HP Stream HD Bright View Laptop 14″, Intel Celeron N150, 16GB RAM, 288GB Storage
HP Stream 14″ HD BrightView Laptop Review: The Entry-Level Classic, Explained
The HP Stream line has been HP’s go-to affordable option for years, and the 14″ HD BrightView model carries that reputation forward. Unlike the newer “HP Flagship” listings built around Intel’s N150 chip, the Stream BrightView typically runs on the older Intel Celeron N4120—a chip that first shipped back in 2019. That distinction matters more than it might seem, and it shapes almost everything about who this laptop is actually good for.
The Hardware, Honestly
The Celeron N4120 is a four-core, four-thread “Gemini Lake Refresh” processor with a 6-watt power draw, built for stretching battery life rather than chasing speed. It’s paired with Intel UHD Graphics 600, DDR4 memory (commonly 4GB, with 8GB and 16GB configurations also sold), and storage that ranges from a modest 64GB eMMC drive up to 416GB when bundled with an external docking set.
The 14-inch HD BrightView display runs at 1366×768 resolution with a micro-bezel and anti-glare finish—bright enough for indoor use but soft compared to Full HD alternatives. A 720p webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI, and USB-C/USB-A ports round out the connectivity. Most configurations ship in Windows 11 S mode and bundle a one-year Office 365 subscription, with some listings throwing in a bonus USB storage card.
Performance Reality Check
Independent CPU benchmarks put the Celeron N4120 well behind even modest modern chips—its PassMark and Cinebench scores land it in budget-Chromebook territory rather than mainstream-laptop territory. It’s genuinely fine for typing, browsing, and streaming video, but it will visibly struggle the moment you open several browser tabs, run background updates, or try anything resource-intensive. This is a laptop built for patience, not speed.
Who This Fits
The HP Stream BrightView makes the most sense as a secondary computer, a kids’ or first-laptop option, or a bare-bones machine for someone who mostly writes, emails, and browses. It’s a poor fit for students juggling heavy coursework software, professionals running multiple applications, or anyone expecting snappy day-to-day performance.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Among the lowest entry prices for a new Windows laptop in the US market
- Bundling a one-year Office 365 subscription adds real value
- Lightweight, portable 14-inch design with anti-glare BrightView display
- Higher RAM/storage configurations (8GB–16GB, 400GB+) available for a modest premium
- Wi-Fi, HDMI, and USB-C connectivity cover the essentials
- Long battery life thanks to the chip’s low power draw
Cons:
- Intel Celeron N4120 is a 2019-era chip, meaning it is significantly slower than current entry-level processors
- Base 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC configurations feel cramped almost immediately
- 1366×768 display resolution is noticeably behind Full HD standards
- Windows 11 S mode restricts software installation until manually upgraded
- Not suited for multitasking, creative software, or demanding coursework
- Some bundled “extras” (USB cards, dock storage) inflate perceived value more than real capability
Bottom Line
The HP Stream 14″ HD BrightView is best understood as a true entry-level machine—reliable for the basics, but built on aging hardware that shows its age under any real workload. If your needs are strictly light (browsing, writing, streaming), it’s a budget-friendly option backed by a recognizable brand. If you need a laptop that’ll keep up with more demanding daily use, it’s worth stretching the budget toward a newer chip.
FAQs
1. How does the Celeron N4120 compare to the newer Intel N150 used in HP’s “Flagship” laptops?
The N150 is a newer, more efficient chip that generally outperforms the older N4120 in everyday tasks and multitasking, despite both being entry-level processors. If you’re choosing between the two, the N150-based models (like HP’s Flagship line) will feel noticeably more responsive for the same price range.
2. Can this laptop handle video streaming and Zoom calls well?
Yes—streaming video and video calls are well within its comfort zone, since these tasks rely more on network speed and basic decoding than raw CPU power. Where it struggles is running several demanding apps or browser tabs at once alongside that call.
3. Is the 64GB eMMC storage enough, or should I get a bigger configuration?
64GB fills up quickly once Windows updates, Office, and a handful of apps are installed, leaving little room for files. If your budget allows, stepping up to an 8GB RAM / larger storage configuration (or one with the docking storage set) gives noticeably more breathing room for everyday use.
KatC –
Great for college
My twin boys both ordered this laptop for college. So far they have stated its fast, holds charge for a long time, charges quickly when battery is low and light weight so easy to take to class w them. They’ve been using the docking station to connect their tvs to the laptop to use as an extra monitor. They’ve said there’s no delay and it is quick when transitioning from tab to tab, the graphics are great and movies/games have amazing color and crisp pictures and sound is also good. Overall great quality and works well for college so far. Happy w the purchase!
6 people found this helpful
Paola m GarciaPaola m Garcia –
10 de 10
This HP laptop features a sleek and modern design with a metallic finish that gives it a professional look. It is lightweight and easy to carry, making it ideal for students, professionals, or home use. Depending on the model, it can provide balanced performance processors, solid battery life, and a sharp display for work, study, or entertainment.
2 people found this helpful
MelloPiMelloPi –
Reset PC, Switch out of S Mode, Do Not Install McAfee
Windows S Mode and McAfee are glitchy performance killers and restrictive applications. Switching out of Win 11 S mode should be a straight forward process but it just does not work as it should, along with McAfee installed, whether you want it or not. McAfee acts like a worm virus, intrusively imbedding itself deep into system architecture instead of being a gate keeper like other anti-virus apps. Windows S Mode dose not allow you to install and run any app that is not Microsoft verified and found on the Microsoft Store. In S Mode, you cannot install and run any browser other than MS Edge or Bing. There is an app within the MS Store to switch out of S mode but it will not work because, I suspect, of the bloated software that launches when you first turn on and set up this laptop. Switching out of S Mode is permanent. All the advise and direction I found to get this switch to work had failed. Lots of frustrated people out there with the same issue. I finally got MS Support on the phone and they told me this is a very common problem with this product and the only way to resolve it was to reset the PC. A total reset, wiping the OS and all files you may have added. No big deal as this is a new PC and I did not transfer anything from my old PC. After the PC was reset, I was able to switch out of S mode so that I now have Win 11 Home instead of Win 11S Home. At the same time, a McAfee install popup was automatically prompted so I could select Do Not Install. This was all a bit of a pain but other than that, this laptop is not so bad. The display colors are not as vibrant as I hoped but with a resolution of only 1365 x 768, I should have expected that. However, the graphics display very well on a connected higher resolution monitor and it handles steaming video from Amazon Prime Video beautifully. I hope this information can help someone avoid the frustration of dealing with what was intentionally sold as a very restrictive operating environment. Getting rid of S Mode and McAfee gives you back unrestricted use of your laptop.One more annoying detail is that, by default, this operating environment is set to save everything to the MS cloud. The default storage of Document, Downloads, Pictures, etcetera, are all MS cloud folders which is where every file is stored unless you go through a few more clicks to store the files on your local laptop drive. By default, initially you cannot even boot up this laptop without entering your MS PIN to log onto your laptop, and thereby logging into your MS account at the same time. I found this a bit presumptuous that MS thought this was a good idea. Perhaps good for their own marketing efforts though, as some bot scans your files for things you do in order to tailor marketing ad pushes to you personally, but I digress. If you do not want Big Brother holding on to all your personal, professional, private, or other data, then you need to go in to system settings and turn off the MS log in PIN. Doing so allows you to boot up your laptop to your local drive account only. You can always log in and log out of your MS account if and when you choose at any time. Of course, you can even turn off your own laptop log in password so it just simply turns on. without a password. Your choice, as it should be.
383 people found this helpful
Gregory Dahl –
Very Impressive Laptop at a Very Low Cost!
I am more than pleased with this gift for my wife. I have learned that more expensive items are not necessarily better. This particular machine come with the latest Microsoft Windows Home 24H2 S MODE. The operating system has shadows of HP influences and does not actually require separate downloading of time-consuming HP Factory Drivers. Windows Update takes care of the Genuine Microsoft and HP product based on the specifications of the model number. My wife does not require a gaming machine or an expensive AI alternative. This is a very high-quality/inexpensive laptop with all the built-in features for a great computing experience!
28 people found this helpful
Liam –
Defective on day one of setup; edit: returned
Mine just came in yesterday and I have started the process of setting it up today (only 2 days); I’ve downloaded Google Chrome and a reputable subscription based VPN app (S mode was deactivated for the purpose of downloading Chrome). After downloading those two, I set up 2 administrator users and one standard user. In the process of setting up the other administrator user: the laptop crashed and the screen turned black. I’ve tried hard resetting and am leaving it to charge overnight. My intended use was for education for when I’m not at home (I have a desktop and obviously no one is going to bring a whole tower to every class they go to) so I wasn’t planning to use anything fancy — word and chrome.In terms of performance before it crashed:1) CPU was at 100% and was still slow when opening up apps (I wasn’t far from my main mesh router and my actual desktop works fine so can’t be internet problem)2) It made me do a recovery startup when I first unpackaged and logged into my microsoft acccount and the startup took about 20 minutes3) Breeze it up — it felt warm on the bottom after an hourThinking about returning it if the laptop still doesn’t turn on (I’ve tried 2 different outlets in 2 different rooms — [wall plug] and [my extender that has anker charger and an air purifier plugged in]) tmr afternoon).Edit: I’m returning it and getting a refund; had it plugged in for a couple of days now and have been attempting to turn it on daily — no success; laptop still does not turn on
96 people found this helpful
Jessica –
HP Stream 14″ HD BrightView Laptop
HP Stream 14″ HD BrightView Laptop, 288GB Storage. WiFi, Web Cam.Easy to use . Works great. Good sound and display quality. Durable. Bright screen. Thin light design. Easy to take in the go. Charges fast
8 people found this helpful
Ethan –
Great computer
Bought this for my high school daughter. It works great. Keeps a good charge. She is able to do all of her school work on it. I like the size. It fits into travel bags easily.
4 people found this helpful
LJ –
I wouldn’t recommend
Laptop has some issues. There are some keys that don’t always work and I’ve barely used the thing so this shouldn’t be happening! The battery was junk from day one. Ive taken special care to charge only when needed and not leave plugged in all the time but the battery is dead all the time. It needs constant charging. It’s definitely not something you can take with you somewhere on a full battery and expect to be able to use it without plugging it in. I’m very disappointed .
2 people found this helpful
Cheryl –
Solid Performance, Touchpad Needs Work”
This is a great device overall — fast, reliable, and works well for my needs. However, the touchpad does not function properly, so I’ve been using an external mouse instead. It’s not a dealbreaker since I had one on hand, but worth noting for anyone considering this laptop.
Sam Siler –
Great computer for the price
Great computer for the price. I bought it for school because of the long battery life. Initially I was skeptical but it ended up being a great investment. I even tend to use it more often than my gaming laptop because I don’t have to worry about the charge or the hassle to carry it around! It’s very compact and light additionally. It’s not a strong computer and I wouldn’t play video games on it or anything that requires heavy graphics usage but over all it’s a good little laptop
6 people found this helpful