HP last month launched its upgraded lineup of Pavilion laptops with 13th generation Intel processors, the Pavilion 14, Pavilion 14 Plus and Pavilion x360. In this review, we’ll be looking specifically at the HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 laptop, which is a versatile and powerful device. This device, with its sleek design and impressive specs, offers a perfect blend of performance and portability with few compromises. The 360-degree heel allows for multiple uses, making it an attractive choice for both work and play.
I’ve been testing it for the past few weeks, and in the following sections we’ll go over its key features, performance, and user experience to help you make an informed decision about whether it’s right for your needs.
HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 (2023) review
Summary:
The HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 laptop offers a sleek design, versatile performance and reliable features. It provides a smooth user experience with its sturdy heel, comfortable keyboard and immersive display. With a good selection of ports, a high-quality webcam and few compromises, it’s an attractive choice for users who need a versatile laptop.
Design and build quality
When it comes to looks, the HP Pavilion x360 is a visually appealing laptop with a sleek and modern design with a brushed metal finish that gives it a premium look and feel. The unit I’m reviewing came in pale rose gold, which I like better than the other silver color option. The notebook is built with high-quality materials that make the notebook sturdy and devoid of any noticeable flex. The side bezels on display are slim, but the top and bottom bezels are definitely noticeably thicker.
In recent years, we have witnessed a growing trend of sustainable materials in the production of smartphones and laptops. HP has also demonstrated its commitment to reducing waste by using ocean-bound plastics and recycled aluminum.
For any 2-in-1 laptop that requires seamless transitions between different operating modes, the hinge is the most important thing, and HP knows it. Compared to the previous generation, the hinge of the 13th generation powered x360 is more robust and ensures that you can switch between different modes (tablet, tent, laptop and stand) quite seamlessly. This hinge also provides a raised design in laptop mode that allows for better airflow and slightly more comfortable typing.
via GIPHY
Moving on to the overall keyboard experience, the island-style, backlit keyboard is a pleasure to type on thanks to decent travel, something that’s becoming a rare commodity these days. The overall keyboard-to-touchpad ratio of real estate is well balanced, giving ample room for palm rest and finger movement.
When it comes to ports and connectivity, the HP Pavilion x360 does not disappoint. It offers a good selection of ports, including one USB Type-C, two USB Type-A, a full-size HDMI port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. Additionally, the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 for wireless connectivity.
screen and touch screen
display specifications.
- 35.6 cm (14 in) diagonal
- FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution
- Multitouch is enabled
- IPS panel
- Edge to edge glass
- 250 nit brightness
- 45% NTSC Gamut coverage
The HP Pavilion x360 comes with a high-quality 16:9 display and a responsive touchscreen, which is the highlight of this overall package. The viewing experience with the 14-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS screen is a delight. The display is bright and vibrant, with good color reproduction and contrast, making it ideal for browsing, streaming and general office tasks. However, 250 nits of brightness and 45% NTSC gamut coverage make it less than ideal for pro-level video or photo editing, and you should consider a display with higher gamma coverage for better color accuracy and satisfying results.
The notebook also comes with a stylus that works well for basic drawing and note taking. The stylus is rechargeable via Type-C and magnetically attaches to the side of the screen, which is a nice touch.
During my testing, I mostly interacted with the screen using just my fingers, as it felt more natural and intuitive to me. While I tested the stylus briefly, I found that I didn’t need to use it personally in my day-to-day activities. However, you may find the stylus a valuable tool for tasks like drawing or taking notes, and it’s a good inclusion for those who prefer to use it.
Web camera
The built-in webcam on the Pavilion 360x laptop is a standout feature, boasting an HP True Vision 5MP camera. The camera quality is impressive for a built-in laptop webcam, offering crisp and clear images that are great for my online meetings. The optional camera cover is a thoughtful addition that provides users with a sense of privacy when the camera is not in use.
A welcome feature of the webcam is temporal noise reduction, which significantly improves video quality in low-light conditions or fast-moving scenarios by reducing pixelation and blurring. Also notable are the dual integrated array digital microphones; they provide clear audio recording by effectively minimizing background noise. This combination of features makes the HP Pavilion 360x webcam more than just a basic feature and value points.
Performance
Powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U processor, the HP Pavilion 360x managed to be a competent machine for my daily workload, which included regular video calls and Slack huddles, Netflix streaming, endless hours of web browsing, and some basic gaming for testing purposes. Since this particular chip has 10 cores, 8 of which are performance cores, you get a balanced result when it comes to performance and power efficiency.
About games specifically, I was able to play games like Valorant and some less demanding AAA titles at decent framerates. The laptop was also quiet under regular and medium workloads. The version I tested came with a 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD and 16GB of DDR4 RAM; The lack of DDR5 RAM definitely looks like a cost-cutting strategy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the HP Pavilion x360 2-in-1 laptop impresses with its sleek design, versatile features and reliable performance. The build quality of the notebook is solid and the sturdy hinge allows for seamless transitions between modes. A comfortable keyboard and well-balanced port selection enhance the overall user experience.
The 14-inch Full HD IPS display delivers vivid colors and good contrast, though it may not be ideal for pro-level editing. The built-in webcam provides clear images and includes a camera cover for privacy. Powered by a 13th generation Intel Core processor, the laptop provides reliable performance for everyday tasks and basic games. With a 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD and 16GB DDR4 RAM, it provides ample storage and smooth multitasking capabilities. Overall, the HP Pavilion x360 is a versatile and powerful device that offers a seamless user experience for work and entertainment.