The HP Stream 14 is a budget-friendly option that's lighter and more portable, making it suitable for general use and casual tasks. However, due to its limited performance capabilities, it may not handle intensive tasks well. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17 has a larger screen and more powerful processor, better suited for demanding applications, including engineering, 3D work, or machine learning. It's also more expensive and heavier, which can impact portability. Deciding between the two depends on your need for performance versus portability and cost considerations. 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 IdeaPad 3 17"
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The HP Stream 14" has an Intel Celeron processor and a basic TN screen with lower resolution, which may slow performance and lessen visual experience, but it is lighter and offers better portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a more capable AMD Ryzen processor and a larger, higher-resolution IPS screen, which means better performance and visual quality at the expense of lesser portability due to greater size and weight.
Engineering and Design
5.7/10
6.6/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" has a lower-tier CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a lower quality TN screen, which limit performance and display for engineering tasks, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a more robust AMD Ryzen CPU and GPU, more suitable IPS display and additional RAM, which together provide fair capability for such applications while maintaining reasonable portability and keyboard quality.
Content Creation
6.7/10
7.4/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.2/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
6.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
graphics. While the IdeaPad's display quality supports a broader range of colors critical for professional design work, its limited refresh rate could be a drawback for gaming where fluid motion is key.The HP Stream 14" likely has a lower-resolution display and limited brightness, which makes it less ideal for any situation where clear visuals are important, including general use, engineering and design tasks that require attention to detail, and the fast-paced environment of gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers a larger, brighter screen with better resolution, which enhances the experience for general computing and precision work like engineering and design, though it may lack the high refresh rate needed for smooth playback in gaming and fast-moving 3D
Battery
7.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair 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
$784
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" to be 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Stream 14" and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
"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 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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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