HP Victus , Ryzen AI 5 340, 16GB, 512GB SSD, RTX 5050, Mica Silver

Great GPU, questionable everything else. Buy it for the RTX 5050, but don't expect the full gaming laptop experience.

The RTX 5050 is the star here, landing in the 78th percentile for GPU performance among gaming laptops. That's well above average and means you'll handle most modern titles at 1080p medium settings without breaking a sweat. The Ryzen AI 5 340 sits at 67th percentile, which is solid but not spectacular. What surprised us is how lopsided this thing is. The GPU is genuinely good, but the 512GB SSD is in the 37th percentile, meaning you'll be uninstalling games to make room for new ones within a month. And the port selection is dead last at 8th percentile, which is just embarrassing for a gaming laptop in 2026.

Against the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the Victus gets smoked in build quality, port selection, and reliability, though it does undercut the Zephyrus on price significantly. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a different beast entirely, with far better performance but a much higher price tag. If you can stretch your budget, the Zephyrus G14 is the better long-term investment. But if CAD 1,300 is your hard ceiling, the Victus at least gives you a current-gen GPU where competitors at this price often stick you with last-gen silicon.

At CAD 1,300, this is a tough call. The GPU alone almost justifies the price, but the 512GB storage and abysmal port situation make it feel like HP cut corners everywhere else to hit that RTX 5050. If you're strictly gaming and don't mind carrying a USB hub everywhere, it's decent value. But for most people, the compromises will sting more than the GPU impresses.

The HP Victus 15-fb3028ca is a budget gaming laptop that punches above its weight in the graphics department but leaves you wanting everywhere else. You're getting an RTX 5050 with 8GB of VRAM, which is genuinely impressive for this price point, paired with a Ryzen AI 5 340 and 16GB of DDR5. But the storage is tight, the ports are a joke, and reliability scores in our database are concerning. This is a machine for someone who wants entry-level ray tracing without selling a kidney, and is willing to accept some serious compromises to get there.

If you need more than a couple of USB ports or want a laptop that'll last more than two years without issues, this isn't it. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or a Lenovo Legion instead. And if you're a creator first, gamer second, the MacBook Pro M4 Pro will run circles around this thing for video editing and audio work.

The HP Victus 15-fb3028ca is a one-trick pony, and that trick is the RTX 5050. If you want current-gen GPU performance on a tight budget and can live with minimal ports, cramped storage, and a reliability gamble, it's a reasonable buy. But most people should save a bit more and get something that won't feel compromised in six months. This is a laptop for a very specific buyer, and you know who you are.