HP Victus 15 Laptop, FHD IPS 144Hz Display, 9ms Response Time, 13th Generation Intel Core i5-13500H, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU (6 GB), Windows 11 Home, 15-fa1010nr (2023)
About This Product
Introduction
In the ever-evolving world of laptops, HP has been a prominent player for decades. They’ve consistently delivered products that cater to a wide range of users, from professionals seeking powerful workstations to students looking for budget-friendly options. The HP Victus 15 is one of their latest offerings, and it has generated quite a buzz in the market. In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive deep into the Victus 15, exploring its design, performance, display quality, keyboard and trackpad, battery life, and more, to help you make an informed decision if you’re considering purchasing one.
Design and Build Quality oF HP Victus 15
The first impression of the HP Victus 15 is undoubtedly its design. HP has chosen a minimalist approach with this laptop, and it’s a refreshing departure from the flashy designs that have become commonplace in the gaming laptop arena. The laptop’s chassis is made from high-quality plastic, which keeps the weight manageable while maintaining sturdiness.
Measuring 14.17 x 10.24 x 0.92 inches (360 x 260 x 23.4 mm) and weighing approximately 5.3 pounds (2.4 kg), the Victus 15 falls into the typical 15-inch laptop category in terms of size and weight. It’s not the most portable option on the market, but it’s reasonably compact for a gaming laptop.
The lid features a subtle HP logo in the center, with a brushed texture that adds a touch of elegance. While it might not scream “gamer,” it’s far from bland. The overall design aesthetic is neutral, making the laptop suitable for both gaming and professional use.
One notable aspect of the Victus 15’s design is its cooling solution. HP has employed a dual-fan system with larger exhaust vents at the rear, which is designed to keep the laptop cool during intense gaming sessions. The cooling system seems effective, as we’ll discuss in the performance section later in this review.
Display Quality
The HP Victus 15 comes equipped with a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display, boasting a fast 144Hz refresh rate and a 9ms response time. This combination makes it a compelling choice for gamers who demand smooth, tear-free gameplay.
The display offers excellent color accuracy and sharpness. The IPS panel provides wide viewing angles, ensuring that colors remain consistent even when viewed from extreme angles. Whether you’re gaming, streaming movies, or working on creative tasks, the display impresses with vibrant colors and crisp details.
The 144Hz refresh rate is a standout feature for gamers. It means that the screen refreshes 144 times per second, allowing for incredibly smooth gameplay with reduced motion blur. Competitive gamers will appreciate this feature, as it can give them an edge in fast-paced titles where split-second reactions are crucial.
On the downside, the display’s brightness could be better, especially for outdoor use. It’s adequate for indoor environments, but in bright sunlight, you may find yourself struggling to see the screen clearly. Additionally, it lacks support for advanced display technologies like G-Sync or FreeSync, which can further enhance gaming performance. However, considering the laptop’s price point, these omissions are forgivable.
Performance
Under the hood, the HP Victus 15 is powered by the 13th generation Intel Core i5-13500H processor. This is a quad-core, eight-thread CPU with a base clock speed of 2.4GHz and a boost clock of up to 4.6GHz. While it’s not the most high-end processor on the market, it’s well-suited for a laptop in this price range.
The CPU is paired with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB SSD. These specifications are solid for everyday tasks, such as web browsing, office work, and multimedia consumption. The SSD ensures fast load times and system responsiveness, making the laptop feel snappy and agile.
When it comes to gaming, the Victus 15 doesn’t disappoint. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB of dedicated VRAM delivers competent performance in a wide range of games. While it may not handle the most demanding titles at ultra settings, it can comfortably run most games at medium to high settings without breaking a sweat.
To put the laptop through its paces, we tested it with popular titles like “Cyberpunk 2077,” “Shadow of the Tomb Raider,” and “The Witcher 3.” In all cases, the Victus 15 delivered smooth gameplay with respectable frame rates. If you’re a casual or mid-tier gamer, you’ll find the performance more than satisfactory.
The cooling system deserves praise for maintaining temperature levels during extended gaming sessions. While the laptop does get warm, it never reaches uncomfortable or throttling levels. The dual-fan setup and large exhaust vents do an excellent job of dissipating heat.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard on the HP Victus 15 is a highlight for both gamers and typists. It features a full-size layout with a dedicated number pad, which is a nice addition for productivity tasks. The keycaps are well-spaced and provide a satisfying amount of travel and tactile feedback. Typing on this keyboard for extended periods is comfortable, and you won’t experience much fatigue.
For gamers, the keyboard offers customizable RGB backlighting with HP’s Omen Gaming Hub software. You can choose from a variety of colors and effects to suit your personal style. The backlighting is bright and evenly distributed, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the laptop.
The trackpad, while not the star of the show, is serviceable. It’s responsive and supports multi-touch gestures, making it suitable for everyday tasks. However, most gamers will likely opt for an external gaming mouse when playing games, so the trackpad’s performance is less critical in this context.
Audio Quality
The audio quality on the HP Victus 15 is above average for a laptop in this price range. It features dual speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen, which deliver clear and reasonably loud sound. While the bass response is limited due to the laptop’s compact size, the mids and highs are well-balanced, making it suitable for both gaming and multimedia consumption.
For a more immersive audio experience, you can connect external speakers or headphones via the laptop’s audio jack or Bluetooth. The laptop also supports DTS:X Ultra, which enhances the spatial audio experience when using headphones, creating a more immersive gaming experience.
Ports and Connectivity
In terms of ports and connectivity options, the HP Victus 15 offers a decent selection for a laptop of its size. On the left side, you’ll find an HDMI 2.0 port, a USB-C port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. The inclusion of a USB-C port is a welcome addition, as it provides versatility for connecting to external displays and peripherals.
On the right side, there’s an Ethernet port for wired internet connectivity, another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a full-size SD card slot. Having an Ethernet port is beneficial for gamers who prefer a stable wired connection for online gaming. The SD card slot is handy for photographers and content creators who need to transfer files from cameras or other devices.
Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections for both gaming and everyday tasks. Wi-Fi 6 is especially beneficial for reducing latency in online gaming and improving overall network performance.
Battery Life
Gaming laptops are not known for their exceptional battery life, and the HP Victus 15 is no exception. It comes with a 3-cell 52.5Whr battery, which is adequate for typical laptop tasks like web browsing and office work but falls short when it comes to gaming.
During our battery tests, the Victus 15 managed to last around 4-5 hours on a single charge with light usage, including web browsing, streaming videos, and document editing. However, when we subjected it to gaming, the battery life dropped significantly, lasting only about 1.5-2 hours. This is to be expected from a gaming laptop, but it’s worth noting that you’ll need to have the laptop plugged in for extended gaming sessions.
Software and User Experience
The HP Victus 15 runs on Windows 10 out of the box, but you have the option to upgrade to Windows 11 if desired. HP includes its Omen Gaming Hub software, which provides a suite of tools for optimizing gaming performance, customizing RGB lighting, and monitoring system metrics.
One of the standout features of the Omen Gaming Hub is the ability to control the laptop’s fan speed and performance mode. This allows you to tailor the laptop’s performance to your needs, whether you’re gaming, working, or just browsing the web. It’s a useful tool for maximizing the laptop’s capabilities.
In terms of bloatware, HP includes some pre-installed software, but it’s not excessive and can be easily uninstalled if you prefer a cleaner Windows experience.
Pros of the HP Victus 15
- Competitive Gaming Performance: The HP Victus 15 offers good gaming performance in its price range, thanks to the combination of an Intel Core i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. It can handle a wide range of games at medium to high settings with smooth gameplay.
- 144Hz Display: The laptop features a 144Hz refresh rate Full HD display with an IPS panel, providing excellent color accuracy and smooth visuals. Gamers will appreciate the reduced motion blur and improved gaming experience.
- Comfortable Keyboard: The keyboard is well-designed with good key spacing, tactile feedback, and customizable RGB backlighting. It’s suitable for both gaming and productivity tasks, making it versatile for various user needs.
- Effective Cooling: The dual-fan cooling system and large exhaust vents keep the laptop’s temperature in check during gaming sessions, preventing overheating and throttling.
- Decent Audio: The Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers offer clear and reasonably loud sound, enhancing the overall multimedia experience.
- Versatile Connectivity: The laptop comes with a range of ports, including USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, and a full-size SD card slot. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 ensure fast and reliable wireless connectivity.
- Minimalist Design: The laptop’s neutral and minimalist design makes it suitable for both gaming and professional use, offering a more understated aesthetic compared to many gaming laptops.
Cons of the HP Victus 15
- Average Battery Life: Like most gaming laptops, the HP Victus 15 struggles with battery life, especially during gaming. You’ll need to have it plugged in for extended gaming sessions, limiting its portability.
- Limited Brightness: The display’s brightness could be better, making it less ideal for outdoor use in bright sunlight.
- No Advanced Display Technologies: The laptop lacks support for advanced display technologies like G-Sync or FreeSync, which could further enhance gaming performance.
- Not Suitable for High-End Gaming: While it handles most games well, it may struggle with the most demanding titles at ultra settings. High-end gamers may want to consider more powerful options.
- Plastic Build: While the plastic chassis helps keep the laptop’s weight manageable, some users may prefer a more premium build material like aluminum.
- Lack of Biometric Authentication: The laptop does not include biometric authentication features such as a fingerprint sensor or facial recognition, which are becoming increasingly common on laptops for added security and convenience.
Conclusion
The HP Victus 15 is a well-rounded gaming laptop that offers a compelling mix of performance, design, and affordability. Its minimalist design makes it suitable for both gaming and professional use, and the display’s 144Hz refresh rate and good color accuracy make for an enjoyable visual experience.
Performance-wise, it’s not the most powerful gaming laptop on the market, but it can handle a wide range of games at medium to high settings. The cooling system does a commendable job of keeping temperatures in check during gaming sessions.
The keyboard and trackpad are highlights, offering comfortable typing and customizable RGB lighting for gamers. Audio quality is above average, and the laptop provides a decent selection of ports and wireless connectivity options.
While the battery life leaves something to be desired, it’s a common trade-off with gaming laptops, and most users will likely keep it plugged in during gaming sessions.
In conclusion, the HP Victus 15 strikes a good balance between performance and affordability, making it a solid choice for gamers and professionals looking for a versatile laptop that won’t break the bank.
Whether you’re a student in need of a capable laptop for both coursework and gaming or a professional seeking a budget-friendly option for work and entertainment, the HP Victus 15 is worth considering. It offers a well-rounded package that delivers on its promises without sacrificing style or performance.
