Best HP laptops 2024, tested and reviewed by experts

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Spectre x360 14.

Who it's for:

For thrifty shoppers that need both a tablet and a laptop, the HP Spectre x360 14 is a stellar option. Its hinges are stronger in this most recent model, and the beveled-edge chassis is a sleek sight to behold. It’s also a great pick for anyone who needs a delightfully clicky, springy keyboard.

Why we picked this:

The HP Spectre x360 14 was one of the first Windows laptops we tested that actually had great battery life, a welcome change for long-time Windows users. On top of that, it’s equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, which delivered an impressive Geekbench 6 score worthy of calling it “the most powerful Windows laptop” at the time of review.

Tech editor Kimberly Gedeon also had great things to say about the laptop’s keyboard, display, and speakers. Gedeon says she “couldn’t stop typing” on the Spectre x360 14’s larger, rhythmic keys. Then, the laptop’s display is “eye-catching,” with “rich, colorful visuals,” and crisp sound that “would definitely be a decadent piece of apple pie” if sound were edible.

If you’re searching for a 2-in-1 laptop, there’s a good chance you might want to use the webcam on video chats with the laptop in tablet mode. Luckily, in a laptop market full of lackluster webcams, the HP Spectre x360 14 has a 9-megapixel webcam that’s sharp, “excellent at recreating colors,” and features a wide viewing angle.

One of the only downsides to consider before buying the Spectre 360 14 is an oddly placed USB-C port. Right next to the only other USB-C port on the back right edge, there’s a USB-C port on the corner. If your charging setup is to your right or you don’t mind maneuvering a cable, this minor con won’t be a dealbreaker.

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP OmniBook X.

Who it's for:

Equipped with Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon X Elite chip, the OmniBook X is the best HP has to offer for most people. It boasts impressive overall performance, battery life, a satisfyingly clicky keyboard, and a great touchscreen display — everything you’d want out of a reliable daily driver.

Why we picked this:

At the time of review, tech editor Kimberly Gedeon deemed the HP OmniBook X “the best Windows laptop I’ve tested this year,” calling it “fun, fast, and fierce.” 

Performance-wise, the OmniBook X outpaces M3 MacBooks by about 11%, thanks to its powerful Snapdragon X Elite CPU. Whether you’re hoarding tabs, editing videos, or catching up on your favorite show, you’ll have an incredibly smooth, stutter-free experience. However, it’s worth noting that there are a few minor app compatibility quirks for Windows on ARM laptops like this one.

On top of its MacBook-beating performance, the HP OmniBook X also features a color-rich (albeit dim) display, a “tactile and responsive” keyboard, and stellar efficiency. On a single charge, this laptop lasted a whopping 16 hours and 47 minutes. With that battery life, it’s easy to overlook this laptop’s “yawn-worthy design.”

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Victus 16.

Who it's for:

The HP Victus 16 is an affordable gaming laptop that packs quite a performance punch, for both games and everyday tasks. With its powerful internals, minimalist design, great port variety, and excellent thermals, it’s a no-brainer for gamers looking for a reliable, budget-friendly machine.

Why we picked this:

HP’s Victus 16 has one of the most budget-friendly price tags for a gaming laptop, and yet it amazed us in testing with some of the best in-game frame rates we’ve ever seen among tested gaming laptops.

Inside, it features a winning spec combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU, an RTX 4060 GPU (w/ 8GB of VRAM), and 16GB of RAM. Those specs — paired, of course, with its 16-inch 1080p display — produced an impressive 95 frames per second on the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark (High preset), which is the highest we had seen at the time of testing. Turning DLSS on, the HP Victus delivered a wild 110 frames per second.

Despite all that juicy gaming performance, the HP Victus 16 doesn’t run too hot. Tech editor Kimberly Gedeon writes, “What impressed me the most is its thermals. It did a surprisingly great job at remaining cool.”

While the HP Victus 16 does have an excellent thermal design and stellar gaming performance — which are arguably two very important pros — it’s not a perfect laptop. You’ll have to put up with a lackluster webcam, a heavy weight, and a fairly dim “display that gives Crimson Chin a run for his money” with its large bottom bezel. But for 110 frames per second in Cyberpunk 2077? Worth it.

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c.

Who it's for:

HP’s Chromebook Plus x360 14c is quite the mouthful, but it’s an affordable, security-forward laptop for anyone who just needs access to the internet. If all you need to do on your laptop is work in cloud-based documents, answer emails, stream media, research, shop, and otherwise access the web, this Chromebook will get the job done efficiently.

Why we picked this:

The HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c offers good specs in exchange for its budget-friendly $800 price. Tech editor Kimberly Gedeon says this Chromebook “isn’t designed for power users, but it is sufficient enough for the average school-focused consumer or a worker bee with light-to-medium workloads.”

In addition to decent performance capabilities, HP gave its Chromebook Plus x360 14c a “solid, premium-esque” aluminum gray chassis that’s reminiscent of pricier laptops. The keyboard inside feels equally premium, delivering a “shockingly clicky” typing experience. However, it’s worth noting the keyboard, trackpad, and chassis are all prone to attracting oily, smudy fingerprints.

The Chromebook Plus x360 might not have the best battery life we’ve seen from a Chromebook — it clocked in at 8 hours and 54 minutes — but it’ll easily last you a full work day. And unlike some of the more expensive laptops we’ve tested, this Chromebook doesn’t skimp on ports. You’ll find two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, an audio jack, and even a microSD card slot to expand storage of transfer files.

Read Mashable’s full review of the HP Elitebook 1040 G11.

Who it's for:

The HP Elitebook 1040 G11 is ideal for those who want to stretch a laptop’s use as long as possible between charges. Whether you travel for work, spend a lot of downtime between classes away from outlets, or simply don’t want to be tethered to a charging cable, this laptop’s nearly 19.5-hour battery life will have you convinced it’s the one.

Why we picked this:

While we chose the HP Elitebook 1040 G11 primarily for its jaw-dropping battery life, this Mashable’s Choice laptop has a lot more to offer than just that.

This laptop is an impressive performer, earning a higher Geekbench 6 score than Apple’s most powerful M3 MacBook Pro. It also offers that classic springy keyboard we often see from HP, a “smooth and responsive” trackpad, a decently bright display, and an “incredibly lightweight” design. The fact that this laptop only comes in a boring silver colorway is easily forgotten when you first notice its barely-there, 2.6-pound weight. 

Oh, and did we mention its plentiful ports? In a landscape where many modern laptops only feature a few USB-C ports, the HP Elitebook 1040 G11’s port variety was a breath of fresh air. You’ll find an HDMI port, USB-A port, audio jack, and a whopping three USB-C ports.