The HP 17" Laptop is a good choice if you're looking for an affordable, larger-screen computer for general use with moderate performance, but keep in mind its gaming and engineering capabilities are limited. For those seeking top-of-the-line performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive computational tasks, the MSI Raider GE78 is an excellent, albeit more costly option, offering powerful processing, advanced graphics, and a higher resolution and refresh rate display. However, the Raider is heavier and its power brick adds to its weight, so it's less portable than the HP. The battery life of the Raider is longer, which benefits users on the go or without ready access to power outlets. 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 17" Laptop
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
287.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the HP 17" Laptop is good.
The HP 17" Laptop with a decent processor, a good amount of RAM, and a quality IPS screen offers a balance of performance and battery life for general use, along with better portability due to its lighter weight. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 laptop, while heavier and less portable, provides superior CPU performance, double the RAM, a higher resolution and quality screen, likely leading to shorter battery life but significantly enhanced capabilities for more demanding tasks beyond general use.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 17" Laptop, with its integrated AMD graphics and standard screen refresh rate, offers fair gaming and 3D capabilities, suitable for casual gamers. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a high-end Nvidia graphics card and a much higher screen refresh rate, making it best for gaming and 3D applications, and catering to the needs of serious gamers and professionals in the field.
Engineering and Design
6.8/10
9.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design use due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and superior Nvidia RTX GPU, which significantly enhance performance for demanding tasks, along with a higher resolution and color-accurate screen that benefits design work. In contrast, the HP 17" Laptop, while still good for engineering and design with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Vega 8 graphics, offers a standard screen quality and less raw power, making it more suitable for less intensive tasks and those prioritizing better battery life and portability.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for content creation, while the HP 17" 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
7.1/10
8.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the HP 17" Laptop is good.
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
6.6/10
8.6/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP 17" Laptop has a basic screen that is fine for everyday tasks and some engineering applications; its resolution and brightness are adequate but it may lack the wide color gamut needed for high-end design work. The MSI Raider, on the other hand, offers a superior display with higher resolution and brightness, plus wider color coverage, making it ideal for engineering and professional design where color accuracy is crucial. However, both laptops fall short for 3D uses due to their lower refresh rates, which can't deliver the smooth visuals preferred for gaming and 3D rendering.
Portability
Good
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The HP 17" Laptop has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
"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."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the HP 17" Laptop or the MSI Raider GE78
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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