The choice between the Gigabyte A7 and the HP Stream 14" hinges on what you need from a laptop. If you require a machine for high-performance tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering software, the Gigabyte A7 could justify the higher cost with its robust capabilities. On the other hand, if you prioritize affordability, basic use like web browsing, document editing and value portability, the HP Stream 14" could suffice with added benefits of longer battery life. However, for complex tasks, the HP Stream may fall short in speed and efficiency. 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 Gigabyte A7
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
318.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Gigabyte A7 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Gigabyte A7 offers more robust performance with a higher-tier CPU and dedicated graphics, but is heavier and has less battery life than the HP Stream 14", which is lighter and has greater battery life but comes with a lower-tier CPU and less capable integrated graphics. While the A7 has a larger, higher-quality screen, making it better for media consumption and productivity, the Stream 14" is more portable due to its smaller size and weight, with a lower-quality screen that is adequate for basic tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.3/10
5.7/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Gigabyte A7 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Gigabyte A7, with a high-performance GPU and faster screen refresh rate, excels in gaming and 3D applications, providing smooth visuals and responsive gameplay. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" has a basic GPU and lower screen refresh rate, which means it struggles with the demands of gaming and 3D tasks, resulting in less fluid graphics and slower response times.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
5.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A7 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Gigabyte A7 is well-suited for engineering and design tasks due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, and a high-quality 17.3" IPS display, whereas the HP Stream 14" falls short with its less capable Intel Celeron N4120 CPU, Intel UHD Graphics 600, and a lower-resolution 14" TN screen.
Content Creation
7.3/10
6.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Gigabyte A7 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.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
5.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Gigabyte A7 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte A7 offers a higher resolution and brighter display which enhances the viewing experience for daily tasks and detailed engineering work but lacks a high refresh rate which is crucial for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The HP Stream 14" has a lower resolution and dimmer screen which may make everyday activities less vibrant and make detailed design work more challenging due to a lack of clarity and color precision. Neither are ideal for 3D tasks or gaming, as the refresh rates are not suitable for the fast motion and high frame demands of those activities.
Battery
4.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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
Fair
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
5.5/10
The Gigabyte A7 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
$940
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Gigabyte A7 has a price of $940 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte A7 to be 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte A7 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
"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 Gigabyte A7 or the HP Stream 14"
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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.
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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