HP PAV i5 1650 AE

HP Pavilion 15-dk0056wm is a very nice gaming laptop with a competitive design. I have been using Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop for couple years now and HP pavilion gaming laptop is very close as far as performance goes. In my opinion, it has better exterior design even though it is slightly cheaper. HP Pavilion's dual speaker area looks very wavy and kind of has a 3d design. The keyboard backlight is green which looks pretty cool at night. Speakers are made by B&O audio. It comes with 15 inch full HD IPS screen with build in camera and microphone. Because it is a gaming laptop, it comes with NVidia GeForce GTX 1650 4 GB graphics card. HP is loaded with 8 GB SDRAM memory. It runs on Windows 10 home operating system with Intel Core i5 processor. This gaming laptop has a built in 256 GB solid state drive which is enough storage for most people. Gamers should not fear that this HP will overheat because according to HP, the airflow cooling has been greatly enhanced to keep it cool even during heavy usage. On the right side of the laptop, there is a headphone & microphone combo outlet, connector for RJ-45, HSMI port, USB 3.1 Type-A port USB 3.1 Type-C port and HP fast charge power port. On the left side, there is 2 USB 3.1 Type-A ports and multi-format SD media card reader.

Even though it might not be sleek and thin like MacBook, this HP Pavilion gaming laptop PC is still very low profile when closed. It is less than one inch in height.

For starters, I cannot say enough great things about this laptop. This is a full immersive gaming machine and I absolutely love the specs.

To begin with, the laptop came in in a small wide box and was very easy to unbox. Take out the laptop, the power cord, and not much to it - plug it in and all set.

Once plugged in, the keyboard lights up a very sharp neon green and it's very bright even with no light or outside when fully bright. I love the color and the cool effect. The software onboard is windows 10 64 bit Home edition and makes setup a breeze by following the onscreen instructions. It even has netflix already preinstalled if you would like to access your account and begin streaming immediately - very nice and convenient. I must say there isn't a lot of bloatware as you see with other typical laptops which makes me very happy and saves me a lot of time from having to remove it.

Once started and setup all the software, the hardware does it's job very well. For starters, the 256GB SSD hard drive is very fast and has no issues loading applications. I have installed a few programs already and the hard drive handled well. Plenty of storage for now.

The true test of a gaming laptop remains with the graphics and the processor/Ram speeds which account for latency during gaming. I have tested this laptop with heavy intensive games and all worked with very minimal latency. The 8GB of Ram was able to provide me with at least half available during game time and the processor was able to maintain multi tasking efforts with no issues. The 9th generation intel chipset is outstanding and I am very glad HP put this into this gaming laptop. The video card is powered by NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX which is one of my favorite brands for VIDEO cards and handled my games well. Fast onboard ram on video card and processing power. The only thing I wish is that this laptop was 4k capable but that's for the future. The graphics on my games were rendering well while turned all the way up on high in all games I have tried. The Audio sounded great thanks to the dual speakers and audio boost.

The display is 15.6" and has an anti glare feature which helps while I am outdoors. I love how it's a microedge and looks very nice. The edges of the screen are practically invisible which is awesome.

I connected this laptop to my wireless network and the network card performed with no issues at high speeds on my 400mbps network (ac). Hard wired results were even better and faster.

I have tested the USB 3.1 ports and transferred pictures and files very fast thanks to the solid state drive and USB 3.1 speeds. The webcam I have tried with ZOOM and people were able to see me with no issues at a full 720p. The HDMI port is working with a clear picture on the connection to the TV. I have not tried connecting to a projector as I do not own one but imagine it will work. It does have a hard wired headphone slot but I have only used headphones wirelessly through bluetooth.

The last but not least is the battery life, I have charged this laptop rather quickly. It comes with a 3cell battery but the life of the battery on a single charge has been at least 8 hours while standard operation (files, browsing, small editing, etc) and dropped a little bit while gaming or streaming a few movies. I could still get at least 3 to 4 hours while heavy gaming or watching a few movies. Pretty solid for a 3 cell battery.

Final thoughts - Overall a solid specd laptop and a solid brand. I have no issues thus far on both the software and hardware and absolutely love the design/powerfulness of this system. Great laptop for the average gamer or streamer and for today's multitasking requirements. The backlit keyboard is very nice and the laptop is lightweight enough to enjoy the portability on the go. Very slick design.

I've been using this laptop for a little over a week now and so far I have to say I'm pretty impressed with it. I can't speak for its longevity, so this review is just my initial impressions after testing it out at home and playing some games. I'll start with the basics. It's a nice looking laptop and the build quality feels very sturdy. For a gaming laptop it's fairly slim and lightweight, making it very portable to take with you while traveling. One thing I did notice is that it seems to attract fingerprints, so you will need to wipe it down quite often. Starting from the left side of the laptop, you have a standard HDMI port, USB port, an RJ-45 (network) jack, USB type-c port, and a memory card reader. On the right, you get a headset/microphone combo jack, two USB ports, and last is the power connector to charge this device. I should note that this laptop does not come with an optical (DVD/CD) drive, so be sure to pick up an external optical drive if you have a need for it. It has 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB of internal storage with a solid state drive. I definitely prefer a laptop with an SSD. The system boot speed will be much quicker and programs will load faster, etc. Totally worth it. The battery life is pretty good and it actually did better than I expected. I was able to get almost 6 hours of continuous movie streaming before I had to plug it back in. This was with the screen brightness set to 100% and battery saver turned on if the battery falls below 20%. I can't comment on how long it would last while gaming though, as I always play with the laptop plugged in for better performance. Sound is decent on this laptop with the front-firing speakers and audio by Bang & Olufsen. You're not going to get high quality audio from a laptop though, regardless of the brand. If you want a better audio experience, I'd suggest connecting external speakers or headphones. The 15.6 inch full HD IPS display is very nice and has a sufficient brightness level. I also like that it's an anti-glare matte display, so it's great if you work on your computer outdoors or close to a window. It's only 60Hz which is fine for me. I'm just a casual gamer, so a screen with a higher refresh rate isn't a necessity. It has a backlit keyboard that lights up green which I find to be pretty cool. This could be a negative for some people, so if you're not digging the color you can easily adjust the brightness or turn it off completely with the f5 button. The lights don't stay on all the time, it's only after you press a button and then it'll turn off after about 30 seconds of no input. All the games I've played so far have performed very well. I don't play anything too graphically intense though. The laptop seems to run cool even while I'm gaming. When the fans kick in I'm amazed at how quiet it is. Some fans can get obnoxiously loud so I'm very happy that these are not like that. I have to say, I love what this laptop is capable of and would recommend it even to those who are not gamers!

Before I begin this review I need to emphasize that it is very important that you update the NVIDIA graphics drivers before any gameplay because the recent drivers (451.77 on up) contain some crucial performance enhancements. Please note that you will need to go directly to the NVIDIA's website and download and install the new drivers because the Windows update package did not include them for some reason.

Having said that, the gaming aspect of this review will be based on three different modern and widely popular games that I've chosen - which are: 1). Call of Duty Modern Warfare, 2). Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint, and 3). Tom Clancy's The Division 2.

Set up was quick and straightforward, and all you really need to do is follow the Windows 10 installation prompts. After Windows 10 Home (64-bit) has been activated and the Wifi/internet connectivity is established, you can then proceed to install all of the system updates and patches. This process will take several minutes so be patient.

After that's done you're ready to install your games. First up was Call of Duty Modern Warfare, but I immediately ran into problems and was unable to install it because there wasn't enough free space on the hard drive to accommodate the game's space requirements. As a workaround solution I plugged then my portable SSD drive and install the game on that unit. The gameplay was incredibly smooth and responsive, and I didn't experience any lag nor stuttering. The graphics were beautiful, and I was playing this game at a resolution of 3840 x 2160 on my 4K TV while the graphics were on the *preset* medium default setting.

Next up was Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint. The space requirements for this game was considerably lower than Call of Duty Modern Warfare and I was able to install it directly on the laptop's hard drive this time. It is imperative that the newer NVIDIA graphics drivers are installed because they are able to support this games recent and advanced "Vulkan API." I tested and compared this gaming laptop with an earlier version of the drivers (the ones that were installed with Windows upgrade), and the performance was immediately noticeable and confirmed with the games internal benchmarks. Having said that, be sure to launch the game in Vulkan mode instead of DX11. During gameplay I was able to max out all of the medium settings to either 'very high' or 'ultra' and obtained an average FPS of 57. The resolution was set at 1920 x 1080 on the game was played on the laptops screen.

The final game was Tom Clancy's The Division 2, and I was also able to install it directly on the hard drive as well. I first used the preset* medium default setting, and this was benchmarked at an average 67 FPS at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 - which was played on the gaming laptop screen. As with the graphics on the other games, I was very impressed with the detailed scenery and everything looked phenomenal. I continued to customize the graphics by maxing the settings to 'very high', and while I did experience lower FPS, the system performs quite well and I was quite satisfied with the overall output.

The laptop's cooling system did an excellent job at dissipating the heat and it did so in a very quiet fashion.

Pros:

1. Powerful system components that can play just about every modern game thrown at it

2. Superb graphics

3. Quick battery recharge time

4. Robust onboard speakers

5. Very fast startup

Cons:

1. Limited hard drive space

2. Lackluster WebCam

I will conclude by saying that this is a very capable and decent gaming laptop. It contains state-of-the-art components that can easily accommodate today's most demanding game requirements. This laptop appears to be very durable and is an excellent value for the money. I was satisfied with nearly every aspect of this gaming laptop's performance and I highly recommend it.

The HP Pavilion 15-dk0056wm Gaming Laptop was delivered yesterday. I absolutely love it. Unpacked it and was online in maybe 30 minutes. It connected to our wi-fi with no problems. I downloaded Microsoft Edge and it synced with all my information from my desktop computer. It looked like my customized laptop in just minutes. Downloaded Facebook Gameroom and started playing my favorite Cookie Jam. It's a very well-made and sturdy laptop. Heavier than I expected. Looks and performs beautifully. I would highly recommend this laptop.

I had been using a 10 year old toshiba qosmio laptop I purchased back in 2011. It was a great computer and still works. But I tried to join some friends in playing PGA 2k21 golf and the graphics card just wouldn't handle it. So, I looked online and came across this HP gaming laptop. All I can say is wow. This is the first SSD computer I have ever owned. My old laptop took 20 minutes to boot up but this one takes about 15 seconds. This is the first solid state drive I have ever purchased. I can't say much about other games but this laptop is so smooth and runs perfect. I love it!

I manage websites, play games, and keep my life organized with my laptop PC. In the past few years almost all of these tasks can be accomplished on your phone. I still need my laptop PC to update and add code to my websites, keep my life organized, and play PC games. I liked the specs on the HP Pavilion 15-dk0056wm Gaming Laptop and ordered it to replace my older laptop. Right out of the box I like the feel of it, good hinges, solid body. Setup was easy for me, there was no easy setup instructions included, if you have started a new computer before it will be easy. If this is your first PC once you find the power button, on screen guides will get you up and running. The HP Pavilion 15-dk0056wm Gaming Laptop fits all my needs. I can update my websites and play games at the same time. The only drawback for me is the 256 GB harddrive. I loaded Fortnight and a couple of other games and ftp software for my websites. This took ⅔ of the harddrive space. The laptop has a USB C port and with a USB C external drive the storage issue is fixed. I really like my HP Pavilion 15-dk0056wm Gaming Laptop, it works for everything I need.

The HP Pavilion 15.4" gaming laptop is quite nice, for the price point. It has a list of specifications which are not always available in all laptops at this price, and it comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home 64. Below are the specs, for the tech savvy, and the review follows the list for the less tech curious:

- Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-9300H (2.4 GHz base frequency, up to 4.1 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 8 MB L3 cache, 4 cores)

- Chipset: Intel HM370

- Memory: 8 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (1 x 8 GB) memory

- Video card: Intel UHD Graphics 630

- Hard drive: 256 GB PCIe NVMe™ M.2 SSD, of which only 197GB is available after removing bloatware

- Display: 15.6" diagonal FHD IPS anti-glare micro-edge WLED-backlit, 250 nits, 45% NTSC (1920 x 1080), 60Hz refresh rate

- Wireless connectivity: Realtek 802.11b/g/n/a/ac (2x2)

- Bluetooth: 4.2 combo

- Network: Integrated 10/100/1000 GbE LAN

- Expansion slots: 1 multi-format SD media card reader

- External ports: 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gb/s signaling rate, Power Delivery 3.0, DisplayPort 1.4, HP Sleep and Charge); 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (HP Sleep and Charge); 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (Data Transfer Only); 1 HDMI; 1 AC smart pin; 1 RJ-45

- Headphone slot: 1 headphone/microphone combo

- Dimensions (W x D x H): 36 x 25.6 x 2.34 cm

- Weight: 2.25 kg/ 5 lbs

Power supply: 50 W Smart AC power adapter

Battery type: 3-cell, 52.5 Wh Li-ion

Webcam: HP Wide Vision 720p HD camera with integrated dual array digital microphone

Audio features: Audio by Band & Olufsen; Dual speakers; HP Audio Boost

The device is slightly heavy at nearly 5 lbs, compared to other 15.6" laptops, but it IS a gaming laptop, so don't expect light and airy. It's not that bad, but it definitely has a noticeable weight to it. The screen is nice and wide, with minimum bezel (frame around the screen) and since it's all in black, it fades into the background.

It comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home 64 and is very easy to set up, with step-by-step instructions provided in text (on screen) and audio (Cortana, the voice-activated helper, similar to Siri on Apple products); all one has to do is pick the options, hit next, and the laptop nearly sets itself up.

Being someone who spends a lot of times on computers, I first went ahead and checked out the pre-loaded items on the laptop: software, including games, home office, virus protection, Netflix, and some HP extras. The Office 365 (Word, Excel, etc.) is only a 30-day free trial requiring credit card sign up - which can be canceled at any time - and since I own a licensed copy of the software, I uninstalled it. The same applied to trial-subscription of the virus protection software, McAfee, which I also own, but don't particularly like to install on my devices, as it slows the device down; it's NOT recommended to go without an antivirus, due to the high risk of malware and viruses that abound on the internet and sneak onto one's devices, so I don't recommend going without it. But it doesn't come free with the device anyway, just a trial run, and it's up to the owner to keep it or use a different kind, or none at all.

The keyboard is big, back-lit in a standout green, which is surprising, but expected on a gaming device (see photos). The highest setting back-lit has the keyboard at a very bright green (see photos), or it can be dimmed via keyboard settings (on the Functions keeps, I think F4?). Back-lit keys are very important to me, as I prefer to work in the dark and prefer to see the keys without needing additional lighting. Nice touch here, HP.

The keyboard is easy to type on, has a numeric pad as well, and the track pad is fairly wide and easy to navigate - though I prefer an external mouse - and all the functions on the laptop are accessible via a single touch on the keyboard: sound, screen brightness, back-lit lighting, and so forth.

Windows 10 can be a bit clunky, compared to previous versions (I prefer Windows 8.1, which is no longer available on newer laptops), but once you get the hang of it, it's easy to navigate. Whatever issues with Windows 10 is no fault of HP, but a Microsoft issue, so one learns to live with it or make modifications, as necessary, if one knows their way around computers.

The sound is decent, headphone port works well (earphones *not* included), battery lasts a good while but, like any other device, less so if the screen is at full brightness and streaming videos/games, which drains the battery faster.

The one thing I'm not a fan of with this laptop - and it's a big deal to me - is the screen resolution (with a refresh rate of only 60Hz) and the screen tint (color) - less 1-1.5 stars - which is ironic, given it is a gaming laptop.

The screen has a yellowish tint that may not be visible to others, but it is to me, and is sadly seen in numerous devices of the day. This affects skin tone on screen and tinges the whiteness of the screen with a drab-white look, which I dislike. I've attached a comparison photo of Netflix between this HP gaming laptop compared to my 14" Toshiba laptop, which has a cooler/bluish screen, giving skin tones a more natural tint (to my eyes).

Another screen drawback is the screen resolution: when playing videos on HD, the screen doesn't look very high definition, but sonewhat grainy on video playback (not so bad on photos). For instance, playing a film on Netflix Super HD plan looks more like SD on this laptop, when compared to my Toshiba laptop, which is about 5 years old and at a similar price point, but with a much better screen than this HP laptop. Screen clarity, resolution, and true color tone is one of the key aspects of a device purchased specifically for viewing purposes, such a streaming or gaming. If anything, that's where this gaming HP laptop falls short.

Overall, I'd recommend this device for most users. It has enough built-in bells and whistles, plus a back-lit keyboard, decent sound, and up-to-standard wireless and network/Bluetooth capability to meet many needs. Where it lacks, in my opinion, is the less-than-HD screen resolution, yellowish screen tint, and the lack of useful installed software. However, for the price point, it isn't bad. Perhaps, I'd recommend it more highly if it had a lesser price point, but that doesn't solve the screen issue, which might not matter to the average user, but is a point of contention to me when making electronics purchases.

The laptop comes boxed with the ac power adapter and a foldout "start up" guide. No other accessories are included.

First off lets start with the shipping on this item. It came fairly quickly. The packaging was amazing, tons of protection. I was worried the screen would crack during shipping but it was fine.

Lets get to the laptop itself. I've never had a laptop dedicated for gaming or built for gaming. The screen and keyboard size is very generous. The laptop comes uncharged so a good charge will turn it on. Once charged the laptop powered on no issue. There was a easy start up guide that prompts you for quick and easy set up. The keyboard has a green back light and will turn off due to inactivity to save power. The sound quality is decent and the video quality looks good. When I'm using this I typically will be using headphones with a mic anyways so the speakers are just a bonus in my book. I did notice right away the laptop was heavier than I was use to but again I never had one with a monitor this big with a large keyboard. The battery life is as expected, depending on what I'm playing or doing on the laptop will vary for battery life. Unless I'm playing or watching videos in bed or on the couch I will keep it plugged in for a constant charge at the desk. Bluetooth and WiFi works fine. If you need to load CD's or DVD's, you will need to purchase the external drive separately because it doesn't come with one.

This laptop is a good size for someone adjusting from a desktop computer. The 15.6 inch screen is spacious. It has great resolution. The backlit display is nice. Colors look fabulous & images are crisp. If you're looking for a gaming machine with a well-lit keyboard, this isn't it. The lighting of the keyboard is very faint.

There are 3 USB ports, so you can connect a printer, a mouse, a camera, or most other peripherals. It has an HDMI port for connecting to a TV. There is a port for headphones & mic.

There is no disc drive.

The sound quality of the speakers is better than expected, but still not as good as headphones.

The machine is very responsive. It can handle a lot going on at once. It works even better if you install a Linux operating system & get Windows 10 off it. That clears away all the bloat that otherwise bogs it down. If you must keep Windows, I highly recommend that you go through the apps list & uninstall everything you won't use. There is a ton of junk on it.

It comes with Microsoft Office 360 installed BUT it is only a trial version. It prompts every time you open a file to get you to buy it. You only have one week to do so or find an alternative. Open Office is a robust program to replace Windows Office, and it is free open-source software.

The touch pad is an issue for me. It is hyper-sensitive in some spots & totally unresponsive in others. The only solution for that is hooking up a mouse.

Battery life is good & appears to be consistently 8 hours. Using a cooling pad helps.

The laptop runs very quietly.