The Gateway 11.6" is a budget-friendly option with basic specs, suitable for simple tasks and is highly portable. In contrast, the HP Envy 17 offers much better performance for intensive tasks such as engineering, 3D modeling, and machine learning, with a larger, higher-resolution touch screen and significantly more storage and memory, but it's heavier and less portable. 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Advantages of the HP Envy 17
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" offers a lower-powered Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and a lower-resolution screen, which hinders multitasking and clear visuals for general use, though it is more portable and lighter to carry. On the other hand, the HP Envy 17 boasts a high-powered Intel i7 processor, ample RAM, and a full HD screen, enhancing performance and visual experience for general use, albeit with reduced portability due to its larger size and weight.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" 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
5.4/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Envy 17 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a basic Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and an entry-level integrated GPU, which are underpowered for demanding engineering and design applications; its smaller, low-resolution screen also reduces the workspace and clarity needed for such tasks.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Envy 17 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 17 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
6.8/10
11.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The HP Envy 17 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely offers a limited resolution and lower brightness, which may impede comfortable viewing for any purpose, while its small size could be particularly challenging for detailed engineering tasks or an immersive gaming experience. The HP Envy 17, with a larger and brighter display, provides clearer and more vibrant images beneficial for general tasks and engineering work where color accuracy is crucial, but its possibly lower refresh rate may not support the most fluid visuals required by gaming and 3D uses. Both laptops, differing in screen size and quality attributes, cater to differing priorities of everyday use versus specialized requirements in design and entertainment.
Portability
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the HP Envy 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.2/10
The HP Envy 17 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,250
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the HP Envy 17 costs $1,250.
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the HP Envy 17
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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
98,295
Recommendations made
21,298
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.