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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you need a laptop for gaming, 3D, or demanding engineering tasks, the Acer Nitro 16 with its higher-end graphics card and processor is a better fit despite being more expensive. It also has a larger, higher-resolution display, which might be beneficial for such activities, but it's heavier and less portable. The HP Pavilion 15, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly, lighter, and thus more portable, but its lower performance components make it suitable mostly for general use and not for heavy-duty tasks. The display on the HP is also smaller and of lower resolution, which may be less desirable for multimedia activities. Keep in mind that the HP's battery capacity is smaller, which could mean a shorter battery life, especially under heavy use. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Nitro 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 16's combination of a robust CPU, plenty of RAM, and a high-quality IPS screen makes it a capable machine for a variety of tasks, but its bulk and moderate battery life affect its portability. On the other hand, the HP Pavilion 15, with ample RAM and storage plus a lighter build, offers good general use with a tradeoff of an older CPU and lower screen quality, which could be limiting for more demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.0
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16, equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, delivers a superior gaming and 3D experience, especially for fast-paced and visually demanding games. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15 uses an Intel UHD Xe G4 GPU with a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz which is adequate for casual gaming but falls short for intensive 3D applications and high-end gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a high-end AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a superior IPS display that enhances screen quality for engineering and design tasks, while the HP Pavilion 15, despite ample storage, has a lower tier Intel CPU and integrated graphics, paired with a basic TN display, compromising performance and visual fidelity in demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.8
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Nitro 16 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
6.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.3
5.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 16's superior resolution, panel type, and brightness make it a clear choice for vibrant and clear visuals, while the HP Pavilion 15 falls short in these areas, leading to a less engaging experience. The Acer's coverage of professional color gamuts is essential for engineering and design tasks, ensuring accurate color representation, a capability where the Pavilion 15 does not deliver as well. Gamers and 3D designers will find the Nitro 16's lower refresh rate limiting when compared to other gaming-specific laptops, impacting smoothness and responsiveness, despite its advantage in other screen quality aspects.
Battery
9.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Pavilion 15 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Nitro 16 has good build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,050
$587
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $587.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $587 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the HP Pavilion 15
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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