The benefits of a lightweight laptop are clear, but internal specs are often compromised to get there.
That’s not the case for HP, whose new Pavilion Aero 13 clocks in at under 1kg (0.987kg to be precise). That makes it the lightest consumer-focused laptop the company has ever made.
An impressive spec sheet is headlined by AMD’s latest Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs. The entry-level model uses the Ryzen 5 5600U, but the more powerful Ryzen 7 5800U is also available if you’re willing to pay more. Combined with Radeon integrated graphics, all configurations should deliver great all-round performance, even if the most graphically-demanding tasks are out of reach.
As the name suggests, the Pavilion Aero 13 has a 13.3in LCD display, at a resolution of 2560×1600. It’s also been certified by Eyesafe as a low blue light display, and has an impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio. There’s no touch support or OLED, but these are not dealbreakers in a sub £800/US$800 laptop.
The Pavilion line typically caters to everyday consumers, and that’s reflected in the available colour options. You can choose between pale rose gold, warm gold, ceramic white, and natural silver finishes, all of which use post-consumer recycled and ocean-bound plastics.
HP didn’t mention Windows 11 when promoting the Pavilion Aero 13, but has since confirmed that it will be eligible for the free upgrade once it arrives in early 2022.
Then there’s the price. The Pavilion Aero 13 starts at a relatively affordable £849.99/US$749.99. It will go on sale in the US this month, before arriving in the UK and other territories in August. The disparity between UK and US pricing is due to some differences between the entry-level models, but HP didn’t provide any specifics.
Early signs suggest the Pavilion Aero 13 could be a hit with consumers. But will it be good enough for our ultra-competitive best laptop chart? Only time will tell.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.