We reviewed the HP Victus 16 gaming laptop computer again in 2021, however new CPU and GPU silicon means it is time for a brand new mannequin. The 2023 HP Victus 16 (begins at $1,099.99; $1,449.99 as examined) is on the market in a number of configurations, a few of which strike us as higher values than the mannequin we reviewed, which groups a thirteenth Technology Intel Core i7 processor with Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics and 1TB of storage. We now have no complaints about this gaming laptop computer’s comparatively plain bodily design, and its battery is long-lasting, however a ho-hum show that tops out at a 60Hz refresh fee is a giant miss for a gaming rig at this worth. The 2023 HP Victus 16 neither separates itself from the decrease finish nor retains tempo with barely extra pricey alternate options. This leaves the Gigabyte Aorus 15 BMF as our greatest price range gaming laptop computer nonetheless, and the MSI Katana 15 as a greater deal general in contrast with the Victus as configured.
A Slim and Trim 16-Inch Gamer
The Victus 16 does not compensate for its entry-level standing with a flashy look or daring design selections, although another configurations have flashier blue and white coloration choices than our check unit. It is a fairly restrained all-black laptop computer, made to slot in slightly than stand out. Since gaming rigs on this worth vary are more likely to be your solely system—additionally taken to class or to a café—mixing in with the surroundings is a superb alternative.
HP’s Victus helps a transportable life-style as effectively, measuring 0.94 by 14.5 by 10.2 inches (HWD) and weighing 5.15 kilos. That is pretty svelte and fairly gentle for a 16-inch gaming pocket book.
Regardless of being plastic as a substitute of aluminum, the laptop computer’s bodily construct feels sturdy. We lately regarded on the HP Omen 16 (2023), which used the identical plastic chassis for a $2,800 configuration as an entry-level mannequin. Nonetheless, whereas HP’s Victus design and supplies aren’t precisely punching above their weight, they’re acceptable at beneath $1,500.
That impression actually extends to the entire design—it is completely serviceable for the worth, even when the latter shades from price range into midrange territory. The keyboard is bouncy and comfy to kind on, the touchpad is serviceable, and the chassis does not really feel weak or flimsy. The visible design, although plain, is clear and neat, and the laptop computer feels sufficiently substantial. (A sale worth at this writing, knocking $250 off our system’s $1,449.99 MSRP, makes the Victus extra tempting as effectively.)
The show is equally simple, with traditional full HD (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) decision and a rated 300 nits of brightness, which collectively are just about desk stakes for all however the least expensive laptops these days. The display screen is not particularly vivid or sharp, however delivers an general image that is simply superb, with sufficient coloration and distinction to get the job performed.
Nonetheless, its refresh fee is similar 60Hz because the shows of generic productiveness laptops—superb for normal use, however virtually disqualifying for a gaming machine in 2023. Even amongst price range gaming rigs, a 120Hz or increased refresh fee has turn out to be the norm, maintaining tempo with fashionable GPUs to make video games look and play extra easily. (That is although most do not excel at resolutions increased than 1080p.)
Even a look at its specs tells you our Victus 16 config is able to 120 frames per second (fps) or extra with not less than some video games, so 60Hz is a stark letdown on this worth vary. HP sells different fashions with higher-refresh panels, however each base variations and our boosted configuration are caught at 60Hz.
At the very least the ports are well-rounded, beginning with a USB Kind-A port, a not-too-common Ethernet port, and a headphone jack on the left aspect. The appropriate flank holds two extra USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and an HDMI connector for an exterior monitor. You may discover no main misses right here—the USB-C port does not assist Thunderbolt 4 speeds, however that is not a deal-breaker—and the inclusion of an Ethernet port for severe on-line gaming and large file downloads is welcome.
A 1080p webcam enhances the connectivity with clearer video name high quality than most. It may well’t compete with a good standalone USB digital camera for readability—lighting nonetheless seems considerably crushed—however my face and background regarded noticeably crisper than on laptops with low-rent 720p cameras.
Configuration Issues
As talked about, our evaluate unit is not a Victus 16 base mannequin, so let’s again up. The least costly configuration on HP’s web site is a $1,099.99 system with an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS CPU, 16GB of reminiscence, a 512GB solid-state drive, and a previous-generation Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU. Essentially the most inexpensive Intel mannequin is $1,149.99 (on sale for $899.99 at this writing), which has the identical elements apart from swapping in a Core i5-1300H CPU.
If you would like Nvidia’s newest GPU technology, a $1,299.99 config accommodates the identical specs because the Intel system above however steps as much as an RTX 4050—most likely a worthy $150 improve in the event you’re on the lookout for a extra future-proof gaming rig. An AMD Ryzen 7 mannequin with GeForce RTX 4060 is $100 above that.
Lastly, we come to our check unit, whose $1,449.99 checklist buys you a Core i7-13700H (six Efficiency cores, eight Environment friendly cores, 20 threads), 16GB of RAM, a 1TB NVMe SSD, and a GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. As I stated, this slides into midrange gaming laptop computer territory, making the 60Hz display screen refresh fee and RTX 4050 appear underwhelming. We’ll reserve judgment till we take a look at the benchmark outcomes, nevertheless.
Testing the HP Victus 16: Regular as She Goes
To place this laptop computer’s efficiency in context, we have collected a quartet of competing gaming rigs for our benchmark charts. We have already talked about the MSI Cyborg 15, our prime price range gaming suggestion on the time of testing (changed by the aforementioned Gigabyte Aorus 15 BMF), which occupies a worth tier beneath this HP at $999. The MSI Katana 15 is a extra well-equipped various, priced simply above the Victus 16.
Two different contenders come from Lenovo. The Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 7 depends on related however previous-generation elements, providing you with an concept of the efficiency enchancment the brand new elements convey. Lastly, the Lenovo Legion Professional 5 Gen 8 ($1,767.99 as examined) reveals what you will get for a couple of hundred {dollars} greater than the Victus.
Productiveness and Content material Creation Checks
We run the identical normal productiveness benchmarks throughout each cellular and desktop programs. Our first check is UL’s PCMark 10, which simulates a wide range of real-world productiveness and workplace workflows to measure general system efficiency and likewise features a storage subtest for the first drive.
Our different three benchmarks deal with the CPU, utilizing all accessible cores and threads, to fee a PC’s suitability for processor-intensive workloads. Maxon’s Cinebench R23 makes use of that firm’s Cinema 4D engine to render a posh scene, whereas Geekbench 5.4 Professional from Primate Labs simulates fashionable apps starting from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine studying. Lastly, we use the open-source video transcoder HandBrake 1.4 to transform a 12-minute video clip from 4K to 1080p decision (decrease occasions are higher).
Lastly, we run PugetBench for Photoshop by workstation maker Puget Techniques, which makes use of the Artistic Cloud model 22 of Adobe’s well-known picture editor to fee a PC’s efficiency for content material creation and multimedia functions. It is an automatic extension that executes a wide range of normal and GPU-accelerated Photoshop duties starting from opening, rotating, resizing, and saving a picture to making use of masks, gradient fills, and filters.
The Victus 16 was probably the greatest performers within the group, which is not too stunning whenever you evaluate CPUs. The 2 MSI notebooks share the identical thirteenth Gen Intel CPU, however it’s a barely much less highly effective chip than the one HP selected. The Legion 5i has an older processor however usually outperformed the Victus, which simply goes to point out the significance of particular person testing. It ended up perched alongside the Legion Professional 5 and its potent Ryzen chip.
Efficiency numbers are all the time fascinating, however not often not your solely deciding issue. If you happen to just like the Victus 16 as an general package deal, the query is whether or not you possibly can depend on it for normal use and churning by some media duties for content material creators and editors. The quick reply is sure—the HP is able to dealing with demanding jobs at a superb tempo, even when it is no match for a pro-grade cellular workstation.
Graphics and Gaming Checks
For gaming laptops, we run each artificial and real-world gaming benchmarks. The previous contains two DirectX 12 gaming simulations from UL’s 3DMark, Evening Raid (extra modest, appropriate for programs with built-in graphics) and Time Spy (extra demanding, appropriate for rigs with discrete GPUs). Additionally thrown into that gauntlet is the cross-platform GPU benchmark GFXBench 5, which we use to gauge OpenGL efficiency. These GFXBench exams are rendered offscreen to accommodate completely different native show resolutions; extra frames per second (fps) means increased efficiency.
Shifting on, our real-world gaming exams come from the in-game benchmarks of F1 2021, Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, and Rainbow Six Siege. These three video games—all benchmarked at 1080p decision—signify simulation, open-world action-adventure, and aggressive/esports shooter video games, respectively. Valhalla and Siege are run twice (Valhalla at Medium and Extremely high quality, Siege at Low and Extremely high quality), whereas F1 2021 is run as soon as at Extremely high quality and, for GeForce RTX-based programs, a second time with Nvidia’s performance-boosting DLSS anti-aliasing turned on.
One speedy level within the Victus 16’s favor is that it noticeably outperformed its fellow RTX 4050 system in these exams. Granted, it is the costlier of the 2, however it was a transparent winner on graphics efficiency.
In opposition to the extra equally priced and costlier laptops, the HP fell the place you’d anticipate. The bounce from the RTX 4050 to the 4070 is critical, and in case your price range can stretch that far it might be effectively well worth the leap. Wanting on the Valhalla outcomes, the place the Victus averaged barely greater than 60fps at most settings, the 2 RTX 4070 machines cruised at greater than 100fps.
To make sure, the HP laptop computer posted respectable outcomes, attaining at present’s minimal goal of a mean 60fps in demanding titles at top-quality settings. (DLSS can assist hold body charges increased than that in appropriate titles.) Our judgment actually comes down to cost, nevertheless; HP’s Victus numbers had been concerning the minimal efficiency I might anticipate for this value, and it might look significantly better at our configuration’s present sale worth than its checklist worth. A few of the surcharge goes into the CPU and 1TB of storage, in fact, however the Victus wasn’t a considerably higher performer than the less expensive MSI Cyborg 15 (which features a 144Hz show). The Victus 16 was notably unable to make the most of the 2 titles whose body charges go into the a whole lot.
Battery and Show Checks
We check laptop computer battery life by enjoying a regionally saved 720p video file with show brightness at 50% and audio quantity at 100% till the system quits. We be certain that the battery is absolutely charged earlier than the check, with Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting turned off.
Moreover, we use a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor and its Home windows software program to measure a laptop computer display screen’s coloration saturation—what share of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 coloration gamuts or palettes the panel can present—and its 50% and peak brightness in nits (candelas per sq. meter).
Battery life is without doubt one of the HP’s highlights, having lasted longer than any competitor right here. That helps on a regular basis use exterior of the home, encouraging you to take this principally transportable laptop computer round as wanted with out maintaining a watch out for the closest AC outlet as you need to with some gaming rigs. Its display screen coloration protection and brightness had been fairly pedestrian, although hardly an outlier on this principally budget-priced group.
Verdict: Choose Your Mannequin Rigorously
The HP Victus 16 straddles the fence between entry-level and midrange gaming. On one hand, its efficiency is efficient, particularly in our CPU exams, and it combines loads of storage with first rate battery life. On the opposite, the HP’s worth places it near extra absolutely featured and better-performing programs slightly than financial system fashions. Laptop computer construct high quality and design are acceptable however not thrilling as you creep towards $1,500, and the 60Hz display screen is an actual miss for a gaming laptop computer at almost any worth in 2023.
If you’ll find our check configuration for the $1,199.99 sale worth seen at press time, it is extra compelling, however as configured it is not one of the best worth. At a look, we would recommend the Victus 16 setup with Core i7 CPU, GeForce RTX 4060 graphics, and 165Hz show at $1,569.99 (discounted to $1,319.99 at this writing). Past that, we lately gave the significantly cheaper Gigabyte Aorus 15 BMF our Editors’ Alternative award in price range gaming laptops in the event you’re wanting to save cash. Within the different route, the MSI Katana or considered one of Lenovo’s Legions are smarter selections.
