Phenquestions
Choosing a laptop is not as easy as it seems. We all want value for our money so we first dive into the meticulous task of comparing the specs before picking the best one that suits our needs, wants, and budget. There's a whole spectrum of models to choose from but what we consumers normally take into consideration are the design, the hardware specs, the display, and the price. Samsung and HP are the two brands that consumers are always on the lookout for new laptop releases. It comes as no surprise since these two brands have been in the technology business for decades. Both have laptops for every type of user. From professionals to students, to gamers, these two brands constantly raise their standards to keep up with the stiff competition in the laptop industry which embraces every new technology that emerges. For those who are still confused as to which brand to go for, the comparison between these two giants can surely help you decide.
Display
Samsung's display is vibrant and sharp. Recently, they introduced their latest screen innovation, the QLED display, a screen technology that retains the panel's power efficiency without compromising a bright and vivid display.[1] They also have an outdoor mode in their recent releases which adjusts the screen's brightness when there's too much light. Their prior releases also utilized OLED technology as well as FHD (Full High Definition) and UHD (Ultra High Definition) on LED screens with a max resolution of 1920 x 1080.
Just like Samsung, HP also used OLED technology with up to 4k display. They also have FHD and UHD offerings but their screen resolution could be as high as 3840 x 2160, which means the display is crispier and sharper.[2] The screen also has LED backlighting which produces a better image quality, more vibrant colors, and richer blacks.
For those who are dealing with visuals heavily like gamers and photographers, display quality substantially important. Both Samsung and HP offer display features that would captivate a buyer's eye. Despite Samsung's innovative QLED display, it still pales to HP's 4K OLED panel which is brighter and more colorful.[3] If you're not very particular with the display quality though, there's not much noticeable difference between the two and their display quality is still superb.
Design
Samsung has leveled-up its designs in the past few years. Like the latest trend, they have come up with 2-in-1 laptops, which can also be used as a tablet. Their designs are now super sleek, clean, and impressively slim and lightweight. Their experiment with different colors like the daring red and the flashy violet-blue gradient, also prove to be an advantage, giving their laptops a classy and luxurious look.
Aside from traditional laptops, HP also has its 2-in-1 flagships. Like with Samsung, they are also geared towards trendy sleek and slim designs. When it comes to colors though, they're leaning more into subdued shades of white, silver, black, and blue. But HP's approach to design is bolder than Samsung. Their color scheme of black and gold in Spectre X360 for example is simply stunning. Its gem cut chassis and pointed metal in its ventilators give it a futuristic look. Another remarkable HP design is the wood edition of their Envy series which includes real wood in its palm rest and trackpad giving it a vintage feel.
For some users, visual appeal is as important as the laptop's specs and each user has a different taste when it comes to laptop design. Ultimately, the user will decide which brand has a more appealing design, which greatly depends on their preferences.
Performance
When it comes to overall performance, Samsung still lags behind HP which has constantly been one of the top choices of most critiques. HP machines are generally faster and perform better than their Samsung counterparts with better CPUs, more RAM, more storage, and better graphics card. In fact, they are favored by most reviewers from reliable sources such as CNET, Laptop Mag, and PCMag.[4]
Samsung has not always been at the forefront when it comes to performance but they have been resilient and never stops improving the hardware components of their laptops. Their latest Galaxy Book Flex, for example, boasts Intel's 10th Gen Ice Lake processor. The same processor was installed in HP's Spectre x360. Likewise, they're improving their RAM sizes and internal storage to keep up with the competition.
Price
The price range for both brands ranges from as low as $300 to as much as $1500. When you check out the prices from their websites, you'll see that HP's 2-in-1s are slightly cheaper than Samsung's Galaxy series. 13” Galaxy Book Flex for example, with 512GB memory costs $1399.99 while 13” HP's Spectre x360 with the same memory costs only $1299.99. HP's premium laptops though, like the latest Elite Dragonfly is quite costly at $2299.
When it comes to pricing, both brands are on par with each other. Some models are more expensive and some are cheaper than their counterparts but the price difference is not that much. It's usually the special features added to their devices that make them a tad more expensive than the other but it all comes down as to whether you need these features or not.
Which One to Choose?
There are many things to consider before buying a laptop. Each model has its pros and cons and all these sometimes make it hard to decide which one to choose. The previous releases from Samsung were honestly unimpressive and underwhelming as compared to HP's whose products have been favorable to most consumers over the years. However, Samsung is slowly coming back with a lot of upgrades not only in terms of performance but also in aesthetics giving the other competitors a run for their money. So, which one to choose? I would personally go for HP as it's better than Samsung in many aspects. Additionally, based on reviews from different websites, HP always comes on top of Samsung. The tech giant from South Korea however is a formidable contender. After coming back with a vengeance recently, it can surely crawl up the list in a few years.
Sources
[1] Laptop Mag. “Samsung: 2020 Brand Report Card”, 17 Sep 2020, https://www.laptopmag.com/features/samsung-brand-rating, Accessed 24 Oct 2020
[2] Knerl, Linsey, “What is My Screen Resolution?”, 8 Nov 2019, https://store.hp.com/us/en/tech-takes/what-is-my-screen-resolution Accessed 24 Oct 2020
[3] Casey, Henry, “Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Review”, 4 May 2020, https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-book-flex Accessed 24 Oct 2020
[4] Slant. “Samsung Galaxy Book Flex (2020) vs HP Spectre x360 15t (2019)”, N.d., https://www.slant.co/ai/hp-spectre-x360-15t-2019-vs-samsung-galaxy-book-flex-2020 Accessed 24 Oct 2020
