Pros: 17 inch display, Core i5 processor, 1 TB of storage, upgradable RAM (2 slots), entry level price.
Cons: Battery life.
The 15.6 inch laptop size is not for everyone. Some people need more screen real-estate and though options in this terrain are slimmer, there are still quite a few quality alternatives in the market. Such is the case of the laptop we're going to check out today; the HP 17-G119DX (see price here).
This new laptop has earned its bragging rights thanks to, not only its 17 inch screen, but also because of its very attractive set of specs. Amongst said specs are a Core i5 CPU, expandable RAM, Intel HD Graphics 4400 graphics chip and quite a bit more. Have we got your attention? Well strap on for the ride as we uncover all there is to know about HP's newest laptop on this in depth review of the HP 17-G119DX.
What do buyers have to say about this laptop? Find out here!
HP 17-G119DX: Review of a balanced 17 inch laptop
Let's talk about the display and the general aesthetics
Generally speaking, the HP 17-G119DX is a very stylish laptop. It boosts a premium design that's very rare within its price bracket and though it's mainly built from plastic, that's not the impression it gives away when you look at it thanks to its brushed metal design.
It's screen, as we know, occupies all of 17.3 inches and it's brightview technology paired to the fact that it's display is WLED makes for a very pleasing viewing experience. As far as resolution goes, it doesn't set itself apart from the crowd and boosts your average resolution of 1600 by 900 pixels.
All in all, it's the perfect screen to watch movies or edit pictures seeing as the screen's size as well as it's crisp resolution really allows you to go beyond the big picture and pay attention to the details.
The keyboard isn't backlit but that's fine (they generally aren't at these prices). It's very comfortable thanks to its chiclet design and dedicated numeric pad, one of the benefits of being a 17 inch laptop.
The weight isn't excessive at 6.17 pounds and the form factor is pretty sleek with just over an inch of thickness. Overall, the aesthetics, display and dimensions are within the norm of what we can find in the 17 inch market though the design is definitely one of its pros.
What's the processor like? How will it perform with multitasking?
Getting to the more technical aspects, this processor has two cores (dual core), 4 threads, 3 MB of cache and it's built on a 64 bit architecture. Speed-wise, it runs at 1.7 GHz but it can go up all the way to 2.7 GHz once turbo boost is activated. It's a good processor for average use though it's not a top of the line CPU that you can find of more expensive notebooks.
Moving on to the system memory, we've got 4 GB of RAM. This is good enough for simple multitasking like having a few tabs open on your browser and running a couple of programs in the background. However, the RAM is upgradable and we seriously recommend you to upgrade to at least 8 GB, this way you'll not only gain in current performance but you'll also be playing a part at future-proofing the G119DX.
What's the graphics card on the HP 17-G119DX? Is it good for gaming?
At these prices it's not very common to find laptops that were built to play games and unfortunately the HP 17-G119DX is no exception to this. HP's latest incursion onto the 17 inch market comes with an Intel HD Graphics 4400.
This graphics card is ok for playing games from a few years back at low resolution settings but overall it's not a gaming laptop and we would not recommend this laptop for people looking for an affordable gaming notebook.
What's the deal with the storage and battery life?
There's not that much to say when it comes to the storage and battery life of this unit. The storage is made up of a 1 TB hard drive that works at your standard speed of 5400 rpm. We all know that an SSD would make boot up and shutdown periods much shorter but we can't really expect a mid range laptop to come with an SSD unit, at least for now.
The battery life of the HP 17-G119DX is comprised of a 4 cell lithium based battery which, for all intents and purposes, should manage to pull in between 3 to 4 hours of use, depending on the settings and type of usage.
Unfortunately HP hasn't provided us with official info in this regard but considering the fact that most people that buy a 17 inch laptop don't intend to move it a lot, it shouldn't be much of problem.
Connectivity and OS
As we approach the end of the 17-G119DX's review, it's time to take a quick detour to look at the connectivity options. Here we've got your standard set that comes with 3 USB ports (two of which are USB 3.0), an ethernet port for a faster and more secure internet connection, an HDMI port to connect the laptop to a TV, a DVD burner, WiFi, Bluetooth and a webcam.
Finally, the OS in question is Windows 10 with its 64 bit variant. Sure, many people will still be-grudge the system but it sure beats the interface and overall user-experience of Windows 8 while improving upon some of the faults present within Windows 7.
What's the Verdict?
Wrapping things up is rarely an easy task when we're taking on a laptop review but in the case of our HP 17-G119DX review it's a lot easier. Overall, this 17 inch notebook has won us over and convinced us that it's the perfect laptop for those seeking a desktop replacement that goes beyond the 15 inch mark.
The processor offers the perfect balance between power and efficiency, the upgradable RAM offers room to future-proof the device and the amount of storage is more than enough for most users. The biggest con we could point out would be the relatively weak battery life but even that seems diminished when you take into account the size of the machine.
There's just no way around it, if you're looking for an affordable 17 inch laptop that delivers a solid performance with a stylish design then this is your laptop.
Still mulling it over? Check out the customer reviews!