Hewlett Packard (HP) is targeting the budget conscious consumer and has released a new line of affordable Windows-based tablets and laptops.
On Monday, Sept. 29, the company announced two HP Stream notebook PCs which have 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch displays. The company also revealed the HP Stream 7 and HP Stream 8 tablets, which also run Windows 8.1 and have a 7-inch and 8-inch screens, respectively.
"Today's consumers demand mobile products that fit their personal style and allow them to work and play where ever they are," revealed Mike Nash, VP Product Management, Consumer Personal Systems, HP. "The HP Stream products announced today hit the mark with sleek design, portability, access to free cloud storage, and the familiarity of Windows and Office 365."
For those who do not want to burn a hole in their wallets, the HP Stream notebook PC is the perfect choice. The laptops will be available in two screen sizes and pack in the same specifications. Both the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch HP Stream notebook PC models have a HD display and one can opt for an optional Touch display for the bigger model. The laptops are powered by an Intel Celeron dual-core processor. The laptops are fanless, which basically means that your device will run noiselessly. The laptops also pack in 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
The display resolution may disappoint as it is 1366 x 768 pixels, but considering the price ($199.99 for the 11.3-inch model and $229.99 for the 13.3-inch model) what more can we expect? The devices also have USB 2.0, an SD card reader slot and an audio jack. The battery life of the HP Stream notebook PCs is pretty decent and they can last for up to 8 hours 15 minutes on a single charge.
On the downside, the keyboard of the laptops feels a little plasticky. The trackpad is quite hard when one clicks on it and a tad difficult to maneuver - a factor one needs to keep in mind if opting for Touch display variant.
The thin and lightweight laptops will be available in two hues: Horizon Blue and Orchid Magenta. The price for the 11.3-inch and 13.3-inch versions starts at $199.99 and $229.99, respectively. The HP Stream 7 and HP Stream 8 tablets start at $99.99 and $149.99, respectively.
With all the four devices, consumers also get Office 365 free for a year, a $25 gift card valid at the Microsoft Store, as well as 1TB of Microsoft OneDrive. Those who buy the 13.3-inch HP Stream notebook PC, or the HP Stream 8 tablet, will also get 200MB of 4G data free every month sans any annual contract for the device's entire life.
The HP Stream laptops and tablets are expected to hit the U.S. shelves in November, in time for the holiday season.
