HP Victus HP 2025 Victus 15.6” FHD 144Hz IPS Laptop 8-Core Review

The HP Victus 15 is a budget gaming laptop that makes one big promise: decent 1080p gaming for under $700. And honestly, it mostly delivers. The RTX 4050 is the star here, punching above its price class, while the rest of the package feels exactly like what you paid for. If you're looking for a no-frills machine to run your games and don't mind some compromises, this is it.

The RTX 4050 is the pleasant surprise. Sitting in the 73rd percentile for GPU power, it handles modern games at medium-to-high settings on that 144Hz screen just fine. The Intel 13420H CPU, however, is the bottleneck, landing in a much lower 43rd percentile. You'll get smooth frames in most titles, but don't expect this to be a multitasking powerhouse or a content creation speed demon. It's a gaming-focused setup, and the performance reflects that.

At $699, this is a straightforward value play. You're trading portability, battery life, and screen quality for raw gaming horsepower. If your primary goal is playing the latest games without spending a grand, this is a smart buy. Just know exactly what you're compromising on.

This sits in a tricky spot. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and MSI Vector 16 HX are in a different league performance-wise, but they cost hundreds more. The real competition is other budget options. Compared to something like an ASUS TUF series, you're getting similar specs, so it comes down to specific sales and which keyboard or port layout you prefer. This Victus wins on having that 144Hz screen standard at this price.

Buy the HP Victus 15 if you need a dedicated gaming machine on a strict budget and you'll never move it from your desk. The RTX 4050 is worth the price of admission. But if you need a laptop for school, work, and play, or if you care about screen quality, look elsewhere. This is a one-trick pony, but it performs its trick well for the money.