HP Pavilion series laptops are viewed by users and IT experts as combining modern design, comfortable controls, support for the most popular technologies, and functionality. Among the striking examples of devices for which similar characteristics are characteristic are the HP Pavilion 15. This laptop, according to many modern IT experts, is universal, sufficiently productive, and easy to use. Thanks to its characteristics, what makes it possible for the device to meet the specified criteria? What are the specifics of the design and structure of the hardware components of this laptop?
Model Features
The HP Pavilion 15 is actually a series of devices, but the differences between them come down mainly to regional specifications. Therefore, laptops with different indexes are quite acceptable, one way or another, to consider as one and the same device.
Model HP Pavilion 15 is positioned as an inexpensive device. It is equipped with a 15-inch matte screen that supports a fairly high resolution - 1920 x 1080 pixels. The laptop in question is characterized as a sufficiently productive device. We study the features of hardware components that directly affect the speed of the device, in more detail.
Specifications
The HP Pavilion 15 is equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor operating at 1.7 GHz, which can be increased to 2.7 GHz. The amount of RAM installed in the laptop is 4 GB, the type of modules is DDR3L. The device is equipped with a GeForce 840 graphics accelerator. The laptop is equipped with a Realtek ALC 290 audio card. The hard disk capacity is 500 GB. The laptop is equipped with an optical DVD-RW drive, a card reader for SD media, modern communication interfaces - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a wired network card, USB, HDMI ports. The HP Pavilion 15 Notebook PC is running Windows 8.1 in 64-bit. We now study the specifics of the marked hardware components of the device in more detail.
CPU Features
As we noted above, the laptop processor - Intel Core i5 - operates at a nominal frequency of 1.7 GHz, but if necessary, this can be increased to 2.7 GHz. This mode of operation of the main microcircuit of the device has an important advantage - at lower frequencies the chip heats up less, as a result of which the cooling system functions with less noise. The indicated processor performance - 2.7 GHz at maximum load - ensures the laptop is compatible with popular 3D-games, graphics applications and major Windows programs.
RAM Features
The HP Pavilion 15 laptop has 4 GB of DDR3L type RAM. It is noteworthy that the RAM is installed in the device in the form of 1 module. In total, the laptop supports up to 16 GB of RAM. It can be noted that on the device’s motherboard there are connectors of the SO-DIMM type, which makes it possible to install RAM modules that are compatible with this standard. However, as some IT specialists and users note, installing the appropriate microcircuits is not easy due to the design of the device - to solve this problem, you need to remove the motherboard.
Appearance
Notebook HP Pavilion 15 Notebook PC has a plastic case. Its outer part is silver. The lid of the laptop has a textured surface. Thanks to this, it becomes quite resistant to pollution. The inner surface of the laptop - under the cover - is black. The screen frame is made of matte plastic. The power button of the device is located at the top of the main working surface of the laptop on the left. Built-in speakers are installed directly above the keyboard. The laptop screen can tilt about 120 degrees. As users note, the device cover changes the angle with tangible resistance, so it can be fixed in any position within the supported tilt angles.
On the left side of the device’s body there are 2 USB 3.0 slots, a connector for connecting an HDMI cable, SD and RJ-45 slots, a radiator grill, and also a connector for connecting a power cord. A USB 2.0 slot, a connector for connecting audio devices, and an optical drive are installed on the right side. Nearby are the LEDs that record the activity of the hard drive and signal that the laptop's power is on.
Features of disassembling the device
In some cases, the user may need to disassemble the HP Pavilion 15 laptop, for example, in order to install additional RAM modules or replace some hardware components. This procedure in the case of the device in question has some features. So, for example, if you remove the bottom panel from the laptop, you can access the hard drive, the Wi-Fi module, as well as the optical drive. RAM chips, in particular, will not be available in this case, as well as, for example, the cooling system of the device. As we noted above, the HP Pavilion 15 motherboard may require a temporary uninstall to replace memory modules. This procedure is very laborious and can take a lot of time. However, for an experienced specialist, its implementation is not a problem.
For the user, not only how to disassemble the HP Pavilion 15, but also how compatible the new hardware components installed in the laptop with those already installed can be significant. In particular, with regard to the keyboard of the device - in some cases, models adapted for some modifications are not suitable for other versions of the device. This may be due to different loops, as well as a different arrangement of attachment points.
Keyboard and touchpad
A feature of the laptop model under consideration is the presence of a keyboard with an increased distance between the buttons. They have a size of 15 x 15 mm. The color of the keys is black, the letters are white. The keyboard is not equipped with a backlight, however, as many users believe, there is usually no urgent need for it. There is a separate NumPad unit. The laptop keyboard has traditional F1-F12 function keys that can be used in combination with the Fn button. If necessary, through the HP Pavilion 15 BIOS, you can additionally configure the device keyboard.
The touchpad installed on the laptop has a size of 110 x 66 mm. It imitates clicking on the mouse buttons. Users and IT specialists characterize the touchpad of the laptop in question as sufficiently sensitive and comfortable to use. It can be noted that the corresponding hardware component supports Multitouch mode, as well as gestures adapted to control Windows 8.
Sound
The main hardware component of the device responsible for reproducing sound is the Realtek ALC290 audio card. The laptop is equipped with two speakers, which are located in the rear area of the case. Users and experts characterize the sound reproduced by the laptop as being sufficiently saturated and loud. It can be noted that the device showed good results in terms of the function in question during testing using the RightMark Audio Analyzer program in version 6.3.0.
Display
The HP Pavilion 15 Notebook is equipped with a display that uses a TN-type matrix with LED backlighting based on white elements. As users and IT experts note, the screen functions without failures, it is sufficiently bright - 315 cd / sq. m. The gamma indicator is 2.69 at the maximum brightness of the display. Color gamut - about 81.6% of sRGB. The indicator of the color temperature of the display is about 6700 K. With a decrease in the intensity of reproduction of white color, the corresponding figure increases. The color accuracy of the laptop display is about 8 in correlation with the gray scale.
HDD
As we noted above, the device in question is equipped with a 500 GB hard drive. It will be useful to consider how productive the hard drive installed in the HP Pavilion 15 Notebook PC laptop is. Users and experts have used solutions such as ATTO Disk Benchmark, HD Tune Pro, and CrystalDiskMark to test the device’s performance. Using this set of software, it is possible to perform a comprehensive measurement of the performance of the hardware component in question.
So, the first utility of the above is designed to determine the maximum speed of the hard drive. Its use showed that the corresponding hardware component of the laptop is capable of writing and reading data at a speed that does not reach up to 100 Mb / s. Using the CrystalDiskMark program, as IT specialists note, is accompanied by the same results of testing the performance of a hard disk installed in the device in question.
Offline work
The battery installed in the HP Pavilion 15 laptop is capable of providing a sufficiently long battery life. If the device operates in video playback mode, then the battery lasts about 4 hours.
If you use a laptop to process text, then the corresponding figure can be about 6 hours 40 minutes. These indicators are described by IT specialists as completely consistent with the results of laptops in the price segment to which the device in question belongs.
Performance
We will now study the key performance indicators of the device in question. Modern laptops are most often tested in two ways - using synthetic tests, as well as in the process of launching computer games. Regarding both methods of identifying laptop performance indicators, when using popular benchmark programs, as well as common games, the device shows results that are located approximately in the middle between those that give out budget devices, as well as those that belong to the average price range. Thus, we can talk about the versatility of HP Pavilion 15. The characteristics of the device allow you to use it as a tool for solving everyday user tasks or for gaming purposes, unless, of course, we are talking about the need to run the latest "heavy" games on a laptop.
Summary
So, what conclusions can we draw by studying the main features of the laptop?
Among the unconditional positive aspects of the device:
- high performance processor;
- sufficiently capacious battery;
- high-tech sound subsystem;
- powerful graphics chip;
- high screen resolution;
- support for basic communication standards;
- convenient and functional touchpad;
- good performance in both games and applications.
Among the shortcomings of the laptop:
- outdated screen matrix manufacturing technology - TN, which predetermines very average indicators for color gamut and small viewing angles;
- the difficulty of accessing some hardware components, in particular RAM, for the purpose of replacing or diagnosing.
Thus, if the user does not plan to run modern games on the laptop that require particularly high performance from the video card, then it is quite possible to purchase the HP Pavilion 15 laptop. The characteristics of this device, as well as the actual test results, indicate that it’s quite possible to solve the main custom tasks and run undemanding games.
Reviews
What do the owners of the laptop in question say about their experience using the device? Reviews of the HP Pavilion 15 laptop that are featured on online portals can be classified into the following main categories:
- those that reflect an opinion about the appearance, convenience of controlling the device;
- regarding laptop performance ratings;
- reflecting opinions about the functionality of the device.
We will study them in more detail.
Regarding the design and comfort of using the device, laptop owners speak out positively. Many are impressed, in particular, by the convenience of using the touchpad and its functionality - especially with regard to Multitouch support. Users who are accustomed to using the corresponding option in Windows, speak about the availability of opportunities to use this technology when working with the laptop in question is especially positive. Owners of the device appreciate the design concept of the solution from HP, the ease of use of the keyboard.
Regarding the performance of the HP Pavilion 15, user reviews in this part are largely determined by the subjective perception of the speed of the laptop, as well as previous experience of device owners in the gaming industry or in the field of involving graphics processing and computing applications - those that may especially require a laptop high performance. Users who have significant experience with devices in these areas are usually more objective in assessing the speed of the device in question. In turn, those owners of the laptop who are not too actively interested in relevant games and applications, in some cases tend to speak too positively or, conversely, too critically about the capabilities of the device in question, since they poorly represent its place in the environment of other devices.
Another aspect of the reviews is the functionality of the laptop. As a rule, it is evaluated by users in terms of the device supporting basic communication standards, as well as the presence of modern controls in it. Regarding the first nuance - the owners of the laptop give very positive assessments. This is understandable: the device supports almost all the standards that are in demand by modern users.
Regarding controls - laptop owners rate them as quite comfortable. Especially positive reviews are observed in relation to the touchpad - in relation to the Mulitouch function supported by it, sensitivity, convenience of using the corresponding hardware component.