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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 16, 2024·
If performance is important to you, particularly for tasks like engineering or 3D modeling, the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 would serve you better despite the higher cost. It's also more suitable for machine learning and gaming. However, if portability is a bigger concern and you mainly handle general use tasks like web browsing or document editing, the HP Stream 14" is lighter and offers that convenience at a lower price. Its performance will be lesser, and battery life may also be shorter than the Dell, affecting its suitability for intensive tasks or long periods without charging. Remember, a more expensive laptop like the Dell is an investment for high performance and durability, while the HP is budget-friendly and sufficient for everyday 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 Dell Inspiron 16 5630
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 outperforms the HP Stream 14" in general use primarily due to its more powerful processor, three times the storage capacity, and superior IPS screen quality, providing better brightness and color coverage which translates to an overall more responsive and visually pleasing experience. Additionally, its longer battery life and better build quality contribute to its suitability for a wider range of tasks, whereas the HP Stream 14" offers greater portability due to its lighter weight but falls short with a basic processor, lower storage, and a lesser-quality TN display.
Gaming and AI
6.5
5.7
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is only fair 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
7.7
5.7
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 with a high-end CPU, advanced integrated GPU, and a superior IPS screen is well-equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks, whereas the HP Stream 14" with a lower-tier CPU, basic GPU, and lower quality TN screen does not meet the power and display needs for such specialized applications. While the Inspiron is slightly heavier, affecting portability, both offer a solid keyboard and low operating noise, however, these considerations are less critical for engineering use than the system's performance and screen quality.
Content Creation
8.1
6.7
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
7.9
6.5
8.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
6.8
5.2
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 likely has a higher resolution and brighter screen, making it suitable for daily tasks and detailed engineering work, but its modest refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. The HP Stream 14", with its lower quality display, struggles across the board; the less vivid colors and low brightness affect general and professional work, while the refresh rate and resolution are not adequate for immersive gaming and fluid 3D rendering. For precision in design and engineering, the Dell's wider color gamut helps in accurately representing various hues which is less prevalent on the basic HP Stream.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
5.5
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 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
$849
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has a price of $849 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5630 has 8 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.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5630 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5630 | HP Stream 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$849 | $299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.67'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.28 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.91" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1360P | Intel Celeron N4120 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 320 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
HP Stream 14"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"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 Dell Inspiron 16 5630 or the HP Stream 14"
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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.
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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.
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