The HP Stream 14" is notably more affordable and lighter, which makes it a good option if you're looking for something budget-friendly and easily portable. However, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers better performance suitable for more demanding tasks like intensive engineering or 3D work, thanks to a more powerful processor and better graphics. The Lenovo also has a higher quality display with better resolution, which might be important if screen clarity is a priority for you. It's a 2-in-1 convertible, allowing usage as a tablet, though it is heavier, which may affect portability. Battery life will also differ, with Lenovo likely having an edge due to a larger battery capacity. 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 Stream 14"
Very good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The HP Stream 14" falls short with its basic Intel Celeron processor and lower-quality TN screen, impacting both performance and visual experience, making it just fair for general use. Conversely, the Lenovo Flex 5 16" offers robust performance thanks to its advanced Intel i7 processor, and its higher resolution IPS touchscreen delivers a superior, vivid display, enhancing its suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.7/10
6.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.7/10
7.2/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" has a less powerful Intel Celeron processor and lower-quality TN screen with a basic resolution which hinders performance and visual detail, whereas the Lenovo Flex 5 16" is equipped with a much more capable Intel i7 processor and high-quality IPS display with higher resolution, providing better computational power and sharper visuals necessary for engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
6.7/10
7.6/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is 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
6.5/10
7.5/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
5.2/10
7.3/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP Stream 14" has a screen that might not render images and text as sharply or brightly as some users prefer for everyday tasks, which may also hinder detail-oriented work in engineering and design due to limited color range and clarity. The Lenovo Flex 5 16, with its higher resolution and better brightness, provides a clearer and more vibrant display which is beneficial for general use and professional design work, though its refresh rate is not ideal for the smooth visuals desired in gaming and 3D modeling. Overall, the Lenovo excels in screen quality for productivity and creative endeavors, but dedicated gamers and 3D artists may seek a device with faster screen refresh capabilities.
Battery
7.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
7.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good 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.
Cost
$299
$700
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $700.
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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