HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) is an interesting and noteworthy laptop

The recently released HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) laptop is a fascinating device. Its main function is productivity, and it has a dependable display and a highly strong construction. When equipped with the NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, it transforms into a respectable gaming notebook that won’t break the bank. The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023), which costs Rs 1,36,999 for the version with a dedicated GPU, goes up against a few other well-known large-screen laptops, such as my personal favorite this year, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 (review), which costs Rs 1,55,990. It is also a viable substitute for the Rs 2,49,900 Apple MacBook Pro 16.

The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) checks most hardware-related boxes appropriate for this price range, including a 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor with EVO certification, a 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD, a 120Hz 16-inch IPS display, and 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. It also has Wi-Fi 6E and a dedicated NVIDIA GPU. Of course, there are some drawbacks, particularly concerning battery life. However, the relevant query still stands: Is the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) a worthy purchase? Let’s investigate.

Rating: 9 / 10

Listing of Contents

Design and display:

The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) is not foldable or able to bend, and it is also not touch-screen compatible. The display tilts rearward up to 110–120 degrees, and it has a simple design. The silver aluminum coating on the chassis gives a high-end appearance and feel. Its big construction gives it greater room to hold more gear without significantly thickening it.

Compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 16, the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) is comparatively more portable, weighing only 1.8 kg. The Samsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360 is still among the lightest and thinnest 16-inch laptops in the market, though. Not that the Samsung laptop isn’t also a massive tablet.

Overall, the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023)’s loud front-facing Bang & Olufsen speakers make for a great movie-watching experience. Punchy bass levels, which the MacBook Pro nails, are still missing from the speakers.

Trackpad and keyboard:

One benefit of having a huge physique is that it leaves more room for a full-sized keyboard. The trackpad has, of course, more space. A sizable trackpad is provided by the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023), yet I’m not the biggest lover of where it’s located. It tilts slightly to the left, creating an uneven area where your palms can rest. In addition, the feedback is a little harsh, which is not my style. I finally used my wireless mouse as a result.

The experience of typing is positively completely different. I like how the keycaps are finished; they look nice and offer smooth feedback. On the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023), there are several hotkeys for controlling volume and even launching the customizable MyHP software. With two levels of LED backlighting, the keyboard flexes very little to nonexistent.

Software:

With every iteration of Windows 11, the software experience on Windows laptops keeps improving. I’ve said it numerous times in my previous reviews, but my favorite Windows 11 feature for managing and executing multiple apps at once is Snap Layout. In addition, Bing Chat—which is gradually being integrated into the taskbar and other Microsoft Office apps—offers generative AI elements.

To improve the performance of the laptop, HP also offers the Omen Gaming Hub and the MyHP app. The MyHP app’s user interface (UI) may use some work; it’s just too plain, or dull, in my opinion. However, the Omen Gaming Hub software offers a plethora of settings for managing games and visuals and is just as user-friendly. There’s also the HP Accessory Center, which naturally offers a restricted range of accessory support.

Even while the HP native programs work well, if you’re looking for the most user-friendly software, you might want to look into Apple MacBooks or Samsung Galaxy Books.

Performance:

As previously stated, the 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 processor (13700H), 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD are included in the configuration of the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023). Although it lags behind some of its competitors, such as the Apple Macbook Pro 16 and the Galaxy Book 3 Pro, it did well in a number of benchmarks.

Even though I was using the laptop in boost mode with a high refresh rate enabled, I had no problems in real life. There were a few Microsoft program bugs, but nothing serious.

In some situations, the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) was able to manage more than 20 Chrome tabs open at once. I had no trouble running games like FIFA 2023, Back 4 Blood, and Apex Legends because I was using the variation with the NVIDIA RTX 3050. I didn’t test any AAA games because I’m not a big PC gamer.

The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) can get somewhat noisy when you push its dual fans to their limit. Throughout my week-long review, there were no sudden heating problems.

Major enhancements are also made to the 5MP webcam. Images captured in default mode produce pleasing results with soft facial details, which is still superior to what the majority of computers in the segment offer.

Battery:

Unfortunately, the inadequate battery backup outweighs the respectable performance. Even though there may have been a much larger battery unit, the HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) has a 68Wh battery. It appears that HP is trying to keep the weight down by not using a larger battery.

The laptop operates for approximately 4-4.5 hours in boost mode, which is mediocre at best. Even with the included 135W brick, charging is likewise sluggish (about two hours from zero to 100%). About 32% of the energy was obtained after 30 minutes of charging. The HP Pavilion Plus 16 (2023) lasted 8.22 hours in the PC Mark battery test (with flight mode set and 50% brightness), which is an hour less than the Galaxy Book3 Pro 360.

Verdict:

With the Pavilion Plus 16 (2023), there is obviously some decent OMEN but not much ENVY. Put aside all puns, if you enjoy large screens on your laptops, the HP Pavilion with the dedicated NVIDIA GPU is a solid option. Although it’s not a laptop from HP’s OMEN gaming series, it has more than enough power to handle certain demanding games. In terms of productivity, the Pavilion Plus 16 shares several features—such as a strong webcam and speakers—with mid-range HP ENVY laptops. But it lacks the two most crucial qualities of its ENVY siblings: quick charging and a lengthy battery backup.

By including an SD card reader and a few more connections, HP might have made even more use of the large construction.

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