The laptop market has been a bit quiet lately, so HP seized the opportunity to launch the new Pavilion Plus 14, a mainstream laptop designed specifically for Generation Z. It’s lightweight enough to carry around, has a decent set of features, and isn’t outrageously priced. But how does it actually feel to use? Let me break it down for you.
## Not the Thinnest, But Still Portable
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 is a classic clamshell laptop with a sturdy all-aluminum chassis. You can toss it in your bag without worrying too much about it. However, at 17.5mm thick and weighing 1.45kg, it’s not exactly ultra-portable. Holding it for a long time does get tiring, but it’s manageable for carrying around.
The Pavilion Plus 14 comes in two colors: Moonlight Blue and Tranquil Pink. I got my hands on the Tranquil Pink version, which is more of a champagne gold than pink. It’s a subtle and stylish look.
## That OLED Screen Though…
The star of the show is the 14-inch OLED display with a 2.8K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The text is sharp, the colors are vibrant (especially when watching videos), and the viewing angles are excellent. My only complaint is the glossy screen. While it makes the display look brighter, it also reflects a lot of light, which can be tiring on the eyes after a while.
## Good Keyboard, Weird Feel
The keyboard is a standard full-sized keyboard with island-style keys and decent key travel. The touchpad is spacious enough for multi-finger gestures. However, both the keyboard and touchpad feel a bit… “plasticky.” They lack the satisfying feedback of a premium keyboard. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s noticeable.
## All the Ports You Need
The Pavilion Plus 14 has a good mix of old and new ports. You get two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4), an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Plenty of options for connecting to displays, peripherals, and headphones without needing adapters.
## Performance Is… Fine
The Pavilion Plus 14 packs Intel’s latest Core Ultra 5 125H processor, Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. It’s a mid-range configuration that’s more than enough for everyday tasks, office work, watching movies, and light photo editing. The Intel Arc graphics even allows for some light video editing, though don’t expect super-fast rendering times.
Battery life is decent. HP claims up to 13 hours, but I got around 8-9 hours in real-world usage. Not bad for a laptop of this size. The fast charging feature is great; you can get from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes, adding an extra 4-5 hours of use.
## Final Thoughts: Good, But Not a Steal
Overall, the HP Pavilion Plus 14 is a solid laptop aimed at Gen Z users who want a stylish device with enough power for everyday tasks. It performs well, has a gorgeous screen, and offers decent battery life. However, at nearly $10,000, it’s a bit overpriced. If it were priced closer to $8,000, it would be a much more compelling option.