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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a more portable and less expensive device for basic tasks, the HP 15" Laptop with its smaller screen and lower specs suits everyday use like browsing or office applications. On the other hand, if better performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or engineering software is important and you don't mind a slight increase in price and decrease in portability, the HP 17" Laptop, with a larger screen, more storage, and a more powerful processor, will be more suitable. Both have similar battery capacities, but neither is geared towards intensive gaming. 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 15" Laptop
- Good battery life
Advantages of the HP 17" Laptop
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
6.7
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The HP 17" Laptop is good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 15" laptop's fair assessment for general use is due to its lower-end Intel i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a screen that provides sufficient but not outstanding color accuracy and brightness; it is lighter and has a longer battery life, making it more portable.
Engineering and Design
6.2
6.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP 17" Laptop and HP 15" Laptop are both only fair for engineering and design, though the HP 17" Laptop is somewhat better.
The HP 15" Laptop, with a less powerful Intel i3 processor and Intel UHD Graphics, is fair for engineering and design due to its lower performance capabilities in CPU and GPU related tasks, and its decent screen quality. The HP 17" Laptop, on the other hand, offers a more robust AMD Ryzen 7 processor with Vega 8 graphics, which makes it good for more demanding engineering and design tasks, and its superior screen quality and larger screen size also enhance visual work, although its larger size impacts portability.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The HP 17" Laptop has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the HP 15" and 17" laptops provide adequate clarity and illumination, but may lack the high resolution and superior panel technology that make for an outstanding visual experience. In engineering and design applications, neither model covers the broader color spectrums necessary for precise color work, such as DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. When it comes to gaming and 3D tasks, both laptops fall short as they don't offer the high refresh rates that are essential for smooth motion, alongside the limitation in resolution and panel type which are also important for an immersive experience.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP 15" Laptop and HP 17" Laptop both have good portability, though the HP 15" Laptop has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$375
$510
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The HP 15" Laptop has a price of $375 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $510.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP 15" Laptop is poor.
The HP 15" Laptop with Intel UHD Graphics and the HP 17" Laptop with Vega 8 both have GPUs that provide modest performance suitable for casual gaming and 3D applications. However, both laptops have a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz which can limit the smoothness in more intense gaming scenarios, and while the HP 17" has somewhat better screen quality and a more powerful CPU, neither is ideally equipped for high-end gaming or professional 3D work.
Content Creation
6.9
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop 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
6.7
7.1
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to be good for software development, while the HP 15" 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
6.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The HP 15" Laptop has 6 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
6.0
6.0
The HP 15" Laptop and HP 17" Laptop both have only fair 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 15" Laptop and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP 15" Laptop | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$375 | $510 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.7'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.73 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.53" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP 15" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | August 2022
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the HP 15" Laptop or the HP 17" Laptop
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.
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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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