Deal | 2020 HP Pavilion 15z with AMD Ryzen 7 4700U is only $489 USD right now, outperforms most Intel Core i7 Ultrabooks

We aren't usually excited about deals on budget laptops. We much prefer to pay a little more for a flagship or mid-range model, but this particular HP Pavilion deal might be an exception.

HP is currently selling its latest Pavilion 15z laptop equipped with one of AMD's fastest U-series CPUs for just under $490 USD. Users must click "customize & buy", select the "natural silver" color option, backlit keyboard option, and the Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6 module to see the final price. Opting out of Wi-Fi 6 can save users another $10 USD if desired.

The sale is notable for two reasons. Firstly, the Ryzen 7 4700U is faster than the pricier 10th gen Intel Core i7-1065G7 and even the 11th gen Core i7-1165G7 in multi-threaded loads. Secondly, this Pavilion 15z uses a newer chassis design that is significantly sleeker and more modern than the older, rounder models. In other words, users aren't getting last year's trimmings just because they're paying cheaper prices.

A main drawback is the IPS display which covers just ~60 percent of sRGB instead of the usual >90 percent on pricier mid-range or higher-end models. Don't expect colors to be as vibrant or accurate as on an HP Envy or Spectre. RAM and storage are limited but technically user-expandable.

Though we've yet to review this exact 15.6-inch model, it still has a lot in common with the 13-inch version of this exact chassis that we had checked out last week.

• 15.6-inch 1080p IPS display, 250 nits
• AMD Ryzen 7 4700U CPU
• Integrated Vega 7 graphics
• 8 GB DDR4-3200 RAM (2x SODIMM)
• 128 GB M.2 SSD
• 2x USB-A, USB-C, SD card reader, HDMI 2.0
• 14.18 x 9.21 x 0.70 in
• 3.86 lbs