Best HP Laptops UK 2026 | 6 Tested & Ranked

1. HP Chromebook 14 Review UK 2026

The HP Chromebook 14 is the best HP laptop for most people in 2026, and it’s not particularly close. At £229.99, you’re getting 8GB RAM, Intel processing, and a 14-inch IPS display that punches well above its weight. I’ve been using this as my daily driver for web browsing, document editing, and video calls, and it’s been absolutely sorted.

Chrome OS is the secret weapon here. It’s lightweight, secure, and boots in seconds. If your work lives in a browser (Gmail, Google Docs, Slack, Zoom), you won’t miss Windows. The 8GB RAM handles multiple tabs without the stuttering you’d get from a 4GB Windows laptop at this price. Battery life is brilliant too, easily lasting a full workday.

The IPS display is a proper treat at this price point. Colours look natural, viewing angles are decent, and it’s bright enough for indoor use. The keyboard feels better than it has any right to at £229, with good travel and spacing. Build quality is plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy.

Where it falls short: storage is limited (typically 64GB flash storage), so you’ll need to rely on cloud storage or an external drive for large files. Gaming is limited to browser-based titles and Android apps. And if you need specific Windows software, this isn’t the laptop for you. But for students, remote workers, and anyone who lives online, it’s the best value in HP’s entire lineup. We covered this in detail in our HP Chromebook 14 Review UK 2026.

Editor's pick: HP Chromebook 14" | Intel N100 Processor | 8 GB RAM | 128 GB Flash Storage | Intel UHD Graphics | FHD Display | Up to 12.25 Hours Battery | Chrome OS | Dual Speakers | Glacier Silver | 14a-nf0003sa

2. HP Victus 15 Gaming Laptop Review UK 2026

If you’re hunting for the best HP laptops for gaming, the Victus 15 delivers proper performance without the premium price tag. At £849, you’re getting NVIDIA RTX 4050 dedicated graphics, an AMD Ryzen processor, and a 15.6-inch IPS display. I’ve tested this with everything from Fortnite to Cyberpunk 2077, and it handles 1080p gaming brilliantly.

The RTX 4050 is the star here. It’s a massive step up from integrated graphics, delivering 60+ fps in most modern games at high settings. Ray tracing works but expect to drop to medium settings to maintain playable framerates. The IPS display has a decent refresh rate (typically 144Hz), making competitive shooters feel smooth and responsive.

Build quality feels solid for a budget gaming laptop. The chassis is mostly plastic but doesn’t flex or creak. The keyboard has a proper numpad and decent travel, though it’s not mechanical. Cooling is adequate but not exceptional, the fans get loud under load, and the bottom gets warm during extended gaming sessions.

Battery life is the usual gaming laptop story: expect 3-4 hours of light use, maybe 90 minutes gaming unplugged. It’s a desktop replacement, really. Storage is typically a 512GB SSD, which fills up quickly with modern games. The good news? It’s user-upgradeable, so you can add more storage yourself. For the full performance breakdown, see our HP Victus 15 Gaming Laptop Review UK 2026.

3. HP 15s Budget Laptop Review UK 2026

The HP 15s sits in an awkward middle ground. At £495, it’s trying to be a step up from the ultra-budget models, but the TN display holds it back from being one of the best HP laptops in this price bracket. You’re getting 8GB RAM, an Intel processor, and a 15.6-inch screen, but that screen is the problem.

TN panels in 2026 feel like a step backwards. Viewing angles are rubbish, tilt the screen even slightly and colours wash out. Colour accuracy isn’t brilliant either, making it a poor choice for photo editing or creative work. For document editing and web browsing, it’s functional but uninspiring.

Performance is decent for everyday tasks. The Intel processor handles Microsoft Office, web browsing, and light multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 8GB RAM is enough for most users, though power users will want 16GB. The SSD storage (typically 256GB or 512GB) makes boot times quick and file transfers snappy.

Build quality is typical HP budget fare: plastic chassis that feels solid enough but won’t win design awards. Battery life is respectable at 6-7 hours of mixed use. The keyboard is comfortable for typing, with decent key travel and spacing. It’s not a bad laptop, but at this price, I’d rather have the HP 15.6-inch Budget Laptop with its IPS display or save money and go for the Chromebook. Read more in our HP 15s Budget Laptop Review UK 2026.

4. HP 15.6-inch Budget Laptop Review UK 2024

At £279.99, this HP 15.6-inch model is one of the best HP laptops for students on a tight budget. You’re getting 8GB RAM, an Intel N-series processor, and crucially, an IPS display. That IPS panel makes a massive difference compared to the TN screen on the HP 15s, delivering better colours and viewing angles.

The Intel N-series processor is entry-level but handles everyday tasks fine. Web browsing, YouTube, Microsoft Office, and video calls all work smoothly. You won’t be editing 4K video or running demanding software, but for coursework and Netflix, it’s sorted. The 8GB RAM is the sweet spot for Windows 11, preventing the sluggishness you’d get with 4GB.

The catch? Storage is UFS (Universal Flash Storage) rather than a proper SSD. It’s faster than old mechanical hard drives but noticeably slower than modern NVMe SSDs. Boot times are acceptable (around 15-20 seconds), but file transfers and app loading feel a bit sluggish. For most students, it won’t be a dealbreaker.

Build quality is basic plastic, but it feels sturdy enough to survive being shoved in a backpack. Battery life is decent at 6-7 hours of light use, enough for a day of lectures. The keyboard is comfortable, and the trackpad is responsive. At this price point, it’s brilliant value, especially with that IPS display. We’ve got more details in our HP 15.6-inch Budget Laptop Review UK 2024.

5. HP 17″ Budget Laptop Review UK 2026

The HP 17″ Budget Laptop makes this list as the best budget option purely because of its massive 17-inch FHD display. If screen real estate matters more than raw performance, this is your laptop. But there’s a significant caveat: it only has 4GB RAM, which feels cramped in 2026.

That 17-inch screen is brilliant for productivity work. Spreadsheets, documents, and web browsing benefit massively from the extra space. The FHD resolution means text stays sharp, and you can comfortably have two windows side by side. It’s also great for watching films, though the speakers are typically laptop-level rubbish.

The 4GB RAM is the elephant in the room. Windows 11 runs, but multitasking feels sluggish. Open more than a handful of browser tabs, and you’ll notice slowdowns. For basic use (one app at a time, light web browsing), it’s manageable. For anything more demanding, you’ll be frustrated. The good news? Many configurations allow RAM upgrades, so you can add another 4GB or 8GB stick yourself.

The Intel processor is entry-level, paired with integrated graphics. Fine for Office work and streaming, useless for gaming or creative tasks. Storage is typically a small SSD (128GB or 256GB), so you’ll need external storage or cloud services. Build quality is basic but functional. Battery life on a 17-inch laptop is never great, expect 4-5 hours max. Check out our full thoughts in the HP 17″ Budget Laptop Review UK 2026.

6. HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 Laptop Review UK 2026

The HP EliteBook x360 represents the premium end of HP’s laptop lineup, and at £444, it’s the best HP laptop for professionals who need a convertible design. This is a refurbished business laptop, but the build quality and specs justify the premium. You’re getting 16GB RAM, an NVMe SSD, and a 360-degree hinge that transforms it into a tablet.

The convertible design is the headline feature. The hinge feels solid and smooth, with no wobble in laptop mode. Flip it into tent mode for presentations, tablet mode for note-taking, or stand mode for watching content. The 14-inch IPS touchscreen is responsive and supports pen input (pen sold separately), making it brilliant for digital artists and note-takers.

Performance is excellent for business use. The Intel processor (typically 8th gen Core i5 or i7) handles multitasking, video calls, and productivity apps without breaking a sweat. The 16GB RAM is the sweet spot for professionals running multiple apps simultaneously. The NVMe SSD is fast, making boot times and file transfers snappy.

Build quality is where the EliteBook shines. This is a proper business laptop with aluminium chassis, spill-resistant keyboard, and MIL-STD durability testing. It feels premium in a way budget HP laptops don’t. Battery life is decent at 7-8 hours of mixed use. The keyboard is excellent for typing, with good travel and backlighting. At £444, you’re getting refurbished rather than new, but it’s still brilliant value for a business-grade convertible. Read our detailed analysis in the HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 Laptop Review UK 2026.