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This HP 2-in-1 laptop I tested might not be a powerhouse, but it’s well made and capable enough for everyday tasks

7:51 pm | January 21, 2026

HP Pavilion x360 14: Two-minute review

The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a compact 2-in-1 laptop that aims to offer both performance and versatility in a single package.

True to most of HP’s lineup, the Pavilion x360 14 has a smart and understated appearance. The light grey colorway and sleek contours imbue it with elegance, while its 14-inch size helps with portability.

However, this latter aspect is undermined somewhat by its relatively thick and heavy construction, so it’s not the best laptop for frequent travelers who want a device with as minimal a footprint as possible.

The upshot of this weight, though, is that it adds some reassuring solidity. Both the base and the display enclosure of the Pavilion x360 14 have very little give, while the materials used all over the unit feel premium. The hinge for the lid is also sturdy, if a little clunky in action when you're pushing the screen beyond 90 degrees, as I often do whenever I use a 2-in-1 laptop.

Despite its small size, there are a good number of ports on the Pavilion x360 14. Along with two USB-A and one USB-C port, there’s also an HDMI port, a microSD slot, and a combo audio jack, all of which I welcome. What’s more, they’re conveniently located.

The general performance of the Pavilion x360 14 is pretty good. It can handle light productivity and stream 4K content with ease. However, it can suffer from micro-stutters when moving quickly from task to task. Also, gaming performance is average-to-poor, owing to the absence of a dedicated GPU. Of course, this isn't a gaming laptop, so you shouldn't really expect impressive game performance.

Rear three-quarter view of HP Pavilion x360 14 open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

I noticed that even under moderate loads, a fair amount of heat radiates from the left side of the Pavilion x360 14, as well as the top keyboard rows. Thankfully, temperatures aren’t alarmingly high. The fans generate some noise, but remain pleasingly quiet relative to many other laptops under stress.

The display is pleasingly sharp and vibrant, and although reflections are prominent at times, I usually found the maximum brightness setting could mitigate their presence to an acceptable degree.

Despite the small size of the Pavilion x360 14, its keyboard has a pleasingly spacious layout, which, combined with the snappiness of the keys themselves, makes it satisfying to type on. However, there was no backlighting in my particular review unit – a grave omission given how hard it was to make out the lettering most of the time.

The touchpad is usable, if a little small, and has a smooth surface. It’s also quite solid, although I did notice a slight rattle when tapping and clicking, which can hamper feel and feedback.

The touchscreen on the Pavilion x360 14 is responsive and accurate, however, those keen on illustration might be disappointed with the small – but still noticeable – levels of friction, which can lead to slightly rough swipes, whether a stylus or a finger is used.

The battery life of the Pavilion x360 14 is quite good. It lasted over 11 hours when I ran our movie playback test, which is similar to some of its more expensive rivals. However, it pales in comparison to the highest performing laptops on this front, which can endure twice as long in some cases.

All things considered, though, the Pavilion x360 14 is a strong option in the 2-in-1 sector, thanks to its decent everyday performance and impressive design. It’s a shame that it’s not as portable as other convertible models, and there may be better value alternatives depending on what you require from a laptop, but at the very least the Pavilion x360 14 deserves a place on your shortlist.

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of right-hand ports on HP Pavilion x360 14, with desk and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from £699 (about $920 / AU$1,400)
Available now
Expensive compared to some rivals

The HP Pavilion x360 14 is available now and starts from £699 (about $920 / AU$1,400). For that, you get an Intel Core i3, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. However, we have seen it on sale for half this price from HP’s own website, which obviously makes it much better value.

The unit I review here is the top-spec model and costs around £1,000. It features an Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage (although you can upgrade to a 1TB drive instead). Again, we’ve seen a hefty discount on this variant, but its usual price is quite dear.

If you don't need a truly convertible laptop, but still want a touchscreen, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a fine alternative. It’s decidedly more expensive, but it’s a truly premium machine, featuring an OLED display and a pleasingly portable design.

However, if your heart is set on a 2-in-1 but you want a more budget-friendly option, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is worth considering. Thanks to its compact form factor, great display, and usable touchscreen, it’s one of the best Chromebooks currently around.

Value: 3.5 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Specs

HP Pavilion x360 14 Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration
Price	£699 (about $920 / AU$1,400)	£1,000 (about $1,300 / AU$2,000)
CPU	Intel Core i3 1315U (1.2GHz, 6 cores)	Intel Core i7 1355U (1.7GHz, 10 cores)
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (integrated)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)
RAM	8GB DDR4	16GB DDR4
Storage	256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD	512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, Touch screen	14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, Touch screen
Ports and Connectivity	1x USB-C (Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3	1x USB-C (Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio; Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	43Wh	43Wh
Dimensions	12.7 x 8.3 x 0.8in (322 x 210 x 20mm)	12.7 x 8.3 x 0.8in (322 x 210 x 20mm)
Weight	3.3lbs / 1.51kg	3.3lbs / 1.51kg

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Design

Three-quarter view of HP Pavilion x360 14 open on desk, flipped upside down in touchscreen mode, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Heavier and bulkier than expected
Solid construction
Impressive port selection

The Pavilion x360 14 looks smart, with its pristine light gray finish, rounded edges, and flat surfaces. All these aspects reflect HP’s desire to emulate the best MacBook designs.

Despite initial impressions, though, the Pavilion x360 14 is actually less slender and light than you might expect. Not only does this heft hamper portability, it’s doubly disappointing to see in a convertible laptop, since you’ll likely be picking it up and flipping it upside down frequently to use the touchscreen. The best 2-in-1 laptop options are all lighter than this.

On the plus side, the weight does contribute to the overall sturdiness of the HP Pavilion x360 14, as there’s virtually no flex to any of its panels. The materials employed seem quite premium as well, more akin to metal than plastic.

Also, the lid hinge is stable enough to prevent the display from wobbling under most circumstances. It operates smoothly, too, although I found it took a bit more effort to adjust the display angle compared to other laptops I’ve used.

More irksome, however, was the fact that once it’s reclined beyond 90 degrees, the rear of the base lifts clean off the underlying surface. This is a design choice some other laptops employ, but it’s not one I’m fond of. It always felt awkward adjusting the display to this point, and results in less stability when using the keyboard.

Close-up of webcam on HP Pavilion x360 14, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of which, my review unit had no backlighting for the keyboard. I always lament this omission in any laptop, but it’s especially disappointing in the case of the Pavilion x360 14. The characters are dark and contrast marginally with the finish of the keys themselves, making them hard to see in many instances; at certain angles, they were totally invisible.

Even though the Pavilion x360 14 is a small laptop, it has an admirable selection of interfaces. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, the latter of which supports both Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 standards.

Additionally, there’s an HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and a microSD card reader. It’s a small shame the latter isn’t fit for standard SD cards, but I can forgive this omission given the form factor of the Pavilion x360 14.

The ports are spread quite evenly across both sides, which improves convenience. They’re also ordered in a logical way: for instance, the power connector is furthest away from the user, while the microSD reader and combo audio jack are closest.

Design: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Performance

Close-up of keyboard on HP Pavilion x360 14, with desk and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Reasonable everyday performance
Heat and noise even under moderate loads
Responsive but uninspiring touchscreen

HP Pavilion x360 14 benchmarks:

3DMark Night Raid 13,367; Fire Strike: 3,646; Steel Nomad: 139
GeekBench 6.5 Single-core: 2,535; Multi-core: 7,729
CrossMark Overall: 1,480; Productivity: 1,517; Creativity: 1,528; Responsiveness: 1,247;
HandBrake - 4K to 1080p average FPS: 30.27

The general performance of the Pavilion x360 14 is reasonable, if not spectacular. It can handle light productivity and entertainment tasks well, even streaming 4K content without disruption.

However, despite my review unit having an Intel Core i7 installed, it wasn’t as swift as I was expecting. When switching between browser tabs or loading new web pages, it frequently stuttered. These stutters were momentary, so were minor infractions in the main, but they added up to become more disruptive when I tried to accomplish multiple (but not especially demanding) tasks in quick succession.

Being the top spec model, my review unit also had Intel Iris Xe Graphics. In theory, this offers improved performance over Intel UHD Graphics, but it’s still integrated to the CPU. This means that the Pavilion x360 14 is only capable of very light gaming. I managed to run Cyberpunk 2077 on Medium graphics, but it wasn’t a smooth experience, in terms of frame rate and visual fidelity.

A noticeable amount of heat emanated from the left vent of the Pavilion x360 14, as well as from the top keyboard rows and the section above. This was the case even when I conducted moderate workloads. Thankfully, the temperatures were never uncomfortable or concerning. Fan noise accompanied such moments, but it was pleasingly quiet relative to some other laptops under load.

Close-up of touchpad on HP Pavilion x360 14 — (Image credit: Future)

The 1080p resolution of the Pavilion x360 14 provides plenty of sharpness, which is doubtless helped by the compact 14-inch display. Colors also appear vibrant. It can be quite reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to keep them from being distracting.

The touchscreen functions well, responding to inputs made by either a finger or a stylus quickly and accurately. However, the surface isn’t the smoothest, so more intricate usage, such as drawing or handwriting, can result in a dragging sensation. The effect isn’t as egregious as it is on some other touchscreens, but if you’re after one of the best touchscreen laptops, the Pavilion x360 14 might not cut it.

If you’ll mainly be typing, though, you’ll be pleased with the keyboard on the HP Pavilion x360 14. The keys are comfortably spaced despite the compact layout, and there’s a surprising amount of travel to presses, which makes them satisfying to use. They’re still snappy enough to type quickly, though.

The touchpad is less impressive. It operates well enough, but the small size and numb-feeling taps and clicks – in part due to the slight rattle I noticed – result in a less tactile experience.

Performance: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Battery Life

Close-up of left-side ports on HP Pavilion x360 14, with desk and pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Respectable by 2-in-1 standards
Some longer-lasting rivals
Quick to recharge

The Pavilion x360 14 has a decent battery life. It lasted about 11 hours in our movie playback test, which is close to the same score achieved by the Acer Chromebook Spin 312.

However, it can’t beat the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, another fantastic 2-in-1 laptop, which managed over 14 and a half hours. Also, more conventional laptops can last longer, sometimes up to 20 hours or more. The Pavilion x360 14 is quick to charge, though. It took about two hours to fully replenish.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the HP Pavilion x360 14?

HP Pavilion x360 14 Scorecard
	Notes	Rating
Value	The HP Pavilion x360 14 has a reasonable starting price, although prices rise steeply with higher-spec models. We’ve seen big discounts on it recently, though.	3.5 / 5
Design	The HP Pavilion x360 14 looks smart and is well made, but it’s heavier and bulkier than you might expect. My unit was crying out for keyboard backlighting, too.	4 / 5
Performance	Not blistering, but still efficient for workaday use. The 1080p display looks crisp, while the keyboard and touchscreen are effective.	4 / 5
Battery life	Decent for a convertible laptop, although some rivals can beat it. It’s quick to recharge, though.	4 / 5
Total Score	The HP Pavilion x360 14 is a premium-feeling machine with a compact form, but one that's less portable and maneuverable than you might expect. There are also some better-value rivals, but it still offers enough to deserve consideration.	4 / 5

Buy the HP Pavilion x360 14 if...

You’ll be doing a lot of typing
The keyboard is a joy to use, thanks to the comfortable and snappy keys.

You want a premium build
Not only does it look smart, the Pavilion x360 14 is solidly constructed, and the materials employed feel more upmarket than your usual flimsy plastics.

Don't buy it if...

You’ll be conducting demanding workloads
Since it lacks integrated graphics, more strenuous tasks, such as gaming, are a struggle for the Pavilion x360 14.

You want the best usability
Despite its small size, its thickness and weight hamper tablet-style use, as well as portability.

HP Pavilion x360 14 review: Also Consider

Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i
It might not be convertible, but the Yoga Slim 9i still has a touchscreen. What’s more, if you want the ultimate in portability, you can’t do much better. It’s a far more premium option than the Pavilion x360 14, but we found that its build quality and performance lived up to its commanding price tag. Shame there’s no audio jack, though.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i review.View Deal

Acer Chromebook Spin 312
If you’re on a tighter budget and can forgo the Windows operating system, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is a strong choice. It has a great display, keyboard, and touchscreen, all of which make it one of the best budget laptop picks. Its performance is also respectable – although it won’t handle heavy multitasking with the composure of more powerful machines.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review.

How I tested the HP Pavilion x360 14

Tested for a few days
Used for a variety of tasks
Laptop testing experience

I tested the HP Pavilion x360 14 for a few days, during which time I used it for multiple tasks, including productivity, streaming, and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests for laptops, which are designed to assess every facet of performance. I also tested the battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop.

I have plenty of experience both using and reviewing laptops. I have covered many models, ranging in their form factors, use cases, and price points.

First reviewed: November 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested the HP Pavilion 16 and it feels more premium than its price suggests – but don’t expect a powerhouse performer

5:42 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Total War | Comments: Off

HP Pavilion 16: Two-minute review

The HP Pavilion 16 is aimed at those looking for a capable everyday machine for a reasonable price.

It’s clear that HP has paid attention to the aesthetics of the Pavilion 16. Not only does the Sky Blue colorway add more interest than the monochromatic tones typical of mid-range laptops, but the materials employed look premium as well.

Its elegance is further emphasized by its sheer slenderness; I don’t recall having seen a thinner 16-inch laptop, making it one of the best laptop designs around. While this aspect helps with portability, the deceptively hefty weight doesn’t.

I can’t complain about the build quality of the Pavilion 16, though. There’s little flex to any part of it, despite its aforementioned lean form, while the parts that are plastic are pleasing to the touch. This is especially true of the keys, which have a slight texture for added tactility.

There are some useful ports on the Pavilion 16, including two USB-A, two USB-C (which support both Power Delivery and DisplayPort standards), and an HDMI port. However, most are loaded on the right-hand side, and the two USB-C ports are placed closest to the user, which can be inconvenient as the power cable has to be plugged into one of them.

Three-quarter view of HP Pavilion 16 open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

The Pavilion 16 handles general tasks rather well, from light productivity to 4K video streaming. However, since it lacks a dedicated GPU, graphics-heavy workloads are handled with less aplomb. Some light gaming is still possible, but you’ll have to dial back the settings and settle for unremarkable frame rates and visuals.

Fan noise is noticeable, even when the Pavilion 16 is running at a moderate intensity, but I would still describe it as being within acceptable bounds. Nearly all of the heat is confined to the very rear of the underside, which I also appreciated.

The 1200p WUGXA display is sufficient for this size of laptop, providing a clear and sharp image. Color reproduction and brightness levels are also commendable, although reflections can be a little too prominent at times.

If you’ll be doing a lot of typing, the Pavilion 16 is likely to meet your needs. The wide spacing of the keys, coupled with their deep travel and dampening, makes them satisfying to use. And if you’ll be dealing with lots of numbers in your work, you’ll be pleased with the inclusion of a numpad, too.

However, the touchpad is less impressive. It’s quite small for this size of laptop, yet at the same time manages to intrude while typing; I would often trigger cursor movement with my thumb palm. In the main, though, it’s still sufficient enough for everyday use.

An area where the Pavilion 16 excels is battery life. It lasted over 20 hours in our movie playback test, and charging times are very fast as well. On this front, it beats most of its similarly-priced rivals.

When you combine this aspect with its other plus points, the Pavilion 16 adds up to an enticing proposition, given its reasonable starting price. There are certainly other great laptops at this end of the market, some of which may have the edge in terms of performance, but the Pavilion 16 remains one to consider if you’re after a mid-range, workaday machine.

HP Pavilion 16 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on HP Pavilion 16, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from $459 / £569 (about AU$700)
Available now in various configurations
Reasonable price point

The HP Pavilion 16 starts from $459 / £569 (about AU$700) and is available now. Models with different Intel and AMD processors are available, as are models with touchscreens. RAM configurations also vary from 8GB to 16GB.

This is a reasonable price for a large laptop of this spec. For a similar price, you could also get the Acer Aspire Go 15. I was impressed with its performance when I reviewed it, which is perhaps marginally better than that of Pavilion 16. However, its display is less impressive than the Pavilion 16’s.

If you’re looking for another budget alternative, the HP OmniBook 5 14-inch (2025) could be one to look out for. It features a cutting-edge and vibrant OLED display, and impressively long battery life.

Value: 4 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Specs

HP Pavilion 16 review configuration
Price	£569 (about $745 / AU$1,140)
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 5 125U (3.6GHz, 12 cores)
GPU	Intel Graphics (integrated)
RAM	16GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	16-inch (1920 x 1200), 16:10, IPS, micro-edge, anti-glare
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A, 2x USB-C (Power Delivery, DisplayPort 1.4a), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery	59Wh
Dimensions	14 x 10 x 0.7in (358 x 255 x 18mm)
Weight	3.9lbs / 1.77kg

HP Pavilion 16 review: Design

Close-up of keyboard on HP Pavilion 16, on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Exceptionally thin
Premium feel
Mixed connectivity options

The Pavilion 16 cuts an elegant figure, thanks to its minimalist design that’s free from fuss and unsightly bulges. The Sky Blue colorway also helps to distinguish it from many others in this sector, endowing the unit with enough interest while maintaining a professional appearance.

More impressive is just how slender the Pavilion 16 is. For a 16-inch laptop, it’s remarkably thin, which certainly helps with transportation. Its weight, on the other hand, is more of a hindrance, since it’s heavier than I expected it to be.

The plastics used in the Pavilion 16 feel premium, especially that of the keys, which are finished with a subtle texture that offers a pleasing amount of traction. They’re also secured firmly in place, without a hint of looseness.

Close-up of touchpad on HP Pavilion 16, on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

This same level of solidity applies to the overall construction of the Pavilion 16, too. There’s remarkably little flex to the chassis or the lid, despite how thin both are. What’s more, the hinge holds the display in place with impressively little wobble, no matter the angle, while being very easy to adjust at the same time.

There are two USB-A and two USB-C ports on the Pavilion 16, as well as an HDMI port – an increasingly rare sight on modern laptops. There’s no SD card reader, though, which is a small shame.

A bigger point of contention is the placement of the ports. All but two are on the right, which might prove inconvenient for some. And while I was glad to see the USB-A ports split across both sides, the two USB-C ports are both on the right.

What’s more, they’re located in front of all other ports, nearly mid-way along the chassis, which can cause issues when connecting the USB-C power adapter. Personally, I always prefer the power port to be the furthest away, in order to prevent the power cable from trailing over others or being obstructed by things you may have next to your laptop.

Design: 4.5 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Performance

Close-up of left-side ports on HP Pavilion 16, on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Reasonable everyday performance
Not ideal for gamers or creative pros
Tactile keyboard

HP Pavilion 16 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,166; (Multi Core): 9,496
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 7,730
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 94 (Multi Core): 411
Crossmark Overall: 1,433
3DMark Night Raid: 18,673; Fire Strike: 4,717; Steel Nomad: 352; Solar Bay: 6,519; Solar Bay Unlimited: 6,993; Solar Bay Extreme: 737; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 734
BlackMagicDisk Read: 2,639MB/s; Write: 2,494MB/s
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Low): 22.7fps

The everyday performance of the Pavilion 16 is commendable. It handles light productivity, browsing, and entertainment tasks well, which is what one would expect from this grade of laptop. More impressively, it can stream ultra-HD video without issue.

Such content is enhanced by the large display, which is allowed to make full use of its space thanks to the thin bezel. There’s enough brightness and vibrancy to make the viewing experience an enjoyable one, and while reflections can reveal themselves at points, for the most part the Pavilion 16 does an admirable job of keeping them at bay.

Even when performing moderately intense workloads, the fans in the Pavilion 16 were audible. However, the noise never rose above a muted whir, so I didn’t find them disruptive. Most of the heat was confined to the rear underside, with commonly-touched surfaces remaining cool.

Since it has no dedicated GPU, the Pavilion 16 isn’t the best choice for gamers or creative types. Cyberpunk 2077 was just about playable on Medium settings, but even here I experienced some stuttering and the occasional slowdown. Naturally, it wasn’t very pleasant to look at, either. You'd be better off checking out our list of the best gaming laptops instead.

Close-up of right-side ports on HP Pavilion 16, on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Thanks to the wide chassis, the keyboard fits comfortably in the Pavilion 16, even with its number pad. However, while the keys have plenty of space between them, they don’t seem as large as those on other laptops. I had to adapt my typing accordingly, but as the size difference is that great, this didn’t take long.

Better is the considerable amount of travel and dampening they have, especially by laptop standards. This makes them more tactile and engaging to use.

Despite its relatively small size, the touchpad got in the way as I typed. The palm of my right thumb frequently triggered cursor movement; thankfully, no clicks or taps registered, which would’ve been much more disruptive.

Its small size also means navigation isn’t as expansive as it could’ve been. What’s more, it lacks the smoothness of some of the best in class, and I felt a slight rattle whenever I tapped or clicked, which made such actions feel awkward. Having said all this, I’ve certainly experienced more frustrating laptop touchpads, and it’s perfectly usable in the main.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

HP Pavilion 16 review: Battery Life

Three-quarter rear view of HP Pavilion 16, open on a desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Lasts long
Beats many rivals
Quick to charge, too

The battery life of the Pavilion 16 is very impressive. It lasted a mighty 20 hours and 15 minutes during our movie playback test, a score that bests many of its rivals by a large margin. The Acer Aspire Go 15, for example, only managed close to 12 hours.

Equally as impressive is just how quickly the Pavilion 16 can fully recharge, taking about 90 minutes.

Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should I buy the HP Pavilion 16?

HP Pavilion 16 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The HP Pavilion 16 offers a lot for the money, but it stands alongside some equally-capable rivals.	4 / 5
Design	The HP Pavilion 16 is remarkably thin for its size, while the looks and build quality are admirable at this price point.	4.5 / 5
Performance	For general tasking, the HP Pavilion 16 suffices. The display and keyboard are great, but gaming and creative applications suffer from the absence of dedicated graphics.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	The HP Pavilion 16 can outlast many of its rivals by a long way, and it’s quick to recharge, too.	5 / 5
Total	The HP Pavilion 16 represents good value considering what it offers, but you’ll have to settle for poor graphical performance.	4 / 5

Buy the HP Pavilion 16 if...

You’ll be doing a lot of typing
The tactile keyboard is a cut above many others at this price point, owing to its deep travel and comfortable layout.

You want all-day battery life
Its impressive score in our battery test means the HP Pavilion 16 should last you a full day or more unplugged.

Don't buy it if...

You want to game or create
Since it doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, the Pavilion 16 can only handle very light gaming and creative tasks.

You want the best touchpad
The touchpad on the HP Pavilion 16 is quite small for a 16-inch laptop, and it’s not the smoothest operator. It can also get in the way when typing.

HP Pavilion 16 review: Also Consider

Acer Aspire Go 15
The starting price of the Acer Aspire Go 15 is much lower than that of the Pavilion 16, but you’d be wise to ignore this base model, since its spec is frankly unfit for modern use. The model that most closely matches the Pavilion 16 is also similarly priced. But while it performs well, its display is far less impressive, so I wouldn’t recommend the Aspire Go to those wanting the best visual experience.

Read our full Acer Aspire Go 15 review.

HP OmniBook 5 14-inch (2025)
Another HP laptop, the OmniBook 5 is a little more expensive than the Pavilion 16, but it features an OLED display, which impressed us with its vibrancy. Its light build and enjoyable keyboard and touchpad were further highlights. Build quality and top-tier performance are somewhat lacking, but the OmniBook 5 is a solid offering all the same.

Read our full HP OmniBook 5 14-inch (2025) review.

How I tested the HP Pavilion 16

Tested for a few days
Used for multiple purposes and benchmarked
Experienced laptop reviewer

I tested the HP Pavilion 16 for a couple of days. I used it for a variety of tasks, from productivity and browsing to streaming video and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to comprehensively assess every aspect of a laptop's performance. This included a battery life test, where I ran a movie on a continuous loop until the HP Pavilion 16 shut down.

I am an experienced laptop reviewer, having tested a large number across a broad range of price points, form factors, and specifications.

HP Omen Max 16: Two minute review

Many of the best gaming laptops on the market feature Nvidia’s latest 50 series graphics cards, and while these are perfect for those who are looking for a powerful device, they typically come at an exceptionally high price point.

Enter the latest HP Omen Max 16, which comes with a more affordable pricepoint when compared to its rivals, though it will still leave a significant dent in your wallet.

The HP Omen Max 16 is a formidable machine designed for high-end gaming, and from the moment you power it on, its capabilities shine through, offering smooth gameplay and crisp visuals.

While it features a more traditional gaming laptop aesthetic with a slightly bulkier build, its performance under pressure is where it truly excels. The Omen Max 16 manages heat impressively well, maintaining optimal performance even during extended gaming sessions, and its display offers a truly immersive visual feast.

This laptop is a strong choice for gamers who prioritize raw power and a high-quality visual experience, and it's well-equipped to handle the most demanding AAA titles - all for a price that's (slightly) more sensible than other gaming laptops at this end of the market.

HP Omen Max 16 gaming laptop on wooden surface — (Image credit: Future)

HP Omen Max 16: Price and availability

How much is it? Starting at $2,599 / £1,999
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

The Omen Max 16 is available for $2,599 / £1,999. This price positions it competitively within the high-performance gaming laptop market, especially considering the specifications it offers.

While it's certainly not a budget option, it provides excellent value for serious gamers looking for top-tier hardware without reaching the ultra-premium price points of some alternatives. For example, the MSI Stealth A16 AI+, which boasts an Nvidia 5070 Ti - less powerful than the 5080 featured in the Omen Max 16 - comes in at $2,899 / £2,199.

The laptop is currently available in the US, UK, and several European countries. While there's no official word on wider global availability, HP typically expands its distribution to other regions over time.

Value: 4 / 5

HP Omen Max 16: Specs

The HP Omen Max 16 is equipped with a powerful Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a fast 1TB NVMe SSD. These specifications combine to create a powerhouse capable of handling the most demanding games and applications with ease.

	HP Omen Max 16 AH0007NA
Price	$2,599 / £1,999
CPU	Intel Core i9-14900HX
GPU	GeForce RTX 5080
RAM	32GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe SSD
Display	16.1-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) IPS - 240Hz
Ports	3x USB-A, 1x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Ethernet, 1x Audio Jack, 1x SD Card Reader
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions	369 x 259.4 x 23.9 mm
Weight	2.5 kg

HP Omen Max 16: Design

Dated design
Keyboard looks great
Excellent screen

The Omen Max 16 embraces a bold, aggressive design that is characteristic of gaming laptops - while you could take it into an office environment or on the go, you might get some strange looks.

Personally, I find this aesthetic quite dated, so it’s not really the best option for me, but this won’t be the case for everyone. One thing I will note, however, is that the RGB keyboard is stunning thanks to the semi-transparent keycaps.

Its chassis is sturdy, and while it's not the slimmest laptop on the market, its build quality feels premium. The laptop's larger footprint accommodates its powerful components and effective cooling system, but it does also mean that this device will be taking up a fair amount of space on your desk or in your bag if you’re intending to take this laptop on the go with you.

HP has provided an ample selection of ports, ensuring you can connect all of your gaming peripherals without the need for an extra USB adaptor. You'll find multiple USB-A ports, a versatile USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4 support, an HDMI 2.1 output for connecting to external monitors, an Ethernet port for stable online gaming, an audio jack, and even an SD card reader.

However, it's worth noting that if you’re intending to run a streaming setup off of your gaming laptop, you may need more ports in order to plug in a microphone and higher-resolution webcam.

The 16.1-inch QHD IPS display is a highlight, offering vibrant colors, sharp details, and a smooth 240Hz refresh rate. While it’s not as good as an OLED panel, IPS still offers decent image quality, and is capable of an impressive range of colors. This screen provides an incredibly immersive visual experience, making games and movies truly pop. The high refresh rate ensures fluid motion, and there's no hint of screen tearing.

Design: 4 / 5

HP Omen Max 16: Performance

Excellent performance
Efficient cooling
Fans can get loud

HP Omen Max 16 Benchmarks

Here's how the HP Omen Max 16 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 16,800; (Single Core): 3,150
Crossmark Overall: 2,050
3DMark Fire Strike: 35,890; Night Raid: 42,100; Time Spy 15,720
Total War: Warhammer III: (1440p, Ultra): 140 FPS; 1440p, low): 290 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p, Ultra): 90 FPS; (1440p, Low): 160 FPS
Dirt 5 (1440p, Ultra): 180 FPS; (1440p, Low): 260 FPS
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 5 hours 10 mins
TechRadar movie test: 5 hours

The performance of the HP Omen Max 16 gaming is exceptional, consistently delivering high frame rates across a wide range of demanding games.

Whether battling in the latest AAA titles or engaging in intense competitive multiplayer, the laptop maintains smooth and responsive gameplay. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card, paired with the Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, easily handles graphically-intensive games, even with settings cranked up to 'ultra'.

During extensive testing, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Alan Wake 2 ran beautifully at high resolutions with ray tracing enabled, showcasing the laptop's ability to render stunning visuals without compromise. In each game I tried I got high frame rates with no stuttering and no issues whatsoever, and beyond gaming, the Omen Max 16 handles resource-intensive tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and complex multitasking with remarkable efficiency, making it a versatile machine for power users.

One of the standout features is its cooling system. Despite running demanding applications, the laptop manages heat impressively well. While the fans do become quite loud under heavy load, they are effective at keeping internal temperatures in check, preventing thermal throttling and ensuring sustained performance. The keyboard area remained comfortable to use, even during prolonged gaming sessions, which is a testament to the efficient cooling design.

The speakers provide decent audio, clear enough for general use, but for the best results, I'd suggest picking up one of the best PC gaming headsets to take advantage of directional audio.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

HP Omen Max 16: Battery life

Surprisingly good battery life
Almost a full day's regular use, about two and a half hours of gaming
Charges fast but uses a proprietary charger

While HP promises a decent battery life for general usage, in real-world testing, the Omen Max 16 delivered an average of around five to six hours for light tasks such as web browsing or video playback.

This is a respectable figure for a powerful gaming laptop. However, as expected with high-performance hardware, engaging in intensive gaming or demanding applications significantly reduces battery life, typically down to about one and a half hours.

Our PCMark 10 battery life benchmark and TechRadar movie test both lasted around 5 hours, which aligns with typical expectations for this class of device. For extended gaming sessions, keeping the laptop plugged in is essential.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the HP Omen Max 16?

HP Omen Max 16 Scorecard
Value	The HP Omen Max offers competitive pricing for its high-end specifications.	4 / 5
Design	It has a robust, traditional gaming aesthetic with a good port selection.	4 / 5
Performance	Expect exceptional performance for AAA gaming and demanding tasks.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	Average battery life, typical for a high-performance gaming laptop.	4.5 / 5
Total	Overall, the HP Omen Max 16 offers excellent gaming performance for a competitive price. The design, however, feels a bit bulky and dated.	4 / 5

Buy the HP Omen Max 16 if...

You want powerful gaming performance
If you're looking for a laptop that can handle the latest AAA titles at high settings with ease, this will be the laptop for you.

Image quality is important to you
The vibrant, high-refresh-rate display offers an immersive visual experience.

You don't want to get burnt
The HP Omen Max 16 manages heat well, ensuring sustained performance during long gaming sessions.

Don't buy it if...

You prioritize portability and having a laptop with a slim design
The HP Omen Max 16's design is robust but bulkier than ultra-portable alternatives.

You need all-day battery life
While decent for a gaming laptop, it won't last a full workday or long gaming sessions unplugged.

You're on a very tight budget
The HP Omen Max 16 offers good value for its specs, but it's still a high-end device with a corresponding price tag.

Also consider

Asus ROG Strix Scar 17
For those seeking an even larger screen and potentially more aggressive aesthetics with top-tier performance, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 is a strong alternative that often features cutting-edge components.

Read our full Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 review

Alienware m18
If screen size and sheer power are paramount, the Alienware m18 offers an expansive display and extreme performance, often at the very top end of gaming laptop capabilities.

Read our full Alienware m18 review

How I tested the HP Omen Max 16

For a period of two weeks, the Omen Max 16 served as my primary device for both work and leisure activities. I integrated it into my daily routine, using it for typical office tasks, extensive gaming sessions in the evenings, and general media consumption.

To assess its portability and performance outside of a stationary setup, I also used it in various remote working environments. Beyond everyday usage, comprehensive benchmark tests were conducted using industry-standard software such as 3DMark and GeekBench, alongside in-game benchmarking tools, to rigorously evaluate its performance across different scenarios.

First reviewed January 2026

I tested this Lenovo Legion gaming laptop and its design is sumptuous — but there are better performers at this price point

7:46 pm | January 6, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Total War | Comments: Off

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10: Two-minute review

The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 is an elegantly designed laptop, marketed for gamers and other power users requiring its high-end specs.

With its brilliant white finish, the Legion 7i stands out from the drubness of the gaming laptop crowd. The minimal branding and bright RGB keyboard backlighting impart a combination of elegance and vibrancy as well.

The Legion 7i has one of the best gaming laptop designs I’ve seen. It's remarkably thin and has some interesting touches, such as the brushed metal sides with their supremely flat surface and rounded corners.

More importantly, it’s supremely well built, with those aforementioned sides being a particular highlight thanks to their solid feel. However, the top panel can flex a little, and the lid even more so. Thankfully, the hinge offers more than enough stability, and pivots very smoothly.

There are a sufficient number of ports on the Legion 7i, but given the amount of empty space on the sides, it’s a shame there aren’t more. Still, you get two USB-C and two USB-A ports, handy for peripheral connections, while the power jack and HDMI interface are sensibly placed at the rear.

There’s also an SD card reader, an uncommon addition for a gaming laptop. More peculiar is a switch for toggling the webcam, placed on the left behind the aforementioned reader. Why there isn’t a physical slider for covering the camera is beyond me, and doubtless many would prefer this failsafe method instead.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 and RTX 5060 proved capable enough to run AAA titles at high settings. You might need Frame Generation and DLSS upscaling set to Balanced to get the highest fps, but this is pretty much par for the course in the current landscape.

As I expected, the fans whirred constantly during my sessions. The noise they generate can be quite loud, but the best PC gaming headsets should be able to drown this out.

Rear three-quarter view of Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Less expectedly — and more worryingly — the portion above the keyboard became incredibly hot, to the point of being untouchable. However, this spike only lasted a few moments, before returning to a comfortable temperature. Nonetheless, this was still something I found concerning, and haven’t experienced with other gaming laptops to the same extreme degree.

The display of the Legion 7i lives up to its impressive specification. The high 2560 x 1600 resolution is as crisp as you would imagine, while the OLED technology offers fantastic contrast and color representation. I did notice some prominent reflections, but in the main these weren’t too bothersome.

Despite the keyboard looking rather typical for a laptop, the depth and dampening of the keys exceeded my expectations. This imbues presses with a reassuring thud, while their snappy response should see you perform at your best.

These same qualities, coupled with the spacious layout, make the Legion 7i’s board great for typing, too. The touchpad also feels delightful, thanks to its silky finish. However, its small size and alacrity to trigger at inopportune moments make it impractical.

The battery life of the Legion 7i is quite impressive by gaming laptop standards, lasting close to eight hours in our movie playback test. It’s also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to do so from empty to full.

The starting price of the Legion 7i is fairly reasonable: it undercuts some of its rivals, but there are cheaper alternatives with more powerful componentry. However, these often fail to match the superlative design and build quality of the Legion 7i, so if these are priorities for you, the Legion 7i is one of the best gaming laptops around.

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from $1,779.99 / £2,069.99 / AU$3,759
Available now
Some cheaper rivals with stronger specs

The Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 starts from $1,779.99 / £2,069.99 / AU$3,759. For this, you get a unit with an Intel Core Ultra 7, an RTX 5060, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. In the UK, the base (and only) RAM capacity is 32GB. The highest spec of the Legion 7i features an Ultra 9, an RTX 5070, and 32GB of RAM. There are also two display options to choose from, varying only in their refresh rate (165Hz or 240Hz).

This is undeniably a lot of money, although it’s worth mentioning that we’ve seen both low- and high-spec models with considerable discounts on Lenovo's website. But while there are certainly more expensive 16-inch gaming laptops out there (the Razer Blade 16 comes to mind), there are also some considerably cheaper rivals.

One such model is the Asus TUF Gaming A16 (2025). This is one of the best budget gaming laptop options around right now: it impressed me with its performance and surprisingly elegant design when I reviewed it. However, it can’t match the premium construction, slender form, or visual fidelity of the Legion 7i.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Specs

	Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 base config	Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 max config
Price	$1,779.99 / £2,069.99 / AU$3,759	$2,179.99 / £2,600 / AU$4,159
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX (up to 5.2GHz)	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (up to 5.4GHz)
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop, 8GB
RAM	16GB DDR5 (US); 32GB DDR5 (UK)	32GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 1000 True Black, 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits, 165Hz, Low Blue Light	16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), OLED, Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 1000 True Black, 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits, 240Hz, Low Blue Light
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-C (1x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gb/s, DisplayPort 2.1, power delivery 65W-100W), 1x 10Gb/s, power delivery 65-100W, DisplayPort 2.1), 2x USB-A (5Gb/s), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	2x USB-C (1x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gb/s, DisplayPort 2.1, power delivery 65W-100W), 1x 10Gb/s, power delivery 65-100W, DisplayPort 2.1), 2x USB-A (5Gb/s), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	84Wh	84Wh
Dimensions	0.7 x 14.2 x 10.4in (17.9 x 361.7 x 263.4mm)	0.7 x 14.2 x 10.4in (17.9 x 361.7 x 263.4mm)
Weight	4.39lbs / 1.99kg	4.39lbs / 1.99kg

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Design

Close-up of top of keyboard on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 — (Image credit: Future)

Light, thin, and elegant
Great build quality
Missed opportunity for more ports

You won’t see too many gaming laptops as elegant as the Legion 7i. The fetching white finish marks it out from the usual bland shades of black seen in this sector, and puts me in mind of MacBooks of yore. The subtle branding and RGB backlighting also help to liven up appearances.

Strange as it is to say, the edges of the Legion 7i are a real highlight. The completely flat surfaces and rounded corners are reminiscent of the best iPad and best MacBook designs, while the brushed metal finish only adds to the appeal.

What’s more, their aluminum construction feels incredibly dense, so there’s little chance of denting them. The top panel that houses the keyboard has more give, but it’s still more solid than many others in this price range. This is all the more impressive given how thin and light the base is. There are no extraneous protrusions either; even the rear ventilation bulge is much smaller than its rivals’.

Even thinner than the 7i’s base is the lid. It’s equally impressive in its resistance to flexing, and its hinge offers a remarkable amount of sturdiness while operating with the utmost smoothness. I also appreciated the slight jut at the top of the lid, which allows you to open the Legion 7i easily with one hand, which isn’t the case with many other gaming laptops.

Close-up of left side of keyboard on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 — (Image credit: Future)

The rear features two ports: one for the power adapter and one for HDMI cables. On the left are three USB ports — two Type-C and one Type-A — and a combo audio jack. On the right, you’ll find another USB-A port and, unusually for a gaming laptop, an SD card reader.

Also on the right is a switch for disabling the webcam. This doesn't work as well as a mechanical cover, and its small size and stiff operation meant I wasn't a huge fan, though it's still nice to have this additional privacy feature.

Overall, though, the port selection on the Legion 7i should prove sufficient for most users’ needs. However, given the large gaps present on both sides, I can’t help feeling that more could’ve been squeezed in.

Lenovo’s main utility software, LegionSpace, is simple to use and functions well. It ran without issue during my time with it, and it was quick and easy to view system information and change performance modes.

Design: 5 / 5

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Performance

Close-up of touchpad on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 — (Image credit: Future)

Good gaming performance
Some general performance issues
Odd temperature spikes

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 Benchmarks

Here are the results for the benchmarks I ran on the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 18,459; (Single Core): 3,008
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 28,264
Cinebench R24 (Multi Core): 1,664; (Single Core): 132
Crossmark Overall: 2,120
3DMark
Night Raid: 79,720; Fire Strike: 27,345; Steel Nomad: 2,730; Solar Bay: 56,673; Solar Bay Unlimited: 57,277; Solar Bay Extreme: 11,267; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 11,429
BlackMagicDisk Read: 5,208MB/s; Write: 4,343MB/s
Civilization VII (Max resolution, AMD FSR 3, High): 92fps; (1080p, High): 178fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Max resolution, Highest, Balanced upscaling): 162fps; (1080p, Highest, SMAA x4): 132fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Ultra)66fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 43fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Max resolution, Ultra, Balanced upscaling)74fps; (1440p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 48fps; (1080p, Ultra): 93fps
Marvel Rivals (Max resolution, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 61fps; (1200p, Low): 106fps

When it came to gaming, the Legion 7i conducted itself well. While playing Cyberpunk 2077, I was getting fps figures in the mid 60s with the Ray Tracing: Low preset selected and DLSS upscaling set to Balanced. Turning on Frame Generation resulted in significant improvements, boosting the rate to about 100fps.

Some general performance issues did blight my time with the Legion 7i somewhat. I experienced occasional lock-ups when navigating Windows 11, with clicks on icons and app windows failing to register. I also encountered stuck loading wheels.

Under load, the Legion 7i’s fans are certainly noticeable, but given many gaming laptops sound like jet engines when running demanding tasks, the sound isn’t too disruptive.

Despite the noise, however, the fans failed to provide consistent cooling. It didn’t take long for the section just above the keyboard to reach worrying high temperatures.

Thankfully, it cooled down to touchable temperatures in the midst of gameplay. The rear of the Legion 7i also became very hot, although thankfully not to the same extent, while the keyboard at least only became lukewarm.

Close-up of left-side ports on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 on desk — (Image credit: Future)

On a more positive note, the display of the Legion 7i is exquisite. The 2560 x 1600 resolution is as pinpoint-sharp as you would expect, while the OLED technology allows for superb contrast. Color reproduction and brightness levels are also hard to fault. The only minor gripe I had was the reflectiveness of the screen, but this wasn’t bad enough to ruin the visual splendor of the Legion 7i.

The keys are solid and very well damped. They have a greater travel and a more emphatic thud compared to other gaming laptop keyboards I’ve experienced, which makes them very satisfying to game with. The space bar was a particular highlight in this regard, putting it on a level with those fitted in the best gaming keyboards.

What’s more, the keys rebound superbly, which further improves their performance. This applies whether you’re gaming or typing, while the latter activity additionally benefits from the comfortable layout, which, despite the main keys being pushed to the left by the number pad, doesn’t feel cramped.

The touchpad is also a joy to use, thanks to its super-smooth surface and solid clicks. However, it’s relatively small given the overall size of the Legion 7i, which hampers navigation somewhat.

It’s also overly-sensitive. Unintentional swipes and taps frequently registered when I used the keyboard — especially the common Alt and Tab combination, resulting in a very frustrating productivity experience. However, all this might be a moot point if, like many gamers, you plan on using a mouse exclusively.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Battery Life

Close-up of right-side ports on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Decent longevity
Some rivals more enduring
Quick to charge

By gaming laptop standards, the Legion 7i has a respectable battery life. It managed to last just shy of eight hours when I ran a movie on a continuous loop, which means it can outlast many of its rivals, although both the Asus V16 and TUF Gaming A16 (2025) beat it comfortably, with each lasting over 10 hours in the same test.

Fortunately, the Legion 7i is very quick to charge, taking just two hours to fully replenish.

Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10?

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The price is good considering its upmarket design, but there are cheaper rivals with better performance.	3.5 / 5
Design	This is one of the lightest, thinnest, and sleekest 16-inch gaming laptops around, not to mention the build quality is excellent.	5 / 5
Performance	Gaming performance is pretty good, but there are some issues with general performance. Some temperature spikes also sully the experience somewhat.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	Pretty good for this class of laptop, and it’s very quick to charge. Some rivals can outlast it, though.	4 / 5
Total	You’re mainly paying for the superb design of the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 rather than its outright performance, but this is still sufficient for high-end gaming.	4 / 5

Buy the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 if...

You want a sleek, elegant design
You’ll struggle to find a thinner, lighter, and better-made 16-inch gaming laptop than the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10.

You want a fantastic display
Super sharp, bright, and vivid, the WQXGA OLED display in the Legion 7i is excellent all-round.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best performance
Gaming performance is great, but don’t expect to run AAA titles smoothly with the highest settings applied. Some hiccups occur with general tasking, too.

You want the best cooling
I experienced some odd temperature spikes during my time with the Legion 7i, with some parts (thankfully, not those you’d often touch) becoming blistering hot.

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review: Also Consider

Asus V16
The Asus V16 is another thin and light 16-inch gaming laptop, but at a much cheaper price. Granted, with its RTX 40-series GPU, it isn’t as powerful but I still found the V16’s performance to be capable. It can’t, however, match the build or display quality of the Legion 7i, and it’s prone to getting hot, too.

Asus TUF Gaming A16 (2025)
Another budget-friendly offering, the TUF Gaming A16 can be optioned with an RTX 5070 and an AMD Ryzen 9 and still undercut the base Legion 7i. Again, though, its display isn’t nearly as impressive, and it can get very loud under load.

Read our full Asus TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review.

How I tested the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10

Close-up of rear ventilation on Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10, on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for several days
Used for gaming and other tasks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the Legion 7i for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and light entertainment.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 and ran our series of comprehensive benchmark tests, including those for the battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used many systems in that time. I’ve reviewed a large number of gaming laptops professionally, varying greatly in their specs and price points.

First reviewed January 2025
Read more about how we test

This might be one of the best value 1080p gaming laptops I’ve tested – if you can put up with a few missteps

6:54 am | November 4, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: AMD, Battery Life, Total War | Comments: Off

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1: Two-minute review

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 seeks to strike the ideal balance between price and performance with the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, featuring an auspicious spec and a reasonable price tag.

It doesn’t make the best first impression, though, as it looks like a budget laptop. Its utilitarian focus leaves little room for style or elegance, and there’s little to signal its gaming prowess.

However, I was pleased to see that the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is surprisingly free from bulk, lacking the thickness or unsightly protrusions of many others in this sector. It won’t trouble the best gaming laptop constructions, though, since the materials aren’t the most premium, and the chassis flex doesn’t inspire much confidence.

Thankfully the lid is more sturdy and also easy to use. There’s quite a large gap between it and the bottom chassis when opened, which I found helped with ventilation.

There’s a decent selection of ports on the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, too, including three USB-A and two USB-C ports. There’s also a Mini DisplayPort, an HDMI port, and an ethernet port, all of which are welcome additions.

The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 impressed me with its gaming performance, handling AAA titles at high and even max settings very well. Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light: The Beast ran more smoothly than I was expecting given the RTX 5060 installed in my review unit: I experienced little in the way of stutter or significant frame rate drops.

Close-up of WASD keys on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

What’s more, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 stayed remarkably cool throughout, with the hottest temperatures confined to the very back of the unit. There’s plenty of fan noise, though, so you’ll want to use a good pair of headphones to deal with this.

I found the image impressively sharp given the 1920 x 1080 resolution, since quality can suffer when this many pixels are stretched across a large display such as this. It’s also quite vibrant, although it’s perhaps a little more washed-out than some of its rivals. It’s quite reflective in suboptimal lighting conditions, too.

The full-size keyboard is a welcome sight, and there’s plenty of space between the keys. The floating keycaps are a nice touch as well, and they’re tactile enough for gaming purposes. They’re quite narrow, though, which I found to be problematic when typing.

The touchpad is smooth and quite small. Despite this, it can still get in the way when using the WASD keys, so you might want to disable it when gaming (easily achieved via an Fn shortcut).

The battery life of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is nothing spectacular, but it’s not the worst in this sector, either. It managed to last close to seven hours in our movie playback test, but fared worse in the PCMark gaming battery test, where it only just managed to eclipse 90 minutes.

In many other regards, though, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is a very capable 1080p gaming machine, offering a great experience for the money. There are other strong performers at this price point – and some considerably cheaper – which might have the edge in certain areas. But the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is still a worthy choice if you’re looking for a capable gaming laptop at the budget-end of the market.

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Starts from £1,099.99 (about $1,500 / AU$2,200)
Available now
Strong similarly-priced rivals

The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 starts from £1,099.99 (about $1,500 / AU$2,200) and is available now. Various configurations are available, including models with an Intel Core 9 and an RTX 5070. RAM and storage amounts vary between 16 and 32GB and 1 and 2TB respectively.

This is similar to the Acer Nitro 16 AMD, which is one of the best budget gaming laptop picks around. You’ll have to settle for a 4000 series RTX card, but the 165Hz refresh rate helps to elevate the experience.

For something even cheaper, there’s the Nitro V 15, another 1080p machine. You can configure this laptop with an RTX 5060, although the performance isn’t as good as the Erazer Deputy 15 P1’s.

Value: 4 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Specs

	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 base config	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review config	Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 max config
Price	£1,099.99	£1,349.00	£1,699
CPU	Intel i7-13620H (10 cores, 3.6GHz)	Intel Core 7 250H (14 cores, 2.5GHz)	Intel Core 9 270H (14 cores, 2.7GHz)
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 8GB	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB
RAM	16GB DDR5	16GB DDR5	32GB LPDDR5X
Storage	1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, 16:9, 144Hz
Ports and Connectivity	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2	USB Type-C x 1 (with DisplayPort), USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x 1, HDMI x 1, Mini DisplayPort x 1, 3.5 mm jack x 1, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Battery	51.6Wh	51.6Wh	51.6Wh
Dimensions	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)	0.9 x 14.2 x 9.7in (24 x 361 x 247mm)
Weight	5lbs / 2.25kg	5lbs / 2.25kg	5lbs / 2.25kg

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Design

Close-up of rear ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Basic appearance
More portable than expected
Generous keyboard layout

It’s clear from even a cursory glance at the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 that it isn’t trying to win any style awards. Its austere looks are purely functional, with no fanfare in sight. The Medion logo on the lid is small and discreet, finished in a slightly darker shade of black than its surroundings.

There are a few unsightly juts and angles, but compared to others in this class, it’s pleasingly free from bulk. It’s reasonably thin, and although it features a rear protrusion for ventilation purposes, this isn’t as bulbous as many other examples. It’s also not as heavy as you might expect, meaning the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is one of the more portable 15-inch gaming laptops out there.

It’s not exactly built to the highest standards, though. The materials are far from the most premium, and the chassis has a fair amount of flex to it. Thankfully, the lid is a more solid affair, while still being easy and smooth to pivot into position.

There’s a noticeable gap between the display and the bottom half of the unit, which I haven’t seen before. This seems like a good idea for cooling purposes, though, helping to prevent heat radiating onto the display itself.

The bezel around the display is thin on most sides except the bottom. This is somewhat of a shame, but it does at least help to emphasize the widescreen effect.

Close-up of right-side ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Since it’s quite a wide unit, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 manages to fit in a full-size keyboard, complete with a number pad. The keys themselves don’t feel cramped, either, and I appreciated their floating design. They’re narrower than you’ll find on many other gaming laptop keyboards, though.

There are a generous number of ports on the Erazer Deputy 15 P1. There are three USB-A ports and two USB-C ports, spread across both sides, which improves convenience when connecting various peripherals. There’s also the obligatory headset jack.

On the rear you’ll find the power port, sandwiched between an HDMI port and an ethernet port. This location is a little impractical, since the included power adapter has an L-shaped barrel, meaning the cable will have to trail over your HDMI or ethernet cable, depending on your setup.

There’s also a Mini DisplayPort on the rear, which is a rare sight on a gaming laptop, but one I welcome all the same. One of the aforementioned USB-C ports can also handle external display connections.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Performance

Close-up of right lid hinge on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1, open on desk with green wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Great 1080p performance
Sharp but reflective display
Impressive cooling abilities

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 Benchmarks

These are the various benchmark scores for the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 14,639; (Single Core): 2,826
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 17,525; (Single Core): 2,056
Cinebench R24 (Multi Core): 1,111; (Single Core): 120
Crossmark Overall: 2,001
3DMark
Fire Strike: 26,820; Steel Nomad: 2,693; Solar Bay: 47,158; Speed Way: 2,938; Port Royal: 7,322
BlackMagicDisk Read: 3,917MB/s; Write: 2,458MB/s
25GB Copy Test: 278MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, Medium): 190 FPS; (Max Resolution, High): 148 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 121 FPS
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Medium): 150 FPS; (Max Resolution, Highest): 140 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 159 FPS
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Medium): 117 FPS; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 59 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 258 FPS; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 215 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 240 FPS
F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 254 FPS; (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 113 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 87 FPS

The RTX 5060 and Core 7 250H combination in my review unit proved more than capable of keeping up with the latest AAA titles. When I played Dying Light: The Beast, I was getting fps figures in the low-to-mid 200s. This was with maximum graphics settings applied, DLSS upscaling set to Balanced, and Frame Generation turned on.

It didn’t run Cyberpunk 2077 quite so impressively, but it was still a great experience nonetheless. I was getting frame rates in the low hundreds on the maximum Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, again with DLSS and Frame Generation turned on.

What’s more, its 1080p resolution looked sharper on the 15.6-inch display than I expected. It’s also surprisingly vibrant, although colors are still a little washed-out compared to other gaming laptops, and especially to the best gaming monitors. It’s also quite reflective in certain lighting conditions, and not even the highest brightness setting can mitigate the effect.

The cooling, on the other hand, is more impressive. During my play time, none of the touchable surfaces became anything more than lukewarm, not even the underside. The hottest part was just above the keyboard, but even this area wasn’t too hot to handle.

Close-up of touchpad on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

What’s more, that aforementioned gap between the lid and chassis prevented any heat leaking onto the screen. To achieve this all-round cooling, you will have to endure a fair amount of fan noise, but the best PC gaming headsets should keep this at bay.

The keyboard is great for gaming with. The keys have just the right amount of travel to make them tactile, and the WASD keys are textured and colored differently to make them easier to locate.

However, the keycaps are quite narrow, which can make them awkward to use. They’re well-spaced, which helps to prevent mispresses when gaming, but I found typing more of a challenge.

The touchpad isn’t as large as you might expect given the size of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, but its smooth surface makes it easy to use. I still triggered it accidentally when using the WASD keys, but thankfully there’s an Fn shortcut to quickly disable it.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Battery Life

Close-up of left-side ports on Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 — (Image credit: Future)

Average battery life
Relatively fast charging

The battery life of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is fairly average for a gaming laptop. It managed to last six hours and 47 minutes when I played a movie on a continuous loop. This is about the same as the cheaper Acer Nitro V 15.

It lasted one hour and 47 minutes when I conducted PCMark’s battery benchmark for gaming scenarios, which again is similar to the score achieved by the Nitro V 15, although it’s down on the two hours and 26 minutes of the Nitro 16 AMD. It is at least quick to charge, taking about two hours to replenish from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1?

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	I haven’t encountered similarly priced 1080p laptops that can game as well as the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can, although some come close – and some of those are cheaper.	4 / 5
Design	It’s not the most exciting or the most premium, but it’s surprisingly compact and portable for its size.	3.5 / 5
Performance	The 1080p performance is superb for the price, while the sharpness of the display belies its 1080p resolution, although it's quite reflective.	4.5 / 5
Battery Life	Not the best, not the worst. Some cheaper gaming laptops have similar endurance levels.	3.5 / 5
Total	The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 hits all the right notes at this price point, although the reflective display and lackluster design mar it somewhat. There’s strong competition at this price point, but the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can hold its own against them.	4 / 5

Buy the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 if...

You want high-end performance
The Erazer Deputy 15 P1 can handle high-to-max settings on demanding titles very well, keeping cool all the while.

You want to carry it around
Despite its 15.6-inch size, the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 is surprisingly portable, thanks to its thinness and relatively light construction.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
Despite how sharp it looks, the display isn’t as vibrant as others, and it can be overly reflective.

You want something quiet
The price you pay for that excellent cooling is fan noise. Get yourself a good pair of headphones.

Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16 AMD
The Nitro 16 is similarly priced to the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, but it has a slightly bigger screen and a sharper resolution. You won’t be getting the latest RTX GPUs, so performance won’t be as good, but the 165Hz refresh makes up for the shortfall somewhat in certain games.

Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
The Nitro V 15 is cheaper than the Erazer Deputy 15 P1, yet still gets RTX 5050 and 5060 cards. However, even with the latter equipped, it can’t quite match the performance of the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 in my experience, perhaps due to the inferior i7 chip in the unit I tested.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

How I tested the Medion Erazer Deputy 15 P1

Tested for several days
Used for gaming and other tasks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the Erazer Deputy 15 P1 for several days, using it for gaming, working, and general entertainment.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk and Dying Light: The Beast at various settings. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to ... every facet of a laptop's performance.

I've tested plenty of gaming laptops before, from budget offerings to range-topping powerhouses. I've been PC gaming for over a decade and have experience with plenty of other machines and systems as well.

First reviewed November 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested Acer’s new affordable laptop and was surprised at how fast it was – but it’s not the best for entertainment

12:02 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, Dell Inspiron, GPU | Comments: Off

Acer Aspire Go 15: Two-minute review

The Acer Aspire Go 15 is an affordable Windows laptop with a spec that should prove capable enough for everyday use.

Considering its 15.6-inch form, it has a sleek and slender body. It’s also quite thin and light, which makes it easier to carry around than expected. The light silver finish and minimal aesthetic also imbue the Aspire Go 15 with some style, although there are a few unsightly angles that mar its appearance somewhat.

It isn’t built to the same high standards as the best laptops, much less many of the best Ultrabooks, either. The materials aren’t premium, and its construction isn’t as reassuringly solid as I would’ve liked. The lid isn’t the most stable, either, and its downward protrusion means it lifts up the rear of the unit when opened beyond 90 degrees, which is a design choice I’m not particularly fond of due to its impractical nature.

On a more positive note, there’s a decent selection of ports, including three for USB-A, one for HDMI cables, and one for Ethernet connections. There’s only one USB-C port, though, and no SD card reader.

Close-up of right side of keyboard on Acer Aspire Go 15 — (Image credit: Future)

The everyday performance of the Aspire Go 15 is very good, handling light productivity and entertainment workloads with speed. However, more intensive tasks such as gaming fare worse, given that it lacks a dedicated GPU. Light gaming is still possible, though, and both fan noise and temperatures are kept to a minimum.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the Aspire Go 15 is its display. Its grainy finish can be distracting, while colors can look a little washed out in some cases. Worse still is the restrictive viewing angle, with images and scenes becoming totally obscured when the display is set even slightly beyond optimal bounds.

The battery life of the Aspire Go 15 is quite good, though, lasting close to 12 hours during our movie playback test. However, there are quite a few rivals that can outlast it, such as the Dell 14 Plus.

Considering its price, the Aspire Go 15 represents a very good value, offering a more affordable alternative to the best Windows laptops that cost a good bit more. There are also better-performing Chromebooks for less money, such as the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch, which also has a better display, but if you can live with its display, the Aspire Go 15 is one of the best budget laptops going and well worth adding to your shortlist.

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Price & Availability

Starts from $299.99 / £299.99 (about AU$450)
Base models have weak specs
Review model is still well-priced, though

The Aspire Go 15 starts from $299.99 / £299.99 (about AU$450) and is available now. A range of Intel and AMD CPUs are available to choose from, while RAM and storage capacities range from 8GB to 32GB and 128GB to 1TB, respectively.

This is a good starting price for a Windows laptop, but for this outlay, you’ll have to settle for a weak spec. My review model was considerably more powerful than the base model, and priced closer to some strong rivals.

However, it still undercuts other affordable Windows machines, such as the Dell 14 Plus. We found this laptop to be an excellent value, though, thanks to its fast performance and enduring battery life, while its light design even makes it a worthy alternative to some of the best MacBooks.

If you’re willing to look beyond Windows machines, the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is another enticing proposition. This is cheaper than the Aspire Go 15, but has a stronger performance and a superior display that doesn’t suffer from the same issues. No wonder we think it’s one of the best Chromebooks around right now.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Specs

Acer Aspire Go 15 Specs
	Base configuration	Review configuration	Maximum configuration (US) \| (UK)
Price	$299.99 / £299.99	$549.99 / £649	$819.99 / £899.99
CPU	Intel N100 (4 cores, 3.4GHz)	AMD Ryzen 7 5825U (8 cores, 2.0GHz)	Intel Core i7-13620H \| Intel Core 7 150U
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (integrated)	AMD Radeon (integrated)	Intel UHD Graphics (integrated) \| Intel Graphics (integrated)
RAM	4GB LPDDR5	16GB DDR4	16GB DDR5 \| 32GB DDR4
Storage	128GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD	1TB PCIe 3.0 SSD \| 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080), 16:9, 60Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080), 16:9, 60Hz	15.6-inch (1920 x 1080), 16:9, 60Hz
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A (3.2 Gen 1), 1x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1	3x USB-A (3.2 Gen 1), 1x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1	3x USB-A (3.2 Gen 1), 1x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1
Battery	53Wh	53Whr	53Whr \| 53Whr
Dimensions	14.3 x 9.5 x 0.8in (363 x 241 x 20mm)	14.3 x 9.5 x 0.8in (363 x 241 x 20mm)	14.3 x 9.5 x 0.8in (363 x 241 x 20mm)
Weight	3.92lbs / 1.78kg	3.92lbs / 1.78kg	3.92lbs / 1.78kg

A wide selection of spec configurations are available, with both Intel and AMD processors. There is a mix of PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 SSDs depending on the spec, so some drives will run slower than others, and that's not always immediately apparent when looking at retailer specs sheets.

It also doesn't include the latest Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standard, but Wi-Fi 6 is fast enough for most people's needs, while the inclusion of an Ethernet port is welcome.

Overall, for their various price points, these are about the specs one should expect.

Specs: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Design

Close-up of left side of keyboard on Acer Aspire Go 15 — (Image credit: Future)

Reasonably light and thin
Lacking solidity
Odd lid design

The Aspire Go 15 is a basic but smart looking laptop, with extraneous details kept to a minimum. The light silver finish of my review unit helped to impart some elegance, too, although a few unsightly juts and angles spoil its otherwise smooth contours. While the Aspire Go 15 is quite wide, it’s relatively light and pleasingly thin, which makes it easier to carry around than you might imagine for a 15.6-inch laptop.

Build quality isn’t exactly the greatest, though, with cheap looking – and feeling – plastics that flex to an inauspicious degree. Thankfully, the keys feel more premium: they’re solidly fitted and have a prominent texture that’s satisfying to touch.

Close-up of trackpad on Acer Aspire Go 15 — (Image credit: Future)

The lid is also better made than the rest of the unit, featuring a solid yet smooth hinge mechanism. I welcomed how thin it was, too, although I was less keen on its bottom protrusion. This causes the rear of the Aspire Go 15 to lift off ground when opened to angles beyond 90 degrees – a deliberate design choice but one that feels unintuitive and can result in loose fabrics and other materials underneath the chassis getting caught, which isn’t ideal.

There was a reasonable selection of ports on my Aspire Go 15 review unit. I welcomed the three USB-A ports, spread across both sides for added convenience. There was also an HDMI port and an ethernet port: increasingly rare sights on modern laptops, and again ones I was glad to see. There’s only one USB-C port, though, and no SD card reader, both of which are mild shames.

Design: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Performance

Close-up of ports on left side of Acer Aspire Go 15 — (Image credit: Future)

Great general computing performance
Some light gaming is possible
Relatively cool and quiet

Acer Aspire Go 15 benchmarks:

3DMark Fire Strike: 3,646; Steel Nomad: 205; Wild Life Extreme: 2,229; Wild Life Extreme Unlimited: 2,200;
GeekBench 6.5 Single-core: 2,000; Multi-core: 6,605
CrossMark Overall: 1,109; Productivity: 1,149; Creativity: 1,125; Responsiveness: 954;
HandBrake - 4K to 1080p average FPS: 43.24

For everyday tasks, the Aspire Go 15 is very capable. It can handle light productivity, from word processing to spreadsheet creation, without much if any slowdowns. It also had no problem streaming 4K content. I didn’t experience any midway buffering pauses or stuttering, for example.

However, the viewing experience is marred by the quality of the display. It has a noticeably grainy finish, which can be distracting at times. Colors can also look washed out.

What’s more, the display darkens considerably if the angle isn’t set just right, to the point of near-total blackness sometimes. Thankfully, once you’ve found the optimum position, there are next to no reflections visible on screen.

Since there’s no dedicated GPU installed in the Aspire Go 15, it isn’t particularly great for creative and gaming workloads. Cyberpunk 2077 is playable on the lowest preset, but naturally, you’ll have to make do with some rough visuals and uninspiring frame rates.

Close-up of ports on right side of Acer Aspire Go 15 — (Image credit: Future)

The game is even passable on Medium settings and upscaling, but you’ll have to contend with even lower frame rates and more input lag, rendering the experience less than enjoyable.

Mercifully, though, I experienced little fan noise from the Aspire Go 15 during such intensive workloads, never elevating above a faint whir. It also stayed commendably cool, with certain portions of the body reaching lukewarm temperatures only.

Another highlight of the Aspire Go 15 is its keyboard. The aforementioned keycap texture helps them feel more tactile, as does the surprising amount of dampening of the switches, despite their short travel and very low profile.

What’s more, they’re snappy and responsive, which only improves their typing prowess. And despite featuring a number pad, the layout doesn’t feel cramped. Those number pad keys are relatively small, though, but they’re still eminently usable. So overall, if you’re looking for one of the best laptops for writing, the Aspire Go 15 could well be a contender for you.

The touchpad is less pleasant to use, though. While it’s smooth enough for easy gestures and swiping, it’s not as large as those in other 15-inch laptops, which compromises its navigation abilities. Also, clicks and taps lack feedback and even rattle at points, which further hampers their functionality.

Performance: 4 / 5

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Battery Life

Close-up of webcam on Acer Aspire Go 15, with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Reasonable longevity
Rivals can far outlast it, though

The battery life of the is quite impressive. It managed to last close to 12 hours when playing a movie on a continuous loop. It’s also quick to charge, taking about two hours to fully top up.

The HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch achieved a similar score. However, others in this sector can outlast it by quite some distance, including the Dell 14 Plus, which lasted over 13 hours when we ran a similar test.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Aspire Go 15?

Acer Aspire Go 15 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Aspire Go 15 ranges in price from incredibly cheap to reasonably-priced for a Windows machine exhibiting this kind of performance.	4.5 / 5
Specs	While the Aspire Go 15 isn't loaded with the very latest specs, for the price, they're pretty decent.	3.5 / 5
Design	It’s surprisingly thin and light for such a large laptop, but the construction isn’t exactly the most premium.	3.5 / 5
Performance	The Aspire Go 15 is great for everyday tasks and brilliant for typing on, but the poor display and lack of graphical power are drawbacks.	4 / 5
Battery Life	Battery life is quite good, but others can outlast it by a long way, too.	3.5 / 5
Total	The Aspire Go 15 is a very competent laptop for the price. But there are better all-rounders in the Chromebook market, if you really don’t need Windows.	3.8 / 5

Buy the Acer Aspire Go 15 if...

You want basic tasks done fast
Light productivity and 4K streaming are both dispatched with surprising ease.

You’ll be doing a lot of typing
The keyboard is a dream to use: it’s super responsive and provides plenty of feedback. The full-size layout doesn’t feel cramped, either.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
The grainy finish, lack of brightness, washed-out tones, and exacting viewing angles all add up to a less-than-stellar visual experience.

You'll be conducting intensive workloads
Since it lacks a dedicated GPU, the Aspire Go 15 isn’t the machine for creative pros or heavy gamers.

Acer Aspire Go 15 review: Also Consider

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
Although it’s more expensive, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus still sits in the affordable Windows laptop bracket. It boasts a Snapdragon X Plus chip (so beware, this is an ARM machine), which can handle everyday tasks with aplomb. The display isn’t as big as the Go’s, but it’s significantly sharper and less fussy, not to mention it features touchscreen functionality.

Read our full Dell Inspiron 14 Plus review.

HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch
Stepping outside of the Windows ecosystem, the HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch is one of the best Chromebooks around, thanks to its excellent performance and display. What’s more, it’s cheaper than my Aspire Go 15 review unit. It’s also one of the best student Chromebooks.

Read our full HP Chromebook Plus 15.6-inch review.

How I tested the Acer Aspire Go 15

Tested for several days
Used for a variety of tasks
Plentiful laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Acer Aspire Go 15 for several days, using it for working, entertainment, gaming, and general browsing.

I also connected various peripherals to it, and ran our series of benchmark tests to assess its overall performance. I also tested its battery life by playing a movie on a continuous loop until it expired.

I have plenty of experience testing all kinds of laptops, from everyday workhorses to high-end specialist machines. I’ve also reviewed Chromebooks and other computing devices, such as tablets.

First reviewed: October 2025
Read more about how we test

Lenovo Legion Go S (Steam OS) review: what a difference SteamOS makes

12:16 pm | October 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers | Tags: Battery Life, CPU, Forza Horizon, GPU | Comments: Off

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Two-minute review

Lighter, cheaper, and more portable than the OG Lenovo Legion Go, the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) has a lot going for it.

First is its starting $649.99 / £699 / $1,329 price tag, which makes it much cheaper than most of the best budget gaming laptops on the market. And weighing just under two pounds, the Legion Go S is substantially lighter, too.

The result is a compact beauty that can play most of the games in your Steam library, although you might have to adjust a few settings.

The not-so-secret sauce in the Go S is the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, or AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme if you're willing to pay a bit more for better performance. In my case, the Z2 Go brings solid performance to a remarkably compact system.

A Lenovo Legion Go S — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Can you play some of the more demanding games out there, like Cyberpunk 2077? Not really, unless you're willing to make some serious compromises on graphics quality and resolution, but there are plenty of AAA titles that will run beautifully on a device that fits nicely in the palms of your hands.

There are some caveats to consider. The Go S suffers from a short battery life, just like the best gaming laptops, and it has a slightly smaller display with a lower resolution than the original Lenovo Legion Go. And unlike its chunkier brethren, the joysticks on the Legion Go S aren't detachable.

But the biggest concession on the SteamOS version of the handheld is the platform. While there is a version of the Legion Go S with Windows 11 installed, almost everyone using the SteamOS version is going to use Valve's Steam storefront exclusively.

Sure, you could find a way to dual-boot another OS or jury rig a way to get GOG or the Epic Games Store installed on SteamOS, but it's going to be a bit of a hassle, especially for more casual users. For the hard-core Steam fans like me, though, it's not just a non-issue; it's part of the Lenovo Legion Go S's appeal.

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Price and availability

A Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) playing Hades II — (Image credit: Future)

How much does it cost? Starting at $649.99 / £699 / $1,329
When is it available? It is available now
Where can you get it? It is available in the US, UK, and Australia

The base model of the Legion Go S is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $649.99 / £699 / $1,329. It comes with the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Go SoC, 16GB RAM, a 512TB SSD, and an 8-inch, 120Hz IPS touchscreen.

There is also the more powerful Z1 Extreme configuration that sells for $829.99 / £699 / AU$1,599. It has more RAM and storage, and it sports the more powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme SoC that powered the original Legion Go.

This is a good bit more expensive than the base Steam Deck, but the slightly more powerful Z2 Go processor in the Legion Go S will get you 50% more RDNA 2 compute units to help with performance.

Value: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Specs

	Lenovo Legion Go S (Steam OS) base configuration	Lenovo Legion Go S (Steam OS) max configuration
CPU	AMD Ryzen Z2 Go	AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
GPU	Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics (12 RDNA 2 GPU Cores)	Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics (12 AMD RDNA 3 Cores)
Display	8-inch WQXGA (1920 x 1200p) LCD, 16:10, 120Hz, 500 nits, 97% DCI-P3	8-inch WQXGA (1920 x 1200p) LCD, 16:10, 120Hz, 500 nits, 97% DCI-P3
Memory	16GB LPDDR5X-6400	32GB LPDDR5X-6400
Storage	512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD (2242, 2280 compatible)	1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (2242, 2280 compatible)
Battery	55.5WHr	55.5WHr
Connectivity	WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Ports	2 x USB4, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 1 x microSD card	2 x USB4, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 1 x microSD card
Dimensions (W x H x D)	11.77 x 5.02 x 0.88 ins \| 299 x 127.55 x 22.6mm	11.77 x 5.02 x 0.88 ins \| 299 x 127.55 x 22.6mm
Weight	1.63 lbs \| 740g	1.63 lbs \| 740g

Specs: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Design

The top of the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) with its ports visible — (Image credit: Future)

Excellent hand feel with ergonomic grips; sturdy build
Hall-effect sticks, responsive triggers, handy top/bottom port layout
Louder fans than I’d like during long, heavy sessions

Personally, I’m a big fan of the original Legion Go, bulky as it is. But the Legion Go S (SteamOS) has its own unique appeal, starting with the color.

The midnight blue chassis is a nice change from the black and white we’ve been getting lately from PC gaming handhelds.

The hard plastic casing fits comfortably in my hands with textured hand grips as a bonus. It’s not fingerprint proof, but it is resistant, holding off most smudging until I get my hands in a batch of freshly popped popcorn with truffle oil. Then all bets were off.

The backside of the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — (Image credit: Future)

Similar to the Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S, the controllers don’t detach, and there's no kickstand like on the Legion Go. It’s a shame, but the Go S is noticeably lighter than the Legion Go, weighing in at only 1.63 pounds compared to the latter’s 1.88 pounds, with controllers, so it's not that much of an issue.

The asymmetrical analog anti-drift joysticks are sturdy and provide accurate input, and I especially appreciate that they don’t detach as easily as the Go’s joysticks.

The D-Pad is fine, but it’s a little too stiff to deliver the precision needed to input quarter or half-circle inputs for fighting games. However, the buttons, shoulder, and rear bumpers deliver firm feedback with a nice, gentle click. A tiny square under the right joystick acts as one of the tiniest touchpads I’ve ever seen.

Image 1 of 2

The right trigger and bumper of the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 2

The left trigger and bumper of the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — (Image credit: Future)

Despite not being OLED, the 8-inch 2560 x 1600p WUXGA display on the Legion Go S is absolutely stunning.

The near technicolor vibrance of Hades II was a feast for the eyes as I threw out barrages of attacks against seemingly endless waves of enemies.

Cuphead and its 1930s-style animations also looked lovely when I wasn’t cursing the screen out after yet another defeat. In both cases, the display’s 120Hz refresh rate ensured smooth rendering without any noticeable latency, which in games like these can make all the difference.

The bottom microSD card slot on the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) — (Image credit: Future)

In addition to the Steam button that summons a sidebar with your usual tabs (Home, Library, Store, etc), you also have a Quick Access button, which gives you a sidebar where you can toggle performance profiles and settings such as brightness, audio, and Wi-fi. It’s a seamless way to quickly interact with key features without having to completely exit your game.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Performance

A Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) playing a game — (Image credit: Future)

The Z2 Go is more than enough for casual or less-demanding AAA games, but visually robust titles struggle
Surprisingly good audio quality
Controls are responsive and comfortable for long sessions

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) benchmarks

Here is how the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Assassin's Creed Mirage (Highest, 720p): 32 fps; (Highest, 1200p): 21 fps
Black Myth: Wukong (1200p, Medium): 19 fps; (1200p, Cinematic): 12 fps; (720p, Cinematic): 17 fps; (720p, Medium): 39 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra preset, 1200p): 3 fps; (720p, Ultra perset): 6 fps
Dirt 5 (Very High, 1200p): 20 fps; (Medium, 720p): 50 fps
Doom: The Dark Ages (Handheld preset, 1080p, FSR Balanced): 37 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest, 1200p): 16 fps; (Highest, 720p): 30 fps

It’s one thing to play Cuphead or Hades II on a PC handheld, but it’s quite another to play the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, God of War, or Baldur’s Gate III.

And yet, there I was, dying for the umpteenth time as I worked my way through Black Myth: Wukong. Thanks to the handheld’s Z2 Go processor, the game played smoothly on lower settings, consistently reaching frame rates approaching 40 fps at 720p.

I also tried playing the game on Cinematic, and that didn't work nearly as well. At the highest performance setting at 720p, the game really chugged along at an unplayable 17 fps.

Games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Hades II, and Hollow Knight, however, ran smoothly with maxed-out settings, letting me quickly immerse myself in the gameplay.

While not as captivating as the original Go’s QHD panel, the display's colors are vibrant, and details are crisp. This is especially true on Hades II, a technicolor beauty of mythic proportions.

A Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) open to the Steam interface — (Image credit: Future)

One thing the Legion Go S has in common with its bigger brother is the audio. After weeks of playing this thing, I’m still surprised at how loud the Go S actually gets.

And while it can’t compete with the best gaming headsets, more often than not, I found myself vibing to the soundtrack of whatever game I was playing. In-game dialogue is crisp, while sound effects like explosions have some weight behind them. And on instrumentals, particularly string instruments like violins, there wasn’t any distortion.

I don’t know if it’s just because the Legion Go S is lighter, but the controls felt much better than on the original Legion Go, with my thumbs nestled comfortably into the concave seat of the analog sticks.

Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS experience — (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The bumpers and triggers depressed with a firm click, as did the buttons, and using the D-Pad during Black Myth: Wukong to switch stances was a comfortable, fluid experience.

In order to keep the Go S from overheating, Lenovo outfitted the device with several preset Thermal Modes. These set an appropriate fan speed for a corresponding performance level, and while fan noise is negligible on the Quiet or Balanced settings, Performance is a whole other story. There’s also a separate option to optimize fan speeds to make things simpler.

As for thermals, when I wasn't pushing the Legion Go S too hard, the high-contact touch points like the D-Pad, X, Y, A, B buttons, underside, display, etc., never got especially hot, though things got noticeably warmer during more intense sessions. It never felt uncomfortable, though, even during extended play.

Performance: 3 / 5

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS): Battery life

Since the Legion Go S is basically a handheld gaming laptop, don’t expect it to last as long as a Nintendo Switch 2.

During my gameplay testing, the Legion would typically last about 2 hours and 30 minutes on Balanced settings before it shut down, though if you do utilize the Legion Go S's SteamOS desktop for non-gaming tasks, I was able to stretch this out to about 8 hours and 30 minutes, but no one is going to use the Legion Go S for that kind of thing regularly enough to matter.

Overall, then, the Legion Go S is more than good enough for a work commute, but if you’ve got a long flight or train ride, you’ll definitely want to keep a charger nearby.

Battery life: 2 / 5

Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)?

Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) scorecard
Category		Rating
Value	The Legion Go is one of the more affordable PC gaming handhelds on the market. And outside of a slightly smaller display and a less powerful processor, you're not losing too much on this SteamOS device.	4 / 5
Specs	With options for both the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and Z2 Go, as well as up to 32GB RAM and 1TB storage, this is a well-specced handheld, especially for the price.	4 / 5
Design	While it's not the lightest PC handheld on the market, it's definitely lighter than the original Legion Go. It makes holding the Legion Go S much more comfortable over longer gaming sessions, so while some might miss the kickstand and detachable joysticks, most gamers will call it a fair trade.	4 / 5
Performance	Can you play every GPU-taxing opus on the Legion Go S’s AMD Z2 Go chip? No, but you can play most of what you have in your Steam library at solid frame rates with a few resolution adjustments. Honestly, you'd be surprised at just how many games are handheld compatible these days.	3 / 5
Battery Life	The Legion Go S shares one fatal flaw with its gaming laptop brethren: its blink-and-you-miss-it battery life. At about two and a hald hours while gaming, it's fine for a work commute, but any longer and you'll need to pack a charger.	2 / 5
Final score	The Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) is a good choice for SteamOS diehards. However, if you want something with more oomph, make sure you spend a bit more to get the Z1 Extreme configuration, or look at more powerful gaming PCs, handheld or otherwise.	3.4 / 5

Buy the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) if...

You value portability
The Legion Go S (SteamOS) is a lightweight, portable option to play AAA titles on the go or in your bed.

You have a huge Steam library
Particularly for those Steam Sale binges, the Legion Go S (SteamOS) is an elegant way to finally play all those indie darlings you’ve been meaning to play.

You want a large screen with big audio
Although not as big as the original Go’s screen, the Legion Go’s 1600p touchpanel is lovely and one of the larger screens available on a handheld. Plus, it’s packing stellar audio.

Don't buy it if...

You want longer battery life
If you don’t want to carry a portable charger with you all the time, you might be better off investing in a more traditional gaming laptop.

You want a lighter system
While the Legion Go S is lighter than the Legion Go, the Asus ROG Ally is the lighter handheld overall.

You want easy access to all your games
While you can technically get non-Steam games on the Legion Go S, it's not an easy or straightforward process.

How I tested the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)

Tested the device for several weeks
Played several graphically taxing games at the highest settings
Used in-game benchmark tools where possible

I played several popular and GPU-taxing games on the Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS) over the course of six weeks, including Black Myth Wukong, Baldur's Gate 3, Forza Horizon 5, Hades II, Hollow Knight, and Hitman 3.

In addition to anecdotal play time, I also ran several in-game benchmarks at different settings and resolutions with graphical upscaling enabled and disabled.

I've been a life-long gamer on both PCs and consoles, and have covered tech and PC gaming devices for several publications, so I know what to look for in a PC gaming device of any kind and how to accurately and quantitatively measure their performance against its competitors.

First reviewed October 2025

I’ve tested several of the latest budget gaming laptops recently, and the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 is the best value of them all

10:20 pm | October 30, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Total War | Comments: Off

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9: Two-minute review

The Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 aims to take the lead as the best budget gaming laptop on the market, and in terms of performance for the price, it pretty much nails it.

At first glance, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish it from any other workaday laptop. It lacks the bulk and RGB lighting of its rivals, which may be a positive or a negative depending on how you feel about the modern gamer aesthetic.

Regardless, it certainly looks and feels premium. Smooth materials with elegant finishes are featured all over, with the keyboard being a particular highlight, thanks to the solid placement and subtle texturing of the keys.

What’s more, the LOQ Essential 15 is pleasingly light, which makes it more portable than a lot of the competition. However, while build quality is good, the LOQ Essential 15 isn’t as sturdy as the best gaming laptops on the market, since there’s a fair amount of flex to both the chassis and the lid.

There’s a welcome selection of ports on the LOQ Essential 15, featuring all the interfaces a gamer would need. There’s even an SD card reader, which isn’t something you often see on a gaming laptop. Most of these ports are located on the left, and there are none on the back, which may prove inconvenient depending on your particular setup.

Close-up of number pad and power button on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

The LOQ Essential 15 comes preinstalled with Lenovo Vantage, a utility app for viewing system information and adjusting performance settings. This is one of the best utility apps I’ve come across, providing plenty of useful information and tweaks. It also has a very clear interface, and during my time with it, it ran without a hitch.

Less impressive, however, was the outright performance of my review unit. The Intel i5 and RTX 3050 combination in my review unit struggled to run the latest AAA titles smoothly, especially if you enable even the slightest amount of ray tracing. At least the heat and fan noise were kept to a minimum throughout.

Thankfully, the display on the LOQ Essential 15 is more impressive. Despite the 1080p resolution stretching across 15 inches, the interface always looked clear and sharp. There’s plenty of vibrancy, too, and although the maximum brightness isn’t particularly high, the worst reflections are kept at bay.

The keyboard feels a little cramped when gaming, and the lack of travel and dampening hampers feedback somewhat. It’s a different story, however, when typing, as the snappy clicks and ergonomic layout make this easy. And since the touchpad is quite small, it doesn’t get in the way when typing, either.

With its reasonable price tag, the LOQ Essential 15 is certainly a tempting proposition. While there’s plenty of quality here, the middling performance and keyboard hamstring its gaming prowess somewhat. If you can live with these drawbacks, though, the LOQ Essential 15 is still worth considering if you’re after a budget gaming laptop.

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of left-side ports on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Starting from $569 / £689 / AU$742.35
Available now
Budget end of the market

The LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 starts from $569 / £689 / AU$742.35 and is available now in the US, UK, and Australia. Various RTX GPU options are available as well, from the RTX 2050 all the way up to the RTX 5050. There are also different Intel and AMD CPUs available. RAM capacities range from 8GB to 32GB, while storage ranges from 512GB to 4TB.

The starting price on the LOQ Essential 15 is about as low as I've seen for a laptop of this quality. Better yet, I’ve seen the latest models with their RTX 50-series GPUs on sale at a significant discount, making them an even better value despite being more expensive.

However, there might be cheaper gaming laptops out there, depending on your region. The MSI Cyborg 15, for example, starts at a cheaper price in the UK and is similarly specced with a high-quality design.

If you're able to spend a little more, there’s also the Acer Nitro V 15, which—while more expensive than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 in the US—is a better gaming laptop right now, in my view, thanks to its more capable performance.

Value: 4 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Specs

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review configuration
Price	£799
CPU	Intel Core i5-12450HX (2.4GHz, 8 Cores)
GPU	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 6GB
RAM	16GB DDR5
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display	15.6" FHD (1920x1080), IPS, 144Hz, Anti-glare
Ports and Connectivity	2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x SD card reader; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
Battery	57Wh
Dimensions	14.15 x 9.29 x 0.78-0.90in (359.3 x 236 x 19.9-22.95mm)
Weight	3.9lbs (1.77kg)

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Design

Close-up of touchpad on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Premium feel
Not the sturdiest
Great utility app

If you didn’t know, you could easily mistake the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 for a mainstream laptop. It has the same form and looks, without any of the extraneous bulges or aggressive aesthetics typical of many gaming laptops.

It looks quite elegant, owing to the subtle sheen of the finish. It’s also impressively thin and light for a laptop in this class, which makes carrying it around easier. The materials look and feel fairly premium, although the LOQ Essential 15 isn’t as sturdy as others, with some flex to various panels and the display enclosure.

The keyboard is a more premium affair, with a smooth yet noticeable texture to the keycaps. They have the typical Lenovo ergonomic shape, although they seem less indented than other models from the brand.

There are plenty of handy shortcuts on the F row, including one to open Windows 11 settings, which I wish would feature on every laptop. There are also some unlabelled Fn shortcuts, such as Fn+Q, which toggles performance modes. I only happened to chance upon it when looking at Lenovo’s website.

You can also find it listed in a pre-installed app called Lenovo Hotkeys, in addition to a plethora of other useful shortcuts. For instance, you can also instantly toggle the refresh rate between 60 and 144Hz with Fn+R.

Close-up of right-side ports on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

One of the most disappointing aspects of the keyboard, though, is the lack of backlighting. Higher spec models have it, but it’s still a fairly egregious omission on base models. Not only does it add spectacle, it also serves a practical purpose by helping with key location when gaming in dimly-lit rooms, as is often the case for many.

What won’t disappoint is the number of ports on the LOQ Essential 15. All those relevant to gamers are present: there are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, as well as ethernet and HDMI interfaces. There’s even an SD card reader, which isn’t always seen on gaming laptops, but it's great for creator-gamers who might use their laptop for both work and play.

The placement of the ports might prove more divisive, though. All but two are loaded on the left-hand side, and there are none on the back. This layout might be inconvenient for certain setups; personally, I like to see at least the power port on the back.

The LOQ Essential 15 comes preinstalled with Lenovo Vantage, which is one of the best first-party utility suites I’ve come across. It contains a wealth of useful information and settings to tweak, especially the gaming section, which naturally has various cooling and performance modes to choose from.

What’s more, Vantage is clear and easy to navigate, and I didn’t experience any bugs or glitches when using it—not something that can be said about every first-party software.

Design: 4 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Performance

Rear three-quarter view of Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9 open on desk with pink wall in background — (Image credit: Future)

Middling 1080p performance
Vibrant, non-reflective display
Keyboard lacks gaming prowess

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,207; (Multi Core): 8,297
Cinebench R23 (Single Core): 1,588; (Multi Core): 9,774
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 94 (Multi Core): 562
Crossmark Overall: 1,441
3DMark Night Raid: 37,229; Fire Strike: 11,392; Steel Nomad: 998; Solar Bay: 23,855; Solar Bay Unlimited: 25,530; Solar Bay Extreme: 4,391; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 4,436
BlackMagicDisk Read: 3,502MB/s; Write: 3,063MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, AMD FSR, High): 200fps; (1080p, High): 136fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Highest, Balanced upscaling): 98fps; (1080p, Highest, SMAA x4, no upscaling): 53fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Ultra): 28fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 57fps; (1080p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 34fps; (1080p, Ultra, no upscaling): 37fps
Marvel Rivals (1080p, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 33fps; (1080p, no upscaling, Low): 49fps

My review unit of the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 was equipped with an Intel Core i5 CPU and an RTX 3050 GPU, so as you might expect, gaming performance wasn’t exactly top-tier. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 with the Ray Tracing: Low preset, fps figures were in the high thirties and early forties on average, with some significant stuttering in busy scenes.

Personally, this stuttering didn’t derail the experience for me, but it was certainly noticeable and will likely bother more elite players. Disabling Ray Tracing altogether and applying the Ultra preset barely made a difference to frame rates or the stuttering, albeit the latter occurred with slightly less frequency.

Almost as soon as I started playing, the area around the WASD keys warmed up, but thankfully, it never peaked above lukewarm. The rest of the chassis stayed cool, save for the portion above the keyboard – but even this area remained touchable.

There is some fan noise during heavy workloads, but it’s quieter than others in this category, and nothing the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t drown out.

The display is also quite impressive. It’s remarkably clear and sharp, especially when you consider its 1080p resolution is stretched out over 15 inches. It’s also pleasingly vivid, and although it isn’t quite as bright as I would’ve liked, it still does enough to fend off troublesome reflections.

Close-up of webcam on Lenovo LOQ Essential Gen 9, open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Harder to praise is the keyboard. It’s great for typing, thanks to the light and snappy actuation, as well as the generous spacing and aforementioned shape of the keys. What’s more, despite the inclusion of a number pad, the layout doesn’t feel cramped.

For gaming, however, the keyboard is less fit for purpose. In the WASD position, my fingers suddenly felt more confined, perhaps due to the relatively small size of the keys themselves. They also have little travel and next to no dampening, both of which result in a lack of feel, certainly when compared to the best gaming keyboard switches.

Thankfully, the touchpad on the LOQ Essential 15 rarely gets in the way when gaming or typing, thanks to its small size. However, this also means that navigation is more awkward than with larger pads, although this may be a moot point, since even the best touchpad is no match for the best gaming mouse.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Battery Life

Great playback result
Power-hungry Balanced mode
Very quick to charge

The battery life of the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 is quite good by gaming laptop standards. It managed to last close to eight hours during our movie playback test, which bests many others in this sector. However, this is still below the standards of the best laptops for general use, as some can achieve more than double that time.

In my PCMark Gaming battery test, the LOQ Essential 15 lasted about 32 minutes, which is significantly down on rivals. This was with the Balanced mode applied in Vantage, which also applies the Balanced mode in Windows 11 itself (the same mode used for the movie playback test).

This score doesn’t seem to square with its playback result, so your day-to-day use will land somewhere in the middle of the two results. I can only presume this is because Vantage’s Balanced mode is more eager than its rivals’ counterparts to boost power to the GPU while gaming. Charging performance is much better, though, taking a mere hour to go from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9?

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 Scorecard
	Notes	Score
Value	The LOQ Essential 15 offers exceptional quality for its starting price, but different configurations will vary in overall value.	4 / 5
Design	Remarkably thin and un-gamerish with premium-seeming materials, though it's not the most solidly constructed.	4 / 5
Performance	It won’t handle the highest settings in AAA titles, but it still just about suffices to have a good time. The display is good, too.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	Good for this class of laptop, but still behind more general laptops. Vantage’s Balanced mode lets the side down a little, too.	3.5 / 5
Total Score	The Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 is a well-made gaming laptop that's even more impressive thanks to its low starting price. The design quality makes up for the middling AAA performance, but overall it’s one of the best values you're going to find in a budget gaming laptop.	3.75 / 5

Buy the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 if...

You don’t need a flashy design
It might not be the most exciting thing to look at, but the materials look and feel more expensive than its price tag suggests.

You want a good display
Vivid and surprisingly sharp for a 1080p resolution. It also does a fine job of combating reflections, despite not being the brightest around.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best gaming keyboard
Although it’s perfectly fine for typing, the keyboard isn’t ideal for gaming.

You want top-tier performance on a budget
With an RTX 30-Series GPU inside, the LOQ Essential 15 couldn’t achieve the high frame rates of more recent GPUs, so you'll have to pay extra for better performance.

Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
Although it's considerably more expensive than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9, it’s still within the budget realm as far as gaming laptops are concerned. What’s more, it has a much beefier spec, featuring an RTX 5050 in its base model. This means the 1080p performance is far superior, although the corollary is a fair amount of heat.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review

MSI Cyborg 15
The Cyborg 15 is another gaming laptop with an invitingly low price. In fact, even the model with the RTX 3050 is significantly cheaper than the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9. It doesn’t have the same level of quality, though, and the display isn’t quite as good, but the keyboard is much better.

Read our full MSI Cyborg 15 review

How I tested the Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9

Tested for several days
Gamed and benchmarked
Wealth of gaming laptop experience

I tested the LOQ Essential 15 Gen 9 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general entertainment.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 at various settings, and ran our comprehensive series of benchmark tests. This included those for the battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade and have experienced numerous systems and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed many gaming laptops before, ranging in their price points and specs.

MSI Cyborg 15: Two-minute review

The MSI Cyborg 15 is a budget gaming laptop with a basic spec, but one that should still suffice for enjoyable 1080p gaming.

I was pleasantly surprised by the elegance of its design, at least when compared to others in this sector. It’s not too thick or too bulky across any of its dimensions, although its weight hampers portability somewhat.

While not the most premium, the materials are of sufficient quality. Personally, I found the translucent accents did enough to add some aesthetic interest, too. However, it isn’t as well-made as the best gaming laptop models, with the display enclosure being a particular concern on this front, given the amount of flex it has.

All the salient ports for gamers are present and correct on the Cyborg 15. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, as well as Ethernet, HDMI, and headset jacks. The placement of these ports might prove impractical for some gamers, though, depending on their setup; all but two are placed on the right-hand side, while there is none on the back.

Rear three-quarter view of MSI Cyborg 15 open on desk on a pink background — (Image credit: Future)

As you might expect from the RTX 3050, my Cyborg 15 review unit couldn’t handle the AAA titles with high settings applied very well. Cyberpunk 2077 rendered at 30-40fps on average with the game’s Ray Tracing: Low preset selected, no matter what I did with the upscaling. Turning off Ray Tracing altogether didn’t result in any noticeable gains either.

Thankfully, the Cyborg 15 isn’t distractingly loud under load. It also remains admirably cool, with only the rear exceeding lukewarm temperatures – and even then, it’s still not too hot to touch.

The display is also very good, being sharp and vibrant enough for enjoying all kinds of content. It also staves off reflections quite well.

Better still is the keyboard on the Cyborg 15. It’s full-size, so it includes a number pad, yet the keys don’t feel cramped, which makes for easy typing. They also feel great to press, striking the ideal balance between clicky and dampening, while also offering a pleasing amount of travel.

However, the battery life of the Cyborg 15 is less impressive. It didn’t manage to break six hours when playing back a movie on a continuous loop, nor did it break an hour in PCMark’s gaming scenario battery test. Both of these results are at the lower end of the gaming laptop spectrum.

The competition is becoming evermore fierce at the budget end of this market, but the Cyborg 15 certainly sets out its stall with its eye-catchingly low price. You’ll have to settle for mediocre performance, but the Cyborg 15 is a solid pick for those looking to spend relatively little on a gaming laptop and still have a good time.

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Price & Availability

Close-up of webcam on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799
Available now in the US, UK and Australia

The Cyborg 15 is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $999 / £649 / AU$1799. My review model, the Cyborg 15 A13U, comes equipped with an Intel i5-13420H, an RTX 3050, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. All these components can be upgraded with costlier configurations.

This is a decent budget price for a gaming laptop. However, if you’re willing to spend about £150 more you could get the base model of the Acer Nitro V 15, which features an RTX 4050 – a significant upgrade over the RTX 3050.

Another great budget pick is the MSI Katana 15, which again packs a 4050 into its base model. It’s similarly priced to the Nitro, but features an i7 CPU rather than the i5 in the base models of both the Nitro and the Cyborg 15. It’s a great performer, which is why we think it’s currently one of the best budget gaming laptop options around.

Value: 4.5 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Specs

MSI Cyborg 15 review configuration specs
Price		£649 / AU$1799 (about $870)
CPU		Intel Core i5-13420H (2.1GHz, 8 Cores)
GPU		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 6GB
RAM		8GB DDR5
Storage		512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
Display		15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz, IPS-Level
Ports and Connectivity		2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
Battery		53.5Wh
Dimensions		14 x 9.8 x 0.9in (359 x 250 x 23mm)
Weight		4.37lbs / 1.98kg

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Design

Close-up of WASD keys on the MSI Cyborg 15, with blue backlighting on — (Image credit: Future)

Surprisingly slender
Quite heavy
Flimsy display enclosure

The Cyborg 15 might not push the boat out in terms of looks, but it’s surprisingly sleek for a gaming laptop, avoiding unsightly bulges and maintaining a relatively thin profile. This helps to make it more portable, although its substantial weight means you wouldn’t want to carry it around for long.

The chassis material feels smooth to the touch and has a subtle speckled finish. I also liked the transparent edges around the lid chassis, which adds interest and helps to lighten up the dourness tones of the body. However, MSI definitely missed a trick by failing to install LEDs behind these parts, as they would’ve been the perfect place for RGB effects to shine through.

On the whole, the Cyborg 15 feels well put together, with a relatively sturdy construction. The lid hinge is also pleasingly solid, offering a stable hold while being easy to operate. However, the lid itself has a considerable amount of flex, which is somewhat concerning.

The body materials aren’t the most premium, either, but they suffice. Thankfully, the keys feel more upmarket, thanks to their smooth, subtly textured finish. Their backlighting is also bright enough to make them clearly visible in dark environments.

Close-up of left-side ports on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

There are a variety of useful shortcuts, including some unique options bound to the arrow keys. For instance, you can instantly adjust the fan speed with Fn+Up, and turn off the main display with Fn+Right. Meanwhile, Fn+Down brings up a static red crosshair in the middle of the screen, which is something I haven’t seen before and can only assume is there for some sort of calibration purpose.

Underneath you’ll find four feet in each corner, which are smaller and offer less ground clearance than those installed on many other gaming laptops. However, their small profile does at least help to maintain the overall sleekness of the Cyborg 15.

The port selection of the Cyborg 15 is reasonable, catering to most gamers’ needs. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C, ideal for connecting peripherals. HDMI, RJ-45, and headset ports round out the rest.

Some may take issue with the distribution of these interfaces. Most are loaded on the right-hand side, save for one USB-A port and the headset jack, which are on the left. Meanwhile, no ports are to be found on the rear, not even the power connector. Of course, the practicality of this arrangement will depend on your setup, but personally I would’ve preferred a more even spread.

To tweak various settings, the Cyborg 15 comes preinstalled with the MSI Center app. From here you can install further modules, including one for adjusting fan speed and performance presets. The software proved reasonably stable during my time with it, and while the interface is a little buggy, it responds swiftly and is easy to navigate.

Design: 4 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Performance

Close-up of right-side ports on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Lackluster AAA performance
Good display
Excellent keyboard

MSI Cyborg 15 benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Single Core): 2,394; (Multi Core): 10,165
Cinebench R23 (Single Core): 1,692; (Multi Core): 10,471
Cinebench R24 (Single Core): 100 (Multi Core): 601
Crossmark Overall: 1,576
3DMark Fire Strike: 10,675; Steel Nomad: 924; Solar Bay: 21,226; Speed Way: 1,071; Port Royal: 2,685
BlackMagicDisk Read: 4,475MB/s; Write: 3,124MB/s
Civilization VII (1080p, Medium): 203fps; (Max Resolution, High): 77fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, High): 86fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Medium): 74fps; (Max Resolution, Highest): 63fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Highest): 82fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Medium): 57fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 26fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Medium): 48fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 34fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Ultra): 51fps
F1 2024 (1080p, Medium): 113fps; (Max Resolution, Max Quality, No RT): 40fps; (Balanced Upscaling, Max Resolution, Max Quality with RT): 29fps

The performance of the Cyborg 15 isn’t anything spectacular. Given my review unit was equipped with an RTX 3050, this wasn’t exactly surprising, but it really is starting to feel its age at this point.

It didn’t handle Cyberpunk 2077 particularly well with the Ray Tracing: Low preset applied, with fps figures oscillating between the late 30s and early 40s. This was with DLSS upscaling enabled, and its various modes, from Auto to Balanced to Performance, seemed to make little difference.

My sessions were also blighted by frequent slowdowns when encountering busy scenes. Even dropping down to the Ultra preset, which disables Ray Tracing, failed to yield significantly better results.

As with virtually any gaming laptop, fan noise is certainly noticeable on the Cyborg 15. However, it's not loud enough to be distracting, and the best PC gaming headsets should provide sufficient isolation.

What’s more, the fans seemed to be doing a fine job, as temperatures never rose to uncomfortable levels during my time with the Cyborg 15. The keyboard became nothing more than lukewarm, while the rear, despite bearing the brunt of the highest temperatures, still remained touchable.

Close-up of number pad with blue backlighting on the MSI Cyborg 15, on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Another impressive aspect of the Cyborg 15 is its display. The 1080p resolution doesn’t feel stretched across its 15-inch real estate, rendering games and various interfaces sharply. Colors are vibrant, too, and reflections are kept at bay to a large extent.

The full-sized keyboard also feels great to use, thanks to the generous spacing of the keys, meaning it doesn’t feel cramped. This is all the more impressive given the fact that a number pad is included.

The keys are fit for gaming and typing equally, thanks to their tactile feel. They have more travel than you might expect from a gaming laptop keyboard, which yet remain light and easy to press. What’s more, they strike the perfect balance between being clicky and dampened, which makes them all the more satisfying to use. They even come close to rivaling the best gaming keyboard switches in this regard.

I also appreciated the wide Control key, as I usually struggle to hit this comfortably when gaming on other keyboards. It provided plenty of margin for error when trying to navigate towards it blindly with my little finger, which in turn made it much easier to hit consistently than I’m accustomed to, based on my experience with other keyboards.

The touchpad on the Cyborg 15 can get in the way when typing, though. It’s easy to accidentally click – let alone swipe – it with the palm of your thumb, thanks to how readily it actuates. Thankfully, it’s easily disabled with an Fn shortcut.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Battery Life

Close-up of touchpad on the MSI Cyborg 15 on a desk — (Image credit: Future)

Poor battery life
Reasonably quick to charge

The battery life of the Cyborg 15 is subpar. It lasted about five and a half hours during our movie playback test, which is easily beaten by many of its rivals. The Nitro V 15 Intel that I tested lasted about an hour longer.

It didn’t fare much better in the PCMark Gaming battery test, either. It didn’t manage an hour before giving up the ghost, again placing it towards the back of the pack. At least the Cyborg 15 is quick to recharge, taking just over two hours to get from empty to full.

Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should I buy the MSI Cyborg 15?

MSI Cyborg 15 Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	Not many offer such quality for so little, but you will have to sacrifice spec for the best deals.	4.5 / 5
Design	The Cyborg 15 is pleasingly sleek and well-made, although the flimsy display is somewhat concerning.	4 / 5
Performance	The Cyborg 15 struggles to keep pace with modern AAA titles at the highest settings, so you'll need to dial those back a bit. The keyboard and display are great, though.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	Towards the lower end of the sector in this regard. At least it’s quick to charge.	3 / 5
Total	The low price of the MSI Cyborg 15 certainly makes it tantalizing, especially when you consider the quality of the display and keyboard. But those after peak AAA performance will be disappointed.	3.75 / 5

Buy the MSI Cyborg 15 if...

You want a great keyboard
Whether you’re gaming or typing, the keyboard on the Cyborg 15 is always a joy to use.

You want to save money
The Cyborg 15 is very well priced for a gaming laptop, and its design and quality belie its budget cost.

Don't buy it if...

You want top-tier performance
My review unit, with its Intel i5 and RTX 3050, couldn’t handle demanding titles at the highest settings.

You want the best battery life
Most gaming laptops are wanting in this area, but the Cyborg 15 is among the worst on this front.

MSI Cyborg 15 review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
The Nitro V 15 is another great budget machine that punches above its weight. The review unit I had featured a 5060, therefore it's significantly more powerful – and expensive – than the Cyborg 15. However, it still comes in under a thousand pounds, which represents good value in the gaming laptop world.

Read our full Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review.

How I tested the MSI Cyborg 15

Tested for several days
Played games and ran benchmarks
Plentiful gaming laptop experience

I tested the MSI Cyborg 15 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, typing, and general browsing.

I played AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, and ran our extensive series of benchmark tests, which covered all aspects of performance, from gaming and creative to AI and battery life.

I've reviewed plenty of gaming laptops in the past, ranging greatly in their spec, form factors, and pricing. I've also been PC gaming for over a decade, and have build my own machines in that time, so I'm well-positioned to know a great gaming laptop when I use one.

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: One-minute review

The HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC (yes, that is its full name) has its flaws, but its strengths make those drawbacks easy to overlook. With over 16 hours of battery life, a stunning OLED display, an ultra-portable design, and an affordable starting price, it's hard not to recommend the OmniBook 5 14-inch, depending on what you're looking for in a laptop.

It starts at just $679 / £850 / AU$1,599 for a base configuration with a Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 14-inch (1920x1200) OLED display.

Somewhat frustratingly, the US base configuration only has 256GB of storage, while the UK and Australia's starting specs include 512GB of storage. Luckily, Best Buy has a middle-ground configuration for US users that offers great value for your money at just $20 more than the US base configuration.

Aside from a bit of pricing confusion, this OmniBook is a great pick for basic work and school-related tasks, especially if you want a laptop that's going to easily last all day, making it one of the best laptops for students and remote workers out there.

The lightweight design also makes this perfect for commuters. While the performance could be stronger, it's hard to complain at this price–and with such an impressive battery life.

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: Price & Availability

An HP OmniBook 5 14 Inch Next Gen AI PC on a desk — (Image credit: Future / Stevie Bonifield)

How much does it cost? Starting at $679 / £850 / AU$1,599
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? Directly from HP in the US, UK, and Australia, or at various retailers like Best Buy

The OmniBook 5 14-inch is available now in the US, UK, and Australia starting at $679/£850/AU$1,599 on the HP website. The base configuration in all three regions includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 CPU, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 14-inch OLED display.

The one big difference is that the US base configuration includes 256GB of storage while the UK and Australia base models have 512GB of storage.

With that said, an upgraded in-between configuration is available in the US at Best Buy for just $20 more than the base model on HP's website. That configuration has 512GB of storage and even bumps you up to a Snapdragon X Plus processor. So if you're in the US, I would definitely suggest opting for that version.

The US and UK prices for the OmniBook 5 14-inch are pretty reasonable, but the top configuration in Australia is a bit pricey for the specs you're getting (more on that below).

Value: 4 / 5

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: Specs

Lower starting storage in the US base configuration
All configurations include an OLED display
Upgrades available for CPU, RAM, and storage

My review unit is the US top configuration of the OmniBook 5 14-inch, which is priced at $899, but the base configuration starts at $679/£850/AU$1,599. There is also a middle configuration in the US available at Best Buy for $699, which includes 512GB of storage and a Snapdragon X Plus processor.

All starting configurations include a Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor, Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics, 16GB of RAM, a 14-inch (1920x1200) OLED display, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. However, it's important to point out that the base model in the US only has 256GB of storage, half of what you would get in the UK and Australia, which is why I suggest going for the Best Buy configuration instead if you're in the US.

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC starting configurations
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$679	£850	AU$1,599
CPU:	Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100	Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100	Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100
GPU:	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics
Memory:	16GB	16GB	16GB
Storage:	256GB	512GB	512GB
Screen:	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED
Ports:	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 5.3mm audio jack	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 5.3mm audio jack
Battery (WHr):	59 WHr	59 WHr	59 WHr
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Camera:	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter
Weight:	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)
Dimensions:	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)

The top configurations of the OmniBook 5 14-inch bump you up to a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 processor and 32GB of storage. The US and UK configurations also get 1TB of storage, which unfortunately isn't the case in Australia.

The top configurations in the US and the UK are a pretty good deal, especially if you can find them on sale, but the top specs in Australia are hard to recommend when you're not getting that storage upgrade. Even so, the improved processor and increased RAM could be worth paying extra for some users.

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC Top Configurations
Region	US	UK	Australia
Price:	$899	£1,049	AU$1,999
CPU:	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100
GPU:	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics	Qualcomm Adreno integrated graphics
Memory:	32GB	32GB	32GB
Storage:	1TB	1TB	512GB
Screen:	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED	14-inch (1920x1200) OLED
Ports:	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack	1 x USB Type-A, 2 x USB Type-C, 1 x 3.5mm audio jack
Battery (WHr):	59 WHr	59 WHr	59 WHr
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Camera:	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter	1080p FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter
Weight:	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)	2.85 lbs (1.29 kg)
Dimensions:	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)	12.28 x 8.56 x 0.5 ins \| (311.9 x 217.4 x 12.7 mm)

Specs: 3.5 / 5

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: Design

Incredibly lightweight
Stellar OLED display
Build quality feels a bit low-end

The OmniBook 5 14-inch isn't pushing the envelope with its design, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's very portable, weighing in at a mere 2.85 pounds. The chassis doesn't feel "premium", with its plastic-y keyboard deck and display bezels, but the low weight helps make up for that.

Plus, it's what's on the inside that counts, which in this case is a superbly snappy keyboard. HP's laptop keyboards can be pretty hit or miss for me, but I loved typing on this one. It has just the right amount of tactile feedback and key travel without being loud. However, I wish the power button was separated from the rest of the keyboard. It matches the rest of the function-row keys except for a little LED indicator.

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The touchpad is also pretty good. Considering the price point on this OmniBook 5 14-inch, I was expecting a mushy touchpad, but I was pleasantly surprised. It might not be the best touchpad I've ever used, but it has a satisfying amount of travel and feedback just like the keyboard. The speakers are also surprisingly decent and got plenty loud enough for my needs.

The real star feature here is the OLED display. I love OLED, and this display did not disappoint. Colors really pop on it, more than you would expect from a sub-$1,000 laptop. It passed our display tests with flying colors, too, reproducing 194.5% of the sRGB color gamut and 138.4% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. I genuinely enjoyed watching shows and movies on the OmniBook 5 14-inch and even playing a few games on it because the display looks phenomenal.

Design: 4 / 5

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: Performance

Performance could be better, but isn't bad, either
Weak graphics performance
Keeps up fine with basic daily tasks like web browsing

If you're mainly looking for a laptop for things like web browsing, replying to emails, word processing, or studying, the OmniBook 5 14-inch is definitely up to the task. This little laptop is more than capable of handling basic work or school-related tasks. I had no trouble managing over a dozen tabs on Firefox while working on the Omnibook. However, if you want to use resource-intensive apps, like Adobe Photoshop and the like, you may want to spend a little more elsewhere.

The OmniBook 5 14-inch's performance falls far short of the MacBook Air, which only costs $100 more than the top configuration. It came in over 1,000 points behind the M4 MacBook Air on the Geekbench 6 single-core test and lagged by over 3,000 points on the multi-core test. Of course, there are plenty of reasons you might not want a Mac or might simply want to save money, especially if you can find the Omnibook at a discount.

	HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC	MacBook Air M4 (13-inch)	Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 (2025)
Geekbench 6 single-core	2,414	£3,679	2,436
Geekbench 6 multi-core	11,309	14,430	11,321
Crossmark (Overall)	1,184	2,009	1,165
Crossmark (Productivity)	1,116	1,875	1,081
Crossmark (Creativity)	1,298	2,369	1,328
Crossmark (Responsiveness)	1,074	1,505	983

If you're only doing lightweight or web-based tasks, the OmniBook 5 14-inch's more humble performance scores probably won't be an issue, it's just worth keeping in mind. Plus, considering the starting price, it's hard to complain.

It's also worth noting that the OmniBook 5 14-inch is by no means a gaming laptop. It managed to run lightweight, 2D games fine, but really struggles with anything more. Wildfrost ran very smoothly at 60 FPS with no issues, but I was only able to get about 20 FPS in Death's Door and about 30 FPS in Risk of Rain 2. These aren't particularly demanding games, so definitely don't expect to be playing any AAA titles on the Omnibook, but games like Stardew Valley or Slay the Spire should run fine.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC: Battery Life

How long does it last before the battery dies? Just over 16 hours.
How long does it take to charge to 50%? About 30 minutes.

Battery life is by far the OmniBook 5 14-inch's biggest strength. It lasted a staggering 16 hours and 2 minutes in our battery test, which, for context, is 2 hours longer than the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air. While you're getting a notably less powerful processor in the Omnibook, you get really impressive battery life in exchange. For some, that could be a worthy trade-off.

My only complaint here is that the left side of the keyboard deck gets noticeably warm when the OmniBook 5 14-inch is charging. It's not uncomfortable, and you won't have to charge it often, but when you do, you can't miss how one side of your keyboard is warmer than the other.

Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should you buy the HP Omnibook 5 14 inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC?

HP Omnibook 5 14 inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	Aside from a couple of quirky configuration differences, this laptop offers great value for your money, especially when it comes to battery life and display quality.	4 / 5
Specs	The base specs are a bit weak for the price, but every configuration includes a really impressive OLED display.	3.5 / 5
Design	While the build quality could be a bit better, the keyboard, touchpad, low weight, and stellar display easily make up for it.	4 / 5
Performance	Overall performance is somewhat lackluster, but good enough for basic daily tasks and lightweight games.	3.5 / 5
Battery Life	With over 16 hours of battery life, the OmniBook 5 14-inch can easily last you all day.	5 / 5
Final Score	Despite a few flaws, this OmniBook 5 14-inch offers great value with incredible battery life and a stunning display at a relatively low price.	4 / 5

Buy the HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC if…

Battery life is your top priority
The battery life on the OmniBook 5 14-inch is genuinely impressive. Depending on your usage, you can easily go a full day or possibly even two without charging.

You want an OLED display at a budget-friendly price
The OmniBook 5 14-inch's OLED display is one of the best I've tested, which is surprising given this laptop's relatively low price, even for the top configuration.

Don't buy it if...

Performance is your top priority
The Omnibook 5 14-inch is great for students, casual users, and lightweight work tasks, but it doesn't have the processing power for gaming or resource-intensive creative apps.

You want premium build quality
This laptop's design isn't bad, but it does feel like a budget-friendly laptop, with plastic bezels and a plastic keyboard deck that gets pretty warm while charging.

How I tested the HP Omnibook 5 14 Inch Laptop Next Gen AI PC

I spent about a week using the Omnibook
I mainly used it for web browsing and work-related tasks, with some light gaming
The OmniBook 5 14-inch went through our extensive battery of benchmark tests

I spent about a week using the OmniBook 5 14-inch mainly for web browsing and work-related tasks like answering emails and writing (this review included).

I also used it for watching movies and doing a bit of casual gaming. All the games I tried on the OmniBook 5 14-inch were played through Steam at native resolution with no FPS cap. With automatic graphics presets turned on, most games defaulted to low or medium graphics quality.

I've reviewed dozens of mainstream laptops, including other HP Omnibooks and budget-friendly laptops like this one. When I test these kinds of laptops, I'm looking for a good balance of price, performance, and features and considering who each laptop would be best for (or not best for) based on that price-to-performance ratio.

Originally reviewed October 2025