HP Laptop 15 , Core i5-1135G7, 12GB, 256GB SSD, Natural Silver

The HP 15-dy2061ms is a $260 used laptop with a shockingly good 1440p display. Performance is fine for everyday tasks but gaming is a non-starter. If you want a cheap machine for browsing, writing, and streaming, this is a smart buy.

The Core i5-1135G7 is a solid 11th Gen quad-core chip for everyday work, but it sits in the 24th percentile for CPUs in our database. That means most modern laptops outrun it. The 12GB of RAM is fine for multitasking with a dozen browser tabs and a few office apps, though it ranks in the 23rd percentile. The 256GB NVMe SSD is quick for boot times but tight on space, landing in the 25th percentile. The real weak spot is the Iris Xe graphics at the 14th percentile. It handles 4K video playback and light photo editing, but anything 3D will struggle. The 41Wh battery is small, so expect to charge more often than HP's marketing suggests.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro MWP72LL/A or Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 21KC00A8US, this HP gets demolished on performance, build quality, and battery life. Those machines cost several times more, so that's expected. The more interesting comparison is against something like the ASUS Vivobook TP3407SA-DS74T. The ASUS offers newer internals and better portability, but you'll pay more for it. The HP's 1440p screen actually beats many laptops in the $400-500 range. If display quality matters more than raw speed, this HP holds its own against pricier options.

At around $260 used, this laptop is a legitimate bargain if you know what you're getting. The 1440p display alone is worth the price of admission for anyone who spends hours reading, writing, or watching video. You won't find many laptops at this price with a screen this sharp. The trade-off is an older CPU, weak graphics, and limited storage. For a student or someone who needs a second machine for browsing and documents, it's a smart buy. Just don't expect it to age gracefully.

The HP Laptop 15 15-dy2061ms is a budget-friendly 15.6 inch machine that punches above its weight in one specific area: the screen. You get a 2560x1440 IPS panel on a laptop that sells for around $260 used. That's genuinely unusual at this price point. The rest of the package is more predictable for the money, an 11th Gen Core i5, 12GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

HP markets this as a thin and light everyday laptop, and for basic tasks it mostly delivers. But the gaming score of 9.2 out of 100 tells you everything about the Iris Xe graphics. This is not a machine for anything beyond casual browser games and video streaming. Think of it as a productivity and media consumption device with a surprisingly nice display.

Skip this if you need any kind of gaming performance, heavy video editing, or long battery life away from an outlet. The Iris Xe graphics are a dead end for 3D work, and the 41Wh battery won't get you through a full workday. If you need more storage, look elsewhere too, 256GB disappears fast. Anyone who travels frequently or works on the go should consider a machine with better battery life and a more modern CPU.

Buy this if you want a cheap laptop with a genuinely good screen for web browsing, document work, and streaming. The 12GB of RAM keeps things smooth for everyday tasks, and the 1440p panel makes text and video look sharp. It's a solid choice for students, casual users, or anyone who needs a reliable second machine. Just keep expectations in check when it comes to gaming or heavy creative work.