HP Victus 15 (2023) Gaming Laptop Review: Budget-Friendly Powerhouse with Ray Tracing"
Greetings, everyone! I'm back with another review of a gaming laptop, and this time it's the 2023 edition of the HP Victus 15. As you may know, the Victus series is known for its affordability. HP hasn't made any major changes to the Victus 15, which was first introduced just last year. However, the most significant update is the inclusion of new CPU and GPU options. These new Victus 15 laptops now feature the latest 13th Gen Intel "Raptor Lake" CPUs, and on the GPU front, HP has replaced the GTX GPUs with models that offer Ray Tracing capabilities, even in the base configurations.
Here are the specifications for the HP Victus 15 (2023):
Display: 15.6-inch IPS LCD with a 144Hz refresh rate, anti-glare coating, 250 nits brightness, and 45% NTSC color coverage
Resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Keyboard: Full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad
Processor: Intel Core i5-13420H CPU, with an option to upgrade to Core i7-13700H
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 "Refresh," with the possibility to upgrade to RTX 4050
RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200
Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD
Audio: Dual speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen
Battery: 3-cell 70 Wh Li-ion polymer
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E AX211, Bluetooth 5.2
I/O Ports: 1x USB Type-A (with HP Sleep and Charge), 1x USB Type-A, 1x RJ45, 1x combo audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB Type-C (with DisplayPort 1.4 and HP Sleep and Charge)
In terms of pricing, in India, the base model with Core i5-13420H and RTX 3050 starts at Rs. 105,000, which some may find a bit steep. I recommend waiting for the base variant, which offers a more budget-friendly option. It's important to note that this laptop is not a high-end gaming powerhouse; it's designed with beginners in mind, which aligns with the Victus series' philosophy.
Performance-wise, the laptop equipped with an Intel Core i5-13420H CPU, NVIDIA GTX 3050 "Refresh" GPU, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD can handle various tasks. Whether you're a student working on academic projects or an office worker, it can manage everyday tasks and even handle programming and content creation. It handles multitasking well, even with numerous Chrome tabs open and running LibreOffice.
Moving on to gaming, the HP Victus 15 performs admirably. It offers smooth gameplay in CPU-intensive games like CS: GO, with an average of 215 fps. Heavier titles like GTA V run decently at 95 fps on medium settings. Even more demanding games like Forza Horizon 5 maintain playable frame rates, with an average of 92.6 fps on high graphics settings. You can also enjoy games with Ray Tracing, such as Control and Cyberpunk 2077, thanks to the dedicated RT cores.
In terms of thermals, the laptop remains cool during gaming sessions, with surface temperatures staying below 40 degrees Celsius. However, the fan noise can be quite audible during gaming, so using good quality headphones is recommended.
The laptop's port selection includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB ports, ethernet, and display output. However, some users may find the ports to be rigid, making peripheral connections a bit challenging.
Unfortunately, the touchpad on this laptop is not up to par, so using an external mouse is advisable for both gaming and regular tasks. On a positive note, the keyboard is comfortable, with a full-size layout, decent key travel, and a white backlight that gets the job done.
In terms of design, the laptop's premium blue color blends well in various settings and hides smudges effectively. The build quality is decent, considering the price, but it may flex under pressure. The speakers are passable but not exceptional, producing flat sound quality with noise at higher volumes.
Regarding the display, the 15.6-inch anti-glare FHD IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate is suitable for gaming but falls short for serious content creation due to its limited color coverage and average brightness.
Finally, the battery life lasts around 4 to 5 hours on a full charge, which is decent for a gaming laptop. It comes with a 200W AC power adapter that can fully charge the laptop in approximately 2 hours.
In conclusion, the HP Victus 15 (2023) is a solid gaming laptop for those on a budget, especially in its base configuration. It offers the latest 13th Gen CPUs, Ray Tracing capabilities, and good thermal performance. However, it has passable speakers and a sub-par touchpad. Keep in mind that availability of the 13th gen models may be limited, so considering the previous year's models could be a viable option.