Securing a gaming laptop that doesn’t break the bank can feel like a monumental task. However, HP is making that quest a little easier today by slashing the price of its Victus 1550fa-100 model to just $699.99, a substantial $300 discount from its regular price tag. Equipped with a 13th-gen Core i5 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, this laptop may not boast the firepower to tackle the latest high-end games, but it’s more than capable of handling the vast majority of titles at medium settings.
The HP Victus 1550fa-100 sports a 15.6-inch, 1080p display with an IPS panel, offering commendable color accuracy compared to typical gaming displays. With 512GB of SSD storage, a full backlit keyboard featuring a number pad, and a spacious 70 watt-hour battery, it ticks many boxes for gamers on a budget. Furthermore, its generous array of ports, including two USB-A, one USB-C, full-sized HDMI, and a full-sized SD card slot, ensures easy connectivity to external devices.
However, if there’s one area where this Victus laptop falls short, it’s the 8GB of DDR4 RAM, which may feel inadequate for systems running Windows 11. Fortunately, both SO-DIMM slots on the motherboard appear to be open, offering the opportunity for a much-needed RAM upgrade with just a few screws.
HP also offers customization options for the Victus before purchase, such as a RAM upgrade at double the price. For those willing to stretch their budget slightly, the $20 screen upgrade to a 144Hz refresh rate option is recommended. Similarly, while a $100 upgrade to a roomier 1TB SSD is available, savvy users can save by opting for a self-installation at a lower cost.
