HP Notebook 15.6" 2022, Celeron N4020, 8GB, 128GB SSD, Black

The HP Notebook 15 is a budget Windows 11 laptop with a decent Full HD screen and 8GB RAM, but the Intel Celeron N4020 processor is one of the slowest we've ever tracked. It's fine for basic web browsing and email, but anything more will frustrate you. At around $245, it's cheap, but a refurbished business laptop or Chromebook is usually a smarter buy.

Let's be honest about the Intel Celeron N4020. It's a 2-core, 2-thread chip with a 1.1GHz base clock that can boost to 2.8GHz. In our database, it ranks in the 1st percentile for CPU performance. That means it's slower than essentially every other laptop we've tested. Opening a few Chrome tabs, a PDF, and Spotify at the same time will make this thing sweat. The 8GB of DDR4 RAM is a small mercy, sitting in the 13th percentile, but it's enough to keep basic multitasking from completely falling apart.

The Intel UHD Graphics 600 is integrated and ranks in the 14th percentile for GPU performance. You're not gaming on this, period. Even older titles will struggle at 1080p. The 128GB SSD is the other big bottleneck, landing in the 7th percentile for storage. Windows 11 alone eats a chunk of that, so you'll be managing space from day one. Boot times are fine thanks to the SSD, but don't expect to store much media or install many apps.

Compared to the Apple MacBook Pro MVVK2LL/A or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 21KC00A8US, this HP Notebook isn't even in the same conversation. Those are premium machines with fast processors, bright screens, and all-day battery life. The HP is a budget placeholder. The ASUS Vivobook TP3407SA-DS74T and Samsung Galaxy Book5 NP750XHD-KB1US also outclass it in every performance metric, though they cost significantly more.

If you're shopping in this price range, the real competition is other sub-$300 laptops and Chromebooks. A Chromebook with a similar Celeron chip will feel snappier because ChromeOS is lighter than Windows 11. And a refurbished business laptop like a ThinkPad T-series or Dell Latitude with an older Core i5 will absolutely crush this HP in real-world speed, even if it's a few years old. The HP's main advantage is that it's new, with a warranty and a fresh battery.

At around $245 USD, the HP Notebook 15 is cheap, but cheap doesn't always mean good value. You're getting a Full HD IPS screen and 8GB of RAM, which is more than many sub-$300 laptops offer. But the Celeron N4020 processor is a serious limitation that will frustrate you within months as Windows updates and apps get heavier. If you can stretch your budget to $350 or $400, you'll find laptops with much faster CPUs and larger SSDs that will last years longer. For the same money, a used ThinkPad or a Chromebook might serve you better for basic tasks.

The HP Notebook 15 is a budget Windows 11 laptop that sits at the very bottom of the traditional laptop market, usually around $245 in the US. It's aimed at people who need a basic machine for web browsing, email, and light document work, not anyone pushing creative apps or games. The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS screen is the one spec that feels better than the price tag suggests, but the Intel Celeron N4020 processor and 128GB SSD tell a different story.

If you're searching for a cheap laptop for students or a simple home computer for basic tasks, this HP Notebook will technically get the job done. Just know that "basic" is the ceiling here. The 8GB of RAM helps keep a few browser tabs open without constant reloading, but the dual-core Celeron chip is one of the slowest CPUs in our entire database, landing in the 1st percentile. That's not a typo. It's dead last among every laptop we track.

Port selection is actually decent for the price. You get USB-C, two USB-A ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and an SD card reader. That's more connectivity than some laptops twice the price. But the Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2 are dated, and the 41Wh battery paired with a dim 250-nit screen won't win any endurance awards.

Skip the HP Notebook 15 if you do any kind of photo or video editing, coding, gaming, or heavy multitasking. The Celeron N4020 will choke on all of it. Also skip it if you need long battery life or a bright screen for outdoor use. The 250-nit display is hard to see in sunlight, and the 41Wh battery won't get you through a full day. If you need a cheap laptop for basic tasks, consider a Chromebook or a refurbished ThinkPad instead. Both will feel faster and last longer for the same or less money.

Should you buy the HP Notebook 15? Only if your budget is hard-capped around $250 and you need a Windows machine for very light tasks. It'll handle email, web browsing with a few tabs, and basic Office work. But the Celeron N4020 is a constant reminder that you bought the cheapest option. Everything loads slowly, multitasking is painful, and the 128GB SSD means you'll be deleting files to make room for updates.

For most people, we'd say skip it. Save a bit more or look at refurbished options. The Full HD screen and 8GB RAM are nice touches, but they can't overcome a processor that ranks dead last in our database. This is a laptop you buy because you have no other choice, not because it's a smart purchase.