HP 15 (2021) review

HP 15 (2021): the most complete sheet at the price floor

The HP 15 (2021) is the $399 trio's all-rounder: a Core i3 1115G4 with a GeForce MX350 2GB and a 64GB memory ceiling — double the general-class median, top quartile. The graphics score of 44.73 sits 64 percent above the class median, overall performance at 64.73 runs 50 percent over, and the measured data agrees: Far Cry 5 clears its recommended bar at 34 frames per second.

Where it holds up

This is a rare sheet with no named weakness and no axis in the low band. Photo at 83 is high-band; gaming at 44, modeling at 42, and CAD at 44 are mid-tier; office at 79.97 is high-band; value at 81.4 is high-band — tied for the best value reading of the $399 club with the Pavilion 14 (2021). The 64GB ceiling plus a measured GPU at the floor price is the batch's most capability-dense budget formula.

Where it falls short

Nothing lands in the low band — the honest ceilings: the MX350's 2GB framebuffer keeps gaming at 44 mid-tier, and modeling at 42 is mid-tier rather than the creative tiers above. Portability at 47.5 is mid-band, and performance at 64.73, while 50 percent above class median, remains entry-platform territory. The i3 is the trio's shared limit.

Price and depreciation

At $399 with an 11.13 percent annual class-level rate and an empty dollar ledger, first-year exposure sits with the buyer. The value reading of 81.4 high-band — tied best in the floor club — is the sheet's endorsement; the 64GB ceiling is the longevity hedge that makes the entry platform survivable for years.

Alternatives to consider

The HP 14 (2021) at the same $399: the same memory, no GPU, better portability — the office route. The HP 17 (2021) at the same price: the big-canvas route. The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7610 (2021) at $399 is the strongest floor rival: a GTX 1650 with photo at 90 and value at 85, against the HP's 83 and 81.4 and smaller chassis.

Bottom line

Fairly priced for the class — and the floor club's most complete buy. The HP 15 offers a measured MX350 with a 34 fps Far Cry 5 clearance, top-quartile 64GB of memory, high-band photo, value, and office, with no axis in the low band. For a $399 budget, it is the sheet that asks the fewest compromises.