If budget is a primary concern, the HP Stream may appeal to you with its lower price point. However, the Surface Laptop typically offers stronger performance, which can be important for tasks beyond basic web browsing and document editing. The Surface also tends to have a higher-quality build and display, as well as better battery life, making it more suited for on-the-go use and multimedia tasks. If your workload includes more demanding applications or you appreciate premium design and longer battery life, the extra investment in the Surface Laptop may be justified. If your usage is limited to light tasks and price is critical, the HP Stream could be sufficient. 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"
The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The HP Stream 14" is considered fair for general use because it has a lower-end CPU and a basic screen, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is rated good owing to its more powerful CPU and a higher quality display that's also touch-enabled, offering an overall better performance and user experience. Additionally, the Surface Laptop tends to be more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, coupled with a longer battery life, which can be crucial for users who are often on the move.
Engineering and Design
5.7/10
7.1/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" with its weaker Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics is outclassed by the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" that offers a more powerful Intel i7 processor and Iris Xe graphics, crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks. Additionally, the Surface's higher screen resolution and superior IPS display provide clearer and more accurate visuals than the HP's basic TN panel, enhancing design work.
Content Creation
6.7/10
7.4/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5's higher resolution and brighter display offer crisper images and easier visibility in different lighting conditions when compared to the lower resolution and dimmer screen of the HP Stream 14". When it comes to tasks in engineering and design, the Surface Laptop 5 provides more accurate colors that are essential for detailed work, while the HP Stream 14" lacks the color range needed for precision. However, in gaming and 3D applications, though the Surface Laptop 5 has better screen quality, its lower refresh rate holds it back compared to laptops specifically tailored for high motion clarity, which is not evident in its build.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the HP Stream 14" has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" has a basic Intel Celeron processor with Intel UHD Graphics, which generally lacks the power for gaming and 3D applications, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" comes with a stronger Intel i7 processor paired with Iris Xe graphics, offering fair performance for such tasks.
Battery
7.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Stream 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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 Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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