Choosing between the HP Stream 14" and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 depends on your needs and budget. If cost is your primary concern and your tasks are basic like web browsing and word processing, the HP Stream 14" is very affordable. On the other hand, if you need higher performance for tasks like 3D design, machine learning, or gaming, and you are willing to invest more, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 with its more powerful processor and graphics is a better fit. The Surface also boasts a higher-resolution display, which is great for creative work or entertainment, and it can double as a tablet for drawing or note-taking. However, with these enhancements, it's heavier than the HP, making it less portable, and the higher specs also generally translate to shorter battery life compared to the HP Stream. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
8.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The HP Stream 14" is equipped with basic components like an Intel Celeron processor and lower-end graphics which suffices for everyday tasks, but struggles with more demanding applications, and its screen quality is subpar due to the TN panel with low resolution. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a high-performance Intel i7 processor and advanced Nvidia graphics, suitable for heavy-duty tasks, and offers a superior screen with high resolution and better color accuracy, making it more capable but at a higher cost and slightly less portability.
Gaming and AI
5.7/10
7.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good 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
8.7/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very 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
6.7/10
8.4/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very 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
8.2/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very 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
7.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 dimmer display, which affects the sharpness and visibility of content, making it less ideal for all uses, including general tasks, engineering, design, and gaming. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 boasts a high-resolution, bright screen with wide color gamuts, providing crisp and accurate visuals for general use and professional design, but its lower refresh rate may not be optimal for the smooth graphics needed in high-end gaming and 3D applications. For the best experience in engineering and design, a wider range of colors is crucial for precision, which the Surface offers, but for immersive gaming or 3D work, a high refresh rate, found on specialized gaming laptops, is key for motion clarity.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very 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
$3,300
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
"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 new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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