I need a laptop for work to use as a network computer. Since I'm having to buy it, I am considering the HP 14 since it's cheap. I'll just be using it remote in using Microsoft Remote Desktop. Task will primarily be web browsing, email. Is it powerful enough to do this? Screen lag etc. Any other suggestions? Another consideration is the laptop weight. I don't want to lug around something heavy. Thank you!

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Micro-edge-Microsoft-14-dq0040nr-Snowflake/dp/B0947BJ67M/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=1wThf&content-id=amzn1.sym.255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e%3Aamzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=255b3518-6e7f-495c-8611-30a58648072e&pf_rd_r=VQ0SCY445Z2M2M9DZXMS&pd_rd_wg=iXgG6&pd_rd_r=632cd62a-a48e-4964-8b8b-8b187e4e30ce&ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d

Say hello to the HP 14 Laptop, model 14-fq1021nr! The HP 14 Laptop is a very portable and lightweight laptop with a very powerful CPU, but with one extra feature, you can unlock its true potential!

So to start this off, the HP 14 starts below $500USD on both Amazon. Usually, you don't get good performance in an ultrabook around this price range but it does perform well with minor cons. The build quality is not that spectacular but at this price range, I wasn't expecting it to be. The HP 14 Laptop is made of all plastic and weighs 3.2 lbs which is good for portability. It has a height of 1.79 centimeters so when carrying it in your backpack or handbag you won’t feel the whole world on your shoulders! However, the keyboard bends when a little pressure is applied so be careful when typing. Unfortunately, the keyboard is not backlit so lights on when dark time rises! The side bezels are very thin but the top and bottom bezels are slightly large. Furthermore, the trackpad is very narrow and has a cheap feel to it. So like the downside to most laptops across the world, this one is in the category of “ Cheap Build Quality”.

Moving over to the ports. On the right side of the laptop (starting from left to right) the HP 14 comes with a headphone/microphone jack, a USB Type C which accepts only data devices so no power in or video output, 2 USB 3 slots, HDMI port, and a power port. On the left side, you will only find a full-size SD card slot.

The display isn’t that bad but still isn’t good. The HP 14 comes with a 14” Full HD 1080P Display with an IPS panel along with 250 nits max brightness and 45% NTSC with a matte screen. The HP 14 does have good viewing angles due to its IPS panel but if you’re planning to use this laptop outdoors the 250 nits will not allow that so you will not see the screen that clear. The 45% NTSC does not fit for video/photo work which requires great color accuracy, however, for light video work the HP 14 can handle it.

Onto the back of the laptop! The HP 14 comes with 8GB DDR4 memory with a speed of 3200MHz and a storage of 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. There is only one stick occupied, however, to unlock the AMD CPU's true potential, the key is to add an extra 8GB DDR4 3200MHz memory in the extra slot which will drastically boost its performance. The SSD can be swapped out for a higher capacity so that is good. Additionally, the HP 14 has the Realtek Wi-Fi 6 card and the latest Bluetooth 5.2 which can also be swapped out. It does have one fan which cools inside of the laptop and is quiet even when under stress.

Moving over to the battery life. The battery life lasted between 7-8 hours when browsing, watching youtube videos. brightness at 75% and just general laptop use. However, if put under pressure the battery life will decrease to about 2.5-3.5 hours with max brightness. The webcam is located at the top of the screen and is a 720P webcam that looks pretty good. The speakers are located at the top of the laptop and they are not that good so if listening to music or watching movies I advise you to use Bluetooth headphones, wired or speakers.

So who is this laptop for? The HP 14 best fits an individual who wants a laptop that can do everyday tasks very well, also individuals who wants to do zoom meetings or word processing and is also great for students. One major thing that I would like to see on this laptop though is better build quality, but that’s not much of a deal-breaker.

Link to Amazon: https://allelectrodeals.com/product/hp-14-laptop-amd-ryzen-5-5500u-8-gb-ram-256-gb-ssd-storage-14-inch-full-hd-display-windows-10-home-thin-portable-micro-edge-anti-glare-screen-long-battery-life-14-fq1021nr-2021-3/

"HP has a super inexpensive laptop available at Walmart that is surprisingly useful and upgradeable for its $179 price tag. A great pairing for Linux."