HP laptops are worth considering whether you are looking for a good and affordable laptop for casual use, a professional laptop for work, or a complete workstation for creative professions such as video editing and animation. However, with many laptop models in their HP portfolio, it can be confusing to determine which laptop is best for your needs.
HP Elite Dragonfly G3, HP Envy 13, HP Spectre x360 2-in-1, and HP Envy x360, to name a few, are all fantastic laptops with amazing specifications, and that is why it is essential to pay attention to fine prints. We have carefully curated the best HP laptops in the market to help you narrow down to the one that is ideal for your needs.
This selection has been made with consideration to several factors such as features, specs, display, power, and value for money. We’ve carved out the best 8 HP laptops in 2023 for a range of different purposes.
- Best Overall: HP Elite Dragonfly G3
- Best Premium Laptop: HP Envy 13
- Best Budget-Friendly Option: HP Chromebook 11A G8
- Best for Creative Professionals: HP ZBook Studio G7
- Best 2-in-1: HP Spectre x360 13
- Best for Business: HP EliteBook 840 G9
- Best Chromebook: HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
- Best for Gaming: HP Omen 17
Best Overall: HP Elite Dragonfly G3
- 13.5" Touchscreen notebook
- 1920 x 1280p
- Intel Core 12th gen i5-1235Y deca-core (10-core)
- 16GB Total RAM
- 16GB on-board memory
- 256GB SSD
The third-generation laptop entry of the popular Dragonfly line, the HP Elite Dragonfly G3, packs a 12th-generation Intel Core processor, 6-cell, 68-WHr Long Life Battery, and has a 3:2 aspect ratio which translates to a larger display.
Weighing about 2.2 pounds, do not be fooled by the size of the laptop as it does not compromise on battery capacity. The HP laptop also houses a battery guaranteed to take you through more than seven hours on a single charge.
To add on that, the HP Dragonfly G3 comes with a 1,920×1,280 resolution and a 3,000×2,000 OLED option meaning that the display is as sharp as it can get. It packs 512 GB NVMe SSD storage for storing all your data and files ensuring that your laptop runs for a while without it filling up. The laptop allows users to experience picture and video transmission from a different perspective. The HP Elite Dragonfly G3 has a 5-megapixel webcam that edges out conventional 720p cameras. If you have money, we recommend getting the Elite Dragonfly G3 for business and everyday tasks
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent business features | Expensive |
| MP for better video conferencing | Battery life could always be better |
| Thin and light design | |
| Good touchpad and typing experience | |
Check out the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 on Amazon.
Best Premium Laptop: HP Envy 13
- Touch Screen Type : Adaptive
- Intel Core i7-1165G7
- 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD storage
- 13.3" FHD touchscreen display
- Windows 10 Home with Fingerprint Reader
- Camera Kill Switch
If you are looking for a laptop that won’t break the bank but still provides great performance, an impressive display, and good battery life like most premium laptops, consider the HP Envy 13.
The HP Envy 13 is an all-rounded laptop that is capable of performing creative work and day-to-day business tasks. Retailing at about $720, the laptop has a slick aluminum design and a comfortable keyboard.
The laptop boasts an intel core i7 7th generation processor which is among the best for demanding applications like Adobe’s Creative Suite, scientific work, and high-end gaming. On top of that is the powerful Nvidia GeForce MX450 that can handle most extreme multi-threading tasks. However, there are a few downsides to this laptop. It does not seem to provoke actual envy considering the plastic touchpad that gives the laptop a cheap feel. However, if you overlook the lack of an IR camera and the plastic touchpad, the HP Envy 13 is an amazing laptop that performs everything correctly for an agreeable price.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable | No thunderbolt |
| Great keyboard and touchpad | |
| Great display | |
| Amazing performance for everyday tasks | |
| Good battery life |
Check out the HP Envy 13 on Amazon.
Best Budget-Friendly Option: HP Chromebook 11a G8
Apart from being a bargain laptop, the HP Chromebook 11a G8 is also an ideal laptop for casual internet surfers.
This laptop weighs 2.4 pounds and is more thin and light than most 11 inch laptops. Additionally, it comes with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage, which is considerably low but at par with Chromebooks’ standards.
However, do not expect high-end laptop level performance for $117. The laptop has several downsides including a less powerful processor, which means the laptop cannot handle demanding tasks. The HP Chromebook 11a will work just fine for students who only need their laptop for web browsing.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable | Minimal port selection |
| Light | Slow performance |
| Sleek design | |
| Decent touchscreen |
Check out the HP Chromebook 11a G8 on Amazon.
Best for Creative Professionals: HP ZBook Studio G7
- 15.6" Mobile Workstation Full hD
- 1920 x 1080p
- Intel Core 10th gen i7-10750H Hexa-core (6-core)
- 2.6 GHz
- 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD
- Windows 10 Pro
- In-Plane Switching
The HP ZBook Studio G7 has everything creatives require when inspiration kicks in, cramming essential technology for creative professionals, architects, and designers into a light, slim, slick, and beautiful design.
The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 graphics and 10th generation Core i9 / Xeon processors deliver powerful technology for great performance.
The graphics used in the laptop is ideal for designers who require 3D CAD for great rendering and product simulation abilities. It is worth mentioning the DreamColor display that provides color-accurate workflows from creation to delivery, regardless of the final deliverable format. It is pricey, however, but that can be justified by the premium performance. Still, we think it can do better regarding battery life and display.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Powerful processor that can handle intensive tasks | Can get hot |
| Good battery life | Noisy fan |
| Amazing external speakers |
Check out the HP ZBook Studio G7 on Amazon.
Best 2-in-1: HP Spectre x360 13
- Silver
- Convertible laptop
- Intel i7
- Up to 3.9GHz
- 16GB DDR4 + 32GB Optane (48 total)
- 512GB SSD
- 13.3" 4K LED
The HP Spectre series has always carved out a comfortable niche in the laptop industry, and the HP Spectre x360 13 is no different.
Released in 2022, this laptop is among the best 2-in-1 models in the market, boasting a 60wH battery that promises over 10 hours of usage on a single charge, a fantastic design, a 13.3″ diagonal FHD IPS WLED-backlit touch screen (1,920 x 1,080p), and overall top-notch performance.
In addition, the HP Spectre x360 13 can be used as a laptop or tablet due to its convertible nature. This design allows users to handle all their work, media viewing needs, and school work in one device. This can be significantly cheaper than buying two devices.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Thin bezels | Fan can get noisy |
| Slick design | Below average webcam |
| Can be used as a laptop and as a tablet | High price |
| Has a rechargeable pen | Stiff touchpad |
| Long battery life | No dedicated OLED display |
Check out the HP Spectre x360 13 on Amazon. (Please note that as of July 18th, 2023 this product is currently unavailable on Amazon. Please check back later.)
Best for Business: HP EliteBook 840 G9
- 14" WUXGA IPS
- 12th Gen Intel i7-1255U 10-Core Iris Xe Graphics
- 16GB DDR5 and 512GB SSD
- Backlit KB
- Fingerprint Reader
- Thunderbolt 4
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Windows 11 Pro
- RATZK 32GB USB
Finding an affordable laptop that can handle all your business requirements with few compromises can be hard. However, HP has got you covered with the HP EliteBook 840 G9.
This laptop is a great corporate traveler with nearly all modern conveniences, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, first-rate security, and 5G.
The HP Context Away enables the laptop to maximize comfort, performance, and responsiveness with the help of AI-based optimization. To add to that, the HP EliteBook 840 G9 has an HD camera that takes conferencing to another level, allowing users to connect with people in a more personal way. If the HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is out of your budget, the HP EliteBook 840 G9 is a worthy substitute.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has 5G | Average display |
| Good in-built keyboard | No OLED or high-resolution screen options |
| Great build | Comes in one color, silver |
| Decent battery life | No QHD or UHD display option |
Check out the HP EliteBook 840 G9 on Amazon.
Best Chromebook: HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook
- 13.5" Chromebook
- WUXGA+
- 1,920 x 1,280p
- Intel Core 12th gen i5-1245U Deca-core (10-core)
- 1.20 GHz
- 8GB RAM
- 8GB on-board memory
- 128GB SSD
- Intel Chip
Chromebooks are very popular devices with low-powered processors because of the light basic tasks they are designed to handle every day. They are synonymous with lesser storage and less RAM compared to many laptops. However, high-end Chromebooks such as the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook are at par with conventional laptops.
If you’re a Chromebook enthusiast, you want one that is great at performing basic tasks such as web browsing but does not drain your wallet, and the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is that device. It’s designed with speed and simplicity, with additional features that come with more excellent high-end laptops.
This Chromebook stands out from the rest with a 13.5″ QHD display panel that hits 400 nits of brightness. Additionally, the Chromebook boasts a 12th Generation Intel® Core™ i3 processor, 8GB of memory, 128GB NVMe SSD storage, 13.5″ FHD Touch Display, and Intel® UHD Graphics that allow it to deliver decent performance.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Light and weighs from 2.8 lbs | Expensive |
| Has a 5MP webcam | The screen may reflect light |
| The haptic touchpad is amazing | Can become warm |
| Outstanding speakers | Business software at this pricing isn’t up to par |
| A high-quality webcam with a physical shutter | |
| Options for fast processors with vPro |
Check out the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook on Amazon. (Please note: As of July 19, 2023 this product is out of stock on Amazon. Please check back later.)
Best for Gaming: HP Omen 17
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- Intel Core i7-11800H
- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- 17.3" Quad HD 165Hz Display
- Windows 10 Home
- RGB Keyboard
- Long battery life
A sound graphics card, a powerful processor that can handle the card, RAM that is up to the task, and a great display are all essential aspects gamers consider when looking for gaming laptops. The HP Omen 17 has a balance of these to give users the best gaming experience.
The laptop houses NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 graphics, giving you up to six times the performance of previous cards. This graphics card delivers an immersive gaming experience with desktop-level performance.
You don’t have to worry about lagging with Network Boosters in the HP Omen 17. The Network Booster balances your network bandwidth to prioritize your game over everything else, while the Dual Force Functionality sends gaming traffic over the fastest connection. The 17.3 screens will give you an immersive experience while the bulky enclosure protects the unit and keeps it well-ventilated.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great display and refresh rate ideal for gaming | Heavy |
| Powerful NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2080 graphics card | Relatively short battery life (barely lasts for 2 hours of video playback and 1 hour and 51 minutes of web browsing) |
| Has network booster to prevent lagging | |
| The 17.3-inch Full HD IPS panel 165Hz refresh rate makes it perfect for first-person shooters and gaming |
Check out the HP Omen 17 on Amazon.
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How to Pick the Best HP Laptop: Step-by-Step Guide
When deciding which HP laptop is best for you, you will need to consider several factors, including:
- Key function
- Portability
- Price
- Features
Let’s review each one in detail.
Key Function
Before you decide which HP laptop to purchase, first determine why you need it and what you intend to use it for. HP manufactures laptops for various occasions, from business laptops to affordable Chromebooks each with different strengths and weaknesses that will affect your overall experience.
If you need a HP laptop for basic tasks and web browsing, consider a reliable machine with decent battery life like the HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, which has basic features and several advanced ones that can be found in high-end laptops for a considerably lower price. If you need a machine to handle intensive tasks, go for the HP ZBook Studio G7, which is capable of such requirements.
Portability
One of the laptops’ best features is their ability to be slipped into a bag and carried anywhere because of their compact size. If you plan to travel with your laptop, finding a HP laptop that is light yet powerful enough to run essential tasks is necessary.
Features
HP laptops have distinct features and specifications to serve particular purposes. Before deciding which laptop to purchase, it is important to consider the storage capacity, battery life, RAM, operating system, and processor features. For instance, you will require a laptop with a powerful processor if you want a good gaming laptop.
Price
After all is said and done, the price and your budget will influence the HP laptop you pick. It is important to consider the purpose for which the laptop will serve. If your budget can stretch, getting the best laptop HP offers for efficiency and great performance is worth it. In this case, consider getting an HP Elite Dragonfly G3 if you want a premium business laptop.
You need not worry if you are working on a budget, as HP has several budget-friendly options that can deliver good performance. The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is an affordable option with features you can find in some high-end laptops. The laptop can perform basic day-to-day tasks like web browsing without running slowly. Generally, get a laptop that is within your budget but can still offer you the specs and features you require.
What to Know Before Buying an HP Laptop
Before buying a HP laptop, research available models, their specifications, and prices. These will help you narrow down to the best laptop for your needs that fits in your budget. Look for a laptop with a powerful processor like an Intel Core i5 and i7 if you want a business laptop to run intensive applications.
Battery life is also very essential. For a laptop you plan on carrying around, find one with a battery that can run for more than 10 hours on a single charge. However, do not solely depend on the official ratings as battery life will depend on factors such as screen brightness, everyday usage, and wear and tear over time.
Using HP Laptop: What It’s Like
HP laptops strive to cater to the needs of various customers, delivering powerful technology and great performance. They have long battery lives backed up with top-tier displays and comfortable keyboards that guarantee the ultimate user experience.
Remember that the best HP laptop will not be the best for everyone, so pick a laptop that is better suited for your needs.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©N.Z.Photography/Shutterstock.com.
