(HP is the first choice when considering the purchase of a computer. In the vast laptop market, HP strategically addresses the diverse needs of users through its unique market segments. Whether you’re a gamer or an office laptop user, HP offers a wide range of solutions. Among its office laptop product lines, there are the well-known Pavilion series, ProBook, EliteBook, and more. Today, we are going to focus on the Pavilion series, specifically the HP Pavilion Plus 16 2023 model.
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 is designed to meet the needs of users on a mid-range budget. Its base variant starts at $680 and comes with a Core 13th Gen i5 processor. However, we are focusing on the $840 variant today.
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 is powered by an Intel Core i7-13700H processor and an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics GPU. It features a 16-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate at 2.5K resolution. The laptop also has 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD.
Specifications
| Screen | 16″, WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 120Hz, IPS, micro-edge, anti-glare, Low Blue Light, 400 nits, 100% sRGB, 16:10 aspect ratio, |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-13700H (up to 5.0 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 24 MB L3 cache, 14 cores, and 20 threads) |
| Wireless Connection | Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2) wireless card, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Graphics card | Intel Iris Xe |
| Memory | 16 GB LPDDR5x-5200 MHz RAM (onboard), Dual Channel Memory |
| Storage | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD |
| Camera | 5MP IR camera |
| Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4 |
| Battery | 4-cell, 68Wh Li-ion polymer with 90W AC adapter |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro Windows 11 Home |
| Weight | 1.89kg (4.16lb) |
Design
The laptop is available in two colors: Natural Silver and Warm Gold (the latter costs an additional $20). The model in this review is in natural silver.
The laptop features a three-sided metal body with very narrow display bezels, giving it a stylish overall appearance. The display shell is made of aluminum alloy with a matte finish. The HP logo is prominently placed in the center and is a key element to highlight the classic design of the laptop. The dimensions of this notebook are 357 x 253.5 x 17.7 mm, and it weighs around 1.89 kg.
Display
The laptop features a 16-inch IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. This aspect ratio differs from the standard 16:9 screen and enhances the vertical height, making it ideal for office and design tasks. The display has a 2560×1600 resolution for a rich visual experience.
The display features a VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) function, which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate to meet the user’s specific needs. This adaptability not only ensures smooth image quality but also helps improve energy efficiency and optimize battery performance. The display reaches a peak brightness of 400 nits. It integrates TUV Eyesafe-certified blue light protection to protect the user’s vision during prolonged use.
For the display test, we used the Spyder X tester. It achieves 100% sRGB, 83% Adobe RGB, and 86% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. It has a maximum brightness of 426 nits, which exceeds expectations. It has an average Delta E value of 0.81, a minimum of 0.05, and a peak of 2.05. Compared to previously reviewed laptops like the Dell Latitude 5440 and HP ProBook 450 G10, the Pavilion 16 Plus is a better display benchmark.
Screen Test Results | |
| sRGB | 100% |
| Adobe RGB | 83% |
| DCI-P3 | 86% |
| Maximum Brightness | 426nits |
| Average Delta E | 0.81 |
| Minimum Delta E | 0.05 |
| Maximum Delta E | 2.05 |
The top bezel of the display features an HP Wide Vision 5MP infrared camera module designed to enhance the video conferencing experience of the Pavilion Plus 16. Not only does the camera module support noise cancellation and improved video clarity, but it also features a dual-array digital microphone to ensure clear audio transmission during virtual meetings.
Keyboard and TouchPad
The Pavilion Plus 16 comes with a full-size keyboard, providing a refined user experience. Notable features include white backlighting with two adjustable levels and a numeric keypad. The silver variant features an exclusive soft gray color scheme, while the gold variant boasts a stormy sand gray color scheme.
Below the keyboard is a sleek touchpad. This touchpad enables easy cursor navigation, further enhancing the user-friendly design of the Pavilion Plus 16.
Ports
On the left side, there is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right side, there is a Type-C Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and a charging port. Both Type-C ports support USB Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4, and HP Sleep and Charge.
Battery and Charging
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 comes with a 4-cell 68Wh Li-ion polymer battery with a capacity of 8368mAh.
With brightness set to 200 nits and Wi-Fi connected, the battery tests were conducted using the PCMark 10 Modern Office test, which gets up to 12 hours of battery life. This confirms the notebook’s ability to seamlessly deliver 8-10 hours of battery life in typical daily office use. The extended battery life is due to the synergy of variable refresh rate and energy-efficient LPDDR5X memory modules.
The included 90W AC adapter can charge the battery to 50% in 30 minutes, in line with official claims. It’s worth mentioning that HP also offers a 135W AC adapter in some regions, but the model under review shipped with a 90W charger.
RAM and SSD
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 offers 16GB dual-channel (2x 8GB modules) LPDDR5X memory at 5200MHz. The memory is soldered to the motherboard, so it is not upgradeable. The memory operates at 5200MHz, which has a power-saving advantage over standard LPDDR5 memory, despite its standard frequency of 6400MHz.
In memory testing with AIDA64, it achieved a read speed of 66050 MB/s, a write speed of 77282 MB/s, a copy speed of 63362 MB/s, and a latency of 88.2 ns.
The Pavilion Plus 16 also comes with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD from Samsung. The laptop is also available in a 512GB SSD version, which costs $110 less than the 1TB version. Using the CrystalDiskMark benchmarking application, the SSD achieved the following results: 3,671 MB/s sequential read, 3,045 MB/s sequential write, 74 MB/s random 4K read, and 173 MB/s random 4K write.
CPU Benchmark
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 offers two processor options: the Core i5-13500H processor and the Core i7-13700H. The model we reviewed comes with the i7-13700H processor. It runs on a maximum power consumption of 45W.
The processor has an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card. However, the manufacturer offers an RTX 3050 graphics card option for an additional $100. The model under review is based on the processor’s integrated graphics.
We have conducted a simple benchmark test on the processor, and the results are as follows.
Cinebench R23: 1,868pts on single-core and 15,196pts on multi-core
3DMark TimeSpy: 2,082 total score, including 11,206 CPU score and 1,806 GPU score
Heat Dissipation and Stress Testing
The cooling system of this laptop consists of dual heat pipes and dual cooling fans, which is the same as the HP Pavilion Plus 14’s cooling system, except that the fan size is slightly larger.
CPU Stress Test: The CPU stress test uses the AIDA64 FPU stress test. Before the test, the performance mode was activated via myHP, and the room temperature was maintained at 24.2°C. Throughout the test, the CPU’s peak power consumption reached 64W, which subsequently stabilized at 45W, and the CPU core temperature stabilized at approximately 86°C.
The fan speed is sensibly kept low, even under full load, and the noise level is very low compared to previously reviewed thin and light laptops with standard voltage processors. After a long time, the temperature is highest around the numeric keypad area, which is around 45°C. At the same time, the maximum temperature of the keycaps reached 42°C. This effective temperature control highlights the laptop’s thermal management capabilities.
Summary:
The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) is priced at $840, and its Core i7-13700H processor and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics processor cater to the different needs of users. The laptop comes with a 16-inch display with a 2.5K resolution and an adaptive refresh rate. The Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, and efficient fast charging provide powerful connectivity. The 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD offer a seamless user experience. With an efficient cooling system and commendable battery performance, the HP Pavilion Plus 16 offers a comprehensive, high-performance solution for professional use at a very competitive price.