For substantial savings, the Gateway 11.6" is a smart choice and offers adequate functionalities for basic tasks with its smaller screen and lighter weight making it more portable. However, the HP Pavilion 15, despite being pricier, provides an edge with a larger screen, more storage, and better processing power which could be beneficial for more demanding applications and multitasking. The HP also usually comes with an updated Windows version. So, if you need stronger performance for activities like editing or multitasking and prefer a larger display, the HP Pavilion 15 may be worth the extra cost. If budget and portability are your main concerns, and your usage is primarily simple tasks, the Gateway 11.6" would be a sensible option. 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
Good for general use
Good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The HP Pavilion 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The HP Pavilion 15 offers superior general use capabilities with a more powerful Intel i3 processor, higher RAM, and better keyboard quality, which makes it more suitable for a broader range of tasks and multitasking compared to the Gateway 11.6" that has a less powerful Intel Celeron processor, lower RAM, and a keyboard that's rated poorly.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The HP Pavilion 15 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
6.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Pavilion 15 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a weaker CPU and less RAM than the HP Pavilion 15, which are very important for engineering and design tasks, and the screen quality on the Gateway is also lower, making it less suitable for such tasks. While the HP Pavilion 15 is relatively better with a more powerful CPU and more RAM, making it more capable for engineering and design use, its screen quality is still not ideal for high-end visual tasks, although it is passable for general engineering work.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The HP Pavilion 15 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The HP Pavilion 15 is only fair for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
5.3/10
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Gateway 11.6" has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a sharp and vibrant display for browsing the web or watching videos, the Gateway 11.6" and HP Pavilion 15 may disappoint due to their lower resolution and brightness, affecting the overall visual experience. For engineering and design tasks, accurate color representation is key, but these laptops may not cover the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which can lead to less precise color work. Gamers and 3D designers could find the refresh rate on both models limiting, as it's vital for smooth motion, and although resolution and panel type also matter, they may not meet the demands for high-level 3D rendering or fast-paced gaming.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 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
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.2/10
The HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$600
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
"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 Gateway 11.6" or the HP Pavilion 15
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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