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HP Pavilion 14 (i7-8550U, MX150) Laptop Review

Top case, but what does it look like inside? HP understands how to please its customers, by creating devices with appealing designs and solid craftsmanship. The new Pavilion 14 is another premium HP laptop at an affordable price. We are also interested in how our test device performs under its sandblasted, anodized hood. Can HP’s latest Pavilion laptop cut it against the competition, or does it just look the part?

HP equips its latest 14-inch Pavilion with an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor and an Nvidia GeForce MX150 dedicated GPU in a modern case. We are particularly interested at seeing how our test device performs as its powerful components can sometimes prove too much for a 14-inch case. Hence, we are looking forward to seeing how our test device performs in stress tests. 

We have chosen to compare the new HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng against the ASUS ZenBook UX430UN, the Huawei MateBook X Pro, the HP Pavilion 15, the HP Spectre x360 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s. All our comparison devices are equipped with Core i7-8550U processors, except for the Pavilion 15, which is powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 2500U APU.

HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng (Pavilion 14-ce Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 4 x 1.8 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX150 - 2048 MB VRAM
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, BOE072C, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Sunrise Point-LP
Storage
SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G, 128 GB 
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack, Card Reader: SD card reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 326.8 x 225.5 ( = 0.7 x 12.87 x 8.88 in)
Battery
41 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HP Wide Vision HD Camera
Additional features
Speakers: Two speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 65 W power supply, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.69 kg ( = 59.61 oz / 3.73 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

New design elements
New design elements

HP has now extended its sleek design aesthetic to the Pavilion 14, which looks modern with its sharp lines, rounded corners and narrow display bezels. Our test device has considerably smaller bezels than previous models thanks to HP’s Micro-Edge display and no longer resembles an old TV. The entire keyboard is recessed around two millimeters within the case so that it is level with the trackpad. Moreover, the speaker grille has a check design reminiscent of the HP Envy that we also recently reviewed. The sides of the case also taper inwards but without looking fussy or ostentatious.

HP has used premium materials that help make our test device feel sturdy. The display bezel and bottom case are made of plastic like previous models, but the display lid and keyboard deck are covered in a sandblasted, anodized metal case. Overall, our test device is well-built; only the bottom case creaks when we apply pressure to the case.

The new Pavilion 14 has an interesting hinge design, the likes of which we have seen with the new 13-inch HP Envy. The hinge opens to a maximum angle of 130 degrees, with the display moving underneath the case as the screen moves backwards, causing the latter to lift away from the surface on which the laptop is placed. What first looks like a design flaw is intentional; the slight incline provides a better typing experience than if the keyboard deck lay flat against a table or your legs. The design also allows for better airflow underneath the device.

The maintenance options are less impressive than the case though. Accessing the internal components requires removing the entire bottom case, which is more arduous than if HP had included a maintenance cover for the SSD or SO-DIMM RAM slots.

The Pavilion 14 measures 326.8 x 225.5 x 17.9 millimeters, which gives our test device a footprint akin to the ASUS ZenBook UX430UN, the Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB and the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s. However, our test device weighs 1.7 kg, which is between 200 and 400 grams heavier than those other devices. Our comparison devices are far from being cheap plastic laptops too, so we cannot explain away the Pavilion 14’s additional weight because it is made mostly from metal. By contrast, our test device’s 65 W power supply is compact and handy.

Size Comparison

331 mm / 13 inch 226.8 mm / 8.93 inch 18.45 mm / 0.726 inch 1.3 kg2.97 lbs326.8 mm / 12.9 inch 225.5 mm / 8.88 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.7 kg3.73 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.3 kg2.91 lbs323.4 mm / 12.7 inch 226 mm / 8.9 inch 16.4 mm / 0.646 inch 1.5 kg3.26 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 217 mm / 8.54 inch 14.6 mm / 0.575 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Our test device has three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports: a USB Type-C port on the right-hand side of the device and two USB Type-A ports on the opposite side. The device also has a single 3.5 mm jack, a full-sized SD card reader and a Kensington lock slot on its left-hand side with a power connector, an RJ45 Ethernet port, an HDMI 1.4 port and a fingerprint sensor on its right-hand side. There is a small LED for hard drive activity next to the fingerprint sensor too. Overall, the ports are well spaced, and you should have no problems with connectors blocking each other when using multiple ports.

SD card reader

The Pavilion 14 has a spring-loaded SD card reader that absorbs practically an entire card. Unfortunately, the reader is comparatively slow, with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference SD card only achieving 40 MB/s transfer speeds in our tests. By contrast, the SD card reader in the HP Spectre X360 15 reaches an average write speed of 163.8 MB/s and an average read speed of 212.4 MB/s. Our test device’s values are considerably lower than the class average too.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
163.8 MB/s +314%
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s +135%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
75.2 MB/s +90%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
39.6 MB/s
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
39 MB/s -2%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.61 MB/s -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.8 MB/s -32%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
212.4 MB/s +479%
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s +234%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.4 MB/s +138%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36.8 MB/s 0%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36.7 MB/s
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36 MB/s -2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.2 MB/s -26%

Communication

HP has also equipped the Pavilion 14 with a Realtek 1x1 Wi-Fi module that is significantly slower than most of our comparison devices. Our test device manages around 280 Mb/s in iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests, which is at least 200 Mb/s slower than the class average and four of our comparison devices. The Pavilion 14 also has an Ethernet port should you need a faster wired Internet connection.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +175%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
630 MBit/s +120%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
515 MBit/s +79%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
479 MBit/s +67%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
478 MBit/s +67%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
289 MBit/s +1%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
287 MBit/s
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
269 MBit/s -6%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +301%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
656 MBit/s +133%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
648 MBit/s +131%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
623 MBit/s +122%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
525 MBit/s +87%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
302 MBit/s +7%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
281 MBit/s
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
280 MBit/s 0%

Input Devices & Operation

A look at the Pavilion 14’s keyboard backlight
A look at the Pavilion 14’s keyboard backlight

Keyboard

The Pavilion 14 has a chiclet keyboard with keys that have a crisp action while feeling both smooth and flat. The square keys are large and have a short stroke with 15 millimeters of travel, making the Pavilion 14 a great device for high-speed typists. The keyboard is backlit too, but the white backlight can only be switched on and off with the F5 button like many other HP laptops. Other laptops, like the MacBook Pro, have multi-levels of keyboard backlighting.

Trackpad

The trackpad is unusually wide relative to its height, with the trackpad on our test device measuring 11-inches wide and 5.5-inches tall. The trackpad is so wide that at default settings we can move the mouse across the entire display without having to lift our fingers. The tracking works well even at the edges of the trackpad. Moreover, there are two mouse buttons in the bottom half of the trackpad. Clicks are clean and feel evenly crisp throughout.

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

The Pavilion 14 has a 14-inch IPS display with a native resolution of 1920x1080 and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Our test device has a BOE panel with the model number BOE072C that achieves an average maximum brightness of 223 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, a value that is lower than all our comparison devices except for the HP Pavilion 15. The Pavilion has comparatively poor color-space coverage too and is only better than the HP Envy x360 with its Chi Mei CM15E panel out of our comparison devices.

224
cd/m²
210
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE072C tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 239 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 223.4 cd/m² Minimum: 13 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 205 cd/m²
Contrast: 885:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 3.64
ΔE Greyscale 5.85 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.96% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
59.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.64% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.45
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
BOE072C, , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AU Optronics AUO23ED, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
JDI LPM139M422A, , 3000x2000, 13.90
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
AUO B140QAN02.3, , 2560x1440, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
LP140QH2-SPB1, , 2560x1440, 14.00
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NV140FHM-N62, BOE0718, , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
BOE0730, , 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
-7%
65%
63%
73%
52%
63%
Display P3 Coverage
39.64
36.7
-7%
65.8
66%
65.5
65%
71.4
80%
64.6
63%
68.5
73%
sRGB Coverage
59.3
55
-7%
97.7
65%
96.2
62%
96.6
63%
84.8
43%
90.7
53%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
40.96
37.91
-7%
67.5
65%
66.1
61%
72.1
76%
62
51%
66.3
62%
Response Times
8%
7%
-24%
10%
-12%
129%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(21, 19)
40 ?(18, 22)
-0%
42 ?(20, 22)
-5%
58.4 ?(29.2, 29.2)
-46%
36 ?(17.6, 18.4)
10%
43.6 ?(24.4, 19.2)
-9%
38 ?(20.4, 17.6)
5%
Response Time Black / White *
31 ?(18, 13)
26 ?(16, 10)
16%
25 ?(12, 13)
19%
31.2 ?(14.8, 16.4)
-1%
28 ?(15.6, 12.4)
10%
39.2 ?(22.8, 16.4)
-26%
27.6 ?(15.6, 12)
11%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
200 ?(99)
0%
943 ?(99)
372%
Screen
-3%
64%
24%
31%
21%
14%
Brightness middle
239
186
-22%
550
130%
311
30%
311
30%
310.4
30%
329.3
38%
Brightness
223
180
-19%
512
130%
293
31%
302
35%
303
36%
316
42%
Brightness Distribution
88
88
0%
88
0%
85
-3%
91
3%
89
1%
84
-5%
Black Level *
0.27
0.15
44%
0.32
-19%
0.2
26%
0.36
-33%
0.31
-15%
0.31
-15%
Contrast
885
1240
40%
1719
94%
1555
76%
864
-2%
1001
13%
1062
20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.3
5.94
-12%
2.28
57%
6
-13%
3
43%
4.07
23%
4.78
10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.03
10.81
-8%
4.36
57%
11.6
-16%
6.1
39%
8.33
17%
11.75
-17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.64
6.07
-67%
0.8
78%
1.6
56%
1.7
53%
4.07
-12%
3.51
4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.85
4.44
24%
3.27
44%
8.7
-49%
4
32%
2.8
52%
7.9
-35%
Gamma
2.45 90%
2.81 78%
2.35 94%
2.19 100%
2.17 101%
2.217 99%
2.24 98%
CCT
7169 91%
6272 104%
6819 95%
8426 77%
6961 93%
7033 92%
8323 78%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
35
-8%
62
63%
60.9
60%
66.7
76%
55.3
46%
58.8
55%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59
55
-7%
98
66%
96
63%
96.7
64%
84.6
43%
90.4
53%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-1% / -3%
45% / 57%
21% / 25%
38% / 36%
20% / 21%
69% / 43%

* ... smaller is better

Our test device has a relatively low 0.27 cd/m² black value, which is better than most of our comparison devices. However, our test device’s low maximum brightness means that the display only has an 885:1 contrast ratio. Our test device’s contrast ratio is common for devices at this price, but it is resoundingly beaten by the Pavilion 15, the MateBook X Pro and the Lenovo IdeaPad 530s in this respect. In daily use, colors will look duller on the Pavilion 14 than on those three comparison devices. 

Our test device has a Delta E ColorChecker divergence of 5.3 from the reference color space by default, but we reduced this value with calibration to 3.64. Likewise, we measured the grayscale deviation at 5.85; ideal divergences are anything below 3. We have included our calibrated ICC profile above should you wish to use it.

The Pavilion 14 has poor color space accuracy though, being 38% AdobeRGB and 59% sRGB accurate. These values are below average and make the Pavilion 14 unsuitable for professional photo or image-editing.

CalMAN ColorChecker: uncalibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker: uncalibrated
CalMAN Grayscale: uncalibrated
CalMAN Grayscale: uncalibrated
CalMAN Color Saturation: uncalibrated
CalMAN Color Saturation: uncalibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker: calibrated
CalMAN ColorChecker: calibrated
CalMAN Grayscale: calibrated
CalMAN Grayscale: calibrated
CalMAN Color Saturation: calibrated
CalMAN Color Saturation: calibrated
Our test device is 59% sRGB accurate…
Our test device is 59% sRGB accurate…
…and 38% AdobeRGB accurate
…and 38% AdobeRGB accurate

Using our test device outdoors is a miserable experience. We are unable to see anything on the Pavilion 14’s matte display when using it on a sunny autumn afternoon. We suspect that the lack of readability stems from the panel’s low maximum luminosity and the finish of the top layer of the display. We doubt that the display would be any more readable in direct sunlight even if it reached above 300 cd/m².

The difference between using the HP Pavilion 14 in direct sunlight…
The difference between using the HP Pavilion 14 in direct sunlight…
…and using the device in the shade
…and using the device in the shade

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
31 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 81 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 19 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 200 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

As expected, the Pavilion 14 has strong viewing angles thanks to its IPS display. We observed some brightness distortion at acute viewing angles, but the display remained readable. Our test device has no display backlight bleeding either.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

An Intel Core i7-8550U processor powers our test device, which also integrates Intel's UHD Graphics 620. HP has also equipped the device with an Nvidia GeForce MX150 dedicated GPU with 2 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. These components are complemented by 8 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM that runs in single-channel mode. The Pavilion has two SO-DIMM RAM slots with a 32 GB theoretical limit. Our test device also has a small 128 GB SanDisk SSD and a 1 TB Seagate HDD.

The hardware spec sheet makes for tempting reading, particularly as the Pavilion 14-ce0002ng sells for 899 Euros (~$1039) on HP’s online store in Germany. The GeForce MX150 could prove a useful addition for occasional gaming too, while the rest of the device should be powerful enough for most multimedia applications.

LatencyMon
LatencyMon
HWInfo
HWInfo
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z

Processor

Intel XTU
Intel XTU

The Intel Core i7-8550U is a popular chip that has appeared in many devices that we have reviewed in the last year. The eighth-generation processor has four cores that can clock up to 4 GHz and has a 15 W thermal design power (TDP). However, only two cores can simultaneously reach 4 GHz with the processor averaging 3.7 GHz across all four cores. Please see our CPU benchmark page for a more detailed look at the Core i7-8550U and how it performs in different devices.

Our test device performs satisfactorily in Cinebench R15, finishing in our comparison table for the single-threaded benchmark but 7% below average in the multithreaded version. We ran each benchmark 40 times in a loop to determine how our test device performed under sustained load. The Pavilion 14 exceeded our expectations, maintaining 96% peak performance by the end of our looped benchmark. By contrast, the ThinkPad T480s and ZenBook UX430UN both perform around 15% lower by the end of the benchmark loop than they did at the start. In short, the Pavilion 14 should not thermal throttle in daily use.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +50%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
170 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
166 Points
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
165 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
161 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (108 - 172, n=76)
159.6 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
149 Points -10%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
Intel Core i7-8550U
141 Points -15%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
124 Points -25%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +333%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
723 Points +37%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Core i7-8550U
624 Points +18%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
606 (417.88min - 605.96max) Points +15%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (301 - 761, n=78)
576 Points +9%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
542 Points +3%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
Intel Core i7-8550U
537 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
527 (505.84min - 527.4max) Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
518 Points -2%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
166 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
97.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
527 Points
Help
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø512 (505.84-527.4)
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7 Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø485 (464.55-537.4)
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø481 (476.32-517.64)
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00 Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø633 (602.16-721.94)
Asus Zenbook UX430UN Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø556 (529.72-624.09)
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr Intel Core i7-8550U: Ø519 (509.07-542.3)
Average Intel Core i7-8550U  : Ø519 (509-573)

System Performance

Our test device performed disappointingly in system performance benchmarks, scoring 7-8% less in both PCMark 8 benchmarks than the average of Core i7-8550U and GeForce MX150-powered devices that we have currently tested. The Pavilion 14 performs better than the equivalently equipped MateBook X Pro in both benchmarks but is only on par with the Ryzen 5 2500U-powered Pavilion 15; the Ryzen 5 2500U is comparable to the Core i5-8250U and not the more powerful Core i7-8550U.

Incidentally, both the ZenBook UX430UN and the ThinkPad T480s scored noticeably higher than the Pavilion 14 in both PCMark 8 benchmarks.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +50%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
3792 Points +12%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (3145 - 4130, n=21)
3656 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3540 Points +5%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
3482 Points +3%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3463 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3404 Points +1%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
3379 Points
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3183 Points -6%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4909 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (4063 - 5228, n=20)
4771 Points +7%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
4732 Points +6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4648 Points +4%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
4467 Points 0%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
4456 Points
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
4417 Points -1%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
4323 Points -3%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3379 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4456 points
Help

Storage Devices

As mentioned earlier, our test device is equipped with a 128 GB SanDisk X600 SSD and a 1 TB SATA III HDD that operates at 5,400 RPM. The drives carry the model numbers SD9SN8W-128G and ST1000LM035-1RK172, respectively. The SSD is comparatively slow and cannot compete with the faster NVMe drives found in our comparison devices. Specifically, the ThinkPad T480s’ drive, the Samsung PM981, has six times faster write speeds than the SanDisk SSD. In practice, the ThinkPad T480s will open applications quicker and generally feel faster than the Pavilion 14 despite having the same processor and GPU.

HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
103%
138%
446%
Read Seq
508
1317
159%
1360
168%
2588
409%
Write Seq
202.4
459.9
127%
733
262%
1858
818%
Read 512
309.6
628
103%
769
148%
1799
481%
Write 512
158.2
461.4
192%
642
306%
1863
1078%
Read 4k
33.15
33.79
2%
39.83
20%
62.7
89%
Write 4k
68.7
117.5
71%
100
46%
146.8
114%
Read 4k QD32
262.1
360
37%
330.3
26%
446.6
70%
Write 4k QD32
116.4
273.6
135%
260.2
124%
706
507%
SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
Sequential Read: 508 MB/s
Sequential Write: 202.4 MB/s
512K Read: 309.6 MB/s
512K Write: 158.2 MB/s
4K Read: 33.15 MB/s
4K Write: 68.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 262.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 116.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

The Pavilion 14 can use either an Intel UHD Graphics 620 or GeForce MX150 for graphics, the latter of which has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM. The MX150 is on par with the older GeForce GTX 950M but is considerably weaker than the GeForce GTX 1050. Please see our GPU benchmark page for more information on the MX150 and how it compares to other GPUs.

GPU benchmark results are a mixed bag. Our test device performs worse than the MateBook X Pro with its weaker 1D12 MX150 in the 1280x720 3DMark 11 benchmark and is 29% below average. However, the Pavilion 14 then performed slightly above average in the remaining 3DMark benchmarks, finishing second behind the Spectre x360 15 in both tests. These synthetic benchmarks only tell half the story though as we will discuss below.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +521%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
4708 Points +60%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2796 - 4905, n=47)
4191 Points +42%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3867 Points +31%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3833 Points +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3551 Points +21%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3450 Points +17%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2945 Points
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2381 Points -19%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +193%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
19900 Points +1%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
19698 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (16227 - 22183, n=43)
19512 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
18946 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
17743 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
17469 Points -11%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
17345 Points -12%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
11226 Points -43%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +280%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3622 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3561 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (2323 - 3739, n=44)
3310 Points -7%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3122 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2807 Points -21%
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2793 Points -22%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2323 Points -35%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1715 Points -52%
3DMark 11 Performance
3130 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
12943 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3215 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Pavilion 14 is no gaming monster, consistently scoring over 40% lower in gaming benchmarks than the average of MX150-equipped devices that we have currently tested. The Lenovo IdeaPad 530s performs up to 50% better too. Overall, the Pavilion 14 should play older games smoothly, but it will struggle with complex modern titles.

Far Cry 5
1280x720 Low Preset AA:T
Average of class Multimedia
  (40 - 187, n=43, last 2 years)
110.3 fps +256%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (31 - 46, n=7)
39 fps +26%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
34 (26min - 38max) fps +10%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
31 fps
1920x1080 Medium Preset AA:T
Average of class Multimedia
  (20 - 162, n=51, last 2 years)
77.3 fps +544%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
17 (12min - 23max) fps +42%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (12 - 21, n=7)
17 fps +42%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
12 fps
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T
Average of class Multimedia
  (18 - 154, n=55, last 2 years)
73.7 fps +637%
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
15 (11min - 20max) fps +50%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (10 - 18, n=6)
14.8 fps +48%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
10 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1280x720 Lowest Preset
Average of class Multimedia
  (67 - 182, n=6, last 2 years)
129.3 fps +292%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (30 - 50, n=5)
40.8 fps +24%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
33 fps
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Average of class Multimedia
  (43 - 150, n=10, last 2 years)
85.2 fps +555%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (11 - 18, n=5)
15.4 fps +18%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
13 fps
1920x1080 High Preset AA:SM
Average of class Multimedia
  (38 - 146, n=12, last 2 years)
87.3 fps +694%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (9 - 15, n=5)
12 fps +9%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
11 fps
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark
1280x720 Lite Quality
Average of class Multimedia
  (19 - 211, n=70, last 2 years)
96.6 fps +320%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (23 - 36.9, n=7)
30 fps +30%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
25.4 fps +10%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
23 fps
1920x1080 Standard Quality
Average of class Multimedia
  (9.75 - 162.4, n=81, last 2 years)
63 fps +425%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (12 - 17.4, n=6)
14.8 fps +23%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
12.6 fps +5%
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G
12 fps
1920x1080 High Quality
Average of class Multimedia
  (6.53 - 141.8, n=86, last 2 years)
49 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
  (7 - 10.9, n=5)
8.88 fps
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
7 fps
low med. high ultra
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 23 12
Far Cry 5 (2018) 31 12 10 9
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 33 13 11

Emissions

Fan Noise

The Pavilion 14 is a noisy laptop. The fan in our test device reaches 32.7 dB(A) at idle, while the 1 TB HDD gets slightly louder at 33.4 dB(A). Incidentally, the HDD noise at idle is as loud as the Ryzen 5 2500U HP Pavilion 15 even when the latter is operating under full load.

Predictably, the fan noise ramps up further in stress tests, but 45 dB(A) is comparatively loud for a multimedia laptop. We suspect that the smaller case of the Pavilion 14 struggles to manage the heat created by its powerful components compared to the larger Pavilion 15; hence, the fans turn on quickly during a stress test.

Noise Level

Idle
32.7 / 32.7 / 32.7 dB(A)
HDD
33.4 dB(A)
Load
42.9 / 45 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.633.635.135.733.62533.431.536.335.833.43141.539.135.537.541.54032.834.131.131.532.85035.135.330.736.635.16328.829.829.327.628.88032.632.431.127.232.610034.333.533.925.134.312526.626.625.225.826.616025.924.823.724.325.920023.523.923.523.123.525023.223.222.222.723.231523.223.122.121.723.240024.424.721.220.724.450024.825.320.42024.863026.426.62119.826.480028.528.720.218.628.5100030.630.822.818.230.6125030.530.322.717.930.5160032.332.421.517.832.3200032.832.921.517.532.8250035.135.319.917.635.1315034.134.120.217.934.1400028.928.919.41828.9500029.329.518.818.129.3630028.428.618.518.128.480002323.118.518.2231000020.620.518.418.120.61250019.11918.31819.11600018.718.418.318.118.7SPL42.94332.730.642.9N3.83.81.61.33.8median 26.6median 26.6median 21median 18.2median 26.6Delta3.83.81.81.23.845.933.132.930.731.745.943.933.633.129.529.543.941.136.434.832.330.241.132.532.332.129.129.332.531.130.33129.629.831.128.628.927.926.727.728.627.127.927.426.726.127.125.926.725.525.125.925.925.126.624.324.324.625.12425.123.624.123.82423.824.823.2232223.824.625.12321.620.924.627.628.724.621.121.327.625.52723.621.222.125.530.331.425.719.418.930.329.831.225.21918.329.828.729.622.418.518.228.731.132.522.517.91831.1293120.717.417.42927.630.219.617.517.427.626.828.919.917.417.426.826.529.119.617.517.426.525.82819.11817.525.824.226.718.918.117.924.228.330.919.318.41828.323.626.818.918.918.423.622.224.41918.818.722.220.321.81919.118.920.319.720.419.319.21919.719.919.819.519.819.419.939.341.33330.630.439.333.51.71.31.33median 25.8median 27median 20.7median 19median 18.7median 25.82.62.621.51.62.632.228.933.533.126.729.131.931.533.233.931.633.131.631.829.33331.329.630.831.82627.526.227.826.824.625.828.825.125.627.326.823.32423.625.424.423.723.325.222.722.421.82521.722.721.323.620.821.620.325.520.222.919.428.319.722.118.929.118.721.218.429.919.321.217.527.819.220.217.42620.522.217.126.31922.216.828.318.420.916.627.818.121.116.727.818.820.316.928.518.823.217.428.218.219.317.632.21818.517.826.51818.317.823.317.81817.921.817.917.917.819.917.817.917.718.83133.129.7401.51.91.33.5median 19median 21.2median 17.8median 26.51.81.71.62.333.631.628.131.231.132.533.228.529.129.629.329.130.33032.231.231.130.83030.529.529.931.129.527.226.828.82829.727.226.326.326.225.72626.526.125.124.72626.625.926252525.525.724.823.924.6252423.925.225.125.12323.323.824.123.324.522.222.722.62422.823.421.521.322.422.921.720.920.820.720.422.220.620.320.320.218.921.422.420.521.119.718.12222.319.621.619.117.722.321.519.520.21916.721.523.119.92219.716.723.225.220.624.422.116.125.527.723.627.12415.727.229.42327.122.915.929.328.822.126.923.315.928.128.320.525.720.715.928.12920.126.921.116.328.524.718.422.318.616.624.32017.619.217.916.919.918.417.618.317.717.218.31817.818.318.117.2181818.218.518.917.317.91918.520.521.217.418.638.232.836.533.229382.61.82.31.81.22.6median 23.1median 20.5median 22median 20.7median 17.2median 23.232.52.82.11.92.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP Pavilion 14-ce0002ngHuawei MateBook X Pro, i7Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKBLenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00

Temperature

The Pavilion 14 not only has loud fans but also has poor thermals. Our test device has relatively cool surface temperatures at idle, with no area reaching above 23.1 °C. However, surface temperatures rocket when the device is working under full load. Our test device reaches a maximum of 49.2 °C in the top right of the keyboard deck and 47 °C on the underside next to the display hinge. Moreover, most of the keyboard reaches above 40 °C, which is noticeably hot. Interestingly, the heat distribution is uneven with surface temperatures varying by up to 24 °C on the top case and 21 °C on the bottom case.

Max. Load
 34.7 °C
94 F
48.2 °C
119 F
49.2 °C
121 F
 
 27.4 °C
81 F
42 °C
108 F
44.5 °C
112 F
 
 25.2 °C
77 F
25.6 °C
78 F
31.3 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 49.2 °C = 121 F
Average: 36.5 °C = 98 F
40 °C
104 F
47 °C
117 F
32.7 °C
91 F
40.2 °C
104 F
30.5 °C
87 F
26 °C
79 F
29.3 °C
85 F
27.7 °C
82 F
26 °C
79 F
Maximum: 47 °C = 117 F
Average: 33.3 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  49 °C = 120 F | Room Temperature 23.4 °C = 74 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 36.5 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.2 °C / 121 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.8 °C / 71 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.3 °C / 88.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-2.5 °C / -4.5 F).
Heat-map of the top case at idle
Heat-map of the top case at idle
Heat-map of the bottom case at idle
Heat-map of the bottom case at idle
Heat-map of the top case under load
Heat-map of the top case under load
Heat-map of the bottom case under load
Heat-map of the bottom case under load

Speakers

The Pavilion 14’s wavy speaker design
The Pavilion 14’s wavy speaker design

The Pavilion has Bang & Olufsen-branded stereo speakers, which sound better subjectively than our mediocre test results demonstrate. The speakers reproduce high tones well but struggle with bass tones like those in many other equivalently sized laptops. The speakers do not crackle or distort at maximum volume, but those in our test device do not get beyond 70 dB(A), which is comparatively quiet for laptop speakers. Hence, we could sit directly next to the laptop happily listening to music at 100% volume. This is mostly because the sound quality remains listenable at maximum volume, although we would still be able to tolerate the speakers being a few percent louder.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.635.734.62534.835.834.83135.837.535.84031.231.531.25036.236.636.2633027.6308031.927.231.910034.325.134.312530.725.830.716028.624.328.620031.123.131.125048.922.748.931556.321.756.340064.720.764.750065.72065.763066.519.866.580061.818.661.8100065.518.265.5125068.217.968.2160069.917.869.9200069.617.569.6250068.917.668.9315067.217.967.2400067.81867.8500064.518.164.5630065.618.165.6800066.118.266.11000065.118.165.11250061.91861.9160005318.153SPL79.230.679.2N42.91.342.9median 65.1median 18.2median 65.1Delta8.21.28.231.431.731.43529.53531.730.231.729.829.329.830.929.830.92927.72934.926.134.941.925.941.948.324.648.348.723.848.745.82245.858.120.958.164.721.364.769.522.169.570.218.970.265.318.365.363.118.263.167.71867.765.217.465.266.917.466.967.217.467.266.917.466.966.317.566.362.617.962.661.71861.76218.46262.818.762.856.218.956.258.31958.347.519.447.577.530.477.540.81.340.8median 62.8median 18.7median 62.86.91.66.933.533.431.930.231.636.129.331.930.831.826.229.825.830.127.327.823.630.323.341.921.854.621.36420.365.719.465.318.961.118.459.417.567.417.465.917.161.916.863.216.665.816.76516.967.417.46117.670.317.866.817.869.317.967.517.860.617.754.229.778.11.344.8median 17.8median 641.65.831.129.529.328.631.13131.130.129.727.12624.726.623.725.724.923.928.623.837.922.645.822.451.720.454.818.956.618.16617.772.116.774.416.770.816.161.615.761.915.961.715.959.115.95816.364.216.668.516.968.117.260.917.26017.358.217.454.42978.91.242.9median 17.2median 601.96.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Pavilion 14-ce0002ngHuawei MateBook X Pro, i7Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKBLenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 65% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 21% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 37% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 53% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 59% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The Pavilion 14’s 65 W power supply
The Pavilion 14’s 65 W power supply

The Pavilion 14 is a relatively power-inefficient device. Our test device consumes a minimum of 6.3 W at idle, which can rise to a maximum of 10.2 W. Power consumption then rises to a maximum of 66.3 W under load, averaging at around 59 W. 

HP includes a 65 W power supply with the Pavilion 14 that, as our results demonstrate, is only just powerful enough to charge our test device under sustained load. The power supply will take a while to recharge your device fully if you are gaming or doing other intensive tasks as most of its rated capacity will be used on just maintaining the device’s power output.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.18 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.3 / 8.4 / 10.2 Watt
Load midlight 59 / 66.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SanDisk X600 SD9SN8W-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G, LTPS, 3000x2000, 13.90
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS LED, 2560x1440, 14.00
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX150
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
Power Consumption
19%
23%
10%
29%
-14%
10%
-42%
Idle Minimum *
6.3
4.7
25%
3.9
38%
3.4
46%
3
52%
5.3
16%
4.48 ?(2.2 - 11.6, n=45)
29%
7.28 ?(2.2 - 34.6, n=93, last 2 years)
-16%
Idle Average *
8.4
8.7
-4%
5.76
31%
7.5
11%
5.8
31%
9.8
-17%
7.88 ?(5 - 13.8, n=45)
6%
11.8 ?(4.6 - 43, n=93, last 2 years)
-40%
Idle Maximum *
10.2
9.8
4%
7.14
30%
10.8
-6%
6.2
39%
12.6
-24%
9.76 ?(6.2 - 14.7, n=45)
4%
14.6 ?(5.6 - 44.9, n=93, last 2 years)
-43%
Load Average *
59
39.4
33%
50.8
14%
55.4
6%
54.1
8%
73
-24%
54.7 ?(33 - 75, n=44)
7%
77.3 ?(14.3 - 147, n=92, last 2 years)
-31%
Load Maximum *
66.3
40.4
39%
65.8
1%
70.3
-6%
56.4
15%
80
-21%
63.5 ?(40.4 - 89.2, n=45)
4%
119.3 ?(44 - 247, n=92, last 2 years)
-80%
Witcher 3 ultra *
34
45.9
67.6

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The Pavilion 14 has a 41 Wh battery that lasted longer than average, particularly in our idle and Wi-Fi battery life tests. However, our test device struggles against our comparison devices as all have larger battery capacities than the Pavilion 14. Specifically, both the ThinkPad T480s and MateBook X Pro last longer than 1,000 minutes at idle compared to the Pavilion 14’s 800 minutes thanks to their 57 Wh batteries. In short, while the Pavilion 14 has above average battery life, it falls short of all our comparison devices overall.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
13h 17min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 54min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
5h 50min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 25min
HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 41 Wh
Huawei MateBook X Pro, i7
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 57 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s-14IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 57 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 50 Wh
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 84 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
25%
5%
27%
11%
20%
28%
Reader / Idle
797
1160
46%
881
11%
1366
71%
1039
30%
927
16%
933 ?(506 - 1571, n=25, last 2 years)
17%
H.264
350
428
22%
550
57%
680 ?(319 - 1481, n=49, last 2 years)
94%
WiFi v1.3
414
506
22%
520
26%
530
28%
560
35%
625
51%
560 ?(262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
35%
Load
145
157
8%
85
-41%
76
-48%
98
-32%
135
-7%
96.9 ?(39 - 215, n=73, last 2 years)
-33%

Verdict

Pros

+ premium case with a modern design
+ sturdy and well-constructed case
+ lightning-fast fingerprint sensor

Cons

- weak display in many areas
- the display is unreadable in the sun
- difficult to maintain
- slow SD card reader
- poor heat management
The HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng review. Test device courtesy of HP Germany.
The HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng review. Test device courtesy of HP Germany.

The new HP Pavilion 14 is an affordable yet stylish multimedia device that is powered by an Intel Core i7-8550U processor and an Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU. Our test device has acceptable system performance except for its slow SanDisk SSD. Positively, the device does not thermal throttle either. Despite this, the Pavilion 14 cannot compete with other GeForce MX150-equipped devices on graphics performance; the IdeaPad 530s achieved up to 50% better frame rates in gaming benchmarks, for example.

Undisputedly, our biggest criticism of the new HP Pavilion 14 is its display. A combination of a matte finish and a maximum luminosity of 239 cd/m² makes the device unusable outside on a sunny day.

Moreover, our test device has poor thermal management. The Pavilion 14 gets too hot for a multimedia laptop, particularly given its modest gaming and graphics performance. Likewise, the fan gets incredibly loud but cannot sufficiently cool the device. Overall, the cooling system is inadequate for a Core i7-8550U and a GeForce MX150.

The Pavilion 14 is best suited for everyday applications and office work. The device will have enough performance for most tasks and aesthetically looks better than many of its competitors. With that said, we would recommend looking at the AMD Ryzen 5 2500U-powered Pavilion 15, which has a better display and more efficient cooling. It also costs 200 Euros (~$231) less, although you must forgo a dedicated GPU and settle on weaker system performance.

HP Pavilion 14-ce0002ng - 10/07/2018 v6(old)
Daniel Puschina

Chassis
79 / 98 → 80%
Keyboard
72%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
49 / 81 → 60%
Weight
67 / 20-67 → 99%
Battery
87%
Display
83%
Games Performance
74 / 85 → 87%
Application Performance
87 / 92 → 94%
Temperature
90%
Noise
79 / 95 → 83%
Audio
60%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
73%
82%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP Pavilion 14 (i7-8550U, MX150) Laptop Review
Daniel Puschina, 2018-10-12 (Update: 2018-10-14)