HP has been around for a long time and the brand is well-known for its reliable and affordable laptops. But are they good for gaming? Specifically, would you recommend buying an HP Pavilion laptop if someone wanted to play video games on their computer?
I’m an avid gamer and web developer. I’ve been playing video games since childhood, which is why I feel so comfortable writing articles on them. My skills are diverse enough to cover most areas of the game industry including PC gaming, consoles, handhelds, and even mobile platforms!
I’ll also briefly talk about how games are easier to run these days, compare the minimum requirements for some of today’s most popular games to what HP Pavilion is capable of providing for its own bare-bones specs, and then conclude whether or not it would be worth investing in this machine just for gaming purposes.
Many Games Are Easier to Run Nowadays
Many games nowadays are built to take advantage of new hardware that has come out; it requires less time and energy to operate the game because it uses up fewer resources. Some games may need features not available when it was first released, but as technology advances, these features become possible to use without too much difficulty.
For example, Windows 10 comes with DirectX 12 support. If you are playing any game that has this feature, you will not only be able to run it smoothly but also enjoy the benefits of no compatibility issues at all.
When we play games, we typically want everything to look crystal clear all the time – which is why anti-aliasing came about in the first place.
In order to create a smoother object through the use of anti-aliasing, each pixel of an object must be drawn two times. By doubling the texture on every corresponding pixel, they will blend together so that there are no jagged or rough edges anywhere.
If you’re considering whether or not your laptop can handle gaming, the answer is yes. Almost all laptops are able to run games these days; it just depends on how powerful they are in processing graphics.
Popular Games vs. HP Pavilion Basic Specs
Let’s take a look at some games with great graphics but lenient system requirements so we can compare these against the HP Pavilion laptop’s bare-bones minimum specs.
Below are some popular video games and what you’ll need to play them:
| Game Title | GTA 5 | Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | FIFA 22 |
| Operating System | Win Vista 64-Bit | Windows 10 64-Bit | Windows 10 64-Bit |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz | Ryzen 3 1200 – @ 3.1 GHz | Intel Core i3-6100 @ 3.7GHz |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA 9800 GT 1GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB |
| RAM | 4 GB Memory | 8 GB Memory | 8 GB Memory |
HP Pavilion basic specs on laptops currently available:
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5 @4.22 GHz With Turbo Boost |
| Graphics Card | Intel Iris X Graphics 4GB |
| RAM | 16 GB Memory |
As you can see from the comparison above, the minimum requirements for some of the most popular and well-received games right now are much lower than the basic specifications on this HP Pavilion laptop.
If you’re considering buying this affordable gaming computer but weren’t sure whether it would run your favorite game or not, these numbers should give you encouragement.
Games nowadays are significantly better at utilizing resources and this means that you don’t need the best hardware to run games.
When using the minimum requirement specifications, there are many games that can be played without trouble. You can see this for yourself by going onto a website that lists requirements such as these.
Is the HP Pavilion Laptop Good for Gaming?
As we briefly discussed before, the Pavilion Laptops are one of HP’s most reliable and cost-effective products. These were the basic laptop models for anyone looking to buy a laptop either for home or work use since they offered an excellent product at an affordable price compared to other brands on the market.
Starting in 2018, HP’s plan was to move Pavilion computers from being low-end laptops designed for office work and use them as budget gaming devices to compete with the likes of Dell G Series or Lenovo Legion.
Transitioning smoothly, this new HP laptop line came with all of the features that gamers are looking for without being too costly. It had been a while since I found a product in this price range to keep up with my demands, so I eagerly awaited its release.
They really knocked it out of the park when they designed these laptops because of how high-quality they are yet still affordable enough for me. If you’re looking for something decent and cost-effective then I would definitely recommend checking these out first!
Should I Upgrade to the Latest HP Pavilion Model?
This is a difficult question that does not have an answer. However, I will do my best to provide some advice on where to start looking for answers.
First, you need to assess what needs upgrading in your system. Do games run slowly for you? Have new releases failed to load or been unplayable for some reason?
Once you ask yourself these questions, you’ll have a better understanding of what exactly you need. Researching the newest model will help give you an idea if it would meet your needs – do this while considering that this could mean spending more money than anticipated on an upgrade.
By asking yourself these tough but necessary questions, hopefully (fingers crossed) by answering them, you’ll be able to decide whether or not upgrading to the latest HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop is right for you.
Closing Thoughts
If you’re looking for a laptop that will last long and won’t cost much, HP Pavilion is one of the best choices. Just look at how it stacks up against some of the other gaming laptops I’ve researched – both with basic specs and recommended games from my previous article. Keep in mind that these devices aren’t top-of-the-line models – which means they’ll never perform as well as advertised no matter what video game you play on them. Still, this line offers the most performance per dollar spent – so if you’re on a budget, it might be worth taking a closer look at these options instead!
