HP 17 HP 2023, Core i3-1215U, 32GB, 1TB SSD, Natural Silver

The HP 17 pairs a massive 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM with a weak Core i3-1215U that sits in the 27th percentile for CPUs. The 17.3-inch 1080p screen is nice for productivity, but the integrated graphics deliver a gaming score of just 12.5 out of 100. It's a big-screen office machine with a small engine.

Let's be real about the Core i3-1215U. It's a 12th gen chip with 4 cores and a 3.7GHz clock, and it lands in the 27th percentile for CPUs in our database. That's not a typo. For everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video calls, it's fine. But throw anything heavier at it and you'll feel the ceiling. The 32GB of RAM helps smooth over multitasking, and the 1TB NVMe SSD means apps load quickly, but the processor is the bottleneck here.

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics sit at the 37th percentile, which translates to "don't even think about gaming." The gaming score for this machine is 12.5 out of 100, which is one of the worst we've seen. This is a work machine, not a play machine. The screen is a 17.3-inch 1080p IPS panel at the 41st percentile, so it's serviceable but nothing to write home about. Brightness and color accuracy are middle of the pack.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M5, this HP gets absolutely demolished on CPU and GPU performance. The MacBook's silicon is in a different universe. The Lenovo Legion 5i and ASUS ROG Zephyrus both crush the HP on graphics, though they cost more and target gamers. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition offers a better screen and build quality in a more portable package, though you'll pay for it. Where the HP wins is raw storage and RAM per dollar at the US price point. The Alienware Aurora is a desktop, so it's not a fair fight, but it highlights how far behind this HP is on graphics. If you need a big screen and lots of memory for office work, the HP is fine. If you need any kind of graphical horsepower, look elsewhere.

Pricing is all over the map here. US listings run between $800 and $870, while a Japanese listing asks ¥191,537 and a Mexican one goes for MXN 19,476. At the US price, you're paying a premium for that 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD combo, but the Core i3 processor drags the value proposition down. You can find machines with better CPUs and similar storage for less money if you're willing to sacrifice the 17-inch screen. The RAM and storage are nice, but they're bolted to a processor that doesn't deserve them.

The HP 17 is a study in contrasts. You get a massive 1TB NVMe SSD and 32GB of DDR4 RAM, which puts storage in the 80th percentile and memory in the 73rd percentile of our database. That's a lot of headroom for a machine built around an Intel Core i3-1215U, a 4-core chip that lands in the 27th percentile for CPU performance. So you've got a roomy garage attached to a modest engine.

The 17.3-inch 1080p IPS display is the other headline feature. It's big, it's clear enough, but it sits at the 41st percentile for screens, which means it's about average. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics pull the GPU score down to the 37th percentile, and the 45Wh battery paired with a 17-inch panel isn't a recipe for all-day unplugged use. This is a desktop replacement that wants to stay near an outlet.

Skip this if you need any kind of graphical performance. The gaming score of 12.5 out of 100 is one of the worst we've seen, and the integrated Intel UHD Graphics at the 37th percentile won't handle photo editing, video work, or even casual gaming well. Also skip it if portability matters. The compact score is in the 5th percentile, meaning this is one of the least portable laptops in our database. And if you need Wi-Fi 6 or better, the Wi-Fi 5 radio here is dated. The 45Wh battery is another reason to look elsewhere if you're often away from an outlet.

The HP 17 is a niche machine. It's for someone who wants a big 17.3-inch screen, tons of RAM, and a huge SSD for office productivity, web browsing, and light multitasking. The 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD are genuinely impressive at this price, and the 4.4/5 rating from 155 reviews suggests owners are happy with what they got. But the Core i3-1215U in the 27th percentile and the integrated graphics at the 37th percentile mean this machine has a hard ceiling. If your workload is spreadsheets, email, and Netflix, it'll do the job. If you need anything more, you'll outgrow it fast.