Best laptop brands HP laptops

HP

About HP laptops

HP produces a broad selection of laptops, from everyday desktop replacement machines to its premium Envy models. It was one of the first manufacturers to really push a branded audio link-up (with Beats Audio), starting on the most expensive models but now more commonly seen on more models in its range. It also owns the more budget-end Compaq brand.

HP laptops are owned by one in 10 Which? members, who paid an average of £550. This is less than the average price paid overall, so are HP laptops are bargain? They certainly offer some affordable everyday options, with Pavilion range prices starting at around £350. You can pay up to £1,400 for the high-end Envy models, though. 

Find out how HP laptops rate in our HP laptop reviews.

HP laptops - the Which? verdict

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Testing HP laptops

HP laptops in general don't always get the highest ratings for performance, but they don't disappoint. They do score well for ease of use and the range of features, and we've found they come with a vast collection of HP's own software. 

We've tested HP laptops in a range of screen size options, from 13 inches to 17 inches. Models range from just £370 to £800 for HP's first ultrabook.  

HP's laptop ranges

HP splits its laptops for home users into four fairly self explanatory sections -  Premium; Create and Entertain; Everyday Computing; and Mobile Computing. Slightly more confusingly, models in HP's Envy, Pavilion or Folio ranges appear in more than one of these categories. Like most laptop ranges, each model can be available in a number of different versions.

HP Envy

HP's premium Envy 17 laptop

  • Envy (prices start at around £749) This stylish range of premium, high-performance laptops comes in two options - the Envy 17 (17.3-inch display) and the Envy 14 (14.5-inch display). Both have the Beats Audio system which, on the Envy 17, includes six speakers and a sub-woofer. The Envy 14 Spectre option is classed as an ultrabook and offers fast response times in a slim and light body. 
  • Pavilion (prices start at around £399) Straddling the Everyday Computing and Create and Entertain ranges from HP, the most affordable models - Pavilion G6 or G7 - are 15 and 17-inch laptops offering basic computing. Or you can upgrade to the Entertainment Notebook PC versions - Pavilion dv6 or dv7 - which use Nvidia graphics cards to provide a better multimedia performance. The Pavilion dm laptops are 11 to 14-inch laptops aimed at mobile use. 
  • Folio (prices start at around (£799) This ultrabook is only 18mm thick and weighs just 1.5kg. It uses solid state drive (SSD) storage, which should make it more responsive. There's only one screen size option (13 inches).

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