Choosing between the HP 14" Laptop and the HP Stream 14" boils down to balancing cost against performance and features. The HP 14" Laptop is more expensive yet offers better processing power with an AMD Ryzen 5 and higher graphics capability, which translates to smoother multitasking and potentially better performance for demanding applications. It also has a higher-resolution display, which means clearer and sharper visuals. On the other hand, if you prefer to save money and need a laptop for basic tasks like web browsing, streaming, and document editing, the HP Stream 14" with its Intel Celeron processor and lower-resolution display might be satisfactory. Note that both have similar battery capacities and screen sizes, but the HP 14" Laptop may be slightly heavier. Therefore, if high performance and better display quality are priorities, the HP 14" is recommendable; however, for everyday use with an eye on budget, the HP Stream 14" could be the way to go. 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 HP 14" Laptop
Good for content creation
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the HP 14" Laptop.
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3/10
5.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The HP 14" Laptop has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The HP 14" Laptop offers an acceptable level of clarity and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, but limited color range and lower resolution may not satisfy users looking for precision in engineering and design. For the HP Stream 14", with reduced brightness and clarity, even daily activities may not look as sharp, and limited color accuracy further hinders any design work. Neither device is suitable for gaming or 3D modeling where smooth visuals are key, as both lack high refresh rates and the sharp resolution required to make these activities enjoyable.
Cost
$414
$299
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $414 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
The HP 14" Laptop and HP Stream 14" are both only fair for general use.
The HP 14" Laptop with a Ryzen 5 processor offers solid performance and a high-quality IPS display with better screen resolution, making it suitable for tasks requiring good visual clarity, but its battery life is shorter. The HP Stream 14", on the other hand, has more RAM and more storage but is equipped with a less powerful Celeron processor and a lower-quality TN screen, which might make it slower in handling tasks and offer less vivid display quality, despite its marginally better portability due to its slightly lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
5.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The HP 14" Laptop and HP Stream 14" are both poor for gaming and AI.
The HP 14" Laptop offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its AMD Ryzen GPU, which provides more robust processing for graphics-intensive tasks than the Intel UHD Graphics in the HP Stream 14". Additionally, the HP 14" Laptop comes with a higher resolution IPS screen, which results in clearer and more vibrant visuals compared to the HP Stream's lower-resolution TN panel, enhancing the gaming and 3D experience.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
5.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 14" Laptop to be only fair for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP 14" Laptop offers better CPU and GPU performance with its AMD Ryzen 5 5500U and integrated Vega 7 graphics, compared to the HP Stream 14's less powerful Intel Celeron N4120 and UHD Graphics 600; this impacts tasks such as 3D rendering and multitasking that are common in engineering and design work. Additionally, the HP 14" Laptop has a higher resolution IPS display for clearer and more accurate visuals, which is vital for design-related tasks, whereas the HP Stream 14 has a lower resolution TN panel, which offers less desirable color reproduction and viewing angles.
Content Creation
7.0/10
6.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 14" Laptop to be 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
6.8/10
6.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The HP 14" Laptop and HP Stream 14" are both only fair for software development.
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.
Battery
8.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP 14" Laptop and HP Stream 14" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
5.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 14" Laptop to have only fair 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.
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How the HP 14" Laptop and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
"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 HP 14" Laptop or the HP Stream 14"
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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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
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