The HP Pavilion 15 is often significantly less expensive and more suited for budget-conscious customers. It is also lighter and hence more portable, making it ideal for everyday tasks and general use. On the contrary, the MSI Cyborg 15, while more expensive, offers a high-performance processor and dedicated graphics card which are beneficial for 3D work, machine learning, gaming, and engineering tasks. It also features a better-quality display with a higher resolution and refresh rate, which is preferable for multimedia and gaming. However, its higher weight makes it less portable than the HP Pavilion 15. Choose the HP for general use and value, or the MSI if you need enhanced performance for demanding applications and are okay with a higher price and less portability. 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 MSI Cyborg 15.
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15, with its high-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a 144Hz refresh rate display, offers a better gaming and 3D experience compared to the HP Pavilion 15, which uses a comparatively modest Intel UHD Xe G4 GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate screen. Additionally, the MSI laptop's higher screen quality and more powerful CPU are conducive to more intensive tasks and provide a smoother and more vivid visual experience.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
7.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The HP Pavilion 15 may offer sufficient resources with a fair amount of memory and a reasonable processor, but its graphics are integrated and the lower-resolution screen may not be as suitable for engineering applications that require fine detail and high performance. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15 has a high-performance dedicated graphics card and a full HD screen, which is better suited for demanding engineering tasks, though it is slightly heavier and has less storage space.
Software Development
6.6/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 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
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a clear and vivid display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the HP Pavilion 15 may disappoint due to its lower resolution and dimmer screen. For engineering and design, where precise color representation is crucial, the MSI Cyborg 15 offers acceptable quality, but it will not be as accurate in displaying a wide range of colors as other laptops with better color gamut coverage. When it comes to fast-paced games or working with 3D applications, neither laptop will excel; the HP Pavilion 15 falls short with its poor refresh rate and the MSI Cyborg 15, although slightly better, still won't provide the smooth visuals that high-end gaming laptops can offer.
Battery
3.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Pavilion 15 and MSI Cyborg 15 both have good portability, though the HP Pavilion 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
6.7/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and HP Pavilion 15 both have only fair build quality, though the MSI Cyborg 15 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$600
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP Pavilion 15 has a price of $600 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The MSI Cyborg 15 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use.
The HP Pavilion 15 caters well to general use with a dependable processor, ample RAM for everyday tasks, plenty of storage, and a touchscreen, making it user-friendly and versatile; meanwhile, the MSI Cyborg 15, despite being heavier, offers higher screen quality with an excellent display panel, a stronger CPU for more demanding applications, and superior speaker quality, which are balanced by lower battery life and less storage, favoring performance over portability.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 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 MSI Cyborg 15 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 focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the HP Pavilion 15 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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