The best HP laptops are fantastic examples of why the company that was formerly known as Hewlett-Packard has become one of the biggest brands in computing, despite its humble beginnings.
These days, HP makes some of the best laptops in the world, with excellent build quality, premium designs, and good customer service.
HP doesn't just make high-end, and expensive, laptops, it has a range of product lines that should suit most people and their budgets.
For budget devices, HP's Essential and Pavillion products should be ideal. Then, there are high-end Envy laptops (which include a number of Ultrabooks), and flagship Spectre products. Each of these lines include 'x360' models, which are 2-in-1 laptops that can be used as traditional laptops, or with the screen folded back, as tablet-like devices.
There are also gaming laptops in the Omen lineup, which offer cutting-edge mobile gaming performance. While HP’s Omen and Victus series offer multiple gaming solutions, I’ve only included one here to keep the focus on variety—but any of them could easily land on a best gaming laptops list.
Finally, for consumers, HP has resurrected its OmniBook range, which the company is billing as its collection of 'AI PCs' - so these are laptops built around artificial intelligence. This means they come with a processor that contains an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that is dedicated to running AI tasks locally on the laptop, rather than using cloud-based AI tools that require an internet connection (and have privacy implications).
With all that choice, then, it can be difficult to pick the best HP laptop for your needs - and that's where we come in, as we've listed the top laptops that span a range of price points and use cases.
Every model in this roundup has undergone thorough testing and review, so you can trust that it will deliver on its promises. I’ve highlighted what I love (and any limitations) for each choice, along with who it suits best.
We will be giving this buying guide a major overhaul in the following months to make sure it includes the very latest HP laptops, and don’t forget to take advantage of any active HP promo codes for extra savings on the best HP laptop for your needs and budget.
This guide was reviewed in August, 2025. We are in the process of testing the latest models of each HP laptop in this guide, and will be adding them in an upcoming major update.
You can trust that I know what I'm talking about when it comes to laptops from HP, because not only have I reviewed my fair share of them, but I've also been using the excellent HP Spectre x360 as my daily driver since way back in 2019 - and it's still serving me well. Every laptop on this list has been carefully curated by me, from the high-end to the more affordable - and every one of them is a product I feel confident recommending.
The best HP laptops
There were only a few minor issues we had when we got our hands on the HP Envy x360 13 – there’s no HDMI port and the trackpad has some issues with sensitivity. Outside of that though, this model is a near-perfect laptop.
It all starts with the fact that this is very reasonably priced compared to many of its competitors. The entry-level configuration comes in at around $900 / £800. Even the most expensive kitted-out entry, complete with that beautiful OLED display and 12th-gen Intel Core i7, rings in at an affordable price.
Since it’s Evo-certified, the HP Envy 13 x260 is held to strict performance standards, and it shows. When tested, we were pleased with its performance in both laptop and tablet mode, finding it to perform on par with other, larger 2-in-1s. That’s despite the fact that this is one of the smaller and more portable models we’ve used. We were even impressed with its battery life of over nine hours, especially considering that OLED screens require a little more power.
Read the full HP Envy 13 x360 review
The HP Envy 16 is a powerhouse that will appeal to a small subset of potential users. We found its battery life to be a bit short at under six and a half hours in our video test for the typical commuter. It’s expensive too, if you go with one of the higher configurations and especially if you decide to spring for that OLED display. But, if you need a decent amount of screen real estate and enough power to get you through creative work with some gaming on the side, this might be the best option for you.
For instance, when we ran some graphically intensive projects in Photoshop and Premiere Pro, the HP Envy 16 had absolutely no trouble keeping up. Even playing a demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077 yielded surprising results, hitting just above 50 fps on Cyberpunk 2077 on Ultra settings. There’s more than raw power on hand, however. A 100% Adobe RGB color coverage means that any creative work will come out accurately. And, a 5MP IR webcam will have you looking sharp in any video calls you have to take.
This is not going to be a portable little Ultrabook with surprising performance like the HP Envy 13 x360 (2022). Instead, this is the kind of laptop that makes for an excellent desktop replacement.
Read the full HP Envy 16 review
Despite its MacBook Pro / Dell XPS-level pricing, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is a wonder of a machine. So while it doesn’t fit into the typical price range of what one would expect from a Chromebook, it is one of the best and most powerful versions of a ChromeOS-based laptop as we have found.
Its 12th-Gen Intel Core i5 and 16GB of RAM is certainly a lot for this type of computer. However, it obliterated just about every benchmark and test we threw at it. Add in a 1600p display with an astonishing 1200 nits of brightness, and it’s no surprise that the Dragonfly Pro’s price is far outside of the usual budget range that we expect with these kinds of products. Considering it comes with four USB-C Thunderbolt ports, all that power could be in service of running a USB-C monitor or two when you need more screen real estate.
Read the full HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review
Something from HP’s more robust Omen line might seem like the better choice when it comes to getting HP’s best gaming laptop. In terms of pure power, that may be the case. However, the HP Victus 16 brings a value proposition that makes it a fantastic gaming solution for anyone trying to stretch their budget. Even its most powerful configuration sits at a reasonable price point, even if it's not the cheapest RTX 4070 laptop on the market.
Still, the specs are there for most gamers as it comes with up to a 13th-gen Intel Core i7, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 1TB NVMe M.2 storage. In our testing with an RTX 4050 model, we were able to get some great results: from running games smoothly at 1080p to getting through all these games and benchmarks without generating much in the way of heat – something that’s always been an issue with gaming laptops.
It's worth noting that the standard configurations of the Victus 16 only come with a 60Hz display, placing an effective hard cap on your framerates. If you feel 60 fps is enough, then that's fine - otherwise, bear in mind that you'll need to pay a bit more to access the higher-refresh-rate configuration.
Read the full HP Victus 16 review
The HP Dragonfly Pro seemingly has it all: speedy performance, great battery life, portable form factor, and even a keyboard button that has customer service on speed dial. As a collaboration between HP and AMD, it features the unique PMF or AMD platform management framework, which automatically adjusts performance based on usage to prolong battery life. In theory, this is a fantastic addition.
In practice, however, it’s a mixed blessing. During use, it does a great job of conserving energy where necessary while giving us the performance we need for more intensive tasks. In fact, it’s able to keep up with whatever we throw at it. However, when put to sleep and stored away in an enclosed space such as a laptop bag, it has a tendency to overheat. There are also reports of the battery not fully charging. Hopefully, these issues will be fixed with newer models or firmware updates. For the time being though, the HP Dragonfly Pro is a cautious recommendation.
Read the full HP Dragonfly Pro review
How to choose the right HP laptop for you
When deciding which HP laptop to go with, you need to figure a few things out. To start, you should decide what you need it for. If you’re a commuter and need something light and thin, then an Ultrabook is for you. But, if you keep up with the latest games, then nothing but a gaming laptop will suffice. There are some options that will bridge the gap, but you’ll have to pay a price for it.
Once you know whether you want a computer for some light productivity work, creative content, or gaming, you should settle on a budget. Depending on your needs, the price range will shift. Really powerful and really thin laptops both come at a premium, while all-rounders and less robust options won’t put quite the same hole in your budget. That said, stretch your budget as best you can. After all, you get what you pay for.
The form factor is another consideration. If you want a laptop that can also function as a tablet, a 2-in-1 is the only way to go as this is a feature that cannot be added after the fact. Similarly, the type of display, whether it’s a touch screen, OLED display, or just a panel with a higher resolution, is an important deciding factor. Once you’ve gotten that laptop, you’re stuck with whatever screen it came with.
What series of HP laptop is best?
The best HP laptop is realistically the one that best fits your needs. The HP Envy and Spectre lines are ideal for anyone looking for lighter Ultrabooks that still pack a punch while the Omen and Victor lines are the go-to for gamers, with the latter being the more affordable.
In fact, there’s a lot of overlap as the HP Envy 13 x360 and Spectre 13 x360 prove. Performance-wise, there’s not much difference. Only the Spectre comes with a slightly better display, a more attractive design, and a higher price tag for the privilege. That’s all to say that there are some differences between series but there’s not a clear best among them.
Is HP a good brand for laptops?
HP has been around for a long time for a reason. The company makes a large range of products, from cheap laptops that will last you maybe a year to premium options that can compete with the flagship models from other companies. Unlike Apple then, you have to look beyond just the name and at the individual product lines and even the individual laptops as there are some extremely fantastic options across the board. To that end, we recommend that you check out our review on whichever computer has struck your fancy.
How many years should an HP laptop last?
Treat HP laptops as you would any other PC maker. You can expect to get 3-5 years out of whatever you choose. The more powerful the components the more years you can squeeze out of it. In the same vein, if you go for a rock-bottom option, you might be back on the market in a year.
How we test HP laptops
When we review HP laptops, we don’t just compare them to other HP products of a similar caliber. We also make sure to compare their stats with laptops from other brands to prove how well they function in comparison to the competition.
We review laptops based on a variety of criteria including price, design, battery life, and performance. We run the laptop all day to test its battery life and subsequent performance as the day goes on to make sure it works as advertised. The best HP laptops will have functional, sleek design for a moderate price, as well as a battery that doesn’t drain too quickly.
We put all our review laptops through benchmark tests as well to make sure the hardware can handle whatever software you may run. These benchmark diagnostics allow us to make accurate comparisons to other HP laptops, as well as similar laptops from other brands.
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