Specifications
Processor: 2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840, RAM: 2GB, Size: 300x206x20mm, Weight: 1.3kg, Screen size: 11.3in, Screen resolution: 1,366x768, Graphics adaptor: Intel HD Graphics, Total storage: 32GB eMMC
You'll need to get used to working in the Cloud: with a Spartan 32GB of onboard storage this is about as close to a Chromebook you can get without actually buying one. Windows 8.1 isn't quite as well suited to working in the cloud as Chrome OS is, although it's fairly easy to set up folders to synchronise with OneDrive in Windows.
HP hasn't completely clogged up its laptop with unwanted software, either, although we strongly advise you uninstall the McAfee security suite immediately because it's intrusive and causes huge performance problems.
Battery life is great; we managed to get 7h35m in our moderate usage test, so if you're conservative with screen brightness and media consumption you could realistically get through a full working day.
Asus surprised us last year with the
EeeBook X205TA. The £180 ultraportable was an absolute bargain,
particularly when you consider that includes one year of Microsoft
Office365, which by itself is worth £60.
HP's Stream 11 offers pretty much the same deal: a sub-£200 price, a free year of Office365, 1TB OneDrive online storage and a pleasing design. Both machines are similar on paper, but there are a few key differences that gives one a very slight edge.
The keyboard is good, too. It fills up most of the keyboard tray with
very small borders on the left and right, meaning it’s spacious enough
for people with fairly large hands. The white, island-style keys have a
reasonable amount of travel and felt comfortable enough to type on for
extended periods. Taps and swipes on the touchpad are responsive, too,
although we had problems with the physical buttons. If you perform a
physical click at the bottom-middle of the touchpad, you won't get a
left or right-click in Windows; you get nothing at all. This will be a
problem for users who are used to using the bottom of their touchpads
for clicking and isn't something we see very often, which is
frustrating.
The Stream 11 one-ups the Asus EeeBook X205TA in terms of
connectivity with a USB3 port in addition to a second regular USB port.
This is useful for transferring large files from USB storage devices and
even working directly off a high-speed USB hard disk, although you’ll
be wasting your year of free Office365 if you do this. There's also a
full-size HDMI port for connecting to a TV or external monitor.
The 1,366x768 pixel screen is usable in most reasonable conditions,
although working outdoors will be a struggle as the backlight isn’t very
bright. Colour coverage is a meagre 62.1% of the sRGB colour gamut,
which is admittedly still better than the Asus, and contrast is rated at
325:1. Horizontal viewing angles are reasonably wide, and with a bit of
hinge adjustment, the viewing experience is perfectly adequate for such
a cheap laptop.HP's Stream 11 offers pretty much the same deal: a sub-£200 price, a free year of Office365, 1TB OneDrive online storage and a pleasing design. Both machines are similar on paper, but there are a few key differences that gives one a very slight edge.
DESIGN AND BUILD
The Stream 11 is available in three colours in the UK: grey, pink and the blue model we had for review. The lid is made from one solid colour, but the palm rest and keyboard tray have a dotted pattern and blue gradient that, together, look strikingly like the skin of a tropical fish. It's perhaps a bit toy-like for our tastes, but whether it's too garish for you will be down to personal preference. Build quality is great for the price, with the chassis not giving way to our prods and attempts to bend it. It's much heavier than the Asus EeeBook X205TA, though: the HP's 1.3kg is a noticeable step up from the 980g Asus.
SCREEN
WINDOWS 8.1 AND THE CLOUD
One year of Microsoft Office365 is included with every Stream 11. This also includes 1TB of OneDrive storage, although you'll have to budget £60 after the first year when the subscription expires if you want to continue using it. Office365 includes Microsoft Office Online, which is an excellent web-based suite with more features than Google's Docs. If you'd prefer, you can also install the desktop version of the Office suite on your PC as Office365 includes a one-year licence for this, too.You'll need to get used to working in the Cloud: with a Spartan 32GB of onboard storage this is about as close to a Chromebook you can get without actually buying one. Windows 8.1 isn't quite as well suited to working in the cloud as Chrome OS is, although it's fairly easy to set up folders to synchronise with OneDrive in Windows.
HP hasn't completely clogged up its laptop with unwanted software, either, although we strongly advise you uninstall the McAfee security suite immediately because it's intrusive and causes huge performance problems.
PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY
Battery life is great; we managed to get 7h35m in our moderate usage test, so if you're conservative with screen brightness and media consumption you could realistically get through a full working day.
CONCLUSION
It's a close-run thing between the HP Stream 11 and the Asus EeeBook X205TA. The Stream 11 has a small performance advantage thanks to its higher clock speed, and the screen is marginally better. However, this comes with a significant 300g weight penalty. Either way, both of the laptops are a steal at £180 and are well worth your cash if you're on a budget.| Core specs | |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840 |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Memory slots (free) | Not stated |
| Max memory | Not stated |
| Size | 300x206x20mm |
| Weight | 1.3kg |
| Sound | Realtek HD Audio (3.5mm headset port) |
| Pointing device | Touchpad |
| Display | |
| Screen size | 13.3in |
| Screen resolution | 1,366x768 |
| Touchscreen | No |
| Graphics adaptor | Intel HD Graphics |
| Graphics outputs | HDMI |
| Graphics memory | Shared |
| Storage | |
| Total storage | 32GB eMMC |
| Optical drive type | None |
| Ports and expansion | |
| USB ports | 1x USB3, 2x USB |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Networking | 802.11n Wi-Fi |
| Memory card reader | SD |
| Other ports | None |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Operating system | Windows 8.1 "with Bing" |
| Operating system restore option | Windows 8.1 restore |
| Buying information | |
| Parts and labour warranty | One year collect and return |
| Price inc VAT | £180 |
| Details | http://store.hp.com |
| Supplier | www.currys.co.uk |
| Part number | 11-d007na |
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