HP Pavilion x360 14t (7200U, 940MX, FHD) Convertible Review
For the original German review, see here.
The HP Pavilion x360 14t is a 14-inch convertible powered by a Kaby Lake processor. Its main competitors are, among others, convertibles such as the Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB, the Acer Spin 5 SP513-51, and the Asus ZenBook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T.
Case & Connectivity
The Pavilion’s case is mostly made of plastic, only the base unit’s top is made of metal. With the exception of the display bezel which is black, our review unit was clad in silver. Build quality is decent, as is the rigidity. That said, the base unit could have been a tad less flexible.
The convertible offers a decent selection of ports. In addition to three USB 3.1 Gen. 1 ports (1x Type-C, 2x Type-A) it also offers an HDMI video output and a rather fast SD card reader. The transfer rate measured when handling large chunks of data was 87.9 MB/s, our 250 JPEG files (around 5 MB each) were transferred at 81 MB/s. These tests were performed using our usual 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II reference card.
The Wi Fi module (Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168) supports the fast ac standard in addition to 802.11a/b/g/n. It performed well under ideal conditions (no other Wi Fi devices nearby, short distance between notebook and Server PC).
Connectivity
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
Input Devices
Equipped with a chiclet-style keyboard, the Pavilion 14t’s smooth keys offer fairly short travel and very distinct feedback. While typing, the keyboard flexes a little bit in the middle, but not yet disturbingly so. All in all, the keyboard is decent. A backlight is available, but can only be turned on or off. In normal lighting conditions, we would advise you to turn the backlight off. Otherwise the keys are somewhat hard to read due to the silver-colored keycaps.
The 11.5 x 6 cm (~4.5 x 2.4 in) large ClickPad is multitouch-capable and offers plenty of space for gestures. Its slippery surface is very pleasant to use, and its integrated buttons offer short travel and very clear feedback.
The Pavilion 14t’s touchscreen supports 10-point multitouch. It reacted very quickly to our inputs and we never had any issues with it.
Display
The 14-inch 1920x1080 display features a very decent contrast ratio of 1200:1. Unfortunately, its maximum average brightness is only 237 nits, and therefore far too low. At this price point, we expect at least 300 nits.
The display showed PWM flickering at a very high frequency of 25000 Hz at brightness levels of 50% and below. Consequently, even sensitive users should remain safe from headaches or unusual eye strain.
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Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 240 cd/m²
Contrast: 1200:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.29 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89
ΔE Greyscale 7.48 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
61% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.33% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
41.82% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.45
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng IPS, 1920x1080, 14" | Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB IPS, 1920x1080, 14" | Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.3" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 1% | 51% | -4% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 41.82 | 41.78 0% | 64.1 53% | 39.99 -4% |
| sRGB Coverage | 61.6 | 62.9 2% | 91.8 49% | 59.5 -3% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 43.33 | 43.17 0% | 65.2 50% | 41.32 -5% |
| Response Times | -68% | -37% | -30% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 41 ? | 53 ? -29% | 36 ? 12% | 56 ? -37% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 22 ? | 39 ? -77% | 27 ? -23% | 27 ? -23% |
| PWM Frequency | 25000 ? | 350 ? -99% | 50 ? -100% | |
| Screen | 2% | 26% | 12% | |
| Brightness middle | 252 | 243 -4% | 368 46% | 245 -3% |
| Brightness | 237 | 248 5% | 350 48% | 233 -2% |
| Brightness Distribution | 90 | 91 1% | 87 -3% | 87 -3% |
| Black Level * | 0.21 | 0.32 -52% | 0.29 -38% | 0.21 -0% |
| Contrast | 1200 | 759 -37% | 1269 6% | 1167 -3% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.29 | 5.44 25% | 5.26 28% | 4.2 42% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 17.55 | 9.73 45% | 8.78 50% | 8.75 50% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 7.48 | 4.74 37% | 5.87 22% | 3.94 47% |
| Gamma | 2.45 90% | 2.38 92% | 2.42 91% | 2.66 83% |
| CCT | 6953 93% | 7799 83% | 6998 93% | 6096 107% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 40 | 39.6 -1% | 60 50% | 38 -5% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 61 | 62.5 2% | 92 51% | 59 -3% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -22% /
-11% | 13% /
19% | -7% /
3% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 25000 Hz | ≤ 50 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 50 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8623 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Out of the box, the display’s DeltaE color deviation was 7.29, and thus far from the ideal value of less than 3. In addition, the display suffered from a slight blue tint.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 22 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 14 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 10 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. » 44 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 41 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 23 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 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 62 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). | ||
The convertible is equipped with an IPS panel with respectable viewing angles, meaning that the display remained readable and usable at even the most acute angles. Outdoors, the device was all but unusable due to its low maximum brightness and the highly reflective glass cover of the panel.
Performance
In terms of performance, the 14-inch convertible is amply equipped for the usual office and internet application requirements. Thanks to its dedicated GPU, it is even capable of running games. Our review unit is available for around 900 Euros (~$1075) in Europe, but cannot be purchased in this exact setup in the US: the 2 GB GeForce 940MX is only available in combination with the HD display (1366x768), and the FHD display requires the 4 GB GeForce 940MX. Accordingly, a similar US model is more expensive (currently around $1100 in HP’s US web store. The system can be configured at will, prices start at $489.
Processor
Its ULV dual-core Core i5-7200U CPU (15 W TDP) runs at a base clock speed of 2.5 GHz, and turbo boosts up to 3.1 GHz on both cores. Turbo boost is applied equally, regardless of power source.
We determine whether or not turbo boost can be utilized for prolonged periods of time on mains by running Cinebench R15’s Multithread test in a loop for 30 minutes. The Pavilion’s results were very consistent, and we found no evidence of CPU throttling.
| Cinebench R10 | |
| Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Rendering Single 32Bit | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Geekbench 3 | |
| 32 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| 32 Bit Single-Core Score | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Geekbench 4.0 - 64 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Geekbench 4.4 | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
System Performance
The system felt snappy and smooth at all times, and we had no issues with it during our review period. PCMark scores were very good, and the convertible should have enough power for all common usage scenarios. A slight performance improvement would have been possible by adding a second memory module, thereby enabling dual-channel memory mode.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3435 points | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 2756 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
Storage Devices
The 128 GB M.2 SSD is made by Samsung, and its transfer rates were decent. In addition, the 14t is also equipped with a 1 TB 2.5-inch 5400 RPM hard disk drive.
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng Samsung CM871a MZNTY128HDHP | Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB Samsung MZYTY256HDHP | Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T Micron SSD 1100 (MTFDDAV256TBN) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | 21% | 4% | |
| Read Seq | 519 | 518 0% | 478.4 -8% |
| Write Seq | 328.2 | 476.5 45% | 419.9 28% |
| Read 512 | 408.1 | 408 0% | 351.7 -14% |
| Write 512 | 170.2 | 274.5 61% | 294.2 73% |
| Read 4k | 35.29 | 35.66 1% | 24 -32% |
| Write 4k | 95.5 | 106.7 12% | 87 -9% |
| Read 4k QD32 | 398.4 | 368.7 -7% | 199.3 -50% |
| Write 4k QD32 | 161.2 | 246.3 53% | 232.4 44% |
GPU Performance
Our review unit came equipped with a GeForce 940MX GPU supporting DirectX 12 and running at up to 1202 MHz. It has 2 GB of DDR3 VRAM at its disposal. 3DMark results were at a level expected of this GPU.
Optimus in combination with the CPU’s integrated HD Graphics 620 is supported. The more energy-efficient integrated GPU is used for less demanding everyday tasks and when running on battery, while the dedicated GeForce GPU is used for demanding power-hungry applications. The system switches automatically between the two based on current demands.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 2629 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
| Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
Gaming Performance
Most games will run smoothly on the 14t. At HD resolution (1366x768) and low to medium details, almost all games will run very well. More demanding games, such as “Mass Effect Andromeda”, will require reduced resolution or details. The display’s native FHD resolution can only be used in less demanding games, such as for example “Team Fortress 2”.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 91.8 | 51.7 | 42.2 | 14.9 |
| Prey (2017) | 58.3 | 21.9 | 18.2 | 15.6 |
| Rocket League (2017) | 87 | 31.3 | 20.7 | |
| Dirt 4 (2017) | 69 | 26.9 | 14.2 | 9.3 |
| Team Fortress 2 (2017) | 81.3 | 77.7 | 67 | 38.7 |
| Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) | 40.5 | 15.2 | 11.9 | 7.8 |
| F1 2017 (2017) | 43 | 21 | 17 | 13 |
| Ark Survival Evolved (2017) | 25.8 | 7.3 |
Emissions & Energy
System Noise
Due to the BIOS option “Fan always on”, the convertible’s fans were always on, even when idle. However, disabling this option had no effect on the fan’s behavior. The fan produces a quiet humming noise, and revs up quickly under load. During our stress test, it produced a noise level of 42.1 dB(A).
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 31.2 / 31.2 / 31.7 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 38.4 / 42.1 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 30 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
Our stress test (Prime95 + FurMark run for at least a full hour) was performed identically on mains and battery. The CPU starts out at between 2.7 and 3.1 GHz, and reduces its clock speed to between 600 and 1700 MHz subsequently. The GPU starts out at full speed (1202 MHz) and eventually settles at around 1000 MHz after a while. The convertible gets fairly hot but not yet uncomfortably so. We found several hotspots with more than 40 °C (~104 °F) during our stress test.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.7 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 60 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 50.8 °C / 123 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.4 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.4 °C / 90.3 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28 °C / 82.4 F (-4.4 °C / -7.9 F).
Speakers
The stereo speakers are located above the keyboard, hidden away behind a perforated cover. They were decent, but as usual lacked bass.
HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (69.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 12% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 85% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, 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
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Frequency diagram (checkboxes selectable/deselectable!)
Power Consumption
We found no abnormalities in the device’s power consumption patterns. When idle, the maximum power consumption was at 9.8 W shooting up to 61 W during our stress test. Given the hardware, these are both fairly normal. The charger is specified up to 65 W.
| Off / Standby | 0.26 / 0.58 Watt |
| Idle | 4.2 / 7.2 / 9.8 Watt |
| Load |
44 / 61 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
Battery Life
In our real-world Wi Fi test simulating web browsing at a normalized display brightness of 150 nits and the energy plan set to “Balanced”, the Pavilion 14t ran for 6:13 hours.
| Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing | |
| Asus Zenbook Flip UX360UAK-BB351T | |
| Acer Spin 5 SP513-51 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 510-14IKB | |
| HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng | |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The HP Pavilion x360 14t is a 14-inch convertible. It is amply equipped for the usual office and internet application requirements. Thanks to its dedicated GPU, the device is even capable of running games.
The HP Pavilion x360 14t is made primarily for home use.
The entire system felt very fast thanks to its fast SSD, and the 1 TB hard disk drive offers plenty of storage. Both storage devices can be upgraded and replaced, which requires partial disassembly of the case.
The keyboard was decent and is okay for prolific writers. The FHD IPS panel offers wide viewing angles and a high contrast ratio, unfortunately its maximum brightness is fairly low. A highly portable device that will most probably be used under various conditions in many places should offer much more in this regard.
Battery life was only mediocre at best. After all, this is a portable 14-inch device. The 1-year warranty is subpar as well. For its high price, we would have expected at least 2 years.
HP Pavilion x360 14-ba011ng
- 08/29/2017 v6 (old)
Sascha Mölck
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