Pros:
– Price-to-performance ratio is phenomenal
– High-refresh rate display
– Great styling
– Generous selection of ports
– Great cooling
– Pretty solid keyboard
– Loud and dynamic speakers by Bang & Olufsen
Cons:
– Battery life
– Fans can get a little loud
– Can be a bit cumbersome to carry around
– HD Camera with no biometrics or Windows Hello
Price: Rs 85,990/-
Rating: 4.5/5
Many people have the misconception that gaming hardware always comes with a hefty price tag, but the HP Victus 16 (AMD) shatters that stereotype in a remarkable manner. Don’t get fooled by its rather simplistic design and lack of RGB, this laptop is as “gamery” as it gets.
HP already offers the Omen series for a more premium, top-of-the-line ageing laptop that comes with all the bells and whistles of a conventional gaming laptop, with RGB and over-the-top styling. However, their Victus lineup is more focused on the discerning gamer, one, who is looking for true value, and squeezing the last bit of performance for every rupee they pay.
Priced at Rs 85,999, the variant of the HP Victus 16 (AMD) that we tested is a bargain, considering that similarly specced laptops easily charge over a lakh or more. Some others, meanwhile, give you way less than what you pay for, while charging you the same.
So who is the HP Victus 16 (AMD) meant for? And does the fact that it is priced sensibly, mean that HP has cut some corners that they shouldn’t have? We find out.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Specs and features
We received the HP Victus 16 (AMD) Model Number s0095AX, as our test unit. This particular unit was equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU. To complement the robust Ryzen 7 processor, our test unit featured 16GB DDR5 RAM in dual-channel configuration (2x8GB) running at a speed of 5600 MTs.
For graphics, our test unit was outfitted with the laptop variant of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, boasting 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM.
The display on our test unit measured 16 inches diagonally and offered an FHD 1920X1080 resolution on an IPS antiglare screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz. It’s worth noting that this display was certified with Dolby Vision, ensuring an elevated visual experience.
In terms of storage, our unit came equipped with a 512GB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD.
For connectivity options, we have a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort 1.4, several USB Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, one RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity, and a 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack. What we don’t like is the fact that HP removed the full-sized SD card slot that we had seen in previous models of the Victus. On the wireless front, the laptop offered WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 capabilities.
The battery in our unit had a capacity of 70W/hr, and it was accompanied by a substantial 200W charging adapter with an AC pin connector for rapid charging.
In terms of security features, the laptop included a privacy shutter for the True Vision 1080p camera. There is no support for Windows Hello.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Design and build quality
The design of the HP Victus 16 (AMD) is phenomenally understated and yet unapologetic. By no means is the Victus 16 a slim laptop. It is big, has some heft and is very distinct in its appearance.
However, it does not have any LED RGB accents that scream for attention. The Victus 16 is available in two colour options: Mica Silver, and Performance Blue, which is the one we got for testing. The laptop gets a matte-ish paint finish. Which looks sublime. Any bling comes in the form of the chrome-finished V badge on the lid of the laptop.
Because the Victus 16 uses a lot of recycled plastic for its construction, there is a bit of flex in the main body and some wobble in the lid. However, it’s nothing to be concerned about in terms of durability. The laptop, thanks to its internals, is literally built like a tank and has some hefty to it. The Victus’ build quality is actually on par with laptops that are far more expensive than it is.
The placement of ports is also well-considered. The right edge accommodates an audio combo jack a couple of USB-A and USB-C ports, and the power connector. On the left, we have the 3.5mm jack, some vents, a single USB-A port, and the ethernet port.
On the rear, you’ll find some pretty hefty vents that keep the beefy CPU cool. You also get a giant vent at the bottom of the laptop, which is accented by two long rubber feet, which slightly raises the laptop off of a surface.
The display sits on a hinge that can be easily opened with one hand while ensuring the bottom remains stable. The bezels surrounding the screen aren’t the thinnest in the world, but they are not bothersome in any way.
The HP Victus 16 (AMD) is built like a tank, evident from its weight of under 2.5 kilograms. While the weight may initially seem like a drawback, considering the laptop’s specifications and the necessary cooling system inside, the weight becomes more understandable and less cumbersome. Overall, the laptop feels great to hold.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard on the HP Victus 16 (AMD), while slightly shallow, provides a comfortable and enjoyable typing experience. Not only do you get a full-sized keyboard, the keycaps are well-sized and spaced, despite the inclusion of a numeric keypad.
Although it may not be the absolute best laptop keyboard available, it certainly ranks among the top options. It offers a comfortable and pleasant typing experience even during long periods of use. The key switches offer a snappy feel and deliver satisfying tactile feedback while preventing accidental keystrokes, although you will need a little time to get used to them, even if you have used an HP laptop before.
You get a single zone RGB lighting, that lets you stylise the keyboard however you deem fit. That’s all the RGB you get from the Vitus 16 AMD.
Although the HP Victus 16 (AMD) is primarily designed as a gaming laptop, it has a surprisingly spacious trackpad. The trackpad is positioned slightly to the left side to allow users an easier and more comfortable typing experience. The trackpad is both precise and user-friendly, offering outstanding tracking and sensitivity. It also has a very satisfying click to it.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Webcam and speakers
The webcam is housed on the top bezel of the display, which is actually very thin. We get a 1080p FHD webcam, with a physical shutter for security and privacy.
The image and the video that you get from the camera are more than good to get the basic job done, but if you are planning on streaming while you game, you will want to invest in something else. It gets the colours right and works well in some challenging situations. It will do just fine for most of your video conferencing needs. You also get temporal noise reduction and dual-array digital mics.
The speakers, again, are great. You get two stereo speakers at the bottom, which have good depth, great bass, and decent treble and do hit the midranges pretty well. The speakers are tuned by Bang & Olufsen, so they really are something special. They are cleverly placed towards the front of the device on either side of its wedge design. This configuration prevents sound muffling and helps project audio away from the laptop.
They are balanced really well and get pretty loud without any distortion. You can easily fill up a room without raising the volume beyond 70 per cent.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Display
The unit we tested featured a 16.1-inch FHD 1920×1080, IPS micro-edge display, with, an anti-glare coating. The display has a peak brightness of 250 nits, supports 144hz, and has 45 per cent NTSC.
The display has a 16:9 aspect ratio, as opposed to the more common 16:10 ratio that we see on most laptops today. While this may mean limited screen real estate for content creation and work, the upshot is that most game developers develop their games for 16:9, so there is nothing weird going on when you game.
The colours that we get are very vibrant and the contrast is impressive for an IPS display, despite it being a 45 per cent NTSC colour profile. Content consumption is a delight, and games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider truly come to life.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Performance, productivity and gaming
The HP Victus 16 (AMD) boasts impressive hardware, featuring the formidable AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor with a peak clock speed of 5.1 GHz, along with 8 cores and 16 threads. In the graphics department, it is equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, offering 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM, a TDP of 95W, and an impressive boost clock of 1492MHz.
The overall performance of the HP Victus 16 (AMD) is truly outstanding. The Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU excels in a wide range of benchmark tests, showcasing its prowess in both single-threaded and multithreaded workloads. Thanks to its innovative hybrid architecture, it consistently achieves top scores in various benchmarks.
Similarly, the GPU delivers solid performance. With a 95W TDP, HP has ensured that the GPU has ample power to provide exceptional graphics performance.
The laptop’s cooling system, which keeps the AMD CPU and NVIDIA GPU in check, is among the most robust in its class. Additionally, it features numerous exhaust vents that is very effective in dissipating heat generated during demanding tasks and gaming sessions. Although it gets a little warm near the top, around the hinge, the keyboard area, where you would typically place their hands, remains comfortably cool.
While it is important to note that benchmark numbers may not always translate directly to real-world performance, the HP Victus 16 (AMD) consistently excels in most benchmark tests, as indicated in the accompanying chart. Its gaming performance is equally impressive, highlighting the capabilities of the Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU and the RTX 3050 GPU.
In 3DMark’s Time Spy test, we got an overall score of 5,942. On Cinebench R23, we had a single-core score of 1,643 and a multicore score of 15,918. PCMark10’s overall score was 6,951. In Crossmark, we had an Overall score of 1,730, a Productivity score of 1,621, a Creativity score of 1,971 and a Responsiveness score of 1,420
During testing, games like Shadow of The Tomb Raider, Far Cry 6, GTA V, Valorant, and Forza Horizon 5 were played at the highest presets, with a resolution of 1920X1080, with ray tracing turned off, and DLSS set to its highest setting, wherever possible. We set the laptop to its highest power and cooling settings as well.
In 1080p we were averaging 105 fps in Shadow of The Tomb Raider, 99 fps in Far Cry 6, 93 fps in GTA V, 220 fps in Valorant, and 110 fps in Forza Horizon 5.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Battery
The HP Victus 16 (AMD) is equipped with a notably substantial battery. It features a 4-cell, 70Whr battery, coupled with a 200W charging adapter. Despite its heft, size, and high-performance capabilities, given that it’s a proper gaming laptop with performance that surpasses most desktops, the HP Victus 16 impressively holds its own in the battery life department.
On an average workday, which involved a substantial amount of writing, some photo editing, and a fair share of content streaming on platforms like YouTube and Netflix, we managed to squeeze out about 4.5 hours of usage while maintaining the screen brightness at around 65 per cent.
During our extended battery test, where we streamed a 4K video from YouTube with the screen at 75 per cent brightness and the volume set at 50 per cent, the HP Victus 16 (AMD) continued to power on for well over 3 hours. As is often the case with gaming laptops, battery life isn’t its strongest suit, but it’s far from disappointing either.
HP Victus 16 (AMD) Review: Verdict
The HP Victus 16 (AMD) is undoubtedly the deal of the decade if you’re in the market for a high-performing laptop that doubles as a fantastic gaming machine. What sweetens the deal is its price, retailing for under Rs 90,000, making it incredibly practical and accessible for most individuals.
The HP Victus 16 (AMD) is a well-rounded laptop that strikes an excellent balance between performance, portability, and productivity.
Nonetheless, there are a couple of areas where it could benefit from some enhancements. The lack of an HDR screen option left us wanting, and a longer-lasting battery would have been a welcome addition. Nevertheless, the overall performance and user experience more than makes up for these minor drawbacks.
For avid gamers who aren’t into streaming and simply want to savour popular games at high frame rates without breaking the bank, the configuration of the HP Victus 16 (AMD) we put to the test proves more than sufficient. Throughout our gaming and testing sessions, we never found ourselves yearning for more performance from this machine. In summary, this is a laptop that we wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking an entry-level or mid-tier gaming laptop without stretching their budget.
from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/G1Qi4DK
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