HP Stream 14" HD SVA 2024, Celeron N4120, 4GB, 64GB eMMC, Royal Blue

The HP Stream 14 is a slow, cramped, low-res throwback that only makes sense if your budget is the only spec that matters. Buy a refurbished business laptop instead.

The Celeron N4120 sits in the 19th percentile for CPUs, which is a polite way of saying it's slow. 4GB of RAM lands in the 2nd percentile, so multitasking is basically a myth here. The 64GB eMMC drive is also in the 4th percentile, meaning Windows 11 S will eat a huge chunk of that before you even install anything. The 1366x768 screen is the real kicker though, it's in the 4th percentile for displays. You'll see pixels. Lots of them.

Compared to something like the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 6 or ASUS Zenbook, the Stream 14 isn't even in the same conversation. Those machines have real processors, real storage, and screens that don't hurt your eyes. The MacBook Air M5 is a different universe entirely. The only fair comparison is to other sub-CAD 500 laptops, and even then, a used ThinkPad from a few years ago will run circles around this thing.

At CAD 449, this is a hard sell. You can find refurbished business laptops with better specs for less money. The included Office 365 subscription adds some value, but it doesn't make up for the anemic hardware. If you absolutely need a new laptop for under CAD 500 and only use a browser, it's borderline. Otherwise, save your money.

The HP Stream 14 is a budget laptop that makes one thing clear immediately: you're not buying performance, you're buying a price tag. At CAD 449, it's cheap, but the specs are rough. A Celeron N4120, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of eMMC storage is a combo that was barely acceptable five years ago. The one thing to know? This is a web browsing and Word document machine, nothing more.

If you're looking for a laptop that can handle more than one browser tab without wheezing, this isn't it. Go get a refurbished ThinkPad T480 or Dell Latitude 7490 instead. You'll get a better screen, more RAM, and actual SSD storage for around the same price.

Don't buy this unless you have no other choice. The HP Stream 14 is a frustrating experience for anyone who needs to do more than one thing at a time. If you're a student on a tight budget, look for a refurbished ThinkPad or Dell Latitude instead. You'll get way more for your money.