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HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360 Notebook Review

Keyboard fail. HP sends a 15-inch convertible from its x360 Pavilion lineup into the race. The competition has grown quite a bit in the past months - even if a high-rider is not among them, all opponents are at least relatively good. Can the Pavilion stand its ground with its inner values? Or will it fail thanks to its keyboard?

For the original German review, see here.

HP's Pavilion x360 is a multimedia convertible aimed at home users. The convertible is another scion of HP's x360 Pavilion series. Other sizes in two colors are available. This model is also offered in "Cardinal Red". Both the 11 and 13-inch models are sold in "Modern Gold" and "Natural Silver". Their prices range from 500 to 700 Euros (~$557 to ~$780) - at least in HP's store. (Aggravatingly, models that are presently not available in HP's store are not shown on the list.)

There are not many rivals. Most other 15-inch convertibles made a good impression and have similar configuration features. Among them, we find Lenovo's Yoga 710-14ISK, Lenovo's Yoga 510-15ISK, and Dell's Inspiron 15 5568.

HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360 (Pavilion x360 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-6200U 2 x 2.3 - 2.8 GHz @ 2.7 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 520 - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1000 MHz, Memory: 1600 MHz, DDR3, 20.16.15.4390 WHQL / Win 10 64
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3L 1600 SDRAM single-channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, 10 finger multitouch, Chi Mey CHMN15D3, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 860 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Skylake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 0 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, MMC, SDHC, Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, ecompass
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23.9 x 382 x 250 ( = 0.94 x 15.04 x 9.84 in)
Battery
48 Wh, 0 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, MS Office 365 (one-month trial), HP CoolSense, HP Lounge, HP 3D DriveGuard, McAfee LiveSave, CyberLink PowerDirector, Netflix, 25 GB Dropbox (12 months), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.3 kg ( = 81.13 oz / 5.07 pounds), Power Supply: 300 g ( = 10.58 oz / 0.66 pounds)
Price
699 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case and Maintenance

An unspectacular unibody casing characterizes the design of HP's Pavilion. Like the display, the keyboard is in a black bezel. The line pattern is printed on the surface and does not jut out. The Pavilion's build is relatively stiff in total, but it can be warped to a small extent. The rubber stoppers ensure a secure and slip-proof stand. The build is high-quality. All gaps are narrow and even, although the hinges could have been pulled tighter. Switching between tablet and PC mode functions well, but using the touchscreen in PC mode causes the display to rock strongly. The protruding front edge that is intended for opening the convertible could have been a bit bigger. Opening the closed laptop soon becomes awkward. Magnets keep both halves of the casing together in tablet mode, which also increases the stability. Overall, the casing makes a solid and quality impression.

Maintenance

Many parts of HP's Pavilion are replaceable. Unfortunately, there are no maintenance hatches. Almost all pasted parts have to be removed to access the innards. Only the rear-centered rubber cover does not have to be removed. A total of 12 screws have to be released before the base unit's upper side can be removed. The battery, storage device, Wi-Fi module, working memory, and some other components can be replaced. A step-by-step guide can be found on the model's service website. However, the maintenance guides are available only in English.

HP Support - Pavilion x360 - User Guides

Size Comparison

382 mm / 15 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 23.9 mm / 0.941 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 253 mm / 9.96 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2.1 kg4.57 lbs378 mm / 14.9 inch 253 mm / 9.96 inch 21.35 mm / 0.841 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 17.3 mm / 0.681 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

HP installs all necessary interfaces; modern ports like USB Type-C or Thunderbolt are not among them. In addition to three USB ports, a card reader, HDMI, and combo audio jack are present. The interfaces are positioned well. USB on both sides and the majority of the other interfaces are on the rear, which has a favorable impact with the cable situation on the desk.

Left: power button, Kensington lock, vent, USB 2.0, SD-card reader, volume control
Left: power button, Kensington lock, vent, USB 2.0, SD-card reader, volume control
Right: combo audio, home button, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet, power
Right: combo audio, home button, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet, power

SD-Card Reader

The SD-card reader installed on the left supports all common formats (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC). We test the performance with a reference memory card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II). 250 identical JPG files are copied to the installed storage device in the first test, and the sequential read speed is determined using AS SSD. Both outcomes are far above average and are roughly on par with the competition. Only Dell's Inspiron lags far behind.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
 
79 MB/s
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
 
77.8 MB/s -2%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
 
74.2 MB/s -6%
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
 
21 MB/s -73%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
 
87.1 MB/s +2%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
 
85.6 MB/s
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
 
85.1 MB/s -1%
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
 
26.5 MB/s -69%

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard's design of HP's Pavilion does not comply with the ISO standard - two keys have been moved in the standard layout. This design is common for American keyboards but not for European ones and might involve some familiarization.

The hash key is not, as known from European models, beside the "Ä" but has been moved to the upper half of the "Enter" key. Therefore, it often happens that the hash key is hit rather than enter. As soon as we try to hit the lower key, we end up at right shift. We do not understand why HP has opted for this. The second "misplaced" key is the "smaller than" and "bigger than" key. It (now twice the size) has been moved to the lower right and simply did not function. We cannot say whether this is a single case or a production error.

The keys' size is more than sufficient. However, they are not as sensitive as they should be. Users who tend to not always hit the center will soon discover that some strokes are not implemented. That is very annoying and sabotages energetic typing.

The first point is a matter of familiarization, the second is not. Clattering is, however, kept within limits and is not particularly obtrusive. The keyboard also hardly yields. The key drop is very short. A backlight is not installed. In total, the Pavilion's keyboard is anything but a pleasure.

Users who type longer texts or even write programs will not be happy with this keyboard.

Touchpad

The touchpad is quite wide and more than sufficiently sized at 12x6.5 cm. Its gliding properties are very pleasing, and the ClickPad also responds quickly and accurately. Multitouch gestures are identified and implemented without problems. Switching between touchpad and touchscreen also functions easily which at least allows pleasant working here.

Touchscreen

The touchscreen does its job without fault. All ten fingers are detected and multitouch gestures are implemented easily. Switching between touchscreen and touchpad functions easily and without delays.

Display

HP treats the Pavilion to an IPS panel by Chi Mei. It has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, which results in 141 PPI. The glossy multitouch screen makes a good impression, but it is not without flaws. The average maximum brightness is a low 209.8 cd/m², which is simply too dark for this price range and its intended use. All rivals here clearly outshine the Pavilion. Lenovo's Yoga 710-14ISK is the brightest device at approximately 300 cd/m². Then again, the other rates match those of the opponents and are also convincing. The screen's contrast (1023:1) is good and impresses subjectively.

214
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
202
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
191
cd/m²
204
cd/m²
209
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mey CHMN15D3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 225 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 209.8 cd/m² Minimum: 13 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 225 cd/m²
Contrast: 1023:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.13 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.53 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
62.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.25% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
41.84% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.6
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
Chi Mey CHMN15D3, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
AU Optronics B140HAN03.0, , 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
AU Optronics B156HW01 V0, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
BOE HF NV156FHM-N42, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-9%
2%
Display P3 Coverage
41.84
38.04
-9%
42.58
2%
sRGB Coverage
62.7
57.1
-9%
63.9
2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
43.25
39.3
-9%
43.99
2%
Response Times
-43%
-18%
-40%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
30.8 ?(12.8, 18)
35 ?(16, 19)
-14%
42 ?(19, 23)
-36%
43.2 ?(19.6, 23.6)
-40%
Response Time Black / White *
22 ?(11.2, 10.8)
31 ?(9, 22)
-41%
22 ?(6, 16)
-0%
30.8 ?(17.6, 13.2)
-40%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
50 ?(50)
-75%
Screen
-10%
-5%
-1%
Brightness middle
225
325
44%
266
18%
254
13%
Brightness
210
298
42%
249
19%
230
10%
Brightness Distribution
85
88
4%
85
0%
86
1%
Black Level *
0.22
0.35
-59%
0.26
-18%
0.26
-18%
Contrast
1023
929
-9%
1023
0%
977
-4%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.13
6.2
-50%
4.98
-21%
4.23
-2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.36
10.82
-16%
11.82
-26%
9.5
-1%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.53
6.32
-150%
2.68
-6%
2.87
-13%
Gamma
2.6 85%
2.3 96%
2.27 97%
2.35 94%
CCT
6360 102%
6926 94%
6583 99%
5965 109%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39.8
58
46%
36
-10%
40.35
1%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
62.5
90
44%
57
-9%
63.48
2%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-27% / -18%
-11% / -8%
-13% / -6%

* ... smaller is better

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
22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 11.2 ms rise
↘ 10.8 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
30.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 12.8 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 35 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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.

sRGB coverage: 62.5%
sRGB coverage: 62.5%
AdobeRGB coverage: 39.8%
AdobeRGB coverage: 39.8%

The color reproduction is appealing right after unboxing. An average dE of just over 4 is only slightly higher than the desired rate of 3 or less. Only the darker blue tones are a bit too high, but a bluish tint is not present. The average gray levels of 2.53 are already very good without calibration. However, the coverage of the most used color spaces is unsatisfactory. Almost 62.5% of the sRGB color space is covered and only 39.8% of the AdobeRGB. That is too little for working with accurate colors. Nevertheless, the screen scores with high contrast and crisp colors.

The competition offers similar results. Only the Yoga 710-14 ISK has a much higher color-space coverage, but its price of almost 1000 Euros (~$1114) is also correspondingly higher.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
Viewing angles: HP Pavilion
Viewing angles: HP Pavilion

As expected from a convertible, the viewing-angle stability is very high. However, the Pavilion is unfortunately not outdoor suitable. With just 210 cd/m², it can only be used as a mirror outside. This is simply too dark for outdoor use.

All rivals are much brighter, in particular Lenovo's Yoga 710-14 ISK that is averagely 40% brighter with almost 300 cd/m².

Outdoor

Performance

HP virtually only installs standard hardware into the x360. The multimedia convertible is powered by Intel's Core i5-6200U. This model is very popular and is used in almost every device category. A dedicated graphics card is not onboard, and thus only the integrated Intel's HD Graphics 520 graphics unit is available for video output. A conventional HDD by Western Digital serves as the storage device. This configuration copes easily with routine applications and is also capable of multitasking. Nothing stands in the way of browsing, working, and consuming media at the same time. Our review sample is presently sold for approximately 700 Euros (~$780).

Processor

Intel's Core i5-6200U clocks inside the Pavilion. The frugal dual-core SoC belongs to the Skylake architecture. Besides its low TDP of just 15 watts, the mid-range CPU is characterized by Hyper-Threading and an integrated Intel's HD Graphics 520 graphics unit. The base clock rate is 2.3 GHz, and both cores can clock at up to 2.7 GHz, one core even at 2.8 GHz.

The CPU easily has enough power to cope with routine tasks, such as browsing, office, and multimedia. There are even enough reserves for more demanding tasks. The clock also remains stable at 2.7 GHz per core during full load. It only drops to roughly 1.5 GHz as soon as the graphics unit is loaded. This is the same in both battery and AC modes. The competition based on the same hardware scores marginally better since DDR4 supports them.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
Intel Core i7-6500U
128 Points +13%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
Intel Core i5-6200U
114 Points +1%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
Intel Core i5-6200U
113 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
Intel Core i7-6500U
308 Points +8%
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
Intel Core i5-6200U
292 Points +3%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Intel Core i5-6200U
289 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
Intel Core i5-6200U
284 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
6121 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9723
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4368
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7031
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
5656 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
12624 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.28 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.16 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
24.06 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
284 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
32.71 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
113 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

The convertible runs quickly and smoothly. Switching between tablet and laptop mode is fast and gestures are detected without lags. We did not have any problems during our test. The performances in the benchmarks correspond to the expectations. The Pavilion thus places itself in the midfield. Installing an SSD could improve the performance considerably. This is also the reason for the better scores of the otherwise identically equipped rivals.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
3651 Points +21%
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
3607 Points +19%
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
3337 Points +10%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
3026 Points
PCMark 7 Score
2727 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3026 points
Help

Storage Device

A conventional 1 TB HDD by Western Digital is installed into the Pavilion. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and achieves almost 106 MB/s in sequential read and write. Although those are average rates, they are good. Considering that SSDs are more and more becoming standard and one is installed into all rivals in this test, the Pavilion can only score with capacity here.

HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Liteonit CV3-DE256
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
10617%
7535%
8044%
Read Seq
106.9
508
375%
458.6
329%
487
356%
Write Seq
106
302.7
186%
270
155%
450.7
325%
Read 512
33.01
419.9
1172%
397.4
1104%
384.5
1065%
Write 512
51.2
302.6
491%
242
373%
356.3
596%
Read 4k
0.373
33.3
8828%
19.88
5230%
27.05
7152%
Write 4k
1.097
85.8
7721%
86.7
7803%
63.7
5707%
Read 4k QD32
1.029
395.8
38365%
275.3
26654%
281.5
27257%
Write 4k QD32
1.055
294.3
27796%
197.6
18630%
232
21891%
WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
Transfer Rate Minimum: 2.7 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 115.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 80.6 MB/s
Access Time: 27.9 ms
Burst Rate: 83.1 MB/s
CPU Usage: 11.7 %

Graphics Card

Intel's HD Graphics 520 is a member of the Skylake generation and its clock rate ranges from 300 to 1000 MHz. It supports up to three monitors and DirectX 12. It does not have a dedicated memory, and the working memory has to share with it. Installing a second working memory module would improve the performance.

The performance is on the expected level in total.

All selected rivals provide more power thanks to a dedicated graphics card (Lenovo Yoga 710, Lenovo Yoga 510) or stronger hardware for supporting the integrated graphics unit (Dell Inspiron 15 5568).

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, Intel Core i5-6200U
2221 Points +74%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
AMD Radeon R7 M460, Intel Core i5-6200U
2137 Points +67%
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
1506 Points +18%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1280 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1363 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
40289 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4536 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
586 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 graphics unit is hardly suitable for gaming. Older games run smoothly in minimum resolutions and details - more is not possible. All rivals can score with better rates here. Except for Dell's Inspiron, all sport a dedicated graphics card. The Inspiron scores better here for a few reasons: It has a faster DDR4 RAM in dual-channel mode, an SSD, and the HD Graphics 520 in Intel's Core i7-6500U has a 50 MHz higher maximum clock rate.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 32.34 20.15 16.33 4.84
BioShock Infinite
    1280x720 Very Low Preset     1366x768 Medium Preset     1366x768 High Preset     1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
GeForce 940MX, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZNLN256HCHP
85.3 (17.2min) fps ∼59%
47.7 (8.1min) fps ∼60%
39.5 (7.4min) fps ∼46%
13.6 (5.1min) fps ∼30%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
73.1 fps ∼51%
38.9 fps ∼49%
31.7 fps ∼37%
11 fps ∼24%
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
HD Graphics 520, 6500U, Toshiba THNSNK256GCS8
54.4 fps ∼38%
31.5 fps ∼39%
27.7 fps ∼33%
8.2 fps ∼18%
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
32.34 (15.07min) fps ∼22%
20.15 (10.72min) fps ∼25%
16.33 (7.91min) fps ∼19%
4.84 (2.56min) fps ∼11%

Emissions and Energy Management

Fan characteristics
Fan characteristics

System Noise

The fan rarely speeds up in routine use. Apart from the hard drive's occasional spinning noise, the laptop is noiseless. Even when the Pavilion is very audible when the fan becomes active, it is hardly distracting. The homogeneous noise is not particularly obtrusive. The laptop is louder during load. The fan spins permanently as soon as more power is demanded. In short, the convertible is average compared with other devices with a similar configuration. It is neither strikingly loud nor quiet.

Noise Level

Idle
29.6 / 29.6 / 30.2 dB(A)
HDD
30.2 dB(A)
Load
39 / 39.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.9 dB(A)

Temperature

The Pavilion never gets hot - neither in routine use nor during full load. The hottest spot during the latter is just lukewarm at 37 °C. Fortunately, it is therefore extremely cool. Only the power supply gets relatively warm at almost 46 °C, but this is still harmless.

The CPU reduced its clock to 1.5 GHz directly after starting the stress test (FurMark and Prime95 run for at least one hour), and it remained there stably. Intel's HD 520 graphics card usually stayed at 948 MHz, but it also sometimes dropped to 900 MHz for a short while. However, CPU throttling stopped as soon as the integrated graphics chip was unloaded, and it then also clocked stably at its maximum speed of 2.7 GHz. Battery and AC modes are the same here.

Max. Load
 30.5 °C
87 F
35 °C
95 F
33.2 °C
92 F
 
 29.6 °C
85 F
29 °C
84 F
31.9 °C
89 F
 
 26.2 °C
79 F
27.9 °C
82 F
27.4 °C
81 F
 
Maximum: 35 °C = 95 F
Average: 30.1 °C = 86 F
31.4 °C
89 F
36.7 °C
98 F
35 °C
95 F
30.6 °C
87 F
30.8 °C
87 F
28.4 °C
83 F
28.3 °C
83 F
28.1 °C
83 F
27.1 °C
81 F
Maximum: 36.7 °C = 98 F
Average: 30.7 °C = 87 F
Power Supply (max.)  45.7 °C = 114 F | Room Temperature 22.9 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Max
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.1 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.7 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.6 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.5 °C / 85.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-1.4 °C / -2.5 F).

Speakers

The speakers are quite appropriate for a multimedia convertible. The mids and high tones are clear and balanced. Basses could be a bit more prominent, but they are still good. HP includes a proprietary driver for supporting the speakers. Pleasingly, the B&O audio driver improves the sound output audibly. The stereo speakers sound muffled and hollow without it. This software is enabled by default. A combo audio port and an HDMI-out are installed for connecting external speakers.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2037.835.82535.735.63136.338.84037.537.45036.735.96334.236.28041.736.310040.437.21253940.616036.843.920031.353.52503261.731529.864.240029.261.350027.962.363027.262.280026.963.5100026.464.1125026.168.7160026.169.9200025.666.8250025.361.9315024.957.2400024.859.3500024.559.1630024.559.7800024.260.41000024.161.1125002454.11600023.746.5SPL38.476.5N3.438median 26.1median 61.1Delta2.64.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 12.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 44% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 49% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (check boxes above can be turned on/off!)
Rate 1: Pink Noise 100% volume; Rate 2: Audio off

Power Consumption

HP's Pavilion does not sport exceptionally hungry hardware, and it is therefore correspondingly economic. It consumes a maximum of 9 watts in idle, which is an average rate for the installed hardware. The requirement climbs to 36.4 watts during load. The included power supply has a nominal output of 45 watts.

Lenovo's Yoga 710 and Yoga 510 both consume more power, but they also sport dedicated graphics units. Dell's Inspiron is roughly on par.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.33 / 0.59 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.3 / 8.2 / 9 Watt
Load midlight 29.8 / 36.4 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.

Battery Runtime

New pages open every 40 seconds in the practical Wi-Fi test. The Pavilion achieved a runtime of 6 hours and 41 minutes with enabled energy-savings profile and the brightness dimmed to roughly 150 cd/m². The installed battery has a capacity of 48 Wh; only the Yoga 710-14ISK has marginally more and can surpass that by about half an hour with its 53 Wh. In total, the Pavilion's battery life is good.

Battery Runtime - WiFi v1.3
HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 48 Wh
401 min
Dell Inspiron 15 5568
6500U, HD Graphics 520, 42 Wh
299 min
Lenovo Yoga 710-14ISK
6200U, GeForce 940MX, 53 Wh
433 min
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
6200U, Radeon R7 M460, 35 Wh
335 min
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
6h 41min

Pros

+ battery life
+ always cool
+ decent speakers
+ high-contrast screen...

Cons

- ...with too low brightness
- unresponsive keyboard

Verdict

In review: HP Pavilion x360 Convertible 15-bk001ng. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de
In review: HP Pavilion x360 Convertible 15-bk001ng. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de

HP offers an almost rounded package with its x360. The buyer gets a convertible that stands out with good battery life, pleasing sound output, and decent performance. Intel's Core i5 6200U is no longer a distinguishing feature since it has become the backbone of the Skylake generation, but this is justified in view of its versatility and performance. The screen is also appealing. Although it is dark with just 210 cd/m² and thus hardly outdoor suitable, it can score with high contrast and absence of a bluish tint. Unfortunately, gaming is hardly possible for the lack of a dedicated graphics card and the low performance of Intel's HD Graphics 520. The keyboard is, however, the biggest shortcoming of the otherwise good device.

Users who do not type much and are not on the go very often will find HP's x360 to be a throughout good multimedia convertible.

Fewer compromises have to be made with Lenovo's Yoga 710-14 ISK. For roughly 300 Euros (~$334) more, the buyer gets a package that does not have any of the weaknesses of the Pavilion but virtually all its strengths. However, it also has its drawbacks seeing that the brightness is controlled via PWM at a very low frequency of just 50 Hz. Dell's Inspiron does not exhibit PWM, but it is not as enduring and is roughly just as expensive as the Yoga.

HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360 - 09/09/2016 v5.1(old)
René Kohl

Chassis
73 / 98 → 75%
Keyboard
40%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
48 / 80 → 60%
Weight
61 / 35-78 → 60%
Battery
89%
Display
81%
Games Performance
53 / 68 → 78%
Application Performance
67 / 87 → 77%
Temperature
93%
Noise
91%
Audio
77 / 91 → 85%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
70%
76%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP Pavilion 15-bk001ng x360 Notebook Review
René Kohl, 2016-09-18 (Update: 2018-05-15)