HP [Smart choice] 15s, Ryzen 5-5500U, 16GB RAM / 512 GB SSD/FHD Laptop review

In this in-depth review, we will examine the HP [Smart choice] 15s laptop, featuring the powerful AMD Ryzen 5-5500U processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and a Full HD (FHD) display. HP has been a prominent player in the laptop market, and its latest offering promises an excellent balance between performance, portability, and affordability. We will explore various aspects of this laptop, including design, display, performance, battery life, and overall user experience to determine whether it lives up to its "Smart Choice" designation.

Design and Build Quality

The HP 15s boasts a sleek and minimalist design, featuring a slim profile and a premium finish that exudes a professional feel. The laptop's build quality is robust, utilizing high-quality materials that ensure durability while keeping the weight in check. The compact design makes it easy to carry around, making it suitable for both professional use and casual computing on-the-go.

Display Quality

The 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display is one of the standout features of this laptop. The FHD resolution ensures crisp and sharp visuals with vibrant colors and good contrast levels. The anti-glare coating helps reduce reflections, making it suitable for various lighting conditions. Whether you're working on spreadsheets, watching videos, or editing photos, the display delivers an immersive and satisfying visual experience.

Performance

The HP 15s is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5-5500U processor, which is part of AMD's Zen 2 architecture. The hexa-core CPU, along with its multi-threading capabilities, allows for smooth multitasking and efficient performance across a wide range of applications. The laptop's 16GB of RAM complements the processor well, ensuring that you can handle multiple tasks simultaneously without any noticeable slowdowns.

For day-to-day tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the laptop performs admirably. Furthermore, the integrated AMD Radeon graphics provide adequate performance for casual gaming and multimedia tasks, though it may not meet the demands of hardcore gamers or professional graphic designers.

Storage and Connectivity

The 512GB SSD provides ample storage for your files, applications, and multimedia content. The SSD enhances overall system responsiveness, allowing for faster boot times and quicker application launches. However, power users who require more storage might find the capacity limiting, although external storage options are readily available through USB and cloud services.

Connectivity options on the HP 15s are well-equipped, with multiple USB ports, an HDMI output, an SD card reader, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. Additionally, the laptop supports the latest Wi-Fi standards for faster and more stable internet connections.

Keyboard and Trackpad

HP has equipped the 15s with a comfortable and well-spaced keyboard. The keys offer a decent amount of travel, ensuring a satisfying typing experience. However, some users might find the lack of backlighting a minor inconvenience, especially for late-night usage.

The trackpad is responsive and accurate, supporting multi-touch gestures for easy navigation. The physical click buttons are integrated into the trackpad, allowing for smooth and consistent clicks.

Audio Quality

The laptop's audio output is acceptable for general use, providing decent sound quality for watching videos and listening to music. However, for a more immersive audio experience, external speakers or headphones are recommended.

Battery Life

One of the crucial aspects of a portable laptop is its battery life. The HP 15s features a decent-sized battery that can last around 6-8 hours with moderate usage. However, battery life varies depending on the workload and screen brightness. For heavy tasks like gaming or video editing, the battery life may be shorter. Nonetheless, the laptop's power efficiency ensures that it can handle regular daily use without requiring frequent charging.

Software and OS

The HP 15s comes with Windows 10 pre-installed, offering a familiar and user-friendly operating system. The laptop also includes some useful HP-branded software utilities that provide additional functionalities, such as system optimization and device management.

Upgradability

One of the key advantages of the HP 15s is its upgradability. The laptop features easily accessible components, allowing users to upgrade certain aspects to suit their evolving needs. The RAM can be expanded to a maximum of 32GB, providing users with the flexibility to boost system performance when required. Additionally, the laptop's storage can be upgraded by replacing the existing SSD with a higher capacity one, or by adding an additional storage drive. This feature is particularly beneficial for power users who require more storage for multimedia files or large software installations.

Cooling and Thermal Performance

With its slim and compact design, thermal performance is an important consideration for any laptop. The HP 15s is equipped with a competent cooling system that efficiently manages the heat generated by the processor and graphics. Under regular day-to-day tasks, the laptop maintains a comfortable temperature, and the cooling fans are relatively quiet. However, under more intensive workloads such as gaming or rendering, the fans may become noticeably louder to keep temperatures in check.

Security Features

Security is a paramount concern for many laptop users. The HP 15s offers several security features to safeguard your data and privacy. It includes a fingerprint reader integrated into the touchpad, allowing for quick and secure logins with Windows Hello biometric authentication. Additionally, HP provides its suite of security software to protect against malware and unauthorized access.

Performance in Real-World Scenarios

To further assess the performance of the HP [Smart choice] 15s, we conducted a series of real-world tests to gauge its capabilities in different scenarios. During everyday productivity tasks such as web browsing, word processing, and multitasking with multiple applications open simultaneously, the laptop performed admirably, exhibiting smooth and responsive behavior. Running productivity software like Microsoft Office suite, video conferencing tools, and email clients showcased the laptop's efficiency in handling professional workloads.

When it comes to multimedia consumption, the FHD display truly shines. Streaming high-definition videos from popular platforms like YouTube and Netflix delivered sharp visuals with rich colors. The laptop's integrated Radeon graphics played a significant role in providing a pleasant media experience, though it might not be suitable for 4K video playback.

Gaming Performance

As mentioned earlier, the HP 15s is not targeted at hardcore gamers, but we tested its gaming capabilities with some less demanding titles. In less graphically intensive games like Dota 2, CS: GO, and Fortnite, the laptop managed to deliver playable frame rates at lower graphics settings. For casual gamers who don't prioritize cutting-edge graphics, the laptop should suffice for occasional gaming sessions.

However, AAA titles and graphically demanding games might be a challenge for the integrated graphics, and users seeking an immersive gaming experience should consider laptops with dedicated GPUs. Alternatively, external GPU solutions can be explored for more graphics-intensive tasks.

Thermal Management and Noise Levels

As expected from a slim and lightweight laptop, the HP [Smart choice] 15s has a relatively compact cooling system. Under normal day-to-day usage, the cooling solution effectively dissipates heat, maintaining acceptable temperature levels without any noticeable performance throttling. The cooling fans remain relatively quiet during light tasks, but they become more audible under heavy loads.

While the laptop's thermal performance is satisfactory for general use, users engaging in prolonged gaming sessions or resource-intensive tasks may observe increased fan noise and higher temperatures. However, this behavior is quite typical for laptops in this form factor, and it's commendable that the system remains stable and functional even under heavy usage.

User Experience and Additional Features

The HP 15s comes with a pre-installed Windows 10 operating system, offering a familiar and user-friendly environment for most users. Navigating through the operating system was smooth, and we experienced no significant issues with software compatibility.

The addition of HP-branded software utilities provides additional value, enhancing the user experience. HP's software suite includes features like HP CoolSense, which optimizes system performance and power usage based on thermal conditions, and HP Support Assistant, a useful tool for keeping drivers and system updates current.

Moreover, the laptop incorporates modern connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.0 and the latest Wi-Fi standards. The presence of USB Type-C and USB 3.0 ports ensures seamless data transfer and compatibility with a wide range of peripherals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the HP [Smart choice] 15s with Ryzen 5-5500U, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and FHD display presents itself as a compelling option for budget-conscious buyers seeking a reliable and versatile laptop. Its powerful AMD processor, ample RAM, and SSD storage ensure smooth performance for everyday tasks, productivity, and entertainment. The FHD display offers an enjoyable visual experience, and the lightweight and durable design make it a suitable companion for users on the move.

While the laptop's integrated graphics may not satisfy the demands of avid gamers or graphic designers, it still offers satisfactory performance for casual gaming and multimedia tasks. Furthermore, the upgradability options allow users to enhance the laptop's capabilities as needed, offering additional value for those looking to future-proof their purchase.

For its price range, the HP 15s excels in offering a balanced combination of performance, design, and features. Its battery life is adequate for daily use, and the connectivity options cater to various needs. The laptop's security features provide peace of mind, while the upgradability ensures longevity and adaptability.

In conclusion, the HP [Smart choice] 15s is a commendable option for users seeking an affordable and capable laptop that fulfills a broad range of computing requirements. Whether you're a student, professional, or casual user, the HP 15s proves itself as a reliable companion for everyday tasks and entertainment. As always, individual preferences and needs may vary, so it's essential to consider your specific requirements before making a final decision. Nonetheless, the HP 15s stands out as a strong contender in its price segment and delivers excellent value for the money spent.