, this minor quibble doesn't detract from an overall excellent viewing experience. Overall, the Pavilion Plus 14's display is a highlight of this laptop, making it well-suited for both work and play. You may find HP ENVY x360 14 a better fit, thanks to its superior display.
Performance
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 delivers impressive performance with its Intel Core i5 Ultra Meteor Lake chip, 16GB LPDDR5x memory, and integrated graphics. Day-to-day activities like web browsing and office work are seamless, while more demanding tasks like programming and code compilation are handled efficiently. However, multi-layer 4K video editing is not recommended due to potential frame drops. The laptop's gaming performance is surprisingly good, with games like Fortnite running at 60 FPS on medium settings without a discrete GPU. Thermals are also well-managed, with a maximum surface temperature of 40°C under peak loads. If you’re after a better performance, HP EliteBook x360 1040 G11 could be the ideal option.
Battery and Charging
The HP Pavilion Plus 14's battery life is a moderate 9 hours of real-world usage time with light loads. While this may suffice for casual use, it falls short of expectations for a laptop in its price range. Upgradability options are also limited, with soldered RAM and a single PCIe Gen 4 NVMe slot that's occupied by an M.2 drive. Charging is relatively quick, but the modest 68Wh battery means you may need to recharge during long days or demanding activities. The laptop's compact size and lightweight design make it easy to carry around, but the battery life could be improved for better portability.
Connectivity
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 boasts impressive connectivity options. It features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack, making it easy to connect peripherals and displays. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for seamless wireless connections. Upgrading the storage is possible via one available PCIe Gen 4 NVMe slot. For an improved connectivity, HP EliteBook 830 G9 is worth considering.
Features
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 boasts a sturdy build with premium materials, providing a luxurious feel. The laptop features a fantastic display that showcases vibrant colors and crisp visuals. Input devices are also impressive, with a great keyboard and decent trackpad. Port standards are among the best in its class. Performance is solid, with Intel's Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM handling everyday tasks with ease. You might want to check out HP ENVY x360 14, featuring an upgraded features for a superior experience.
Support and Maintenance
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 excels in support and maintenance aspects. The laptop has impressive input devices, with a fantastic keyboard and decent trackpad. Upgrade options are limited, but the existing storage can be replaced via PCIe Gen 4 NVMe slot. Self-upgradability is hindered by soldered RAM, so it's essential to choose the right configuration from the start.
Pros
1. A sturdy build with a lot of premium materials to give you a nice feel for the machine.
2. A fantastic display where everything looks flush and vivid.
3. Great input devices, thanks to a great keyboard and decent trackpad.
4. Some of the best I/O standards you'll find in class.
5. Performance and thermals are generally speaking getting better year over year.
Cons
1. Battery life could be a little bit better.
2. Speakers could definitely be better, being some of the worst heard on any laptop this year.
3. Self-upgradability options are very limited, with soldered RAM meaning you're stuck with the configuration you get.
4. No depth and a lot of distortion in sound even at lower volume levels.
5. Not ideal for full-time 4K video editing or demanding activities like multi-layer 4K video editing.
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