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We liked
The sheer value for money – we'll keep saying this, but it's clearly a well-designed gaming machine with enough power under the hood to play all recent titles. There are slightly more powerful gaming laptops available at a similar price, but can match the Pavilion Gaming's style and features. It's more portable than competitors and more than holds its own in our battery tests. It also looks like a gaming laptop with emerald green keys and little graphical touches.
We disliked
We'd like to see a little more RAM – 8GB is fine for spreadsheets but carjacking in GTA demands a little more. Also this model lacks an SSD, but this is all reflected in the price. The colour scheme is really a matter of taste – some may love it, others may prefer something a little less garish.
Final verdict
The HP Pavilion Gaming is a fantastic value laptop that's gaming-ready. The black-and-green colour scheme won't be to everyone's taste but it's very smartly done with a few likeable design flourishes.
With its tempting price, this HP laptop means that gamers on a budget can finally get into playing the latest PC titles without having to sell everything they own. Why not buy two and get your own LAN party started? Just make sure you invite a friend around, or it'd be a bit weird.
