Choosing between the HP Pavilion 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" comes down to your need for power, battery life, and portability versus cost savings. The HP Pavilion 15 is considerably less expensive and offers a larger screen, but it has lower resolution and performance capabilities with less battery life compared to the Surface Laptop. The Surface Laptop 5 13" is more compact, offers a higher resolution touch screen with better color accuracy, better performance, and longer battery life, making it suitable for more demanding tasks and frequent travelers who need a machine that is easy to carry. If you're on a tight budget and mainly use the laptop for simple tasks, the HP Pavilion 15 may suffice; however, if you need a high-performing, portable laptop and are willing to invest more, the Surface Laptop 5 13" would be the better choice. 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 HP Pavilion 15
The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
7.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is ranked better for engineering and design use than the HP Pavilion 15 primarily due to its superior processor and screen quality, offering a faster CPU and higher-resolution IPS display with better color accuracy. In contrast, the HP Pavilion 15 has a less powerful CPU and a TN panel with lower screen resolution and color quality, which could be less suitable for detailed engineering and design tasks, despite its larger screen.
Software Development
6.6/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
5.3/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP Pavilion 15's screen may not provide the crisp, clear visuals you would want for any tasks due to lower resolution and brightness, making everything from reading text to detailed design work less satisfying. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers high resolution and bright display that enhances the viewing experience for both everyday computing and design-related tasks, though its color gamut may not be the widest for professional design standards. For gaming and running 3D applications, the higher refresh rate of specialized gaming laptops is missing from both, which can limit how smooth motion looks during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
3.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.5in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
$600
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP Pavilion 15 has a price of $600 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use.
The HP Pavilion 15, with its ample storage and decent battery life, suits general use with a large 15.6-inch screen but offers lower screen resolution and quality, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" delivers higher screen quality and resolution, better portability due to lighter weight and compact size, along with a touch screen option, though it has less storage.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for content creation.
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.
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How the HP Pavilion 15 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the HP Pavilion 15 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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