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What we think
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Updated January 16, 2024·
The HP Stream 14" is a budget-friendly choice that's very light on your wallet, while the LG Ultra 16, being in the lower midrange price bracket, is more expensive. The HP Stream is designed for basic tasks; it has a smaller screen size and lower screen resolution, less storage, and a processor that’s suited for everyday activities like web browsing or office applications. It’s also more portable due to its size, but its performance is suited for less demanding tasks. In contrast, the LG Ultra 16 offers a larger and higher-resolution screen for better multimedia experience, more storage space, and a significantly more powerful processor that would handle multitasking, creative applications, and more intensive work effortlessly. It also has a better build quality and premium features such as a higher resolution screen and a better battery life. You would choose the HP Stream if you're looking for a very affordable and simple laptop for light use and maximum portability. If you're willing to invest more for a performance uplift, better visuals, and a laptop that can handle more intensive tasks, the LG Ultra 16 would be the better option. 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 LG Ultra 16
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Excellent battery life
- Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
6.5
7.7
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
270.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The LG Ultra 16 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The LG Ultra 16 outperforms the HP Stream 14" in general use due to a more potent AMD Ryzen processor and improved screen quality with a higher resolution and brighter IPS display, coupled with substantially longer battery life. While both have the same amount of RAM, enhancing multitasking capabilities, the LG's larger and higher-quality screen, longer battery, and more robust CPU make it more suitable for varied and demanding tasks, even though it is slightly heavier and less portable than the HP Stream 14".
Gaming and AI
5.7
6.2
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The LG Ultra 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14's Intel UHD Graphics 600 falls short for gaming and 3D applications, along with its basic TN panel screen with a lower resolution, while the LG Ultra 16's more capable AMD Ryzen Vega 8 graphics and higher-resolution IPS screen contribute to its fair performance in those tasks. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, which are not ideal for fast-paced games where higher rates are advantageous.
Engineering and Design
5.7
7.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The LG Ultra 16 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
6.7
7.7
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The LG Ultra 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
7.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The LG Ultra 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
6.2
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
270.0 nits
The LG Ultra 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 lower resolution and brightness, making it less ideal for any use that requires sharp and bright visuals, which are especially important for general activities like browsing or watching videos. For engineering and design, the lack of wide color gamuts means the HP Stream 14" cannot display the full spectrum of colors accurately, which is crucial for precise work. The LG Ultra 16, with slightly better resolution and brightness, might be adequate for general use and some design tasks, but its lower refresh rate and still limited color range render it less suitable for smooth and color-accurate 3D work or gaming.
Battery
7.5 Hours
17.0 Hours
The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
5.5
6.5
The LG Ultra 16 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
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the LG Ultra 16 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Stream 14" to have very good portability, while the LG Ultra 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP Stream 14" and the LG Ultra 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP Stream 14" | LG Ultra 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.64'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.76" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.86" | 9.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4120 | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 320 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 17 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 220 nits | 270 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP Stream 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"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."
LG Ultra 16
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | October 2022
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the LG Ultra 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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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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