If you're looking for a more affordable option for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and light media consumption, the HP 14" Laptop is a suitable choice with adequate performance for general use, reasonable battery life, and good portability given its lighter weight. Conversely, if your requirements include more intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning applications, or gaming, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is more appropriate due to its higher performance capabilities, superior screen with touch functionality, and better build quality, although it comes at a higher price and is slightly heavier, which may affect portability. 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
Very good portability
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The HP 14" Laptop has an integrated AMD GPU suitable for casual gaming and basic 3D applications, but its standard screen refresh rate limits high-level competitive gameplay. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a more powerful Nvidia discrete GPU and a higher refresh rate, making it more capable for intensive gaming and demanding 3D tasks despite being pricier and slightly less portable.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
7.3/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio outperforms the HP 14" Laptop due to its higher RAM, better CPU, and superior GPU, which are all crucial for engineering and design tasks that demand significant processing power and graphics rendering capabilities. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio boasts a higher resolution and screen quality, which enhance the visual clarity and detail important for such work, while its screen flexibility also adds to its suitability for design tasks, contrasting the HP's more standard offerings.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
8.0/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP 14" Laptop's screen might not be as vivid or bright, which is fine for tasks like web browsing or document editing but may not be ideal for precision in engineering work or an immersive gaming experience. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has superior screen resolution and brightness, providing clear and vibrant visuals crucial for detailed engineering designs and a pleasant general-use experience. However, despite their respective screen qualities, neither laptop is optimal for gaming and 3D work due to lower refresh rates, which are key for smooth motion and fast-paced action.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and HP 14" Laptop are both good for content creation.
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
7.3/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio to be good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop 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.
Battery
8.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 14" Laptop to have very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP 14" Laptop and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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."
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the HP 14" Laptop or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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