Best HP Laptop of 2018

HP Spectre 13t

High-quality build and powerful hardware.

HP's refreshed 13-inch Spectre is a notebook laptop with a high build quality, thin chassis, and powerful hardware inside. Choose from 8th Gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processors (CPU), up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and up to a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD). The 13.3-inch touch display is available in FHD or 4K, and the ports, including two Thunderbolt 3 (4x lanes of PCIe) and a USB-C 3.1, look to the future. Configurations start at about $1,050.
Bottom line: The HP Spectre 13t is one fine laptop, and looks to be the best overall for most people.

One more thing: Have a look at our review of the HP Spectre for far more information.

Why the Spectre 13t is the best HP laptop for most people

There's no way around it: the Spectre 13t is probably the best looking laptop currently on the market. The chassis is just 0.4 inches (10.4 mm) thick, it's available in two different color combinations — ceramic gold with white or dark ash with copper — and the whole thing weighs just 2.45 pounds (1.11 kg).
The 13.3-inch touch display is available in an FHD or 4K resolution, with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 offering up enough power for light gaming and multimedia editing. Above the display is an IR camera compatible with Windows Hello, and the selection of ports, including two Thunderbolt 3 and one USB-C 3.1, are set for the future.
For internal hardware, get up to an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe SSD, and take advantage of a keyboard and touchpad made for easy productivity. Configurations of the Spectre 13t start at about $1,050.

Runner-up: HP Spectre x360 13 

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If you'd like a convertible laptop, the Spectre x360 is the best coming from HP. Convert to stand, tent, or tablet modes, enjoy up to a 13.3-inch 4K touch display with pen support, and sign into Windows 10 quickly thanks to an IR camera and Windows Hello. Inside, get up to an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 2TB PCIe SSD. Base configurations with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU start at about $1,020.

HP 15t 

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The 15-inch touch version of HP's standard laptop has seen a recent heavy discount, bringing the starting price down to about $540. This model includes a 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7500U CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB SATA hard-disk drive (HDD). There are some extra configuration options that you can check off at checkout, though the 15.6-inch touch display is set at a 1,366 x 768 resolution. If you're looking for something with a higher resolution, the HP 15z comes up to 1080p and has AMD CPU options.

HP Envy x2 

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The Envy x2 is one of the first Always-Connected PCs powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 CPU to hit the market, with 4G LTE connectivity and a two-day battery. This is light computing at its best, with an Adreno 540 GPU, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 128GB of UFS storage. Build quality is through the roof, a detachable keyboard lets you use the device as a notebook or tablet, and the 12.3-inch touch display has a 1,920 x 1,280 resolution. The tablet weighs just 1.57 pounds (0.71 kg), and it's just 0.27 inches (6.86 mm) thick, making this a truly mobile PC that starts at about $1,000.

HP OMEN X 17 

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HP's OMEN X 17.3-inch laptop has a bevy of configuration options, allowing you to choose the gaming PC you really want. Prices start at about $1,670, but you can seriously jack up the hardware inside. Get up to a 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7820HK CPU, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, dual 1TB PCIe SSDs, and an NVIDIA GTX 1080 GPU with 8GB of GDDR5X VRAM for ultimate gaming performance. The big display is available in 1080p with a 144Hz refresh rate, or you can grab it in 4K for crystal-clear visuals.

HP EliteBook x360 1020 

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HP makes some great business options, but the EliteBook x360 G2 (starting at about $1,430 is likely your best bet. This laptop borrows a lot from the Spectre x360, including the convertible design, but adds business-oriented features like HP's Sure View display privacy filter. Inside, get up to a 7th Gen Intel Core i7-7600U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 2TB PCIe self-encrypted SSD.

Conclusion

HP's lineup of laptops has a lot of different models to choose from, but the refreshed HP Spectre 13t currently has the most to offer for the most people. Need something that's convertible? The Spectre x360 also makes a fine choice.