HP has been around for a long time and the brand is known for its reliable and affordable laptops. But are they good for gaming? Specifically, is the HP Pavilion worth buying if you want to play games on your laptop?
I’m a web developer who is using the Pavilion laptop and I’m passionate about gaming. I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember, and combined with my love for tech, I’m well-versed in this topic.
This article will share with you what makes gaming on an HP Pavilion a viable choice. I’ll also talk about why games are easier to run nowadays, compare minimum requirements for popular games to what HP Pavilion is able to offer for basic specs, and finally, whether you should get an HP Pavilion for gaming.
Let’s get to it!
Contents
Many Games Are Easier to Run Nowadays
Many games nowadays are designed to take advantage of modern hardware, which means they are more efficient at utilizing resources.
Some games may require specific features not available when first released. But as technology improves, these features become available.
For example, Windows 10 comes with DirectX 12 support. So if you play any game that supports this feature, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of running it smoothly without having to worry about compatibility issues.
When we play games, we want to see everything as clearly as possible most of the time. That’s where anti-aliasing comes into play.
This technique helps reduce jagged edges on objects to look smooth. It does this by making sure that each pixel is rendered twice. This way, the pixels will blend seamlessly.
If you’re wondering whether or not your laptop can handle gaming, then you should know that almost every laptop nowadays can take some form of gaming. The main difference between them would be the graphical processing power.
Popular Games vs. HP Pavilion Basic Specs
Let’s look at some of the most popular games with great graphics but low minimum system requirements and compare them to the HP Pavilion laptop’s basic specifications.
A list of popular games and their minimum requirements:
| GTA 5 | Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | FIFA 22 | |
| Operating System | Win Vista 64-Bit | Windows 10 64-Bit | Windows 10 64-Bit |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz | Ryzen 3 1200 – @ 3.1 GHz | Intel Core i3-6100 @ 3.7GHz |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB |
| RAM | 4 GB Memory | 8 GB Memory | 8 GB Memory |
HP Pavilion basic specs on laptops currently available:
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5 @4.22 GHz With Turbo Boost |
| Graphics Card | Intel Iris X Graphics 4GB |
| RAM | 16 GB Memory |
As you can see from the comparison above the minimum requirements for some of the best and most popular games right now are far lower than the basic specs on the HP Pavilion laptop.
This should encourage you to get this budget-friendly gaming laptop if you were wondering whether it’s going to open your favorite game or not.
Games nowadays are a lot better at handling resources and that means that you don’t need the best hardware to run games.
With the basic specifications, you can run a considerable amount of games and you can check it out by entering the specs on this website.
Is the HP Pavilion Laptop Good for Gaming?
As we previously mentioned, the Pavilion laptops are HP’s most reliable and cheap devices. These were the staple for home or work budget laptops and could compete with other brands on the market by offering a fantastic product at a low price.
Things drastically changed in 2018, when HP decided that the Pavilion laptops would become budget gaming devices to compete with Dell G Series and the Lenovo Legion.
It was a smooth transition that was well-received by the community. There was always an interesting market for budget gaming laptops, and HP did its best to fill it.
This product has improved a lot through the years, and worldwide tech enthusiasts like myself know that this is an excellent alternative for a gaming laptop if you’re on a budget.
Even though it might not be the best gaming laptop considering that you’re going to pay a lot less than a flagship device, I’d say it’s a good choice.
Should I Upgrade to the Latest HP Pavilion Model?
This is an excellent question that doesn’t have a definitive answer, however, I’ll try to steer you in the right direction.
First, you need to evaluate your setup and why you think it’s time to do an upgrade. Do games lag too much? Are you not able to play one of the latest releases?
Once you answer those questions you have a better understanding of what you need. Do some due diligence and research the newer model.
Do you think it’s going to fulfill your needs? Do you have the budget to make the upgrade?
Hopefully, by answering those questions you’re going to realize whether you should upgrade to the latest HP Pavilion gaming laptop or not.
Closing Thoughts
If you are looking for a gaming laptop that lasts long and doesn’t cost much, then HP Pavilion is a decent choice. Just look at the comparison of the basic specs and minimum requirements of some of the most popular games I covered above.
Remember that you’re not getting the flagship device so don’t expect things to be excellent when you game. However, you’re going to get the best performance for your money with a model in this series.
