Don't know which computer to buy (HP)

The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 is HP Inc.'s current flagship for businesses. This PC packs awe-inspiring build quality and a powerful 15W Intel Core i5-7300U inside an extra thin chassis that, unlike the Microsoft Surface Pro 2017, doesn't throttle down its performance under normal use.

Being HP no.1 Business computer it features all the most recent security features, from TPM 2.0 to SureStart to HP's latest invention, the Privacy display!

The battery life is impressive; it can last up to 23 hours! The user can theoretically use this laptop unplugged for an entire long haul flight to the other side of the world, and still have some spare battery life!

The only real drawback is the price. At almost 1600$ it is quite expensive, and you can even go towards the 2000$ price point for the rare 512GB model, but since this computer is probably the best business notebook in the market, it is totally worth every single penny.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card + HP lt4132 4G LTE Modem

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, Thunderbolt 3, Audio, HDMI, microSD Card Reader, SmartCard reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Battery: 57Wh Li-Ion

• Weight; 1.3kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 144 Points (One of the highest single core scores)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   346 Points (Great score but lower than expected for a core i7-7600U due to thermal limitations)

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1610 (Low score, but better than most Intel integrated graphics)

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Medium 1366x768): 31 fps (Barely Playable)
• Battlefield 4 (Medium 1366x768): 31fps (Barely Playable)
• The Witcher 3: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 88% (Notebookcheck) and 4.5/5 Stars (Amazon)

Pros:

• Everything but...

Contras:

• ... Lack of maintenance hatch and...
• ... Dark display

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for any serious enterprise professional.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Elite x2 1012 G2 is HP Inc.'s current flagship detachable for businesses. This PC packs awe-inspiring build quality and a powerful 15W Intel Core i5-7300U inside an extra thin tablet chassis that, unlike the Microsoft Surface Pro 2017, doesn't throttle down its performance too much under normal use.

Being HP's no.1 business detachable notebook, it features all the most recent security features, from TPM 2.0 to SureStart to HP's latest invention, the Privacy display!

The battery life is good at around 15 hours of runtime, but can't really match its bigger brother's, the HP EliteBook 1030 x360 G2 (23+ hours!).

The only real drawbacks are the high surface temperatures (don't use this pc on your lap!) and its price of almost 1500$, which is quite expensive! You can even go towards the 2000$ price point for the rare 512GB model... but since this computer is probably the best business detachable notebook in the market; the steep price is totally worth every single penny.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card + HP lt4132 4G LTE Modem

• Ports: SIM Card Socket, microSD Card Reader, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 3, 3.5mm Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Battery: 47Wh Li-Ion

• Weight; 1.2kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 127 Points (One of the highest single core scores)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   322 Points (Great score but lower than expected for a core i7-7600U due to thermal limitations)

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1646 (Low score, but better than most Intel integrated graphics)

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Medium Detail @1366x768): 32 fps (Barely Playable with some serious occasional stuttering)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (Ultra Low Detail @1280x720): 20 fps (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 88% (Notebookcheck)

Pros:

• Everything but...

Contras:

• ... High price and...
• ... High temperatures Development

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for any serious enterprise professional.

You can buy the HP Elite x2 1012 G2 on Amazon

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Z238 is an entry-level workstation desktop PC designed for creative professionals that don't need powerful 3D graphics capabilities.

The combo of the powerful quad core Intel Core i5-7500 and integrated HD Graphics 630 help this workstation being a valid companion to every serious photo/video editor.

The Z238 has been especially designed for heavy duty CPU and 2D graphics computations and, like all HP Workstations, has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions.

This compact workstation is fully modular and easily upgradable, and if you need an inexpensive yet powerful, mainly used for 2D creativity workstation that will last in time, the HP Z238 is probably the best solution on the market.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 3xDisplayPort, Serial, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xUSB 2.0, RJ-45, 4x Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (One of the highest single core scores)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Excellent score)

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1914 (Low score, but better than most Intel integrated graphics)

At just 715$, the HP Z238 is a total deal and thanks to its modularity and expandability, a seemingly perfect entry into the creatives workstation world.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The EliteBook x360 1020 G2 is a great example of the merging between sleek consumer designs and feature-heavy business configurations. It's inarguably faster and thinner than older the 1020 G1, but not without some cutbacks that longtime EliteBook owners may lament like the lack of docking station, TrackPoint or ports selection.

The jump from the 4.5W Intel Core M5-5Y75 to the more powerful 15W Intel Core i7-7600U (at this time the most powerful dual core mobile Intel Processor to date) is one if not the main benefit of this new revision.   

The EliteBook x360 1020 G2 has also display features found on no other business notebook of its size! It even includes the option for a bright 120 Hz 700 nit panel. HP SureView (Which dims the screen to other people passing by to keep the user's work safe from unwanted viewers) is the other exclusive feature but, sadly, there are some strange characteristics regarding brightness at certain viewing angles and a slightly grainy glossy display. Nonetheless, users who are accustomed to carrying dongles and adapters can equally exploit the benefits of both laptop and tablet mode and will not be disappointed with this admittedly attractive business machine.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/h/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4,0 + USB Type-C Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

• Ports: 2xThunderbolt 3, HDMI, 3.5 Audio Jack

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 1.1kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 161 Points (One of the highest single core scores)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   353 Points (Great score but lower than expected for a core i7-7600U due to thermal limitations)

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1842 (Low score, but better than most Intel integrated graphics)

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Medium Detail @1366x768): 32 fps (Barely Playable with some serious occasional stuttering)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (Ultra Low Detail @1280x720): 20 fps (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 89% (Notebookcheck)

Pros:

• Lightweight and portable
• Spectre inspired design looks great
• Strong and durable chassis for its size
• Military Standard Certifications
• Many security features both software and hardware
• Extremely bright display with excellent outdoor visibility
• Good Surface temperatures under load
• Awesome Bang & Olufsen speaker system
• Fast NVMe SSD from Samsung
• CPU Performance mostly consistent with limited throttling only under extreme multi core loads
• SureView display + NFC
• Great keyboard feedback
• Silent for a dual fan system (at least at idle)

Contras:

• SureView causes low display contrast and is thus useless for photo/video editing
• No dedicated mouse keys or TrackPoint
• Wacom Pens are supported but not bundled
• TN (a.k.a. bad) like viewing angles due to SureView technology
• Lack of ports
• Trackpad is too sticky due to its glass material
• Can be too thin doesn't feel as sturdy as the EliteBook 700/800 series
• Screen flickers at brightness under 99%
• Jumps from silent to extremely loud under gaming (Thankfully most of the target users won't notice)
• Screen Backlight Bleeding
• Multi Core speed is good but not that great and can be as slow as the older Intel Core i7-6500U under Cinebench R15
• Electronic and Coil Noise
• No 4K 120hz Option

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for any serious enterprise professional that is accustomed to bring loads of adapters, which also values design and security.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

If you are looking for the best compact desktop workstation computer to buy, for the least amount of money you are willing to spare, you should definitively buy the HP Z240 SFF. The HP Z240 is a great starting machine for creatives and 2D CAD engineers and beyond since it can be easily expanded with a vast selection of powerful Nvidia Quadro Graphics Cards for all the most advanced CAD and Computing Needs.

If you need a powerful and reliable computer but don't have budget for the bigger and expensive Xeon based workstation this might be the right PC for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 4x Audio Jacks (2x Front, 2x Back), 2xPS/2, 8xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xDisplayPort, DVI-D

• Optical Drive: DVD+-RW Drive

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

 Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (Excellent single core score)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Great Multi-Core score but still relatively entry-level for Workstation standards)

Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11 Overall:    1865 (Good score for integrated graphics standards, you should absolutely install a Nvidia Quadro for serious CAD)

Reviews on other sites

This model has just been recently released and there are no other reviews othet than this one at the moment.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• solid build quality
• can be expanded
• PS/2 Ports for legacy peripherals
• excellent video editing machine
• Power Supply Unit with 92% efficiency

Contras:

• only 4GB of RAM
• not suitable for 3D computing from the start

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for users looking to dive into the workstation world for the first time.

You can buy the HP Z240 on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

If you are looking for the best desktop workstation computer to buy, for the least amount of money you are willing to spare, you should definitively buy the HP Z240 Micro Tower. The HP Z240 is a great starting machine for creatives and 2D CAD engineers and beyond since it can be easily expanded with a vast selection of powerful Nvidia Quadro Graphics Cards for all the most advanced CAD and Computing Needs.

If you need a powerful and reliable computer but don't have the budget for the more expensive Xeon/Quadro based workstation this might be the right PC for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 4x Audio Jacks (2x Front, 2x Back), 2xPS/2, 8xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xDisplayPort, DVI-D

• Optical Drive: DVD+-RW Drive

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

 Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (Excellent single core score)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Great Multi-Core score but still relatively entry-level for Workstation standards)

Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11 Overall:    1868 (Good score for integrated graphics standards, you should absolutely install a Nvidia Quadro for serious CAD)

Reviews on other sites

This model has just been recently released and there are no other reviews othet than this one at the moment.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• solid build quality
• can be expanded
• PS/2 Ports for legacy peripherals
• excellent video editing machine
• Power Supply Unit with 92% efficiency
• Fast Storage

Contras:

• only 4GB of RAM
• not suitable for 3D computing from the start

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for users looking to dive into the workstation world for the first time.

You can buy the HP Z240 Micro Tower on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

With its incredible thin & light frame and a weight of just 1.88kg, a chassis that meets military standards and many security features, the HP Elitebook 850 will be an excellent travel companion for every enterprise user.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V 10/100/1000 + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® 4.2 Combo Card + LTE Modem (Everything you need for LAN, Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0 (1x Quickcharge), USB-Type C, DisplayPort, VGA, Audio Combo, AC Power, Ethernet, Docking Connector (great selection of ports that can be easily expanded with a docking station)

• Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64bit Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 1.88kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (85% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Matte and high resolution screen
• Quiet operation
• Excellent cooling system
• Hyper-fast storage
• Extremely long battery life
• LTE modem for mobile data internet connectivity
• Exemplary 3 years warranty

Contras:

• Relatively difficult upgradability and low display contrast

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for enterprise users in need of an ultra-reliable and almost unbreakable PC with extremely hi-tech security features.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ab102nl/ak113nl is a great upper mid-range gaming laptop! Great performance combined with an ultra-aggressive design, a wonderful display and a boatload of storage, the honest pricing makes it a very desirable gaming laptop.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8101/2/3 Fast Ethernet + Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 (Sadly this is the weakest point of the Pavilion Gaming series, Ethernet is limited to 100MBPs and lacks the latest Wi-Fi ac Standard)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, RJ-45, Audio 3.5mm  (Average selection of ports for a multimedia laptop)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.38kg (Relatively lightweight for a gaming laptop)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Gamers that are happy with playing all the latest games as of 2016 at high details and FullHD resolution.
• Multimedia enthusiast looking for a super aggressive design.

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (78% Notebookcheck and 5 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Matte IPS display
• Cool green backlighted keyboard
• Great balance between hardware components
• Fast and large storage.

Contras:

• Relatively difficult upgradability
• Short warranty

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for gamers and multimedia enthusiast alike in search of a powerful laptop at a very honest price.

You can buy it right now for about 1199$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This colorful 13 incher's main target are school students and other people that want to have a stylish, lightweight and silent internet browsing machine that can be used outdoor, thanks to its matte display. The HP Stream 13 Series is considered by many as the Chromebook Killer.

 Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8723BE Wi-Fi n w/Bluetooth 4.0 PCI Express (Wi-Fi connectivity only, doesn't support the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 2.0, USB 3.0,HDMI, 3,5mm Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.54kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (78% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Silent, fanless operation
• Good matte display
• Decent keyboard
• Good battery runtime

Contras:

• Low display brightness
• Loss of CPU Turbo Boost under constant load

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for people in need of a basic internet browsing pc with an extra long-battery life and a good keyboard for as little bucks as possible.

You can buy right now for about 219$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Envy 13 is one of the most classiest ultrabooks on the market. The sleek and light aluminum chassis will cause envy to many, its luxurious 3K Ultra High resolution screen, its great processing speed thanks to the Skylake 6th gen Core i5 and i7 CPUs and its bright display make the Envy 13 an all-around winner in the Ultrabook category.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 3.0, MiniDisplayPort, microSD Card, 3,5mm audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Power users who travel very often and need a very lightweight travel companion, but need a good amount of processor and storage performance in a PC that can stay always cool and quiet.
• Multimedia enthusiasts, thanks to its good speakers and its integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU w/QuickSync that can accelerate up to H.265 video playback and even play some games at low details.
• Professional photographers and video editors, thanks to its 13.3" 4K IPS display that offers an impressive contrast ratio of 1400:1 and a color gamut covering almost the entirety of sRGB plus a good amount of the AdobeRGB color spaces.
• Small & Medium Business users who don't need Windows 10 Professional, thanks to its TPM module and FingerPrint Reader.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 85% (85% on Notebookcheck.net), this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Awesome 4K display with incredible contrast ratio
• Good performance
• High quality aluminium chassis
• Extremely high quality speakers from Bang & Olufsen

Contras:

• Slight fluctuating CPU performance during heavy gaming load due to the strict power consumption limit, but unfortunately has to be expected since this laptop uses an ULV type (15W CPU+GPU shared) CPU.
• Very limited upgrade options and lack of easy-to-open maintenance hatch. This is a common drawback of this category (Ultrabooks). The M.2 2280 SSD storage can be upgraded with a little technical knowledge though.

Conclusion

The HP Envy 13 Ultrabook is a great choice if you are willing to spend a few more bucks for great style & portability without sacrificing performance, cooling potential and features.

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

With its thickness of just 10mm, The HP Spectre 13 is a direct competitor of the Apple Macbook (2016).  One big difference, compared to the competition, is that HP managed to install 15W Intel Core i7 CPUs in this ultrathin form factor instead of using less powerful 4.5W Intel Core M series. The display is incredible, thin and with high contrast. To keep the device slim, HP utilizes a new technology called Piston Hinge.

Key characteristics

Other Characteristics:

• Ports: The Spectre 13, like every ultrathin notebook, has a relatively limited but better-than-usual selection of ports: 1xUSB 3.0 type-C port for charging, 2xUSB 3.1 Type-C Ports with Thunderbolt 3 and a 3.5mm audio jack, an USB Type-C to standard USB 3.0 dongle is bundled.
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64bit
• Weight: 1.16kg
• PSU: 45W

(Typical) user groups:

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Power users who travel very often and need a very lightweight travel companion but need a good amount of processor and storage performance.
• Multimedia enthusiasts, thanks to its good speakers and its integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU w/QuickSync that can accelerate up to H.265 video playback and even play some games at low details.
• Professional photographers and video editors, thanks to its 13.3" IPS display that offers an impressive contrast ratio of 1600:1 and a color gamut covering almost the entirety of sRGB (96%), plus a good amount of the AdobeRGB (63%) color spaces.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 85% (85%Notebookcheck.net and 4.7/5 Stars on Amazon), this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Dual Thunderbolt 3 port
• Keyboard backlighting
• Typing experience,
• Lightweight,
• Innovative and luxurious design
• Awesome display with incredible contrast ratio
• Good performance
• The USB Type-C to USB 3.0 Type A adapter is already bundled

Contras:

• Slight fluctuating CPU performance under heavy load caused by thermal throttling, unfortunately with such a thin design this has to be expected
• Lack of a touchscreen, the probable cause is that by being so lightweight and by not being designed as a 2-in-1 convertible, a simple touch would practically tilt the device. For touch fanatics HP offers its sister model "HP Spectre x2" Convertible as alternative

Conclusion

The HP Spectre 13 Ultrabook is a great choice if you are willing to spend a few more bucks for great style & portability without sacrificing too much performance and features.

You can buy it on Amazon.

 
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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The  HP t730 Thin Client, HP’s most powerful desktop thin client, is ready to deploy in demanding environments right out of the box with an AMD quad-core APU, huge selection of interfaces (even legacy), OS and external server choices, and native support for 6 UHD/4K displays.

This small desktop PC, thanks to its AMD FirePro W2100, can also be used as a basic Workstation and thus is perfect for a team of CG professionals working connected to the cloud.

Specs Here:

• CPU: AMD RX427BB (Steamroller) 2,7-3,6Ghz 4 Cores / 4 Threads 4MB Cache 35W TDP 64bit
• CHIPSET: AMD Kaveri  FCH Socket FP3
• NETWORK: Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit Ethernet
• EXPANSION SLOTS: 2xSO-DIMM, PCI Express Half Height x8
• Audio: Realtek ALC290 With Stereo Speakers
• GPU 1: AMD Radeon R7 (Kaveri) w/1GB Dedicated RAM Integrated
• GPU 2: AMD FirePro W2100 2GB DDR3
• RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3L-1600 1,6Ghz 128bit Dual Channel
• STORAGE: 64GB M.2 SSD
• CONNECTIVITY: 6xUSB 2.0, 4x USB 3.0 (2x Internal), 4xAudio, 6xDisplayPort, RJ-45, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 2xSerial, Parallel 
• KEYBOARD: HP USB Keyboard
• MOUSE: HP USB Optical Mouse
• PSU: 85W
• PRICE: 1164€
• OS: Microsoft Windows Embedded 7P 64bit
• BUNDLED SOFTWARE: HP Device Manager, HP ThinUpdate, HP EasyTools, HP SmartZero Client Service, Agent Microsoft SCCM/EDM, HP Velocity, HP EasyShell, HP TrueGraphics

The Pavilion 550 is one of the best choices if you want to enter the multimedia PC world for the first time. The build quality is great as always from HP, and even if it only costs 512$, it offers a pretty high performance thanks to the old but not obsolete and still powerful 4th Gen Intel Core i5-4460S. The dedicated Nvidia Graphics card isn't good for gaming nowadays but its VP6 Codec will take care of all your HD Movies and TV Series needs. 

Note: this PC comes preinstalled with Windows 8.1, you will eventually need to upgrade to windows 10 to enjoy it to the fullest.

Full Specs here:

• CPU: Intel Haswell-DT Core i5-4460S 2,9-3,4Ghz 4 Cores 7MB Cache 64bit 65WTDP
• MOTHERBOARD: Pegatron Memphis-S uATX
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GT 705 (GF119) 1GB DDR3
• CHIPSET: Intel Lynx Point H87 Socket LGA-1150 DMI 2.0 5GT/s
• NETWORKING: Realtek RTL8151GH-CG Gigabit Ethernet
• AUDIO: IDT 92HD65C
• RAM: 8GB DDR3 1,6Ghz 64bit Single Channel
• STORAGE: 7-In-1 Card Reader + HP Supermulti DVD Burner + 1TB Western Digital Caviar Blue SATA III 7200RPM 64MB Cache
• CONNECTIVITY: 4xUSB 3.0, 5x Audio, 4x USB 2.0,  RJ-45, DVI Dual Link, HDMI
• KEYBOARD: HP USB Keyboard
• MOUSE: HP USB Optical Mouse
• PSU: 150W HP PSU
• OS: Microsoft Windows 8.1 64bit

Ever thought about a Pink Colored Gaming laptop? Yes, it exists, and this gaming and multimedia laptop with a feminine touch is called the HP Pavilion 15-ab116n!

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8101/2/3 Fast Ethernet + Intel Dual Band-Wireless AC-3160 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi & browsing - cabled connectivity doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s)

• Ports: USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Audio, RJ-45, SD card Reader (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Multimedia enthusiasts and gamers who want to save as much money as possible, but without compromises and to be able to get some extra performance thanks to the laptop's crossfire technology and future driver updates.
• Users and/or programmers of OpenCL based applications

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 5 Stars (5 stars on Amazon and 5 Stars at HP Store), this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Extremely high performance
• Nice price
• Quiet operation
• Low operating temperatures
• Good quality FullHD display
• Unbeatable price/performance ratio.

Contras:

• Lack of gigabit Ethernet (only fast Ethernet is present), which is a typical defect of almost all HP made multimedia laptop.

Conclusion

The HP Pavilion 15-ab116 is a great choice for every videogamer and multimedia enthusiast. For its price of under 600€, this is absolutely the best portable gaming platform available at this price point. If you are not convinced by the color, a blue colored unit and a more serious silver version with the same or even better specs are also available.

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay. 

This Laptop is one of the cheapest entries in the world of multimedia entertainment and gaming. With a price of just 700$, you will hardly find an equivalent laptop with similar gaming performance and build quality.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8101/2/3 Fast Ethernet + Intel Dual Band-Wireless AC-3160 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi & browsing - cabled connectivity doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s)

• Ports: USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Audio, RJ-45, SD card Reader (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Multimedia enthusiasts and gamers who want to save as much money as possible but without compromises and to be able to get some extra performance thanks to the laptop's crossfire technology and future driver updates.
• Users and/or programmers of OpenCL based applications.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 5 Stars (5 stars on Amazon and 5 Stars at HP Store), this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Extremely high performance
• Quiet operation
• Low operating temperatures
• Good quality FullHD display
• A good 16GB of RAM in Dual Channel mode
• Unbeatable price/performance ratio

Contras:

• Lack of gigabit Ethernet (only fast Ethernet is present) which is a typical defect of almost all HP made multimedia laptop.

Conclusion

The HP Pavilion 15-ab126 is a great choice for every videogamer and multimedia enthusiast. For its price of under 750$, this is absolutely the best portable gaming platform available at this price point. As a plus, every future driver updates from AMD will make this laptop even more performant thanks to the newly added crossfire profiles.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This is a basic laptop (at a cheap price!) for basic internet and multimedia stuff (not for videogames though). For its category, it has a surprisingly high amount of disk space. 

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek PCI-E Fast Ethernet + Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi & browsing - of course, it doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s)

• Ports: USB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, Ethernet (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (pretty standard; this laptop has enough memory to run the 64bit version)

• Weight; 2.16kg (slightly on the upper end considering it's a netbook, but still ok)

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 8260 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.1 Combo Card

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0 Type C, Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Battery: 39Wh Li-Ion

• Weight; 1.1kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 37 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   68 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  412

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews on Notebook-center.ru with 5 out of 5 stars. Many platforms don't show any reviews yet (e.g. Amazon) simply because it's a very new device.

Pros:

• Relatively good performance
• Big storage space for netbook standards
• Great price/performance ratio

Contras:

• None

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for basic internet and multimedia stuff, but don't plan to play any videogames on it. Great storage size (e.g. for many downloads, huge music & movies collections) for its price. In addition, it's great that you can upgrade the computer (e.g. more memory & storage), a characteristic most models of this category don't offer. 

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Slimline 411 is a silent, basic desktop for everyday internet and Home Theater multimedia at a cheap price. Its 1TB Storage is great for storing your movie and music collection.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8161 + Wi-Fi n b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for internet browsing, Wi-Fi not compatible with the latest ac standard)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, DVI-D, 5xAudio, Ethernet (pretty good selection of ports, but only 4xUSB ports is a bit poor for a desktop)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (pretty standard; this small desktop has enough memory to run this 64bit version)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Students and other people that need a pc just for basic internet and multimedia stuff, want a lot of storage for downloads and media files but don't plan to play videogames on it.
• Home Theater PC Enthusiast that want a silent home entertainment system.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 39 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   69 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  414

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 5 Stars (5 stars on Amazon) this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Relatively good performance
• Big storage
• Great price/performance ratio

Contras:

• None

Conclusion

The HP  SlimLine 411 (Celeron N3050/4GB/1TB HDD Nettop) is a great choice if you are willing to spend as little bucks as possible but want  a computer that can be used smoothly for most basic things, completely silent and with a good storage space.

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay. 

The HP Envy 13 is one of the classiest Ultrabooks on the market. The sleek and light aluminum chassis will cause envy to many. Its luxurious 3K Ultra-High resolution screen, its great processing speed thanks to the Skylake 6th gen Core i5 and i7 CPUs and its bright display make the ENVY 13 an all-around winner in the Ultrabook category.

 Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi connectivity).

• Ports: 3xUSB 3.0, HDMI, Audio, SD Card Reader (great selection of ports for an ultra-thin laptop).

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.4kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Power users who travel very often and need a very lightweight travel companion but need a good amount of processor and storage performance that can stay always cool and quiet.
• Multimedia enthusiasts, thanks to its good speakers and its integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU w/QuickSync that can accelerate up to H.265 video playback and even play some games at low details.
• Professional photographers and video editors, thanks to its 13.3" FullHD (1080P) IPS display that offers an impressive contrast ratio of 1400:1 and a color gamut covering almost the entirety of sRGB, plus a good amount of the AdobeRGB color spaces.
• Small & Medium Business users who don't need Windows 10 Professional, thanks to its TPM module and FingerPrint Reader.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 85% (85% on Notebookcheck.net) this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Awesome 4K display with incredible contrast ratio
• Good performance
• High quality aluminum chassis
• Extremely high quality speakers from Bang & Olufsen

Contras:

• Slight fluctuating CPU performance during heavy gaming load due to the strict power consumption limit, but unfortunately this has to be expected since this laptop uses an ULV type (15W CPU+GPU shared) CPU

• Very limited upgrade options and lack of easy-to-open maintenance hatch. This is a common drawback of this category (Ultrabooks). The M.2 2280 SSD Storage can be upgraded with a little technical knowledge though

Conclusion

The HP ENVY 13 Ultrabook is a great choice if you are willing to spend a few more bucks for great style & portability without sacrificing performance, cooling potential and features.

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The HP 15 af-105n/af-124n is an entry-level multimedia laptop based on the new AMD "Carrizo-L" platform. This laptop offers good multimedia and gaming performance at the very low price of just 512$.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8101/2/3 PCIe Fast Ethernet + Broadcom BCM43142 Wi-Fi n W/Bluetooth 4.0 (Supports only 100MBPs on cabled connection, Wi-Fi connectivity from Broadcom is good but doesn't support the recent Wi-Fi ac protocol)

• Ports: USB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, Audio, RJ-45 (good selection of ports, sadly, only one USB 3.0 )

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (5 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Great price/performance ratio
• Good amount of storage

Contras:

• Mediocre screen

(Typical) user groups

Above characteristics, make this computer a great choice for:

• Multimedia users on a tight budget.
• Video gamers on a tight budget.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a good choice for every multimedia enthusiast and video gamer on a tight budget.

You can buy right now for about 479$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new HP Elitebook Folio G1 is the thinnest & lightest business laptop ever made (even thinner than the Macbook 12 2016!). If you are looking for a device that looks luxurious, is powerful enough for business workloads, extremely light and very silent this may be the right choice for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band-Wireless AC-8160 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (As of 2016 this is the best Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity you can get)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.1 Type-C ThunderBolt 3 and DisplayPort 1.2 Compliant, 3,5mm Audio (Extremely limited port selection, can be extended thanks to Thunderbolt Docking Stations)

• Weight: 979g (Just a bit heavier than the Macbook 12)

• Battery; 41Wh, 11 Hours Lifetime

• PSU: 45W

• Webcam: Infrared Webcam with Support for Windows Hello Facial Recognition technology

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Business users in need of a silent and lightweight PC that can deliver a good amount of performance.
• Home Cinema enthusiasts, thanks to its gorgeous screen, powerful Quad Bang & Olufsen speakers and the Intel QuickSync Video Encoder/Decoder, the Elitebook Folio G1 can deliver impressive movie and music playback.
• Typists and journalists, the Elitebook Folio's Keyboard is said to be even better than the one present in the Lenovo ThinkPad series, which, before the release of this laptop, was considered the best laptop keyboard ever made.

Reviews on other sites

With a score of 90% on Notebookcheck and 5 stars on Amazon, this computer has an excellent rating.

Pros:

• Extremely light weight and portability,
• Sturdy case
• Best keyboard on the market,
• Gorgeous display
• Great Bang & Olufsen Speakers
• Completely silent operation
• Impressive infrared webcam

Contras:

• Lack of ports and adapters which is, by the way, already much better than its main rival: the Macbook 12
• The Alps ClickPad that sometimes doesn't register taps

Conclusion

The HP EliteBook Folio G1 is a very good device, but you should be aware of its limitations. If you are looking for an extremely mobile device and do not want to waive silent operation and a great keyboard, there is no reason why you shouldn't get this notebook.

You can buy it on Amazon.

This review was last updated on June 1^st, 2016. Some of the links in the review are affiliate-links, however, this review is not biased and as objective as it could possibly be (learn more about approved product reviews on Solutionbay).

This relatively inexpensive high-end 2-in-1 convertible which packs the usual impressive build quality HP is known for.

  Alas this Computer has one of the best typing experiences on a 12.9" PC.

The Spectre x2 12 also features a powerful quad speaker from Bang & Olufsen (very impressive for a device so slim) that will make music enthusiasts very happy. The only drawback is that the processor performance and battery life are unfortunately just average (but not bad at all) for the category,

The HP Spectre x2 12 is one of the most versatile and stylish PCs and if you write heavily and/or you are a music lover, this may be the right computer for you. If you need a much more powerful CPU and you are willing to spend a few extra bucks, the Acer Aspire Switch 12 is a much better option.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 + LTE SIM Slot (the HP Spectre x2 12, like most convertible PCs, lacks cabled Ethernet interface but has all the latest tech for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and the possibility to add a Data SIM on selected models)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Connectivity: USB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C 3,5mm Audio, microSD card reader (limited connectivity typical of 2-In-1 Convertibles)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Writers looking for a versatile computer that can offer a great typing experience.
• Multimedia Enthusiast that are not really into computer gaming will find this PC very interesting, especially music fans.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 87/100 (87% on Notebookcheck and 5/5 Stars on Amazon.com) this computer has a great overall rating.

Pros:

• Great keyboard dock
• USB-Type C Port
• Great screen quality
• Great camera module from Intel
• Adjustable feet stand
• Silent fanless operation

Contras:

• Average CPU performance
• Battery life under heavy load

Conclusion

The HP Spectre x2 12 is one of the most versatile and stylish PCs, and if you write heavily and/or you are a music lover, this may be the right computer for you. If you need a much more powerful CPU and are willing to spend a few extra bucks, the Acer Aspire Switch 12 can be a much better option.

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This colorful 11" Cloudbook's main target are school students and other people that want to have a stylish, cute, lightweight and silent internet browsing machine that can be used outdoors, thanks to its matte display. The HP Stream Series is considered by many as the Chromebook Killer.

 Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Broadcom BCM43142 Wi-Fi n w/Bluetooth 4.0 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, doesn't support the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI, 3,5mm Audio, microSD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.15kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (80% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).)

Pros:

• Silent, fanless operation
• Cheap price
• Decent keyboard
• Good webcam and good battery runtime

Contras:

• Poor viewing angle and brightness
• Lack of maintenance possibilities and small storage

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for people in need of a basic internet browsing pc with an extra-long battery life and a good keyboard for as little bucks as possible.

You can buy right now for about 244$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP x2 210 G1 is a basic business convertible. If compared to other convertible Cloudbooks, this PC offers a higher amount of memory (4GB) a slightly faster and bigger 64GB eMMC storage (instead of the usual 32GB) and very good speakers from Bang & Olufsen. If you only need internet browsing and office workloads for your business, and you value a lightweight yet sturdy companion, the relatively high price of 445$ is largely justified!

  Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 w/Bluetooth 4.2 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 3.0, USB 2.0 Type-C, HDMI, 3,5mm Audio, microSD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.2kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (79% Notebookcheck).

Pros:

• IPS Screen
• Silent and fanless design
• Long battery life
• USB Type-C connectivity

Contras:

• Short warranty and high price for Atom based cloudbook standards

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business users in need of a basic internet browsing companion and office convertible that has an extra long battery life and offers a superior build quality.

You can buy right now for about 445$ on Amazon.com

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Pavilion 11t x360 is a small and economic basic Home Theater PC that has the advantage of being convertible to desktop, laptop and tablet form factor. Thanks to its completely silent and fanless design, great video encoder/decoder, huge storage, external TV HDMI connectivity and gorgeous integrated IPS screen with an almost perfect color reproduction, this small computer is an excellent entertainment device.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek PCI-E Fast Ethernet + Realtek RTL8723BE Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for internet browsing - of course, being a cheap cloudbook, it doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s on both LAN and Wi-Fi)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, Ethernet, SD Card Reader (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (this PC has enough memory to run the 64bit version)

• Weight; 1.43kg (Not a bad weight for a PC with mechanical Hard Disk)

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 36 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   67 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  412

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 78% (Notebookcheck) and of 4/5 Stars on Amazon. Many platforms don't show any reviews yet (e.g. Amazon) simply because it's a very new device. 

Pros:

• Excellent screen with an almost perfect color reproduction and fast response rates
• Big storage capacity for cloudbook standards (500GB instead of the usual 32GB)
• Silent operation and great value ratio

Contras:

• Short battery life
• Low performance outside the audio/video playback world

Key points mentioned in the reviews & our take on them:

• Not surprisingly, this model gets a lot of praise for its excellent screen with an almost perfect color reproduction and fast response rates, its big storage capacity for cloudbook standards (500GB instead of the usual 32GB), silent operation and great value ratio.

• This model got some criticism for its short battery life and low performance outside the audio/video playback world.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for whoever is in search of a versatile and inexpensive Home Theater PC (HTPC). 

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Probook 640 G2 is a total blast from the past! Even if it features all the latest technologies, this computer looks like it came straight from the era of strongly built and bulky business laptops. If you are a business professional that values more excellent build quality and connectivity options than weight and style this computer may be the right one for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Gigabit Ethernet i219V Lan + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card + HP lt4120 Qualcomm Snapdragon X5 LTE Modem (Everything you will need for online connectivity at max speeds)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort Audio, Ethernet, SD Card Reader, Docking Station, Smart Card reader (awesome selection of ports that can be expanded even further thanks to the Docking Station support)

• Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64bit + Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 1.95kg (Very heavy for Ultrabook standards)

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 84% (Notebookcheck). Many platforms don't show any reviews yet (e.g. Amazon) simply because it's a very new device. 

Pros:

• Excellent and solid casing build
• Presence of a DVD drive
• High quality keyboard and touchpad
• Low temperatures
• Ultra-long battery life
• 4G LTE connectivity
• Great application performance

Contras:

• Heaviness
• Screen with bad viewing angles
• Loud & annoying fan

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for business professionals looking for a strong and reliable PC. 

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The 2016's Pavilion 17 Touch is a mix between a multimedia notebook and a gaming notebook. It's more powerful than what its simple yet stylish plastic and metal design would otherwise suggest, and its excellent cooling system can cool all this laptop's powerful components with ease. The Pavilion 17 Touch 2016 is a valid competitor for the crown of most stylish and modern looking gaming laptop on the market.

Key Specifications

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (everything needed for cabled and wireless connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, 3,5mm audio, SD card Reader (average selection of ports nothing exceptional)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 3kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 148 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   672 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  5775

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 76% (76% on Notebookcheck and 4.5/5 Stars on Amazon) this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Excellent performance
• Keyboard backlighting
• Amazing screen
• Extremely long battery life
• Keys with backlighting
• Presence of a DVD Drive

Contras:

• Rigidity of the display lid
• Lack of USB ports
• Poor touchpad

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Gamers that want a lot of performance in a less aggressive and more stylish design.
• Professional Photographers and Video Editors, thanks to its high quality IPS screen with an almost full SRGB coverage.

Conclusion

If you are a gamer looking for something more modern and classy than the average gaming laptop and you don't need a lot of USB ports this may be the right choice for you, but if you are looking for more ports connectivity at a slightly higher price the MSI Prestige P70 may be a better choice.

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The 2016's Pavilion 15 Touch is a mix between a multimedia notebook and a gaming notebook. It's more powerful than what its simple yet stylish plastic and metal design would otherwise suggest, and its excellent cooling system can cool all this laptop's powerful components with ease.  The Pavilion 15 Touch 2016 is a valid competitor for the crown of MSI Prestige PE60 for the most stylish and modern looking gaming laptop on the market.

Key Specifications

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (everything needed for cabled and wireless connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, 3,5mm audio, SD card Reader (average selection of ports nothing exceptional)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 3kg

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 80% (70% on Notebookcheck and 4.5/5 Stars on Amazon) this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Excellent performance
• Keyboard backlighting
• Amazing screen
• Extremely long battery life

Contras:

• Lack of rigidity of the display lid
• Lack of USB ports
• Poor touchpad

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Gamers that want a lot of performance in a less aggressive and more stylish design.
• Professional Photographers and Video Editors, thanks to its high quality IPS screen with an almost full SRGB coverage.

Conclusion

If you are a gamer looking for something more modern and classy than the average gaming laptop and you don't need a lot of USB ports this may be the right choice for you, but if you are looking for more ports connectivity at a slightly higher price, the MSI Prestige P60 may be a better choice.

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

If you are an engineer looking for a laptop that is capable of running all your advanced CAD projects with ease without breaking your back, The HP Zbook 15 G3 can be your ideal choice.

This mobile workstation is incredibly thin and light for workstation standards (less than 3kg) and packs the incredible power of the Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 processor combined with a powerful, CAD/Maya/3D Studio+ optimized, mid-range professional 3D accelerator from Nvidia (Quadro M1000M).

Like all HP Z series computers, the system has been tested with military standards MIL-810 for working in extreme conditions of heat and humidity.

The system can, of course, run modern videogames pretty well, but if you are a gamer it may be better for you to save your bucks and buy the equivalent HP Pavilion 15 Touch , since it can offer about the same level of gaming performance at a much lower price.

Key Specifications

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel I219LM Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (everything needed for cabled and wireless connectivity)

• Ports: 4xUSB 3.0, 2xThunderbolt 3, HDMI 1.4, VGA, Ethernet, 3,5mm audio, SD card Reader (Awesome connectivity!)

• Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64bit + Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 2.6kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Engineers and 3D modeling professionals looking for a powerful and portable device.
• Gamers that want a lot of performance in a less aggressive and more stylish design.
• Professional Photographers and Video Editors, thanks to its high quality IPS screen with an almost full SRGB coverage.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 4.5/5 stars (4.5/5 Stars on LaptopMag) this computer has an above-average rating.

Key points mentioned in the reviews & our take on them:

• Not surprisingly, this model gets a lot of praise for its excellent performance, for being one of the most lightweight workstations ever made, and its stylish and classy design.

• LaptopMag criticizes the excellent, but a bit too dim display, and its relatively high temperatures near the cooling vents.

Conclusion

The HP Zbook 15 G3 is one of the best workstations on the market, if you are a professional 3D graphics artist and you can tolerate the high operating temperatures, you will find a classy and powerful travel companion, if you just plan to play videogames you should definitely buy the similar HP Pavilion 15 Touch instead.

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The AMD based HP Pavilion lineup has just been refreshed with the latest AMD "Bristol Ridge" processors! With its price tag of just 550$/619€, Quad Core Processor and AMD Dual Graphics, The HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng is a great choice for anyone entering into the world of multimedia and gaming computers.

The low price suggests this PC has also some flaws... like the mediocre battery life and the necessity of keeping the Graphic drivers constantly up to date to get the most performance in games, especially the ones not designed with AMD Dual Graphics in mind. Thankfully HP choose swisely what to sacrifice and the overall system performance leaves a good impression.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8101/2/3 Fast Ethernet + Realtek RTL 8723BE Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi & browsing - both LAN and Wi-Fi connectivity doesn't reach top internet speed as they both are limited to 100 Mbit/s)

• Ports: USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Audio, RJ-45, SD card Reader, DVD Drive (pretty good selection of ports, especially because this model features a good old DVD Drive)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Multimedia enthusiasts and gamers who want to save as much money as possible without compromises and to be able to get some extra performance, thanks to the laptop's AMD Dual Graphics technology and future driver updates.
• Users and/or programmers of OpenCL based applications.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 75% at notebookcheck this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Extremely high performance for such a low price tag.

• Features a decent matte fullHD display instead of the more common HD glossy screen we are used to see.

• Blazing fast SSD storage,unheard of at 550$.
• Contrary to what most AMD haters will say, this PC is always cool & quiet.

Contras:

• Tricky to open the chassis, but you probably won't need it if not to install more storage.
• No USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3. Well.. After all, it is just a 550$ PC! You can't expect this expensive technology to be featured in anything less than 1000$.
• Mediocre battery life. (yes this is really bad and the only real serious issue, even with the display set at ultra-low brightness the battery drains up very quickly!)

Conclusion

The HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng is a great choice for everyone who wants to enter into the videogamer and multimedia world. For its price of 550$, this is absolutely the best portable gaming platform available at this price point. As a plus, every future driver updates from AMD will make this laptop even more performant, thanks to the newly added crossfire profiles. A very well balanced laptop at a great price just be prepared to use the AC charger very, very often!

If you live in Europe, you can buy this computer on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Envy 15t-as133cl is a cheaper, yet still extremely well built alternative to the more higher-end HP Spectre series. This PC is more lightweight and thinner than before, while packing extremely good performance thanks to its "Kaby Lake" 7th Gen Intel core i7. This PC is good for both office work and basic multimedia workloads. The limited RGB color coverage means it is a bad choice for professional photo/video editors.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs)

• Ports: 3xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, HDMI SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.23kg

Application Performance

The Intel Core i7-7500U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs ever made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through every workload with ease.

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Power users who travel very often and need a very lightweight travel companion, but need a good amount of processor and storage performance that can stay always cool and quiet.
• The Multimedia enthusiast: Thanks to its good speakers & Intel Quicksync Video Encoder/Decoder, this system is great for music and videos.
• The small & medium business user who doesn't need Windows 10 Professional.

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Medium 1366x768): (Playable)
• Battlefield 4:(Low 1366x768) (Barely Playable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider:(Low 1366x768) (Barely playable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 79%(Notebookcheck.net) this computer has a good rating.

Pros:

• Compact and study chassis
• M.2 + 2.5" SATA III Slots for SSD and Hard Drive
• Impressive CPU Performance
• Good IPS panel
• Good battery life
• USB Type-C

Contras:

• Pulsating fan behavior under stress due to thermal throttling
• Inaccurate RGB reproduction caused by the touch layer
• Poor touchpad
• No dedicated graphics
• Lack of thunderbolt 3

Conclusion

The HP ENVY 15-as113nl Ultrabook is a great choice if you are looking for great style & portability for as little money as possible without sacrificing application performance and features.

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The newly released HP Probook 650 G3 features the latest 7th gen Intel core i5 processor and thus its processing power and graphic performance are much improved if compared to the 2016 Probook 650 G2. Other than this nothing else changed and the HP Probook 650 remains one of the best (if not the best) upper mid-range business laptops. This PC's only serious drawback is the lack of a backlit keyboard that, for the computer's price range, should be standard nowadays.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, Serial, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, Fingerprint Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: Yes

• Weight; 2.31kg

 Application Performance

The Intel Core i5-7200U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most workloads with ease.

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find this PC an excellent companion.

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite: (Low 1366x768) (Playable)
• Battlefield 4 : (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 84% on Notebookcheck.net, this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Bright matte FullHD display
• Quiet cooling system,
• Docking and serial ports
• USB Type-C and great keyboard

Contras:

• Display that, even if very bright, has a very low contrast ratio
• Lack of keyboard backlight

Conclusion

The HP Probook 650 G3 is a great choice if you are a professional looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 1050$ on Amazon.

The HP Elitebook 820 G4 is much probably the best 12,5" enterprise notebook available as of early 2017! This PC packs in flawless build quality, excellent performance thanks to its 7th gen Intel Core i7-7500U and a blazing fast NVMe SSD (Solid State Drive) storage, a great display (especially for HP standards), input devices that are optimal for prolific typists, ultra-long battery life (more than 22 hours in idle!!) and excellent expandability. The HP Elitebook 820 G4 has no flaws, apart from it being extremely expensive at well over 1700$ and up to 2100$ with 512GB SSD and 4G LTE connectivity.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs).

• Webcam: HP TrueVision HD

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, SIM, Smart Card, Fingerprint Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: No

• Weight; 1.26kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need of a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find in this PC the perfect companion.

Application Performance

The Intel Core i7-7500U is the second most powerful 15W CPU made by Intel. This dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through all the common business workloads with ease.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 139 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   329 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1645

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite: (Medium 1366x768) (Barely Playable)
• Tomb Raider: (Medium 1366x768): (Playable)
• Battlefield 4: (Medium 1366x768): (Barely Playable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 88% on Notebookcheck.net this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Bright matte IPS FullHD display
• Quiet cooling system
• Ultra-fast SSD storage
• USB Type-C
• Sturdy build quality
• Good input devices
• 4G LTE Modem support
• Ultra-long battery life
• 3 years warranty

Contras:

• Steep price tag

Conclusion

The HP Elitebook 820 G4 is the perfect choice for every enterprise professional that is looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 1750$ on Amazon.

--
This "review" is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The newly released HP ProBook 640 G3 features the latest 7th gen Intel core i5 processor and thus its processing power and graphic performance are much improved if compared to the 2016 ProBook 640 G2. Other than this, nothing else changed, and the HP Probook 640 still remains one of the best (if not the best) upper mid-range business laptops. This PC's only serious drawback is the lack of a backlit keyboard that, for the computer's price range, should be standard nowadays.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, Serial, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, Fingerprint Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: Yes

• Weight; 1.95kg

The Intel Core i5-7200U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs ever made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most workloads with ease.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 124 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   289 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1518 

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Low 1366x768): (Playable)
• Battlefield 4: (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 86% on Notebookcheck.net, this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Fast NVMe SSD Storage
• Quiet cooling system
• Docking port
• USB Type-C
• 4G LTE support
• Great keyboard

Contras:

• Display that, even if very bright has a very low contrast ratio
• Lack of keyboard backlight

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need of a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find this PC an excellent companion.

Conclusion

The HP Probook 640 G3 is a great choice if you are a professional looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 930$ on Amazon.

The HP Elitebook 840 G4 is much probably one of the best 14" enterprise notebooks available as of early 2017! This PC packs in flawless build quality, excellent performance thanks to its 7th gen Intel Core i5-7200U and a blazing fast NVMe SSD (Solid State Drive) storage, input devices that are optimal for prolific typists, ultra-long battery life (more than 19 hours in idle!!) and excellent expandability. The HP Elitebook 840 G4 has no real flaws, apart from the relatively unimpressive display.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 + Qualcomm Snapdragon X5 LTE 4G Module (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard (866MBPs)

• Webcam: HP TrueVision HD

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, SIM, Smart Card, Fingerprint Reader, Ethernet

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: No

Weight

; 1.4kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need of a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find in this PC the perfect companion.

Application Performance

The Intel Core i5-7200U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs made by Intel. This dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most business workloads with ease.

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite: (Low 1366x768) (Playable)
• Battlefield 4: (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 87% on Notebookcheck.net this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Quiet cooling system
• Ultra-fast SSD storage
• USB Type-C
• Sturdy build quality
• Good input devices
• 4G LTE Modem support
• Ultra-long battery life
• 3 years warranty

Contras:

• Unimpressive monitor

Conclusion

The HP Elitebook 840 G4 is the perfect choice for every enterprise professional that is looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 123$ on Amazon.

--
This "review" is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new ultra slim HP Spectre 13 x360-ac033dx, with its new 4K Ultra HD display capable of almost 100% sRGB and bundled Active Pen, is a digital artist's dream! This convertible combines an ultra slim 13.8mm thin chassis with the power of a 7th gen Kaby Lake Intel Core i7-7500U, 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM and a relatively large and blazing fast 512GB HP Z Turbo Drive NVMe SSD for storage.

This premium and stylish device has a heftyprice tag but, if you are a traveling professional artist, you can't ask for anything better than this particular model.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8268 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard (866MBPs)

• Ports: USB 3.0, 2xThunderbolt 3, 3,5mm audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 home 64bit

• Optical Drive: No

• Weight; 1.3kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Professional digital artists and photographers will love the bundled Active Pen and the display's perfect color reproduction.
• Enterprise professionals not needing Windows 10 Pro will find this PC an excellent alternative to purely business PCs.

Application Performance

The Intel Core i7-7500U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs ever made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most workloads with ease.

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Low 1366x768): (Playable)
• Battlefield 4: (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 86% on Notebookcheck.net, this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Fast NVMe SSD Storage
• Perfect 4K display
• Bundled Active Pen
• Standard sized USB 3.0 + 2xThunderbolt 3
• High quality,  thin, sturdy and portable CNC Aluminum Chassis
• No thermal throttling under heavy load

Contras:

• Limited turbo boost
• Loud dual fan
• Glossy display unsuitable for outdoor use
• Very high price

Conclusion

The HP Spectre 13 x360-ac033dx is a great choice if you are a professional artist or photographer looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile little machine.

You can buy it for 1600$ on Amazon.

The HP Pavilion 17x137cl is an interesting solution for an inexpensive desktop replacement with dedicated graphics. Even if not extremely powerful, it lets you play games at low/medium settings, and the performance offered is good thanks to its Intel Core i7-7500U processor. The matte screen is extremely pleasant to use for an inexpensive multimedia system. At just 2.5kg, it also is lightweight for a 17.3" The 2TB hard drive storage is huge, but sadly, maintenance is very difficult so it's almost impossible for the average user to switch to a faster SSD or upgrade it in the future. Like most entry-level consumer notebooks, it lacks keyboard backlight, but features a DVD Drive. Overall, the HP 17 is a good choice for an entry-level multimedia do-it-all notebook.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek Fast Ethernet (100MBPs) + Realtek RTL8723BE Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card

• Ports: USB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.5kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 147 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   342 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  2212

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews with an overall rating of 79% (Notebookcheck) and 3/5 Stars on Amazon

Pros:

• Matte screen
• Excellent performance
• 2TB Storage
• Good build quality

Contras:

• Lack of upgradability
• No USB 3.0 Type-C
• Slow Wi-Fi

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for students looking for a stylish Windows alternative to a Chromebook. 

You can buy it for 819$ on Amazon

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new HP Pavilion 15 Power is the stronger and most recommendable of the Pavilion series of multimedia computers. Compared to the previous Pavilions, the "Power" is a huge upgrade especially regarding system stability (the 2016 Pavilion 15/17 and 2015 Pavilion 17 models suffered of sudden random system reboots and crashes). The HP Pavilion 15 Power's chassis has been redesigned, making the system much cooler. The keyboard also benefits of the renewed chassis stability. Gaming performance is good, thanks to its Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, roughly on par with the 2016 HP Pavilion 15/17 models and entry-level 2016 HP Omen laptops.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8168/1111Gigabit Ethernet(1GBPs) + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/h/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card

• Ports: 3xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, HDMI, Ethernet, Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.4kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews with an overall rating of 82% (Notebookcheck)

Pros:

• Powerful graphics card
• Dual storage bay that supports NVMe SSDs
• Good FullHD IPS display
• Stronger and much improved chassis and system stability
• No CPU throttling and great battery life.

Contras:

• Uneven surface temperatures
• Slightly weaker hinge (compared to older models)
• Loudness under full load,
• Difficult upgradability and spongy touchpad

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for gamers looking for a good, all around gaming device at the lowest price possible without any compromise other than not being able to play in 4K. 

You can buy it for 1000$ on Amazon

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new Omen 17 is a bigger, more expensive, more powerful and much more "badass" looking alternative to the HP Pavilion 15 Power and HP Omen 15t gaming notebook PCs. The build quality is top notch and it features a DVD Drive, which the Pavilion 15 Power lacks. The price is very good and the components used are well balanced and powerful. For storage the Omen 17 uses a blazing fast PCIe SSD for the OS and a large 1TB 7.200RPM Hard Drive for all your multimedia. Gaming is great on the installed FullHD screen thanks to its Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, designed to play every game at ultra-high at that display resolution. Sadly, all this power makes it even louder and hotter than its smaller Pavilion 15 Power cousin does, so headset use is highly encouraged during the hottest gaming sessions!

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8168/1111Gigabit Ethernet(1GBPs) + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/h/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card

• Ports: 4xUSB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet, Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.9kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good to excellent reviews with an overall rating of 80% (Notebookcheck) and 5/5 stars on Amazon.

Pros:

• Fast SSD and large Hard Drive Storage,
• User replaceable battery
• Aggressive yet classy design, ,
• Fast processor and graphics
• 16GB RAM
• Long battery life and extremely good price/performance ratio.

Contras:

• Loud fan noise
• High temperatures
• Some screen bleeding,
• Poor touchpad and difficult upgradability

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for gamers looking for a good, all around gaming device without any compromise other than not being able to play in 4K. 

You can buy it for 1200$ on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new Omen 15t is a more expensive, powerful but much more "badass" looking alternative to the HP Pavilion 15 Power gaming notebook PC. The build quality is good but less impressive than the one of its bigger sibling the HP Omen 17. The price is very good and the components used are well balanced and powerful for the fullHD resolution this laptop targets. For storage the Omen 15, uses a blazing fast NVMe SSD from Samsung for the OS and a large HGST Travelstar 1TB with 7.200RPM and 32MB cache Hard Drive for all your multimedia. Gaming is great on thanks to its Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti that is designed to play every game at ultra-high details at that display resolution. Sadly, all this power makes it even louder and hotter than its Pavilion 15 Power cousin does, so headset use is highly encouraged during the hottest gaming sessions.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8168/1111Gigabit Ethernet(1GBPs) + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC7265 Wi-Fi a/b/g/h/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.25kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good to excellent reviews with an overall rating of 82% (Notebookcheck) and 5/5 stars on Amazon.

Pros:

• Good system performance
• Fast SSD and large Hard Drive
• DDR4-2400 RAM
• Long battery runtime
• Excellent gaming performance at 1080P
• Smart port positioning
• Keyboard backlighting
• Compact, slick and lightweight chassis

Contras:

• Loud fan noise
• Lack of modern ports like Thunderbolt 3 and DisplayPort
• Good but average display
• The chassis feels much weaker if compared to the one of the HP Omen 17
• Difficult upgradability
• Good but unimpressive speakers

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for gamers looking for a good all-around gaming device without any compromise other than not being able to play in 4K. 

You can buy it for 1260$ on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Z238 is an entry-level workstation desktop PC designed for creative professionals not in need of powerful 3D graphics capabilities.

The combination of the powerful quad core Intel Core i5-7500, integrated HD Graphics 630 and fast 256GB Solid State Drive help this workstation being a valid companion to every serious photo/video editor.

The Z238 has been especially designed for heavy duty CPU and 2D graphics computations and, like all HP workstations, has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions.

This compact workstation is fully modular and easily upgradable. If you need an inexpensive, yet powerful workstation mainly for 2D creativity that will last in time, the HP Z238 is probably the best solution on the market.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 3xDisplayPort, Serial, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xUSB 2.0, RJ-45. 4X Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1914

Conclusion

At just 760$, the Solid State Drive based version of the HP Z238, is a great deal, thanks to its modularity and expandability, a seemingly perfect entry into the creatives workstations world.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

Powered for business, the HP ProDesk 600 SFF is a highly expandable PC featuring flexible connectivity options, strong security and comprehensive manageability, features in a stylishly redesigned chassis for the modern workplace.

Probably the most secure Small Form Factor Desktop PC on the market, it features all the most powerful and advanced security and remote management technologies, from HP BioSphere secure booting to HP's WorkWise and PhoneWise remote control mobile phone apps.

The Intel Core i5-7500 quad core processor and integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 offer great performance and the best video quality for office applications and, if you need advanced 3D graphics, you can even upgrade it to a more powerful discrete AMD or Nvidia Graphics Card .

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 3xDisplayPort, Serial, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 2xUSB 3.0, 6xUSB 2.0, RJ-45. 4X Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (learn more about those benchmark tests)

    Processor Speed (Powered by Cinebench)

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points

    Graphics Speed (Powered by 3Dmark 11)

• 3DMark 11 Overall: 1964 Points

Conclusion

The HP ProDesk 600 G3 is one of, if not the best, Small Form Factor enterprise class desktop PC and is a highly recommended to every medium/big business.

You can buy the HP ProDesk 600 G3 on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.