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You won’t believe how much value you’ll get from this $199.99 laptop

Published Nov 18th, 2014 4:55PM EST
HP Stream 11 Specs and Price
Image: HP

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Just as Microsoft is trying to convince laptop and/or tablet buyers that the Surface Pro 3 is a better choice this Christmas than Apple’s iconic MacBook Air, HP has a different plan in mind, ZDNet reveals. Instead of launching an expensive Surface Pro 3 or MacBook Air rival, the company has created a budget-friendly laptop that’s ready to beat the competition on price — targeting Google’s affordable Chromebooks, in particular — and also on size, as the HP Stream 11 is about as big as an 11-inch MacBook Air.

FROM EARLIER: Video: Microsoft fires more shots at Apple in its new Christmas ad

The $199.99 laptop is available in blue or pink plastic, and comes with additional perks that make it even more affordable, including a $25 gift card good for Windows Store or Xbox Music or Movies purchase and a one-year Office 365 Personal subscription worth $70 that also offers unlimited OneDrive storage.

When it comes to hardware, the Stream 11 won’t impress buyers looking for high-end machines. The cheap 64-bit Windows 8.1 laptop packs a 11.6-inch WLED backlit screen with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840 CPU, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, SD card slot, HP TrueVision HD webcam, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 and HDMI support.

The laptop is only a tenth of an inch thicker than the MacBook Air, ZDNet’s Ed Bott says, and a quarter-pound heavier, and should offer at least six hours of battery life on moderate use (the maximum theoretical battery life is 8 hours and 15 minutes).

A Stream 13 version is also available, but it’s slightly more expensive at $230, though it also offers 4G connectivity support. People in search of basic functionality and real value will be hard-pressed to find better deals this holiday season than these two laptops.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.