If you require a laptop for high-performance tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning, the ASUS ROG Strix G18, despite its higher price, offers powerful specs for these intensive activities. However, if you prioritize portability and battery life for general use like web browsing, document editing, or streaming, and are looking for a more budget-friendly option, the HP Stream 14" would be a suitable choice, albeit with less robust performance capabilities. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix G18
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 outshines the HP Stream 14" for general use due to its significantly superior CPU, larger and higher-quality screen, and a much more powerful graphics unit, providing a smooth and visually enhanced experience for a variety of tasks. However, the HP Stream 14" offers greater portability with its lighter weight and smaller size, alongside a longer battery life, making it a more convenient option for those who prioritize ease of carrying and longer usage on a single charge.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
5.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
5.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.6/10
6.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.1/10
6.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.7/10
5.2/10
18.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Asus ROG Strix G18 boasts superior resolution and brightness, making it ideal for general use and engineering tasks where clear, sharp visuals are crucial; additionally, its wide color gamuts cater to the precision needed for professional design work. However, despite its high-quality display, the G18's lower refresh rate might not satisfy gamers, who typically prefer faster screen updates for a smoother gaming experience. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" falls short in all categories due to its lower resolution and brightness, which results in a less vivid display unsuitable for both casual and specialized tasks.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
18.0in
SIZE
14.0in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
5.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,299
$299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 or the HP Stream 14"
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
101,595
Recommendations made
22,013
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.