Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Intel's sixth-generation i7-6700HQ Skylake processor features in the Pavilion Gaming notebook. It lies at the lower end of the chipmaker's new set, the current top offering being the i7-6920HQ which runs at 2.9GHz compared to the i7-6700's 2.6GHz. The processor is coupled with a GTX 950M, which was introduced to give Nvidia an upper mid-range offering in gaming notebooks.
That's relatively affordable, but if you're after pure gaming muscle, be aware that it's possible to pick up a gaming laptop with a meatier GTX 960M for between £700 and £800 (around US$991 - US$1091) if you have a nose for a deal.
Spec sheet
Here is the HP Pavilion Gaming Notebook configuration sent to techradar for review:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-6700HQ (2.6GHz, up to 3.5GHz, 6MB cache, 4 cores)
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530 + Nvidia GeForce GTX 950M (4GB DDR3L dedicated)
- RAM: 8GB DDR3L SDRAM (1 x 8GB)
- Screen: 15.6-inch diagonal FHD IPS anti-glare WLED-backlit (1920 x 1080)
- Storage: 1TB 5400 rpm SATA
- Optical drive: SuperMulti DVD burner
- Ports: 1 x HDMI, 1 x headphone/microphone combo, 1 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x multi-format SD media card reader
- Connectivity: Ethernet LAN, 802.11ac (1 x 1) and Bluetooth 4.0 combo (Miracast compatible)
- Camera: HP TrueVision HD Webcam (front-facing) with integrated dual array digital microphone
- Weight: 2.32kg
- Size: 385 x 265 x 28.8mm (W x D x H)
One way HP has saved on costs is to include a standard 5400rpm SATA drive. This increases loading times but on the flip side it gives you a whole terabyte of data to use up. That said, most gaming laptops couple a terabyte SATA with some sort of SSD where the OS is stored to form a hybrid drive. Windows 10 was a little slower to load on the HP Pavilion than an SSD-equipped laptop, but it wasn't that noticeable. Also unlike some SATA hard drives, this one is completely silent.
The Gaming Pavilion's full HD screen is very clear and consistent, viewable from nearly all angles and with very good colour definition. A 15.6-inch screen might seem small to some, but I didn't find it particularly restrictive. And there's always an HDMI port if you want to throw the output onto a projector.
The standard HP parts are present, such as the Bang & Olufsen speakers – while they'll never reach an ear-splitting volume they're functional enough. There's also the standard unpredictable touchpad. These components won't blow your mind but they do the job.
Benchmarks
Here's how the HP Pavilion Gaming performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
- 3DMark: Cloud Gate: 13,978; Sky Diver 10,131; Fire Strike: 2757
- Cinebench: CPU: 635 points; Graphics: 41.74 fps
- PCMark 8 (Home test): 2,869 points
- PCMark 8 Battery Life: 3 hours 3 minutes
- Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor: (1080p, Ultra): 22 fps; (1080p, Low): 36 fps
- Metro: Last Light: (1080p, Ultra): 30 fps; (1080p, Low): 55 fps
This isn't a machine for playing Witcher 3 on Ultra settings, but I blasted through Fallout 4 and Just Cause 3 with ease. Both kept their heads above 35 fps in both cases, and although that isn't a terrific figure, the games were playable. It's worth remembering that HP is undercutting several gaming machines with the Pavilion Gaming's asking price by taking a few hits on graphics, RAM and storage.
In our official benchmarks, the Pavilion gaming managed a respectable 30 fps in Ultra mode for Metro: Last Ligh; the aforementioned Acer Predator couldn't manage much better, clocking in at 33 fps in Ultra. It also beat the Gigabyte P55K v4 which could only clock up around 26 fps.
The HP notebook had more trouble with the open world of Shadow of Mordor with 22 fps on Ultra, but delivered an absolutely playable 36 fps on Lowest. Lowering the resolution from the tested 1080p pushed the framerate up further to around 40 fps.
While this is a relatively portable gaming laptop due to its weight, the HP Pavilion Gaming's battery life isn't going to give Apple's MacBook Air any sleepless nights. The Pavilion racked up just over three hours in our test, which is still nearly half an hour more than the Gigabyte P55K v4. It's enough to keep you going through a few levels and some light internet browsing.
Bundled software
- Heaven Benchmark: A dragon in a small village from many angles. Designed to show off your framerate to your friends
- Valley Benchmark: Much the same as Heaven but set in, you've guessed it, a valley!
- Dropbox: 25GB of space included for free for a year
