What Makes HP Stream Notebooks Ideal for Budget PC Buyers

HP has designed its Stream line of notebooks for budget-conscious consumers, offering the most popular features of high-end units but sporting an affordable price tag.

Customers looking to get their hands on the Stream can choose from three options. Two of those models feature 11-inch screens and another comes with a 14-inch display. As one might expect, the computers all have slightly different weights and sizes, but they’re still thin and portable.

In a blog post, HP focused on the display built into the Stream. Although it depends on the version customers choose, some models ship with HD, touch-enabled screens with antiglare technology. Other options come with decidedly less-impressive screens. Still, they get the job done for those who want to save some cash.

One of the 11-inch Stream models, the Stream x360, is actually a hybrid. The device comes with a hinged design that allows users to shift the screen, so the computer can be used as a notebook or a tablet. HP says it can also be used in “tent” mode to view content.

All HP Stream models ship with Microsoft’s Windows 10. However, be aware that the Stream only ships with Windows 10 Home. Those who want all the features in Windows 10 Pro will need to find another notebook or pay for an upgrade.

Interestingly, HP has been able to design the Stream so it doesn’t include an internal fan. That’s important. A fan can increase power consumption and mass to what are supposed to be lightweight notebooks. They also can be annoyingly noisy. However, HP has engineered the Stream to run cool without an internal fan.

Depending on the options buyers select, they might get a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal, which includes full versions of Microsoft’s top apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. That’s not a bad value, considering Office 365 Personal typically costs customers $70 per year or $7 per month.

HP was quick to note that its biggest improvement to the Stream was the addition of 802.11ac 2×2 WiFi. While many more-expensive computers come with this feature, many budget notebooks have lower-end wireless chips. By adding a better wireless chip, users should expect improved video streaming and faster download speeds compared with previous Stream models.

As part of HP’s relationship with Microsoft, unspecified select models also will come with one free year of storage via Microsoft’s OneDrive. Users will be able to get 1TB of storage before they need to start paying up.

HP’s computers come with support for HP Connected Apps, a suite of products that allow users to do more within the HP ecosystem. First up is HP Connected Drive, which stores music, files and photos in one place. The service also comes with Connected Music for accessing all music files and music streams, as well as HP Connected Photo, to see all of the pictures a person has loaded onto the machines.

HP has yet to announce pricing on all the variants of the HP Stream notebooks. But the company did provide some baselines. For instance, the Stream 11 will be available for $199 when it launches as scheduled Aug. 24. The Stream 11 x360, meanwhile, will cost $249 when it launches, slated for September. Likewise, the Stream 14 is scheduled to launch in September, but will cost customers $219.