HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx (Tested and Reviewed)

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HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx Specs

Model: HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx
Design: Sleek, minimalist matte black with green accents, made of plastic, sturdy feel, weighs 2.25 kg, measures 36 x 25.6 x 2.34 cm, 180-degree hinge, lacks fingerprint scanner and webcam shutter.
Display: 15.6-inch IPS, 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60 Hz refresh rate, 250 nits brightness, 800:1 contrast ratio, 45% NTSC color gamut, 25 ms response time, thin bezels, AMD FreeSync support.
Keyboard: Backlit with Numpad, 1.5 mm key travel, crisp feedback, spill-resistant, lacks macro keys, anti-ghosting, and n-key rollover.
Touchpad: Large 11 x 6.5 cm, smooth matte surface, multi-touch gestures, physical buttons, fingerprint scanner.
Ports: HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0 support), headphone/mic combo jack, lacks SD card reader, and Thunderbolt 4.
Battery: 52.5 Wh, up to 8 hours for normal use, 2-3 hours for gaming or heavy applications, no USB-C fast charging support.
Cooling: Dual-fan system, heat pipes, vents, performance mode toggle, can get hot and loud during heavy use.
Gaming Performance: AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics (4 GB GDDR6 VRAM), can handle popular games at high or medium settings (60-80 FPS), struggles with more demanding games (30-40 FPS), performance mode improves FPS but increases heat and noise.

Design

The HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx has a sleek and minimalist design with a matte black finish and green accents. It is made entirely of plastic, but it feels sturdy and durable. It weighs 2.25 kg and measures 36 x 25.6 x 2.34 cm, which makes it relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop.

The laptop has a large hinge that allows it to open up to 180 degrees. It also has a backlit keyboard with a Numpad and a spacious touchpad. However, the laptop lacks a fingerprint scanner or a webcam shutter for extra security and privacy.

The design of the laptop is simple and elegant, but it may not appeal to everyone’s taste. Some people may prefer a more aggressive and colorful design that reflects their gaming personality. The laptop also attracts fingerprints and smudges easily, so you may need to clean it often.

Display

The laptop has a 15.6-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The display has a brightness of 250 nits, a contrast ratio of 800:1, a color gamut of 45% NTSC, and wide viewing angles. The display has a response time of 25 ms.

The display has thin bezels on three sides, which gives it a modern look and a larger screen-to-body ratio. It also supports AMD FreeSync technology, which reduces screen tearing and stuttering in games.

However, the display looks washed out and dull due to its low brightness and narrow color gamut. It also has a low refresh rate and a high response time, which may affect the smoothness and responsiveness of games. The display is not suitable for color-sensitive work such as photo or video editing.

The display is one of the weakest points of the laptop, as it does not offer a good gaming or viewing experience. Some of its competitors have better displays with higher refresh rates, brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.

Keyboard

The keyboard has a standard QWERTY layout with a Numpad on the right side. The keys are well-spaced and have a travel distance of 1.5 mm. The keys have crisp and tactile feedback that makes typing comfortable and accurate. The keyboard has three levels of green backlighting that can be adjusted with the F5 key. The keyboard is spill-resistant and can withstand up to 11 ml of liquid.

The keyboard has some dedicated keys for gaming and multimedia functions, such as volume control, microphone mute, airplane mode, performance mode toggle (F12), etc. It also has some shortcut keys for Windows functions (F1-F4).

However, the keyboard lacks some features that are common in other gaming laptops, such as macro keys, anti-ghosting, and n-key rollover. These features can enhance the gaming experience by allowing you to customize your key bindings, register multiple key presses simultaneously, and prevent accidental keystrokes.

The keyboard is decent for typing and gaming, but it is not exceptional compared to some of its competitors that have more advanced keyboards.

Touchpad

The touchpad is large and rectangular, measuring 11 x 6.5 cm. It has a smooth and matte surface that glides easily. It is responsive and precise and supports multi-touch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, two-finger scroll, three-finger swipe, etc.

The touchpad has physically left and right-click buttons at the bottom, which are firm and quiet. It also has a fingerprint scanner on the top left corner, which allows you to unlock the laptop with a single touch.

However, the touchpad may get in the way of typing if you have large hands or use the Numpad frequently. You may need to disable the touchpad when using an external mouse or keyboard to avoid accidental clicks or movements.

The touchpad is good for basic navigation and gestures, but it is not very convenient or comfortable for gaming. You may want to use an external mouse for better control and accuracy in games.

Ports

The laptop has a decent selection of ports for connectivity and expansion. On the left side, it has a power jack, an HDMI 2.0 port, an RJ-45 Ethernet port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. On the right side, it has two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port that supports DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0.

The ports are well-spaced and easy to access. The laptop supports fast charging and can charge up to 50% in 45 minutes with the included 150W power adapter.

However, the laptop does not have an SD card reader or a Thunderbolt 4 port, which may limit some options for data transfer and external display. Some of its competitors have more ports and features that can enhance the connectivity and functionality of the laptop.

The ports are adequate for most users and purposes, but they are not very impressive or future-proof compared to some of its competitors.

Battery life

The laptop has a 52.5 Wh battery that can last up to 8 hours on a single charge under normal usage such as web browsing, video streaming, or office work. However, the battery life drops significantly when gaming or using heavy applications such as video editing or rendering. The laptop can only last about 2 hours in gaming mode or 3 hours in performance mode.

The battery life is decent for a gaming laptop in this price range, but it is not exceptional compared to some of its competitors that have larger batteries or more power-efficient components. The laptop also does not support fast charging when using the USB-C port, which means you will need to use the power adapter to charge it quickly.

The battery life is sufficient for casual use and short gaming sessions, but it is not very reliable or convenient for long-term use or travel. You may need to carry the power adapter with you or look for a power outlet nearby when using the laptop.

Cooling system

The laptop has a dual-fan cooling system that consists of two heat pipes, two fans, and several vents. The heat pipes connect the CPU and GPU to the fans, which blow hot air out of the vents located on the back and sides of the laptop. The cooling system is designed to keep the laptop from overheating and throttling under heavy load.

The cooling system has a performance mode toggle (F12) that allows you to adjust the fan speed and noise level according to your preference. The performance mode also boosts the CPU and GPU performance by increasing their power limit and clock speed.

However, the cooling system is not very effective or quiet, as the laptop still gets hot and loud when gaming or using intensive applications. The fan noise can reach up to 50 dB, which may be annoying or distracting for some users. The laptop also gets warm on the keyboard and palm rest area, which may affect the comfort and ergonomics of the laptop.

The cooling system is adequate for normal use and light gaming, but it is not very efficient or silent for heavy use and demanding gaming. You may need to use a cooling pad or headphones to improve the thermal and acoustic performance of the laptop.

Gaming performance

The laptop has a decent gaming performance for its price range, thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card. The processor has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.3 GHz and a boost clock of 4.2 GHz. The graphics card has 4 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, with a base clock of 1395 MHz and a boost clock of 1560 MHz.

According to some benchmarks, the laptop can run popular games such as Fortnite, GTA V, PUBG, CS: GO, etc. at high or medium settings with an average FPS of 60-80. However, the laptop struggles to run more demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, etc. at low or medium settings with an average FPS of 30-40.

The gaming performance can be improved by using the performance mode toggle (F12), which increases the CPU and GPU power limit and clock speed by up to 15%. However, this also increases the heat and noise output of the laptop, which may affect the comfort and longevity of the laptop. The gaming performance also depends on the display quality and refresh rate, which are not very impressive in this laptop.

The gaming performance is good for casual gamers who are not very demanding or picky about the graphics quality and frame rate in games. However, it is not very satisfying for hardcore gamers who want to play the latest AAA titles at high settings and smooth FPS. You may need to lower your expectations or upgrade your hardware to enjoy a better gaming experience on this laptop.

Comparison

Some of the competitors of the HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx are the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R9QH, the Asus TUF Gaming F15 FX506LI-HN012T, and the Lenovo Legion 5 15ARH05H.

All these laptops have similar price ranges (around $800-$900) and specifications (AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card). However, they differ in some aspects such as display quality, battery life, cooling system, design, etc. Here is a table that summarizes some of their differences:

Feature	HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx	Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R9QH	Asus TUF Gaming F15 FX506LI-HN012T	Lenovo Legion 5 15ARH05H
Display	15.6-inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 60 Hz	15.6-inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 144 Hz	15.6-inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 144 Hz	15.6-inch IPS FHD (1920 x 1080) 120 Hz
Battery	52.5 Wh (up to 8 hours)	57 Wh (up to 10 hours)	48 Wh (up to 6 hours)	60 Wh (up to 8 hours)
Cooling system	Dual-fan cooling system with performance mode toggle (F12)	Dual-fan cooling system with CoolBoost technology and NitroSense software	Dual-fan cooling system with self-cleaning anti-dust technology and Armoury Crate software	Dual-fan cooling system with Coldfront 2.0 technology and Q Control Software
Design	Sleek and minimalist design with matte black finish and green accents	Aggressive and angular design with the black and red color scheme	Rugged and military-grade design with gray metal lid and yellow accents	Simple and elegant design with phantom black finish and white backlighting

As you can see, each laptop has its strengths and weaknesses, and there is no clear winner among them. It depends on your personal preference and needs, which laptop suits you best. However, we can give some general recommendations based on the features that are most important for gaming laptops.

If you value display quality and refresh rate, you may want to choose the Asus TUF Gaming F15 FX506LI-HN012T or the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R9QH, as they have the best displays among the four laptops. They have high refresh rates of 144 Hz, which can make games look smoother and more responsive. They also have decent brightness, contrast, and color accuracy, which can enhance the visual experience in games.

If you value battery life and portability, you may want to choose the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-45-R9QH or the Lenovo Legion 5 15ARH05H, as they have the longest battery life among the four laptops. They can last up to 10 hours and 8 hours respectively on a single charge, which can be useful for traveling or working away from a power outlet. They are also relatively light and thin for gaming laptops, which can make them easier to carry around.

If you value cooling systems and performance, you may want to choose the Lenovo Legion 5 15ARH05H or the HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15 dk0xxx, as they have the best cooling systems among the four laptops. They have dual-fan cooling systems with advanced technologies that can keep the laptop from overheating and throttling under heavy load.

They also have performance mode toggles that can boost the CPU and GPU performance by increasing their power limit and clock speed. However, this also increases the heat and noise output of the laptop, so you may need to use a cooling pad or headphones to improve the thermal and acoustic performance of the laptop.