HP’s 2018 Pavilion laptops coming soon for $629 and up

HP is updating is Pavilion line of notebooks with new models sporting slimmer designs, slimmer screen bezels, and updated processor options.

The company says the new Pavilion 14 and Pavilion 15 laptops are its slimmest Pavilion notebooks to date, with the 14 inch model measuring just 17.9mm (0.7 inches) thick). That makes it about 10 percent thinner than last year’s models, which came in at 19.9mm (0.8 inches).

The 2018 HP Pavilion 14 comes with an 8th-gen Intel Core U-series processor, while the 15.6 inch model is available with a choice of an 8th-gen Intel Core chip or an AMD Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 processor. NVIDIA and AMD discrete graphics options are also available for some models.

The new laptops have metal cases with a two-tone finish (the lid and base are different colors).

They also support dual storage, with an M.2 slot for Intel Optane memory or an SSD and a 2.5 inch bay for a hard drive or solid state drive. HP plans to offer configurations with up to 2TB of hard drive storage.

All of the new laptops feature USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A ports, HDMI, and Ethernet ports, and SD card slots. But there are also some optional features that will only be available on select models, including an IR camera and/or a fingerprint sensor for Windows Hello secure login functionality.

Prices for the Pavilion 14 should start at about $629 for a model with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 1366 x 768 pixel non-touch display.

A $700 model with a full HD touchscreen display and a 256GB solid state seems like a better deal though.

HP says a 15.6 inch model with a 1080p touchscreen, 8GB of RAM, and 1TB of hard drive storage (plus a DVD drive) will sell for $740.

14 inch models should measure about 12.9″ x 8.9″ x 0.7″ and weigh about 3.5 pounds with a 41 Whr battery, while the 15.6 inch version is 14.8″ x 9.6″ x 0.9″ and 4.6 pounds.

The new HP Pavilion 14 and Pavilion 15 should be available starting in May or June.