HP Victus 16 (16.1-inch, 2021)

Rock-solid mainstream gaming power ; Impressive AMD Ryzen 7 CPU ; Cheaper than the competition ; Quieter than most gaming laptops

Bland, washed-out display ; Mediocre connectivity ; Irritating power button

The HP Victus 16 is an affordable and effective option for mainstream gaming. The graphics chip and processor both impress, the 16.1in display increases immersion, and the keyboard is reasonable. However, don’t expect lashings of pace, good screen...

Excellent productivity performance ; Solid 1080p gaming performance ; Comfortable keyboard ; Display is good for both productivity and gaming ; Reasonably priced

Build quality is subpar ; Keyboard backlighting is limited ; Poor battery life

“The HP Victus 16 is a solid gaming laptop at an affordable price.”

Very good 1080p performance ; Pretty good thermal performance ; Audio is decent for a laptop

Only 60Hz refresh rate (without upgrade) ; A bit more expensive than other gaming laptops with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050

The HP Victus 16 is one of many new gaming laptops that come equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050. Thanks to an Intel Core i7 and 16GB in this configuration, it offers a little better performance than most, though at a higher price. It’s a shame...

Speedy 1080p gaming ; Attractive 16.1-inch screen ; Numerous configuration choices

Plastic build with weak screen hinge and chintzy touchpad ; A pound overweight ; No Thunderbolt 4 port ; No Windows Hello biometrics ; Bizarre undervolting option

HP's new Victus 16 is a good budget gaming laptop, but commits the sin that the best in its class avoid—its cost-cutting design pokes through in several minor but annoying ways.

Very good value ; Surprisingly comfortable keyboard ; Large 16-inch 1080p screen with a high 144Hz refresh rate

Very good value ; Surprisingly comfortable keyboard ; Large 16-inch 1080p screen with a high 144Hz refresh rate

A low sticker price helps usher this budget 16-inch gaming laptop into a select circle of gaming notebooks worth buying.

Elegant, solid design ; Office acceptable ; Audiophiles will appreciate the clean sound ; Solid colorful 16-inch display ; Perky gaming performance

Speakers lack a bit of loudness ; Display could be brighter

With potent, perky specs, elegant design cues, and a solid FHD display. The HP Victus 16 is an excellent entry-level gaming laptop that won’t deplete your bank account.

Good performance ; Springy keyboard ; Long battery life

Bloatware ; 1080p screen

Overall, the HP Victus 16 sits comfortably between barebones budget laptops and mid to high-tier gaming laptops with all the bells and whistles. The model we tested is a good value, but the Victus 16 with a Ryzen 7 processor and RTX 3050 Ti graphics...