HP 14 Laptop Review

• Roomy 14-inch display. That’s right in the Goldilocks zone of “not too big, not too small,” so it should easily fit on a desk or in a bag for when you want to get up and go. Will the colors rival your big-screen TV’s? No, but for document-based work (using a web browser, working inside a spreadsheet, etc.), we’re not sure you’d notice the difference.
• Spacious keyboard. The spacing of the keys feels good and not at all cramped, while the keyboard itself is backlit with what appears to be a white or very light blue backlight, making it easy to see what you’re typing in a dimly lit room. This is especially handy if you don’t have the layout entirely memorized and tend to glance every now and then to make sure you’re hitting the correct key. All good: Not everyone types for a living!
• Built-in fingerprint reader. Hate having to type your passwords all the time? Then you’ll appreciate being able to simply let your fingerprint do the work.
• Windows 11 in S Mode: This is a simplified version of Windows 11 that tries to strip away a lot of the cruft that can make using Windows slightly confusing if you’re not someone who sits in front of a computer all day. You’re limited to apps downloaded from the Microsoft App Store, but our guess is that if you mostly use mainstream apps like a web browser and productivity suite, it’s not that big of an issue. One omission you might find surprising is Google Chrome, which cannot be downloaded from this App Store. But in our experience, the Microsoft Edge browser (which uses the same underlying technology as Chrome, including the same extensions like password managers and ad blockers) is a perfectly capable stand-in. You can upgrade for free to the “full fat” version of Windows 11 via the Settings app, but we’re not sure that’s really necessary.

Here’s a two-word summary: pretty well!

Upon opening the box you definitely get the feeling that this is more Timex than Rolex: It’s a mass-market device aimed at everyday consumers who don’t necessarily need (or even want) a premium laptop. It’s quite plasticy with a bit of flex to it. It sounds hollow when you tap it. The bezel (the border that frames the display itself) is pretty big compared with higher-end laptops. It’s covered in stickers. 

All of the above are signs of a laptop that was designed to hit a low price. But you know what? When you’re actually using the laptop, it isn’t half bad.

In terms of specs, it has an Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of solid-state storage. On paper, you’d be forgiven for thinking the laptop would be somewhat underwhelming.

Guess again. Browsing around the web, even on today’s ad-laden websites, proceeds smoothly. Watching HD video on YouTube is more or less identical to the experience you’d get on a much more powerful PC (such as the gaming PC this review is being written on), although you can really hear the laptop’s fans whirring while doing so.

Switching between different apps like Edge, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Word either using the keyboard shortcut alt-tab or by clicking the Windows Task Bar? No problems there, showing that despite being a lower-priced laptop, its everyday performance is more than adequate.

If you’re the type of person who immediately downloads a tool like GeekBench or Prime95 to see how fast your computer actually is, well, none of this may be too impressive. But if you’re not that person (and most of us aren’t), then it’s hard to find much fault here.

This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction or having “only” an Intel Core i3 processor. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and plan the occasional getaway, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss.

It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used laptops like the LG Gram or Apple MacBook Air. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price.

There are almost 200 laptops and Chromebooks in our ratings, with dozens of models added every year. These models are refreshed constantly, ensuring that only currently available laptops are presented to CR members.

Our experts run a series of tests to check things like how fast the laptop is able to carry out tasks like opening apps, bouncing between web pages, and processing spreadsheets. We have two separate battery tests to get a better understanding of what you can expect under different loads: One test plays back a 4K video until the battery is fully depleted, and the other tests cycles through several websites until the battery is fully depleted. Having both numbers should give you a more comprehensive idea of what real-world battery life looks like.