HP , Core i5-1135G7, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Silver

The HP 15-dy2193dx is a budget-friendly workhorse with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for just $497. The Core i5-1135G7 is aging but fine for everyday tasks, and the 1080p IPS display is a pleasant surprise at this price. The biggest downsides are the lack of a backlit keyboard and a small 41Wh battery. If you need a dependable Windows 11 Pro machine for school or office work, this is a solid pick.

The Core i5-1135G7 is a 4-core, 8-thread chip that boosts up to 4.2GHz. In our database, it lands in the 26th percentile for CPUs in this category, which sounds rough until you remember what this laptop costs. For everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video calls, it's perfectly capable. You won't feel it chugging through a dozen Chrome tabs or a Zoom call with a spreadsheet open. But it's not a rendering machine, and it won't pretend to be one.

The integrated Iris Xe graphics sit right at the 50th percentile for GPUs in this class. That means it's average, which is actually a compliment for integrated graphics. You can play older titles or indie games at low settings, and hardware video decoding keeps streaming smooth. The 512GB NVMe SSD is also middle of the pack at the 52nd percentile, but it's fast enough that boot times and app launches feel snappy. The 16GB of RAM is the quiet hero here. It's only at the 37th percentile for this category, but for a $497 laptop, having 16GB instead of 8GB is the difference between comfortable multitasking and constant tab reloads.

The obvious comparison is the Apple MacBook Air M4, but that's a completely different price bracket. The MacBook Air M4 will run circles around this HP in CPU performance, battery life, and build quality, but it costs several times more. If you're cross-shopping these two, you're either confused or have a very flexible budget. The HP is for people who want a functional Windows machine without spending MacBook money.

Closer competitors include the ASUS Zenbook UX3405CA and the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1. The Zenbook is thinner, lighter, and has a better screen, but you'll pay a premium for that. The ThinkPad X9-14 has legendary build quality and a better keyboard, but again, the price climbs fast. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is another step up in polish and performance, but it's not in the same conversation at $497. The MSI Creator A13V is aimed at creators and has a discrete GPU, which this HP simply doesn't have. If you need any kind of real graphics performance, the HP is the wrong tool. But if you need a dependable Windows 11 Pro machine for office work and school, the HP undercuts all of them by a wide margin.

At $497, this laptop is priced to move. You're getting 16GB of RAM, a 512GB NVMe SSD, a fingerprint reader, and Windows 11 Pro. That's a lot of practical utility for under $500. The seller, MichaelElectronics2, includes a 1-year warranty and has top-rated customer service on Newegg, which helps offset the fact that this is a professionally upgraded unit rather than a factory-fresh config.

Compared to other laptops in this price range, you're often looking at 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The extra RAM alone is worth the price of admission if you're a tab hoarder or run multiple apps at once. The trade-off is that you're getting an older CPU and no backlit keyboard. But for the money, the performance-to-price ratio is hard to argue with.

The HP 15-dy2193dx is one of those laptops that sneaks up on you. On paper it's a mid-range 15.6 inch machine with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. Nothing flashy. But at $497, it's aimed squarely at people who need a dependable daily driver for work, school, or general life admin without taking out a loan. And honestly, that's a refreshing lane to be in.

This particular unit comes from MichaelElectronics2, a seller that professionally upgrades the machine before shipping. That's why you're getting 16GB of DDR4 instead of the 8GB HP often ships in this chassis. The RAM bump matters more than you'd think for a machine with integrated graphics, since the Iris Xe GPU shares system memory. More RAM means more headroom for browser tabs, Office apps, and the occasional light photo edit.

Who is this for? Students who need a reliable essay machine, remote workers who live in spreadsheets and video calls, and anyone who wants Windows 11 Pro on a budget. It's not for gamers, and it's not for people who want a featherweight ultrabook. But if you need a solid workhorse with a fingerprint reader and a full-size HDMI port, this thing covers the basics well.

If you need any kind of real graphics performance, skip this. The integrated Iris Xe won't handle modern games, 3D modeling, or heavy video editing. Look at something with a discrete GPU, like the MSI Creator A13V, or step up to a laptop with a newer CPU and better integrated graphics. The Core i5-1135G7 is also showing its age, so if you're doing CPU-heavy work like compiling code or running virtual machines, you'll feel the ceiling quickly.

Also skip this if you work in dim environments and can't live without a backlit keyboard. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of small thing that drives you crazy every single night. And if battery life is a top priority, the 41Wh cell here won't cut it. Look at the MacBook Air M4 or a Surface Laptop 7th Edition if you need all-day unplugged endurance, though you'll pay significantly more for either.

For students and office workers on a tight budget, this HP 15-dy2193dx is a genuinely good buy. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD mean it won't feel slow for everyday tasks, and the fingerprint reader is a nice touch you don't always get at this price. The 1080p IPS display is fine for documents and streaming, and the full-size HDMI port means you can hook it up to a monitor or TV without dongles.

But if you're a gamer, a video editor, or someone who works late into the night without external lighting, this isn't your laptop. The integrated graphics won't handle modern games, and the lack of a backlit keyboard is a real annoyance. The 41Wh battery is also on the small side, so don't expect all-day unplugged use. For the right person, though, this is a lot of laptop for under $500.