Don't wait for Boxing Day: HP Australia's pre-Christmas deals are already slashing up to AU$1,504 off new laptops and PCs

Navigating the world of laptops can be overwhelming, but here's a quick rundown of HP's range to help you out.

For business users, the EliteBook and ProBook lines provide dependable office solutions, the Elite Dragonfly offers a premium ultralight design, and the ZBook serves as a powerful mobile workstation for creators and engineers.

For everyday tasks, the Spectre x360 and Envy x360 feature stylish 2-in-1 designs that switch between laptop, tablet, and presentation modes. The newer OmniBook joins HP's consumer lineup alongside the Pavilion series for great mainstream options, while HP Essential models like the HP Laptop 15 prioritise affordability for basic needs.

For gamers, the Omen series delivers high performance, while the Victus line offers excellent value, and both are equipped with the latest Nvidia RTX graphics for smoother gameplay.

If you're looking to simplify your decision, keep reading for more guidance.

If you’ve decided on an HP laptop, one of the key choices is picking the size that suits you best. HP offers a broad range of options, including 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17-inch models.

Smaller laptops are more portable and often more affordable. Larger ones provide more screen space and typically house more powerful components and a bigger battery due to the extra room inside.

Weight is another factor to consider. If you’ll be carrying your laptop around for work, look for a lightweight, compact model weighing under 1.5kg.

HP's lineup frequently features the latest Intel Core Ultra chips in sleek, lightweight designs or AMD Ryzen AI processors.

For gaming, Omen laptops use powerful desktop-class Intel HX processors, while Victus models combine mid-tier GPUs with older but reliable Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPUs. In business and workstation categories, AMD’s Ryzen Pro series is a popular choice, and HP’s OmniBook X includes Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite.

While newer CPUs deliver top performance and features, previous-generation chips remain highly capable and more affordable.

Most HP laptops today come with at least 16GB of RAM, which is more than enough for daily tasks, casual gaming and light video editing. If professional-grade performance is what you're after, consider going for 32GB or more.

As for storage, fast NVMe SSDs are the norm, typically offering 512GB. If you need extra space, options like 1TB or 2TB are also available.

Most HP laptops have integrated graphics, which just means the graphics chip is built right into the main processor (the CPU). This is great because it keeps the laptop cooler and costs less. For everyday tasks like streaming, browsing and light gaming, integrated chips such as Intel Iris, Intel Arc, or AMD Radeon are totally fine.

But if you're a serious gamer, you'll want a discrete GPU. This is a separate, more powerful graphics card that just handles the visuals. You'll find these, like the beefy Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 series, in HP's Omen and Victus gaming laptops. Just know that this extra power comes with a higher price tag.

The laptop's display is something you should also consider. Most laptops you buy will have at least a Full HD (1080p) screen, though some more expensive models now offer even higher 2.5K, 3K, or 4K resolutions. Keep in mind that higher resolutions will put more strain on your graphics card, especially if you plan to game at native settings.