The HP 14" Laptop is a more budget-friendly option with decent general use performance and good portability, making it suitable for everyday tasks and light work on the go. If high-performance computing is a priority, especially for tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering applications, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers more power with its advanced processor and graphics card, albeit at a higher price point. It also stands out with its larger storage capacity, higher screen resolution, touchscreen capability, and longer battery life, but it's heavier than the HP and less convenient for frequent travel. The Surface Laptop Studio 2 also is built with gaming in mind and can handle intensive gaming sessions. Consider what tasks you'll be performing most and whether the added expense for higher performance aligns with your needs. 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 2
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 surpasses the HP 14" Laptop in CPU and RAM, which significantly enhances performance for a variety of tasks, and it has a superior screen quality with a higher resolution and touchscreen functionality, making it very good for general use. Although the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is less portable and has a slightly shorter battery life, its large storage, high-quality keyboard, and flexible hinge design that allows for tablet use contribute to a premium general-use experience compared to the HP model.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
7.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
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 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is better for gaming and 3D applications than the HP 14" Laptop due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card, which performs better than the integrated GPU found in the HP. Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a higher screen refresh rate, offering smoother visuals, which is highly beneficial for gaming and enhancing the overall experience.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
8.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 outperforms the HP 14" Laptop for engineering and design primarily due to its superior CPU, Intel i7, and GPU, Nvidia RTX 4060, which are essential for demanding software; it also offers a more robust RAM capacity and a higher-resolution touchscreen that favors design work. Conversely, the HP 14" with its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated Vega graphics, while capable for less intensive tasks, provides lower RAM capacity and a standard resolution display which might not be as suitable for detailed engineering and design projects.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the HP 14" Laptop is good.
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
8.2/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
7.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 is suitable for general tasks due to its satisfactory resolution and brightness, but for engineering and design, the limited color accuracy compared to higher-end displays may not render colors precisely. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a higher resolution and brightness, with superior color accuracy that benefits professional design work, though both laptops' screens are not optimal for 3D gaming due to their lower refresh rates. For gaming enthusiasts, laptops specifically tailored for gaming with high refresh rates and advanced graphics capabilities would be a better fit.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
$3,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
"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."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the HP 14" Laptop or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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