The HP Stream 14" is a budget-friendly option that's great for basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and streaming video; it's lightweight and has a long battery life, making it ideal for portability and on-the-go use. However, if you're looking for top-notch performance for resource-intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software, the Razer Blade 18 offers powerful hardware that can handle these demands, along with a high-quality display, at the expense of higher cost, shorter battery life, and less portability. Choose the HP Stream if affordability and mobility are your priorities, or opt for the Razer Blade if you need advanced performance and are willing to invest more. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
8.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The HP Stream 14, suitable for basic tasks, is held back by its modest Intel Celeron processor, limited RAM, and lower-resolution TN screen, which affects performance and display quality, but it is lighter and offers a longer battery life for enhanced portability. In contrast, the Razer Blade 18 boasts a powerful Intel i9 processor, ample RAM for multitasking, and a high-resolution IPS screen which greatly benefit performance and viewing experience, yet it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Gaming and AI
5.7/10
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" is limited in gaming and 3D tasks due to its basic Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics 600, alongside a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which doesn't provide the high-performance or smooth visuals needed for such activities.
Engineering and Design
5.7/10
9.3/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The HP Stream 14" offers modest CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities which are not suitable for demanding tasks like engineering and design, while its smaller screen provides less detail for intricate work. Conversely, the Razer Blade 18" excels with a high-quality screen and powerful internals, ensuring smooth performance in intensive applications, though its larger size makes it less portable and potentially louder under heavy use.
Content Creation
6.7/10
8.6/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.5/10
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 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" likely has a lower resolution and less brightness, which makes its screen appear dull and less sharp, hence not ideal for any usage that values display quality. The Razer Blade 18 has a high-resolution, bright display with wide color gamuts, ensuring crisp and accurate visuals that are essential for engineering and design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite its resolution and panel quality, the Razer Blade 18 may have a lower refresh rate, leading to less fluid motion and response times during fast-paced activities.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The HP Stream 14" has very good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5/10
8.5/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
$10
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
The HP Stream 14" has a price of $299 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $10.
"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."
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the HP Stream 14" or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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