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The biggest advantage to HVLP is the savings in paint. Will cut in half the materials to do a project. At $200/gallon for some paints, it might not take long to make it worthwhile. There are two ways to get HVLP technology, turbine powered systems, or compressor powered systems. Turbine powered means you get a true HVLP paint gun, and a little specialized air compressor (called a turbine) that puts out between 5 and 10psi and between 80 to 130 CFM. The main advantage to this is that the air that is supplied to the gun is warm to hot. This helps in atomization and totally eliminates any water problems associated with conventional compressors. Also very portable (one hand carryable, will work on 115V 15A circuits on extension cords). Compressor powered means the gun cuts the pressure from the 40 or so lbs CKNS mentioned to the required 5 or so lbs. A pretty healthy compressor is required, which means if your just barly making it, the thing is working hard and probably generating tons of water. All you buy is the gun, generally more expensive than a true HVLP gun, but not to where it covers the cost of the turbine, which is why they're probably more popular. The tip size is generally matched to the viscosity of the paint rather than to change the pattern. Another advantage is a HVLP's ability to spray some pretty unsprayable things, like household latex paint. I used a cheap Wagner rental (true HVLP with a turbine) to do that over 10 years ago, worked like a dream. With such heavy bodied paint, and operating with a turbine that was just barley big enough to get the job done, there was virtually NO overspray. Pretty cool. Tools
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