HP Essential
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer electronics |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | HP Inc. |
| Fate | Discontinued in 2024, replaced by OmniBook brand |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Laptops, tablets |
| Parent | HP Inc. |
HP Essential is a brand name utilized by HP Inc. (previously known as Hewlett-Packard) since 2009 for their affordable, entry-level laptop offerings. This collection encompasses the HP Laptop and HP Notebook lines, along with models marketed simply under the "HP" label. Additionally, the HP Stream series consisted of budget-friendly consumer laptops and tablets. All devices within the HP Essential range operate on the Microsoft Windows platform.
In 2024, the HP Essential lineup is scheduled for discontinuation, replaced by the reintroduced OmniBook brand as part of HP's initiative to streamline its product portfolio.
HP Laptop
- HP Laptop 17t (featuring Intel N200, Intel Core i5/5, i7/7 processors)
- HP Laptop 17z (equipped with AMD Athlon Gold, AMD Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 CPUs)
- HP Laptop 15t (offering Intel Core i5/5, Intel Core Ultra 5, i7/7 options)
- HP Laptop 15z (powered by AMD Athlon Silver, AMD Ryzen 5)
- HP Laptop 14t (available with Intel Celeron, Intel N200, Intel Core i3/3, i5/5, Intel Core Ultra 5)
- HP Laptop 14z (comes with AMD Athlon Silver, AMD Ryzen 5)
HP Notebook
- HP Notebook 15 (2020) – integrated with AMD A6 processor
- HP Notebook 15 (2016) – built with Intel Core i5 processor
200 Series
The HP 255 notebook represents an economical laptop option. Its most recent ninth-generation model (G9) released in 2023 is powered by AMD Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, or Ryzen 7 mobile processors.
400 Series
The HP 450 notebook provides configurations featuring Intel Celeron, Pentium, and Core i3 processors.
500 Series
Targeted at entry-level business users, the HP 520 notebook includes Intel Core Duo T2400 or Celeron M CPUs. It comes preloaded with Windows Vista Business or Basic editions and offers an option for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.
600 Series
In 2010, the HP 620 notebook was equipped with a dual-core Intel Pentium processor. The following year saw the introduction of the HP 630 with an Intel Pentium P6200 dual-core CPU and the HP 635 featuring an AMD Zacate E-350 processor.
HP Stream series
Introduced in November 2014, the HP Stream series targets users seeking affordable Windows-based devices on a budget.
First generation comparison
| Stream 10 | Stream 11 | Stream 11 Pro | Stream 13 | Stream 14 | Stream 14 Pro | Stream x360 | Stream 7 | Stream 8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Laptop | 2-in-1 | Tablet | ||||||
| Display | 11.6" | 14.1" | 11.6" | 7" 1280×800 | 8" 1280×800 | ||||
| CPU | Intel Celeron | Intel Celeron N2840 | Intel Celeron | Intel Celeron or Pentium | Intel Atom Z73735G | ||||
| Memory | 4 GB | 1 GB | |||||||
| Storage | 500 GB | 1 TB | 500 GB | 32 GB | |||||
| HDMI ports | No | Yes | |||||||
| USB ports | USB | 2x USB 3.0 | 1x USB 3.0 | 1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 | |||||
| SD card slot | No | Yes | |||||||
| Ethernet port | No | No | Yes | ||||||
HP Stream 11 Pro
The initial generation of the Stream 11 Pro debuted in January 2015. It featured an identical-sized display of 1366x768 pixels at 11.6 inches like the Stream 11 but distinguished itself with a unique keyboard design.
Later iterations comprised:
- G1 (2015)
- G2 (2015)
- G3 (2017)
- G4 (2017)
- G5 (2020)
HP Stream 13
The original HP Stream 13 featured an Intel Celeron N2480 processor clocked at 2.16 GHz alongside Intel HD graphics, with a retail price of $230.
HP Stream 14
Initially launched in 2014, the HP Stream 14 came with an AMD A4 Micro-6400T APU under the 14-Z0 series. In 2016, it was refreshed with a 1.6 GHz Intel Celeron N3060 processor, designated as model series 14-AX/14-CB. A further update appeared in 2020 with the 14-DS series, continuing its role as a budget-friendly choice for everyday users.
HP Stream x360
Introduced in 2015, the Stream x360 is a convertible 2-in-1 device available in two sizes: an 11.6-inch model (11-P0) and a 13.3-inch version. It was powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron N2840 processor running at 2.16 GHz and included 2 GB of RAM.
The second generation (model 11-AA) was released in 2016, featuring an upgraded Celeron N3060 CPU.
HP Stream 7
The HP Stream 7 is a Windows-operated tablet that Hewlett-Packard announced on September 29, 2014.
HP Stream 8
Designed by Hewlett-Packard, the HP Stream 8 is a tablet running Microsoft Windows.