Dell vs HP: Comparing Laptops
If you've purchased a laptop over the past decade, you've no doubt come across two giant manufacturers, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. They are essential, ubiquitous...
06/10/2021
If you bought a
laptop
Over the past decade you have no doubt come across two giant manufacturers, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. They are essential, ubiquitous in any computer department outside of an Apple Store. They also make great laptops, with several Editors' Choice systems between them. Here you will find ten laptops to choose from, in several categories. In some cases, both manufacturers make class-leading devices, and choosing between them comes down to price and specs that meet your unique needs. We pit Dell against HP, comparing five excellent laptops from each, to see how the two laptop makers compare.
If you want professional capabilities, you have both the HP EliteBook 8460p and the Dell Latitude E6430 ATG to choose from. Both offer class-leading performance with a touch of rugged construction for those whose work takes them out of the office. The Latitude E6430 ATG holds the Editors' Choice crown, but the EliteBook 8460p offers similar capabilities and less intense ruggedness for half the price.
Multimedia laptops are also neck and neck, with the Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720) and HP Envy 17 (2012) packed with features in sleek 17-inch desktop replacements. The HP Envy 17 is a bit more expensive (around $200), but it's also our Editors' Choice with a Blu-ray player, Beats Audio and a stunning 1920x1080 resolution display.
In other areas there are clear leaders, where Dell or HP have carved out a niche and produced clear winners. For example, HP doesn't have the dedicated gaming line that Dell has in the Alienware brand. Alienware might not be the only gaming system on the market, but the Alienware M17x R4 tops the category as an Editors' Choice thanks to its top performance scores and all the flashy extras it comes with. a player might wish.
If portability is what you want, HP's line of ultrabooks has several of the best to come to the labs, like the sleek HP Envy 4-1043cl, the glass-covered HP Envy 14 Specter, or the HP Folio 13-1020us (a another editor's choice) winner). But while HP has established itself in the ultrabook category, Dell has continued to offer excellent desktop replacements, such as the Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition (7520) and Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012).
No matter what you're looking for in a laptop, HP and Dell have split the cake pretty well, and between the two there's something for almost everyone.
PRESENTATION IN THIS REMINDER
< p>Dell LaptopsDell Inspiron 15R Special Edition (7520)
$1099.99 direct
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The Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition is a well-designed multimedia laptop that delivers fast frame rates and is powered by the latest Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge technology.
Read the full review ››< /p>
Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720)
$1099.99 direct
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The Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition lives up to its name. It delivers blazing productivity, gaming-grade graphics performance, and a gorgeous 17.3-inch display.
Read the full review ››
Dell Latitude E6430 ATG
$2500 list
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For professional computing in the field, the rugged enterprise Dell Latitude E6430 ATG is hard to beat.
Read the full review ››
Dell XPS 15 (Summer 2012)
$1,699.99 direct
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This latest incarnation of the Dell XPS 15 boasts a refined, if not entirely original, design and impressive performance.
Read the full review ››
Alienware M17x R4
$2599 direct
I'm in need of a laptop. Any donations? @Apple @Dell @HP
— Mr. V Fri Aug 13 06:36:43 +0000 2021
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The Alienware M17x R4 adds the latest Intel Core processor and Nvidia Graphics to one of the best gaming laptop chassis around. It's ostentatious, bold, over the top, and strangely enough, more affordable than its competition.
Read the full review ››
HP Laptops
HP Envy 17 (2012)
$1484.99 direct
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This year's HP Envy 17 is a fast, software-loaded media center laptop with the most stunning display we've ever seen.
Read the full review ››
HP Envy 14 Specter
$1399.99 direct
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With its sexy glass case, slim keyboard, and long battery life, the HP Envy 14 Specter is a sleek premium package.< /p>
Read the full review ››
HP EliteBook 8460p
$1239 direct
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The HP EliteBook 8460p isn't the most portable business laptop, but it's one of the more literally and figuratively solid choices.
Read the full review ›› p>
HP Envy 4-1043cl
$829.99 direct
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to %sell%
The HP Envy 4-1043cl ultrabook offers plenty of great features, such as Beats Audio, WiDi 2.0 and generous software and warranty offers, not to mention a big boost in performance from Intel's latest third-generation processor.
Read the full review ››
HP Folio 13-1020us
$899.99 listing
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to %sell%
The HP Folio 13- 1020us is one of the best-designed and best-designed ultrabooks you can buy for $900.
Read the full review ››