Considering the price difference, the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers better performance for intensive tasks due to its superior processor and graphics, which suits engineering, 3D, machine learning, and gaming use cases. It also has a higher quality OLED display. On the other hand, the HP Stream 14 is more budget-friendly but offers lesser performance, making it suitable for general use like web browsing and document editing. The ASUS model is slightly lighter and thinner, enhancing portability, but the HP may compensate with longer battery life. Choose ASUS for demanding tasks and HP if you prioritize budget and potentially longer unplugged use. 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 Zenbook 13
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 13.
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 delivers greater performance for general use with its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and OLED screen, ensuring better computing capacity and display quality compared to the HP Stream 14", which has a less capable Intel Celeron CPU and a lower-quality TN screen. While both are fairly portable, the ASUS has superior battery life and a lighter build, making it more suitable for mobile use, whereas the HP Stream may appeal for its lower cost despite its heavier weight and shorter battery longevity.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
5.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is fair for engineering and design because it features a more powerful AMD Ryzen processor with better integrated graphics, more RAM, and a high-quality OLED screen, which are crucial for such tasks. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" is poor for these tasks due to its lower-tier Intel Celeron processor, less capable integrated graphics, and a lower resolution TN display that can't deliver the same level of detail and color accuracy.
Content Creation
7.6/10
6.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is 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
7.3/10
6.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is 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
7.8/10
5.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13's screen shines in general use and engineering tasks due to its high resolution and broad color gamut, ensuring crisp visuals and accurate color representation which are essential for these activities. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is crucial. The HP Stream 14" has a screen that lacks in resolution and color accuracy, making it subpar for all mentioned use cases; its poor brightness further hinders visibility, especially under bright lighting conditions.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the HP Stream 14" has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
5.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
$890
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a more capable GPU with AMD's Vega 8 integrated graphics, suitable for basic gaming and 3D, plus a high-quality OLED screen, while the HP Stream 14" underperforms in gaming due to a weaker Intel UHD Graphics 600 chip and a lower-quality TN display.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"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 Zenbook 13 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
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
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.