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HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 Review: Satisfying Everyday Widescreen Laptop for Less


Updated Nov. 23, 2023 10:45 a.m. PT

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Written by 
Joshua Goldman

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Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice

Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn’t consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.

Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials

  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.

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HP Pavilion 15t-eg300

7.5/10 CNET Score

7.5/ 10
SCORE

HP Pavilion 15t-eg300

Pros

  • Good performance for the price
  • Attractive with a solid, sturdy feel
  • Pleasing audio
  • Several configuration options

Cons

  • Poor-quality base display
  • Keyboard legends difficult to see

Widescreen laptops such as the HP Pavilion 15 are increasingly rare. Most laptops above $700 have switched to 16:10 or 3:2 aspect ratios, which gives you more vertical space to work in. Laptops with 16:9 displays are typically relegated to entry-level and midrange status. But while we roundly suggest staying away from small widescreen laptops, a larger 15.6-inch, 16:9 display is great for home use for work and entertainment. And that’s what you get with the Pavilion 15, where even the cheapest model has strong everyday performance, decent battery life and a slim but sturdy design.  

Like many HP laptops, or really any laptop, it’s best to wait for a sale. I wouldn’t recommend this Pavilion at its regular price of $1,010. It’s currently deeply discounted for Black Friday, however, and starts at $530 for an excellent configuration, except for the display. The base configuration’s display really is the biggest strike against it, but thankfully, it can be upgraded for as little as $10. And while I can’t speak to the quality of the other three display options HP offers for it, it can’t be worse than the base display. 

HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 specifications

Price as reviewed $1,010
Display size/resolution 15.6-inch 1,920×1,080 IPS LCD
CPU 1.7GHz Intel Core i7-1355U
Memory 16GB DDR4-3200
Graphics 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Storage 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Networking Realtek Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3
Connections Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (x2), USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1 (TMDS), 3.5mm combo audio jack
Operating system Windows Home 11 22H2

HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open facing front sitting on a dark gray microfiber chair. HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open facing front sitting on a dark gray microfiber chair.

The base display only looks good head-on, and even then, it’s washed out and dim. 

Josh Goldman/CNET

You’ve got options

This HP Pavilion 15 starts as low as $650 with an AMD processor (the 15z-eh300) and a sale price of just $350. But, like the Intel-powered 15t-eg300, you should skip the base display option if you can afford another $30. The configuration options is definitely a highlight here, letting you upgrade the processors, add more memory (for the AMD model, at least), increase storage and even the graphics with an entry-level discrete Nvidia GPU. There are also multiple color options available. 

Models in the UK are not configurable but start as low as £419. In Australia, HP is clearing out 12th-gen Intel Pavilion 15 configurations starting at AU$1,055 right now. The good news there is you can get better specs, and going by our performance tests, the gap in speed between Intel’s 12th- and 13th-gen chips at this level is small.

HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open front facing right sitting on a wood desk in front of a dark blue backdrop.. HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open front facing right sitting on a wood desk in front of a dark blue backdrop..

The base config’s display might not be good, but there is an HDMI out for an external display. 

Josh Goldman/CNET

Performance and battery life

If you’re in the market for a strong multitasking laptop for a home office or school work, the HP Pavilion 15 is a fine fit. It tested on par or slightly better than similarly configured 15-inch laptops past and present. Keep in mind, too, that we tested the base Intel configuration. 

Loaded up with the top components HP offers, including the Nvidia GeForce MX550 discrete graphics, it should give you enough performance for basic photo and video editing and casual gaming. Perhaps more importantly, it’ll extend the overall performance longevity and the price still comes in under $1,000. One other thing: The specs HP lists for the laptop say it comes with a 65-watt power supply, but that’s for one configured with Nvidia GeForce MX550 discrete graphics. The one I tested has a 45-watt adapter. 

A close up of the HP Pavilion 15's power input on the rear left side of the laptop. A close up of the HP Pavilion 15's power input on the rear left side of the laptop.

Although the laptop’s power adapter uses a barrel connector on the right side (pictured), the Pavilion 15 can be charged via its USB-C port on the left side.

Josh Goldman/CNET

Battery life came in at just under 6 hours on our streaming video test. With that in mind, as well as its nearly 4-pound weight, I wouldn’t recommend the Pavilion 15 as a commuter laptop or to carry around campus all day. For that, I recommend another HP, the Aero 13. The 13-inch laptop does have a smaller display (though it is a taller 16:10 aspect ratio), but its price and performance are in line with the Pavilion 15 we tested, it weighs less than 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) and its battery life tested at more than 10 hours. 

Design and features

The HP Pavilion 15 has a slim, sturdy body that’s a mix of plastic and metal. It’s also available in multiple colors, though the plain silver model I tested is attractive if nondescript. There’s little to no flex to the lid or keyboard deck. The laptop has a good full-size keyboard, so if you enter a lot of numbers, you’ll be happy. Plus, it’s backlit, which is good because the key legends are difficult to read unless you’re directly over the keyboard. Keeping the backlight on definitely helps with this keyboard design. The touchpad works well, too, and has a firm click and is not mushy. 

A top down view of the HP Pavilion 15's keyboard. A top down view of the HP Pavilion 15's keyboard.

Josh Goldman/CNET

Again, I recommend skipping the base display. Colors are dull, it’s not especially bright and everything looks washed out regardless of how you position it. It’s particularly poor off-angle to the sides and above and below. If you use it head-on, the panel is OK, but overall, it’s not good for an IPS LCD even at its low price. 

Above the display is a serviceable 720p webcam; it’s fine as long as you have good lighting. The audio quality was surprisingly decent, though. Maybe it’s my low expectations, but the downward-firing speakers sounded reasonably full compared to the thin, tinny audio you’d typically get at this price. Paired with the widescreen display, this HP would be fine for binge-watching shows sans headphones. 

HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open rear facing right sitting on a wood desk in front of a dark blue backdrop.. HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 15-inch laptop open rear facing right sitting on a wood desk in front of a dark blue backdrop..

Josh Goldman/CNET

A modern mobile desktop replacement

Overall, the HP Pavilion 15t-eg300 is a good option for anyone looking for a larger laptop to use around the house and for the occasional trip to the coffee shop. Battery life can be short depending on what you’re doing, but it’s on par with others at the price and size. The larger widescreen display is fine for work and entertainment, but you should spend a bit more for one of the other three panels HP offers if you can. Also, buy it when it’s on sale; otherwise, you can do better at its full $1,010 price

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The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device’s aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. 

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Geekbench 5 (multicore)

HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 7779Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 7254MSI Modern 15 B13M 7073HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 6871

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Geekbench 6 (multicore)

HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 7965HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 7827MSI Modern 15 B13M 7431

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

JetStream2 (JavaScript and WebAssembly benchmark) in Chrome

MSI Modern 15 B13M 273.596HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 249.332Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 223.462HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 222.793

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Cinebench R23 (multicore)

MSI Modern 15 B13M 9836HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 8157Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 8144HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 7071

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited

HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 3166MSI Modern 15 B13M 2728Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 2407HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 2191

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

PCMark 10 Pro Edition (complete)

HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 5790Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 5272HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 5234MSI Modern 15 B13M 5053

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

Online video streaming battery drain test

HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 640Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 420HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 356MSI Modern 15 B13M 335

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

System Configurations

HP Pavilion Laptop 15t-eg300 Windows 11 Home, Intel Core i7-1355U, 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM, 256GB SSD, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
MSI Modern 15 B13M Windows 11 Home, Intel Core i7-1355U, 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM, 1TB SSD, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
HP Pavilion Aero Laptop 13 Windows 11 Home, AMD Ryzen 5 7535U, 16GB DDR5-6400 RAM, 256GB SSD, integrated AMD Radeon Graphics
Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 Windows 11 Home, Intel Core i5-1235U, 16GB DDR4-3200 RAM, 512GB SSD, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics





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