Which is better for multitasking?

The Pavilion 17. Its 16 GB of RAM matters more than B's newer chip when you run many apps at once. B's 8 GB fills up quickly with heavy browser use.

Which has the faster processor?

B. The i5-1235U has 10 cores and 12 MB of cache against 4 cores and 8 MB on A's i5-1155G7. For short bursts and light tasks the gap is small.

Which lasts longer on battery?

A publishes up to 8h15 of mixed use and up to 10h15 of video from a 41 Wh battery. HP does not publish a runtime for B, so A is the safer bet for all-day use away from an outlet.

Is B worth stepping up to?

Only if you want the newer chip and the numeric keypad. You give up half the RAM, so plan to add a stick if you multitask heavily.

Do both have a backlit keyboard?

Yes. A has a backlit keyboard, and B has a full-size backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad.

Which is better for students?

A, because 16 GB of RAM covers years of browser tabs, documents and video calls without an upgrade. B suits light coursework and spreadsheet work better.

HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop vs HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop

Buy the Pavilion 17 (A) if you want 16 GB of RAM and a faster 11th-gen i5 for heavy multitasking and everyday work. Buy the HP 17-cn2068cl (B) if you want a newer 12th-gen i5-1235U with more cache and a full-size backlit keyboard with a numeric keypad. Both share the same 17.3-inch FHD IPS anti-glare panel, so screen size and sharpness are a tie. A ships with double the memory, which matters more for browser tabs and office apps than the newer chip does.

Choose the Pavilion 17 if you keep many tabs and apps open and want 16 GB of RAM out of the box.
Choose the HP 17-cn2068cl if you want the newer 12th-gen i5 and a numeric keypad for spreadsheets.

Prices

HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop: $688.75 at Newegg.com (last seen Nov 13)
HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop: $639.00 at Walmart (last seen Nov 13)
Difference: the HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop is $49.75 cheaper than the HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop at the latest prices (Nov 13)

HP Pavilion 17.3-inch IPSize FHD Laptop (2022 Model)

	HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop	HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop
Processor	Intel Core i5-1155G7, 4 cores, 8 threads, up to 4.5 GHz, 8 MB cache	Intel Core i5-1235U, 10 cores (2 performance, 8 efficiency), up to 4.4 GHz, 12 MB cache
Memory	16 GB DDR4-3200 in two 8 GB sticks	8 GB
Storage	512 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD	512 GB SSD
Display	17.3-inch FHD IPS anti-glare, 250 nits, 45% NTSC	17.3-inch FHD IPS anti-glare, 1920 x 1080
Keyboard	Backlit keyboard	Full-size backlit keyboard with numeric keypad
Wireless	Realtek 1x1 Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2	Wi-Fi 5 class on this model; check the exact card
Battery	41 Wh, up to 8h15 mixed use, up to 10h15 video	Not published for this configuration
Weight	2.08 kg	About 2.1 kg for the 17-cn series

Spec	HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop	HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop
Memory	16 GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM (2 x 8 GB)	—
Storage	512 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD	—
Wireless	Realtek RTL8821CE-M 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (1x1) Wi-F…	—
Dimensions	40.07 x 25.78 x 1.99 cm	—
Weight	2.08 kg	—
Power adapter	45 W Smart AC power adapter	—
Battery	3-cell, 41 Wh Li-ion	—
Battery life	Up to 8 hours and 15 minutes	—
Video playback	Up to 10 hours and 15 minutes	—
Edition	—	8GB RAM\|512GB SSD\|Pro
color	—	Silver

HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop vs HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop

Prices

HP Pavilion 17.3-inch Laptop vs HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop

Prices

HP 17-cn2068cl 17.3" Laptop

What separates them

Price history

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