In this review, I will be examining the design, dimensions, and weight of the HP 15 BA079DX. Additionally, I will be discussing the CPU, RAM, storage, GPU, and battery life performance of this laptop in various sections of this review. Moreover, in different sections of the review, I will be comparing the HP 15 BA079DX with some of its close competitors. Asides from that, I will also be rating the laptop on a scale of one to ten in numerous sections of this review. These ratings are going to be unbiased and based on the laptop’s performance and my personal perspective. Therefore, reading this article all the through will be the best to do.
My Initial Thoughts
Over the years, HP has been manufacturing different types of laptops for numerous purposes. Therefore, it is fair to say that they have mastered the art of delivering laptops to different target audiences. On this note, the brand released the HP 15 BA079DX, an entry-level laptop with an AMD processor. Furthermore, this laptop comes with lots of perks that make it stand out among its competitors. Some of these perks include a responsive touchscreen display. Having mentioned a few things that this laptop has to offer, I believe you are curious to know more. Well, read on to learn more about this HP laptop!
HP 15 BA079DX Design, Dimensions, and Weight Review
In terms of design, the HP 15 BA079DX looks simple yet refined. On seeing this laptop, the first thought that crossed my mind was “Black, Bold and Beautiful.” Basically, with an all-black color, this HP laptop looks graceful, like a Black Onyx gemstone on a mountain top. However, as an entry-level notebook, I wasn’t expecting more than a plastic chassis, which is exactly what the laptop offers. Nevertheless, the plastic material that HP uses to make the laptop’s chassis is of high quality. So, the laptop may look fragile but trust me; it is as sturdy as a metal chassis laptop. That said, the HP 15 BA079DX comes with a black plastic lid that features a wavy surface. Unlike the usual plain laptop lid, I personally love the surface pattern on this laptop’s lid. This is because the wavy surface of the lid feels rough and sends a bit of a thrill when you run your hands through it. Also, due to this wavy surface, it’s almost impossible for the laptop’s lid to pick up fingerprints. Apart from this wavy surface, the HP 15 BA079DX’s lid also features an HP logo that is beautifully imprinted in the middle. This logo comes with a faint black accent that gives it a satisfying look. Moving on to the interior, the first thing you will notice is the HP 15 BA079DX’s 15.6-inch touchscreen display. As with most entry-level laptops, this display comes with a screen resolution of HD (1366 x 768). Performance-wise, this touchscreen display is very responsive and accurate. Also, the display offers decent picture quality for casual web browsing and video streaming. However, the display doesn’t offer good viewing angles. So, colors may appear washed out if you view the display from the sides or extreme angles. On a positive note, this laptop’s display comes with SVA WLED-backlit that reduces reflections and sun glare from the display. Unfortunately, the HP 15 BA079DX features thick bezels that surround its touchscreen display. Moreover, at the top bezel, this laptop has an HP TrueVision HD webcam with an integrated digital microphone. Performance-wise, this webcam is excellent for video calls but not ideal for taking selfies. In addition to the webcam on the top bezel, this laptop features an HP logo on its bottom bezel. This logo is at the center of the bottom bezel and comes with a silver finish. Moving on to the base, the HP 15 BA079DX features a chiclet-style keyboard. The keys of this keyboard are well-spaced, and accurate, and they don’t make noticeable sounds when pressed. Therefore, this laptop’s keyboard should offer a comfortable typing experience. Just below this keyboard, you will find a fairly large touchpad with two dedicated click buttons. In terms of performance, this touchpad responds swiftly to swipes and touch. Also, the surface of the touchpad is really smooth, allowing for seamless navigation. For ports, the HP 15 BA079DX offers a decent number of ports divided between its sides. Specifically, on the left side, the laptop features an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, and a Kensington lock. Meanwhile, the right side of the laptop features a DVD drive, a USB 2.0 port, and a headphone jack. For the dimension and weight, the HP 15 BA079DX measures 384.3 x 254.6 x 24.3 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 2150 g. Although this laptop is somewhat heavy, it is lighter than most laptops in its category. For example, the HP Pavilion G6 measures 374 x 245 x 3.1 – 3.6 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 2500 g. In summary, the HP 15 BA079DX is an entry-level laptop that features a smart-looking design and a responsive touchscreen display. Therefore, I will rate the HP 15 BA079DX an eight out of ten in this design review section.
HP 15 BA079DX Processor (CPU) Performance Review
The HP 15 BA079DX comes with a quad-core AMD A10-9600P processor that offers a 2 MB cache memory. Moreover, this processor has a standard frequency of 2.40 GHz and a boost frequency of 3.30 GHz. Due to its high boost frequency of 3.30 GHz, this processor should be able to handle most computing tasks. Basically, with this processor, the HP 15 BA079DX should be able to run demanding apps like Corel Draw. Also, multitasking should be very easy for this laptop, thanks to the processor. However, it wouldn’t be nice if I just makes these claims without backing them up. Hence, we will now be examining the HP 15 BA079DX’s results on a Cinebench R15 test to further prove its CPU performance. Cinebench R10 is an app-based benchmark test that measures a computer’s processing power and core usage. Thus, this test provides two test results, including single-core and multi-core results. The single-core test basically measures the performance of the computer’s CPU when only one core is active. The multi-core test, on the other hand, evaluates the CPU’s performance when all of its cores are active. It’s also worth mentioning that a high score on both tests implies excellent processing capability. So, according to the Cinebench R15 result, the HP 15 BA079DX scored 75 points in the single-core test. In addition to that, the laptop also scored 211 points on the multi-core test. In comparison, this HP laptop performed better than the HP 17-y044ng, which uses also an AMD A10-9600P processor. Specifically, on the Cinebench R15 single-core and multi-core test, the HP 17-y044ng scored 70 points and 195 points, respectively. In conclusion, the HP 15 BA079DX features a powerful processor that is capable of handling most computing tasks. Also, this laptop performed better than one of its closest competitors on a processor benchmark test. Hence, the HP 15 BA079DX deserves an eight out of ten rating in this processor review section.
HP 15 BA079DX Memory (RAM) Performance Review
For memory, the HP 15 BA079DX comes with a standard memory of 6 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM. Also, this laptop features two memory slots and supports a max memory size of 16 GB. Even though this laptop support 16 GB RAM, its standard memory of 6 GB is just enough to keep it running smoothly. Basically, with 6 GB RAM, the HP 15 BA079DX should be able to multitask with ease. Thus, the laptop should be able to juggle between 15 Chrome tabs without lagging. Also, while these Chrome tabs are open, you should be able to stream a YouTube video on the laptop without it slowing down. To further prove the performance of this laptop with 6 GB RAM, we will now examine its PCMark 10 benchmark test result. If you’re curious, PCMark 10 is a benchmark test tool that estimates the performance of a laptop’s memory by simulating daily computing tasks. Furthermore, the higher points the laptop scores on this test, the better its performance. So, according to the results, the HP 15 BA079DX scored 5072 points. This score is very impressive due to the fact that it beats the category average of 3000 points. Moreover, when compared to the HP 17-y044ng, the HP 15 BA079DX has a better memory performance. Specifically, the HP 17-y044ng was only able to score 4800 points on the PCMark 10 test. In conclusion, the HP 15 BA079DX offers multiple RAM slots and an ideal standard and maximum memory. Besides, this laptop outperformed one of its competitors on a memory benchmark test. Therefore, to end this memory review section, I will rate the HP 15 BA079DX a seven out of ten.
HP 15 BA079DX Storage Options and Performance Review
Coming down to the storage, the HP 15 BA079DX features an HDD storage type that offers a maximum storage capacity of 1 TB. In my opinion, 1 TB of storage space should be sufficient for most users, including storage-hungry users. However, if you feel the storage space isn’t enough, this HP laptop features a microSD card reader for storage expansion. With that out of the way, let us discuss how this laptop’s storage drive fared on the CrystalDiskMark benchmark test. CrystalDiskMark is a benchmark test tool that measures the read and writes speeds of a computer’s storage drive to determine its performance. If you’re curious, read speed refers to how quickly a computer’s storage drive opens a file. Meanwhile, write speed refers to how quickly a storage drive saves a file. It’s worth noting that in this benchmark test, the greater the MBps value, the faster the computer’s storage speed. Thus, based on the CrystalDiskMark test result, the HP 15 BA079DX recorded a read and write speed of 92 MBps each. In comparison to the Dell Inspiron 17 5759-5118, this HP laptop offers a slightly faster read and write speed. Specifically, the Dell Inspiron 17 5759-5118 recorded a read speed of 91 MBps and a write speed of 84 MBps. After thorough consideration, I will rate the HP 15 BA079DX an eight out of ten in this storage review section.
HP 15 BA079DX Graphics Card Performance Review
For the graphics card, the HP 15 BA079DX makes use of the AMD Radeon R5 graphics card. In terms of speed, this laptop’s GPU offers a standard frequency of 758 MHz. However, the GPU is an integrated graphics card that is built into the laptop’s CPU. Hence, to perform graphics-related tasks, this graphics card shares memory with the laptop’s processor. As a result, with the GPU, the HP 15 BA079DX might not be able to run graphics-demanding applications or games smoothly. However, if it is less demanding or outdated games, this laptop should be able to deliver a decent performance. For example, the HP 15 BA079DX should deliver a frame rate of around 38.3 fps while playing Team Fortress 2. To further illustrate the graphics performance of this laptop, we will now discuss the result of the laptop on a 3DMark 11 benchmark test. 3DMark 11 is a benchmark test that evaluates a computer’s 3D and 2D graphics rendering abilities. Moreover, the higher the score on this test, the better the graphics performance of the computer. So, based on the test results, the HP 15 BA079DX scored 1708 points. Comparatively, this laptop offers a better graphics performance than the HP 17-y044ng, which also uses an AMD Radeon R5 GPU. To give more details, the HP 17-y044ng scored 1482 points on the 3DMark 11 test. In a nutshell, despite featuring an integrated graphics card, the HP 15 BA079DX offers a decent gaming and graphics performance. Also, this laptop performed better than a competing laptop on a GPU benchmark test. Therefore, I will be rating the HP 15 BA079DX a seven out of ten in this graphics review section.
HP 15 BA079DX Battery Life and Performance Review
When it comes to the battery, the HP 15 BA079DX features a 3-cell 31 Whrs Li-ion battery. According to HP, this battery should last up to 10 hours. However, to verify this claim, I will now highlight the HP 15 BA079DX’s battery rundown test results. This battery rundown test involves continuous web surfing and video streaming on the laptop till it dies. So, at the end of this battery test, the HP 15 BA079DX delivered a battery life of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Regrettably, this battery life is about 6 hours less than HP’s 10 hours claim. In fact, compared to other laptops in its category, the HP 15 BA079DX has poor battery life. For instance, the HP 17-y044ng was able to deliver a battery life of 4 hours and 23 minutes on the battery rundown test. Hence, I will rate the HP 15 BA079DX a six out of ten in this battery review section.
My Final Thoughts
The HP 15 BA079DX is an entry-level laptop that stands out due to its all-black design and responsive touchscreen display. Also, this laptop offers a powerful AMD processor that is capable of handling most computing tasks. However, the battery life of the laptop is very poor. Nevertheless, I believe the laptop makes up for this shortcoming by offering sufficient storage space and memory. Therefore, if you feel you could cope with its poor battery life, I totally recommend the HP 15 BA079DX. I hope you found this HP 15 BA079DX review helpful. If you found the review helpful, share your thoughts with our community platform at Itechguides Community Forum. You may also ask questions or make comments regarding this review at Itechguides Community Forum. Our team and other community members will respond to your questions or comments as soon as possible. Finally, for more laptop reviews, visit our Laptop Reviews page. You may also find our Laptop Specs page very helpful.
References and Further Reading
