HP HP - 15.6" Full HD Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Review

If you're looking for a basic, affordable laptop for school or office work, this HP 15.6-inch touchscreen model is a solid option. For around $550, you get a 1080p touchscreen, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, which is a decent package for the price. It's not a powerhouse, but it's built to handle everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video calls without much fuss. The port selection is actually great, with three USB-A ports and an HDMI, so you won't need a dongle to connect your old accessories. People searching for a 'budget laptop for students' or a 'cheap Windows 11 laptop' will find this fits the bill.

The Intel 1355U processor is a 10-core chip, but it's a lower-power model. In our benchmarks, its CPU performance landed in the 33rd percentile, which means it's fine for basic multitasking but will start to slow down if you push it with too many apps or browser tabs. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics are in the 18th percentile, so gaming is basically off the table. You can play very old or simple 2D games, but that's it. The 16GB of RAM is a nice inclusion at this price and helps keep things smooth for everyday use. The 512GB SSD is a bit small by modern standards, but it's fast enough for booting Windows and loading apps quickly.

At $550, this HP sits in a crowded budget segment. You're paying for the touchscreen and the generous 16GB of RAM, which are its main advantages. If you don't need a touchscreen, you might find a laptop with a slightly faster processor for the same money. But if your main question is 'what's the best laptop under $600 with good ports?', this HP is a strong contender because it saves you from buying adapters.

Compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s, you lose out on build quality, keyboard feel, and likely better performance, but you save a lot of money. Next to the ASUS Zenbook Duo, this HP is a much simpler, single-screen device without the dual-screen innovation or premium design. And compared to any gaming laptop like the MSI Vector or MacBook Pro, it's not even in the same league for power. This HP is for someone who wants a straightforward, portable Windows machine for basic tasks, not a specialized tool.

Should you buy this? If you need a no-fuss laptop for school notes, online classes, and general web use, and you really value having all the standard ports built-in, then yes, this HP is a good buy for $550. But if you need to do anything more intensive, like light photo editing, coding, or you plan on keeping the laptop for many years, you should probably spend a bit more for a faster processor. This is a solid 'get the job done' laptop, not a future-proof investment.