HP is one of those brands that have been providing laptops since way back when and this brand competes with other brands like Dell and Asus.
HP is a go-to brand due to the variety of laptops they offer, especially budget ones, however, the durability and reliability of HP laptops are always being questioned.
Do HP laptops break easily? Does HP intentionally make laptops that break easily?
Do HP Laptops Break Easily?
Yes, HP laptops do break easily and this is especially evident when it comes to their cheaper models.
The majority of users that have been exposed to numerous laptop brands in the market since way back when would agree that HP laptops break easily. If they would be given the chance to choose the worst laptop brands, HP would be their answer. Why is that? Well, to put it simply, the components that make up HP laptops are low quality.
Upon first glance, you’ll notice that the design of HP laptops is very much prone to breakage. For instance, one user has stated that HP laptops utilize these polygonal designs that ruin the entire stability of the laptop. Also, the hinges on HP laptops are prone to breaking as well due to their awful design.
There are even instances wherein the shell of the laptop itself is thin and would snap on half if you’re not careful and keep in mind this also happens accidentally to several users as well.
Users complain that the materials that make up the majority of HP laptops are low-quality and feel cheap. In addition, the components inside HP laptops such as the SSD, GPU, and HDD tend to break easily over time due to overheating and other factors.
Users would complain that their HP laptops would become unresponsive as well even after just a year of using them. Screens become unresponsive, SSDs aren’t recognized by the laptop anymore, and the GPU would burn from overheating and not work anymore from that point.
Long story short, it’s a no-brainer that HP laptops do break easily, be it hardware or software.
If you’re wondering about whether or not the latest HP laptop models break easily or not, well, some of their new and pricey models are still susceptible to too much heat such as the HP ZBook Studio G7 and HP Envy 15. As we all know, overheating would eventually break any laptop so this is still an issue HP needs to address with their laptops.
Also, be wary of getting the HP Envy x360 (2020) because this model has weak USB port hinges.
Does HP Offer Laptops That Don’t Break Easily?
Yes, HP has numerous rugged laptops that don’t break easily and they have proved this by making their laptops undergo a series of tests that would show how much they’re resistant to damage.
Now, HP may be able to salvage themselves from being considered as the worst laptop brand due to breaking easily by promoting their rugged laptop line.
HP provides numerous rugged laptops that can take a few beatings and accidental damages (you can count in harsh conditions as well). If you’re still interested in trying out HP laptops then we would recommend purchasing from their rugged laptop line.
Based on HP’s official website, their best-rugged laptops are HP ZBook 15 G5, HP Elite x2 1013 G3, HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3, and HP Chromebook 14 G5. According to HP, the following laptop models have undergone some serious tests to prove that these are indeed rugged and durable laptops.
What Is The Lifespan Of HP Laptops?
3 to 5 years would be the average lifespan of HP laptops.
The number of years we’ve mentioned above is only a general estimate of an HP laptop’s lifespan. Of course, the lifespan of a particular HP laptop would ultimately depend on how it’s being used and cared for.
Several factors can shorten an HP laptop’s lifespan such as:
- Overclocking
- Improper handling
- Overheating
Sadly, some users share their sentiment in regards to their HP laptop’s lifespan being short and bitter. Whether an HP laptop is new or not, they’re susceptible to breakage. Some users claim that their HP laptop didn’t even last for more than a year despite taking care of it properly.
In addition, the hardware components inside HP laptops tend to become unresponsive and make the laptop broken overall (mainly due to heat as this is one of the main complaints of HP users).
It’s safe to say that you’d be better off with other laptop brands when it comes to lifespan longevity. Apple and MSI would be our recommendation if you’re looking for laptops that would be of service to you in the long run.
However, if you still want to give HP a chance, then you’re better off splurging on some of their pricier business-class laptops rather than wasting money on their budget ones. Business-class laptops have a lot more to offer than consumer laptops since they’re made to travel and will last for a longer time.
Since businesses need a reliable laptop that’s sturdy and can last all day, business-class laptops are made specifically for those purposes. HP provides business-class laptops from the HP EliteBook line. Laptops from this series are made out of Corning® Gorilla® Glass and are housed in magnesium alloy chassis.
With that being said, you’ll have a better chance of having a longer lifespan with an HP business-class laptop.
How Long Is The Warranty On HP Laptops?
HP laptops have a standard one-year warranty.
The good thing about HP warranties is you have the option to upgrade them. You can avail of their HP Care Pack Service plans and these would give benefits such as prolonging the duration of your current warranty, expanding coverage, and adding extra protection to your HP laptop or other products from the brand.
The user will have the freedom to choose how long their coverage will last during order configuration. How long coverages from warranties like this usually last for two years and the first day would start on the day you’ve purchased a laptop from HP.
If you want to know more information about HP’s Care Pack Service plans, you may visit their website here.
What Are Common Problems With HP Laptops?
Startup problems, inverter problems, screen display problems, audio problems, power problems, and overheating problems would be the common problems HP laptops encounter.
All the common problems aforementioned are often experienced by HP laptop users and they have expressed their feelings about how these negatively affect how they view the brand. Nonetheless, we’ll be explaining each one to help you get a gist of what you may encounter with your HP laptop.
HP Laptop Startup Problem
Users may experience a startup problem wherein their laptop won’t proceed to process normally and boot into the operating system. Usually, people would perform a hard reset on their laptops as a quick fix to address this problem, however, it’s not a guarantee that the laptop will boot properly after doing it.
Users may encounter signs that would indicate that their laptops are undergoing a startup problem:
- LED lights constantly blink and the laptop would make a beeping sound that would indicate it would turn on but it won’t.
- LED lights would glow and the laptop’s fans would keep making whirring sounds, however, the laptop screen would remain black or blank.
- LED lights won’t glow and the laptop screen is black or blank.
- A black or blue screen would show an error message.
- The laptop screen would display the Windows logo but then the laptop would hang.
If a user has managed to address these startup issues it’s still recommended they perform preventive measures to ensure that startup problems with their HP laptops won’t occur as much in the future.
- Keep all HP drivers up to date as well as software applications by using the HP Support Assistant.
- Always make use of an anti-virus program to keep your laptop free from malware. Get rid of suspicious files as well.
- Regularly check Windows Update and see if there’s anything you should update and install.
HP Laptop Inverter Problem
HP laptops are prone to inverter problems, especially laptops from the Compaq line. An HP laptop would indicate that it has an inverter problem if the screen shows faint or unclear images. An inverter is responsible for controlling the power that’s required by backlights.
There are instances wherein an HP laptop would proceed to boot up as it normally would, however, the LCD would appear to be dark since the backlight of the screen won’t turn on. It may take some time before the backlight would turn on but it may turn off again right after.
Users can turn on the LCD’s backlight by triggering it with rapid tapping motions on the lid close switch. The laptop screen may stay dark for a long time due to the backlight malfunction but do take note that the LCD may still be able to produce an image, however, it will be dark. Buzzing noises may also be heard when you encounter an inverter problem.
HP Laptop Screen Display Problem
Screen display problems that commonly occur in HP laptops are:
- The display keeps flickering/blinking.
- The display looks blurry.
- The display appears to be fuzzy.
- Unresponsive touch screen (applicable only to touch screen HP laptops).
- The display turns black or white and sometimes even blank.
Since LCD problems are complicated it would be tricky to tamper with them on your own, so the next best thing to do is to have it repaired by HP.
HP Laptop Audio Problem
Here are common audio problems that users encounter with their HP laptops:
- The audio and volume control of the laptop won’t work.
- The sound produced by the laptop is muffled.
- A cracking or popping sound may be heard from the laptop’s speakers.
- Laptop speakers are unable to produce a sound.
- Several users encounter distorted sounds after a Windows update. There are also instances wherein HP laptops don’t produce any sounds at all after a Windows update.
Audio issues can be addressed by using the Audio Check that comes with HP laptops. This tool can do troubleshooting and audio diagnosis to check and see what type of audio problem an HP laptop has and hopefully fix it. If audio problems persist, you may want to consult the customer support of HP to have it looked at and fixed.
HP Laptop Power Problem
Here are common power problems encountered with HP laptops:
- Swollen battery
- A battery that fails to charge
- Battery draining a lot faster than it normally would
- A faulty AC adapter
- Damaged charging ports
- Clogged charging ports
As you can see, we’ve included HP laptop charger problems here because those are also factors that affect the power of an HP laptop. Power problems must be addressed immediately since these can get costly if the condition worsens.
HP Laptop Overheating Problem
Overheating would probably be the most encountered problem by HP laptop users. This is due to the poor materials and damaged cooling systems. Users experience their HP laptops getting too hot and in some cases, their laptops automatically shut down when it gets too hot.
Address this problem immediately so that it won’t damage the motherboard of the laptop. Overheating problems can be addressed by replacing the cooling system of the laptop.
HP Laptop Keyboard Problems
HP laptops are no stranger to keyboard problems and users would often experience unresponsive keys from the built-in keyboard. Faulty built-in keyboards in HP laptops are caused by several factors such as damaged keys due to physical causes (spills, dust, sticky substances getting in them), faulty drivers, and outdated drivers.
What Does People’s Review Say About HP Laptops?
People often have negative reviews about HP laptops. While there may be a few positive feedbacks, the negative reviews about HP laptops seem to overpower them.
For years and years, HP has dealt with a lot of negative reviews from frustrated users that express various issues they encounter with their laptops. This can easily be seen in various forums online such as Reddit and Quora.
You may often see people say that HP laptops are absolute garbage and would recommend that people are better off getting their laptops from other reputable and reliable brands.
Former HP laptop users also express their frustration by telling others that the hardware components of HP laptops are poorly made out of cheap materials, their customer service is also bad, and the reliability of HP laptops is non-existent.
How Do You Stop HP Laptops From Breaking?
Put your laptop in a laptop case to prevent it from suffering from physical damage, turn the laptop off if you’re not using it, and keep vent fans clear so that the laptop won’t overheat.
Like all laptops, HP laptops are exposed to a lot of factors that may break them, be it physical damage or not. To prevent this from happening you mustn’t mishandle your laptop. Aside from the preventive measures we’ve stated above, you may also want to treat your charging cables with delicacy as well.
If you mishandle your laptop’s charging cable this would result in unresponsive charging. For instance, if you find yourself struggling from adjusting your cable multiple times just to get your laptop charging, that’s a result of mishandling your charging cable.
Another thing, if you want added protection for your laptop you may opt to buy protective accessories such as screen protectors, cases, warranties, and insurance plans.
Ultimately, practicing safety habits would prevent your HP laptop from breaking. Treat it delicately, handle it with care and don’t carry it around by holding the screen or the keyboard, don’t drink or eat near your laptop, and put it inside a case when not being used and when you’re traveling.
HP Laptops Alternative
Dell XPS 17 (2021), Alienware M17 R4 (2021), and Dell XPS 13 would be the best alternatives for HP laptops.
Dell is often compared to HP since they are both close competitors. Needless to say, Dell has received a lot more praise compared to its competitor. This is why we deemed it fit to have Dell as a brand alternative for HP laptops.
Dell provides numerous laptops that serve a multitude of users including consumers, gamers, and business folks. The three Dell laptops aforementioned cater to various users.
All three Dell laptops run on high specs and this would guarantee a seamless flow of work for users. Also, all these laptops sport a unique design that is both sleek and functional.
You can check them out here:
Resources:
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/top-4-most-rugged-laptops
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/longest-lasting-hp-laptop
Susan is a professional writer. She has been a writer for eight years and has always been so fulfilled with her work! She desires to share helpful, reliable, and unbiased information and tips about tech and gadgets. She hopes to offer informative content that can answer users’ questions and help them fix their problems.
