1.HP 15-da0056na

Do you need a laptop with a sleek design and long battery life? The HP 15-da0056na offers both qualities in one notebook. As expected of a computer from HP, the performance specs meet the expectations of students and workers. Can the performance and appearance keep up with the other laptops on our list? Read below to learn more.

Design

Let’s start by taking a look at the outer shell of the computer. You will immediately notice a clean turbo silver plastic shell. The outer lid adds a raised texture among every present line. This creates a nice feel and grip to the device.

Despite the metallic appearance of the laptop, the texture is plastic and feels slightly flimsy. Also, at 2.04 kg, this computer’s weight ranks on par with other laptops. Upon opening the lid, the computer reveals more of a clean and stylish appearance. Metallic black accents surround an island keyboard and an off-center touchpad. The trackpad looks nice with two raised buttons on its bottom end. So, what are our overall thoughts of HP’s laptop design? The black and metallic appearance create a sleek and modern feel to the computer.

Processor

Here’s the deal: HP ships the notebook with a quad-core Intel Core i5 8250U processor. During our tests, our team noticed no problems with speed or delays. We could open multiple browser windows without any freezes. The computer multitasked fine without any slowdowns.

The processor reaches a frequency of 1.60 GHz. This is one of the faster processors for a computer in its price range. Our team definitely felt that speed in our tests—we experienced no delays when launching programs. If you decide you need more speed or performance, HP allows an upgrade to a turbo frequency of 3.40 GHz.

RAM

Since this computer ships with a fast processor, you might be wondering the types of programs it can run. With 8 GB of DDR4 RAM at a speed of 2400 MHz, this computer works great for most school and work programs. Launching office suites creates no problems.

Now for the bigger question: Can this computer run any fun programs? This answer is yes! The RAM allows many types of games to run at lower graphic settings. Also, photo and basic video editing software operated adequately on this device. The hardcore gamers and full time video creators may need to look else ware for enough power to fully satisfy their hobbies. However, do you plan to use the computer mainly for work or school with some fun on the side? If yes, then the RAM will supply enough power and performance.

Storage

By this point, you might be wondering: How is the storage in this computer? The device ranks on par with others in its price range. HP ships the notebook with a 1 TB hard drive. The HDD spins at 5400 RPM—a typical speed for reading and writing data. For a school or work computer, this will provide more than enough space. Thankfully, you can swap the HDD for an SSD if you desire more speed.

Display

HP 15-da0056na comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920*1080) LED-backlit display. The full-HD resolution ensures that text and images are readable, and colour reproduction is also very good. The display is fine for basic tasks like browsing the web, watching videos on YouTube, etc.

The HP 15-da0038na ships with an Intel HD Graphics 620 graphics card. Are you wondering how this will work for gaming? The video card will allow most games to run at lower graphical settings.

Battery

HP ships its laptop with a non-removable 3-cell lithium ion battery. The power source endured 5-6 hours between charges during our tests. This outlasted the batteries of many other laptops on our list.

Are you sick of your laptop dying on lengthy plane trips? This HP device will allow you to enjoy your computer for the majority of most airline trips without worrying about the battery dying. Also, the notebook will last a couple university lectures before needing a recharge.

Ports and Slots

The HP notebook ships with the typical ports and slots of a laptop in its price range. If you want to create a wired connection to a network, the device offers an Ethernet RJ 45 port. For other forms of connection, the laptop provides an SD card slot, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, an HDMI port.

Connectivity

Let’s face it: If you are buying a notebook, you will want to connect to the Internet at some point. For connecting to the Internet and devices, HP’s laptop offers the standard options of other notebooks on our list. The Ethernet port allows for wired LAN connections. For connecting to Wi-Fi hotspots, the computer contains an 802.11 wireless card. The notebook also connects to other devices via Bluetooth.

Additional Features

Do you need a device capable of making video calls? HP’s built-in webcam and mic will suffice for any type of Skype call.

However, the camera’s resolution peaks at 720p and 30fps. What do these numbers mean? If you try to use the device as a general-purpose camera, your pictures will appear grainy while videos appear choppy. Therefore, the camera’s main purpose remains for web calls.

Do you plan on listening to media through the computer’s speakers? The laptop equips itself with a DTS sound system. Ultimately the sounds lack dimension and general loudness. Don’t get us wrong: the noise from the speakers is adequate. However, we have heard better sound quality on other laptops.

While the sound may not be the best, HP provides a comfortable typing experience. The island-style keyboard provides large keys. The keys feel well spaced and provide a nice tactile feel. The computer also offers a large touchpad. While the surface lacks the smoothness of other devices, we ultimately noticed few problems. Clicks registered well. The pad also registered most sweeps.

Pros

Long battery life.

Light weight.

Cons

No SSD.

Optical drive is missing.

Doesn’t have a backlit keyboard.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line: the HP 15-da0056na notebook works as a great school or works computer. You will experience very few problems with loading programs, games, and software on the notebook.

