Dell vs HP - who makes better computers?

Whether one large company’s PCs are somehow intrinsically ‘better’ than those of another is an argument that’s frequently raged in the tech world, and continues today. It’s particularly strong among video game console fanboys, who will insist that Xbox is just better than PlayStation (or the other way around) with little to back it up past personal preference.

So when you’re looking at PCs, which tend to all look rather alike, it’s the small details you have to concentrate on. Both HP and Dell produce some of the best home computers (opens in new tab) and some of the best laptops (opens in new tab) out there, so perhaps to figure out which is top-dog, we should compare a few of them. Both sites have regular sales and discounts, so the prices we’re using here are the original ones before discount.

Dell vs HP: laptops

(Image credit: Dell)

Let’s see what spending in the region of $1,500 gets you in terms of a laptop. From Dell, it’s an XPS 13 (opens in new tab), with an Intel i7 11th-gen CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD. The 13-inch screen is Full HD, but not a touchscreen, and you get the new Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU. That’s a good spec for a laptop that can be put to many uses, including content creation, serious office work, photo and video editing (opens in new tab), and even a little light gaming. It comes with Windows 10 Pro, and is made of aluminum.

For around the same money, HP will sell you its Spectre x360 (opens in new tab) Convertible 15 laptop. This is a two-in-one model with a touchscreen, that can be folded back on itself to ape a tablet form factor. The screen is a 15-inch one, and a touchscreen. It also has a 4K resolution, beating the Dell. Inside, there’s an Intel i7 11th-gen processor, 16GB of RAM, and Iris Xe graphics, but only 256GB of SSD storage. There has to be some trade-off, we suppose, for that 4K touchscreen. It comes with Windows 10 Home, and has a plastic outer shell.

So, the HP is slightly larger, and has a higher-resolution touchscreen, while the Dell has more storage and a metal casing. Otherwise, they’re very similarly specced. The HP may appeal more to the home market and the Dell to office workers - hence the differences in operating system versions - but otherwise we think anyone would be extremely pleased to be using either laptop. Perhaps the build quality and range of specs just pips it in Dell's favor here.

Dell vs HP: desktop PCs

(Image credit: HP)

Let’s look at all-in-one desktop PCs at around $2,400. This is a less competitive marketplace than laptops, but it’s still possible to pick up a great machine. Dell’s offering in this price bracket is the OptiPlex 7490. It’s powered by a 10th-gen Intel i5 processor, with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The screen is a 24in touchscreen, with a Full HD resolution. As with all Dell’s computers, there are many build-to-order options, though annoyingly there’s no 4K screen available on this model.

HP’s desktop PC in the same bracket is the Envy All-in-One 32-a1055. It is a world away from Dell’s rather limp offering, with a 10th-gen Core i7, 16GB of RAM, 31.5in 4K HDR screen (not a touchscreen), and a discrete graphics processor, the Nvidia GeForce 2070, that marks it out as a machine capable of playing the latest games. This is a much better machine than the equivalent Dell, beating it in almost every area.

Dell vs HP: gaming PCs

(Image credit: Alienware)

Finally let’s spend $3,200 on a gaming PC. These are desktop towers full of leading-edge components. From Dell comes the Alienware Aurora R12 (opens in new tab). Its nicely designed case contains an 11th-gen Intel Core i9 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It comes with Windows 10 Pro, and even a keyboard and mouse.

We had to spec a custom machine from HP to get to the same price, but the Omen 25L Desktop GT12-1335qd gets very close. Our custom machine also has an 11th-gen i9 CPU inside its black monolithic case, but takes a step down from the Dell with an RTX 3070 GPU. There’s 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage, and we bumped the Wi-Fi card up to an Intel Wi-Fi 6 model to match the Dell. It comes with Windows 10 Home, and no keyboard or mouse. Adding these only costs $14, but gamers are a funny bunch and may like to supply their own.

These two gaming machines are very close. The HP has double the SSD storage, the Dell gets a slightly better GPU. Looks are definitely a factor here, and the Dell’s Alienware case is much better looking than the HP’s. It's close, but perhaps the Alienware shades it...

Both brands are capable of delivering quality and value, and both have long reputations in the PC industry. When deciding which is the best for you, look at the specs and build quality of the machine you’re thinking of buying rather than the maker’s name. This way, you’re more likely to get something that more accurately matches your needs.

If you're looking for more computing advice, we have a guide to the best wireless keyboard and mouse (opens in new tab) combos, and a look at the best touch screen monitors (opens in new tab).

Dell PowerEdge vs. HP ProLiant: How Do They Compare?

Key Points:

Both the Dell PowerEdge and the HP Proliant present overall strong options for core capabilities, and both are as versatile and scalable, as advertised.

When comparing identical server units between Dell and HP, Dell delivers in a much quicker manner than HP would.

When you compare the cost of initial investment for both brands, HP ProLiant is more flexible in price negotiation. Dell’s flexibility in the area of pricing is almost nil.

Dell equipment is used widely and it ships its hardware assembled and tested. This saves time and some money, but their deliveries may take up to two weeks. HP ships its servers mostly unassembled and within one to two days, but you need to get it assembled and tested by an IT provider, which involves an additional cost.

Dell is better for bigger undertakings with their EMC stockpiling gadgets, while HP has an astounding equilibrium of highlights, execution, and cost with their capacity machines.

The Dell PowerEdge and HP Proliant are both reliable servers that have become powerhouses in the industry. Needless to say, there’s been much debate about which one is better.

Preference between the two is often subjective, based largely on brand loyalty and experience, since they both offer similar features and bank on a few exceptional features to differentiate them.

However, there are factors to compare to identify which server is best for your specific use case, like equipment, function, and cost.

To make it easy on you, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide comparing Dell PowerEdge and HP ProLiant, so keep reading!

Dell PowerEdge vs. HP ProLiant: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Dell PowerEdge HP ProLiant Performance PCle Gen 4.0 included Does not have Reliability Very reliable Less reliable Customer Support Customers do not pay for services Customers are required to pay for services Permanent memory 12 NVDIMM, up to 192GB 1216GB NVDIMM, up to 192GB Price and Equipment Has almost no flexibility in price. Dell equipment is shipped readily assembled and tested within two weeks Flexible pricing. HP servers are shipped unassembled and require an additional cost to assemble and test from an IT provider Management Tools Uses iDRAC Uses iLO Processor Second Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor Intel Xeon E-2200 Series/Ninth Gen Pentium G

Dell PowerEdge vs. HP ProLiant: What’s the Difference?

Users describe a number of reasons to use either the Dell PowerEdge or HP ProLiant in a data center.

The fact remains that both product lines present overall strong options for core capabilities, and both are as versatile and scalable, as advertised. However, for users willing to employ the use of either of these servers, there are distinctive features worth watching out for.

Performance

Dell users claim the server delivers at an unrivaled, high-performance rate.

Dell servers offer matchless capabilities, such as up to 41% more transactions per second and 20.8x faster queries. But, when comparing identical server units between Dell and HP, Dell delivers in a much quicker manner than HP would. So, HP falls behind Dell by 20% as a result of low efficiency in reading performance.

Dell Poweredge is also considered to be very reliable compared to HP ProLiant, which has about 2.5x less reliability.

While the Dell PowerEdge finds its strengths in its high-performance capabilities, the HP ProLiant is known for being great for small to mid-sized companies.

Pricing

When you compare the cost of initial investment for both brands, HP ProLiant is more flexible in price negotiation. HP ProLiant DL servers range from around $550 to $1,600 for various models of the DL20 and DL180. The DL360 and DL380 servers cost around $1,600 to $16,000. The higher-end DL580 is available from about $14,500 at the entry-level, to about $46,000. If you have a good relationship with your vendor and frequently order large quantities, you can get good deals.

Dell’s flexibility in the area of pricing is almost nil. Dell PowerEdge R pricing starts at $560 and ranges to just under $1,700 for the one-socket servers. Two-socket PowerEdge R servers range from $1,060 to $2,370, and higher-end four-socket servers range from around $16,000 to just under $17,800.

However, Dell equipment is used widely and it ships its hardware assembled and tested. This saves time and some money, but their deliveries may take up to two weeks. HP ships its servers mostly unassembled and within one to two days, but you need to get it assembled and tested by an IT provider, which involves an additional cost.

Services and Support

Although both the Dell PowerEdge and HP ProLiant offer immaculate support services, many still believe Dell to be better. The services don’t cost anything and you can get optimal results, unlike the HP ProLiant, which requires a service charge.

Both Dell and HP have their own server management and monitoring technologies in place for easy maintenance of their servers, locally as well as remotely.

Integrated Lights Out (iLO) is HP’s management tool, and Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is Dell’s EMC.

HP Proliant DL360 is a scalable server with up to 28 cores.

Both the systems have developed over time and provide some similar features, like HTML5 support. However, they are different in certain features.

For iDRAC, you need a physical license that you can buy in the secondary market. iLO standard version is included, but the advanced version requires a license. Also, you cannot buy it from the secondary market. So, that locks you in with the OEM after your server’s end of life. With iDRAC, updates take a slightly longer time, and overall, it is a bit slower than iLO.

Dell PowerEdge vs. HP ProLiant: 5 Must-Know Facts

Dell servers offer matchless capabilities, such as up to 41% more transactions per second and 20.8x faster queries.

HP has an excellent balance of features, performance, and price with its storage appliances.

Dell is better for larger enterprises with their EMC storage devices.

Dell equipment is shipped readily assembled and tested within two weeks which saves a bit of time, stress, and money.

HP servers are shipped without being assembled and require the service of an expert to get them running.

Which Do You Prefer: Dell PowerEdge or HP ProLiant?

Speaking of user preference, claims hold that both product lines seem solid. Generally, where Dell lapses, HP has better features and vice versa. To that effect, choosing which to buy is dependent on the use case scenario and personal preference.

When looking at identical worker units, Dell had the option to finish TPC-H-like responsibility speedier than its comparable HP counterpart. Additionally, HP missed out on perusing execution with 20% less proficiency. At the end of the day, Dells work quicker under bigger and longer strain.

Nonetheless, HP’s enormous win is its better assortment and more worked-on switches and capacity apparatuses, particularly in regards to gear focused on the small to mid-sized business market. Dell is better for bigger undertakings with their EMC stockpiling gadgets, while HP has an astounding equilibrium of highlights, execution, and cost with their capacity machines.

Up Next…

HP Laptops Vs Best Dell Laptops Vs Best ASUS Laptops: A Guide On Best Laptops

HP Laptops Vs Best Dell Laptops Vs Best ASUS Laptops: Getting a laptop is rather easy to say than do. Especially when there’re so many things in today’s life that you can do on a laptop. Right from your office work to your personal hobbies like editing, making videos, designing, coding (for some), mixing music, writing, etc, a laptop has become an essentiality in everyone’s life. Even for students, getting a laptop is slowly but steadily becoming a must-have item.

Now while the essentiality of a laptop is rising so is the brands that are producing them. Today, India has become an influential market in the world. Laptops are sold at a rapid pace and since the emergence of multiple brands, the market has become more versatile. Amidst all this humdrum, if you’re curious about knowing the best laptops in India, what will you do?

Looking closely, one can easily identify that HP, Dell, and ASUS are the top three brands of laptops that are popular in the market. This means anyone who is seeking recommendations or assistance in getting a top-notch laptop might have to look at these three brands only. But then again, how do you choose between them?

HP laptops are mostly popular for their robust construction, reliable processors, and stylish designs. In the same line, Dell laptops are highly purchased for their cost-effectiveness, fast processors, and RAM capacities. And when it comes to ASUS laptops, benefits like hassle-free multitasking, no hang-ups, inexpensive nature, versatility, and high-resolution screens are considered.

And since these differentiations cannot be comprehended well enough, we will enlist the top laptops, each of HP, Dell, and ASUS, so that you can understand better the pros and cons, and then make the purchase decision. Happy Buying!

Best HP Laptops In India: Spectacular i3, i5, and i7 Laptops Online

Let’s start exploring some of the finest HP laptops available in India that come with all modern features and impeccable fast processors. These HP laptops are known for their superior battery life and great performance.

Buy Now

Purchase this stupendous HP laptop that comes with a storage space of 1 TB and a screen size of 15.6 inches. Versed with the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U processor (2.6 GHz base clock, up to 3.5 GHz max boost clock, 4 MB L3 cache, 2 cores), this HP laptop comes with preloaded Windows 10 Home and has an 8 GB RAM along with 256 GB of storage capacity. Moreover, this HP laptop comes with a micro-edge and an anti-glare display that allows you to work continuously.

Why Buy This?

Lightweight Design

AMD Radeon Graphics

50% Charge in 45 Mins

1920 x 1080 Pixels Resolution

In-Built Alexa

HP Laptop Price: Rs 39,999

Buy Now

Get this awesome performance and dependable HP laptop that is applauded for its micro-edge display. Available with 8 GB RAM and 512 GB storage space, this HP laptop comes with a backlit keyboard and is preloaded with Windows 11. Offered in a natural silver color, this HP laptop is available with a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (up to 4.0 GHz max boost clock(2i) processor and an AMD Radeon graphics card.

Reasons To Buy:

HP True Vision 720p HD camera

Backlit Keyboard

MU-MIMO-Backed

Miracast Compatible

Dual Speakers

HP Laptop Price: Rs 48,115

Buy Now

HP, being a trusted name, comes up with this remarkable i3 laptop that comes with dual speakers, in-built Alexa, preloaded Windows 11, and Intel UHD graphics. The offered HP laptop has 8 GB RAM and 512 GB storage space. Weighing only 1.69 kgs, this lightweight laptop comes with a screen size of 15.6 inches and is available with an Intel Core i3-1115G4 (up to 4.1 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology(2g),6 MB L3 cache, 2 cores) processor.

USP Of This HP Laptop:

Comes With MS Office 2021

Miracast Capabilities

High Processing Speed

2 USB Ports And 1 HDMI Port

User-Friendly

HP Laptop Price: Rs 43,490

Buy Now

Another awesome HP laptop, the HP 250 G8 comes with 512 GB storage space and weighs only 1.74 kg. The offered HP laptop comes with a preloaded Windows 11 and is versed with an Intel UHD graphics card. Available with 8 GB RAM and an HD 720p camera, this HP laptop has rapid charge capabilities where you can charge it up to 90% in just 90 minutes. The processing speed of this HP laptop is 4.1 GHz and it weighs around 2.1 kg.

Highlighting Features:

Built-in Stereo Speakers

11th Generation Intel Core i3 processor

15.6 Inch Screen Size

Narrow Border Design

Big Screen-To-Body Ratio

HP Laptop Price: Rs 35,999

Buy Now

Light yet amazing - that’s what the HP Chromebook is all about. Available with a powerful MediaTek MT8183 processor, this HP Chromebook flaunts its LPDDR4 memory technology and offers a 1366 X 768 (HD) display resolution. Along with this, the offered HP laptop comes with a Google Classroom, ensuring your kids’ online learning never stops. Available in the 28.5 x 19.3 x 1.7 cm dimension, this HP laptop weighs only 1.07 kg.

Why Choose This?

Up To 10 Hours Of Battery Life

Chrome OS

Processing Speed of 2 GHz

Dual Speakers

4 GB RAM

HP Chromebook Price: Rs 18,490

Explore more on the best HP laptops in India here.

Best Dell Laptops In India: Spectacular i3, i5, and i7 Laptops Online

Dive in through the world of Dell laptops that ensure high performance, durable designs, reliable battery life, and exquisite visuals. These Dell laptops come in different specifications and price ranges, so choose the one that goes well with your requirements:

Buy Now

Dell, being a prominent brand, comes up with this astounding laptop that comes with a preloaded Windows 11 along with Office 2021. Available with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage space, this Dell laptop comes in a carbon black color and weighs around 1.6 kg. You get to use this laptop’s 15.6-inch widescreen, which comes with an anti-glare feature. Available with an Intel PQC-N5030 processor, this Dell laptop comes with three-side narrow borders.

Attributes To Consider:

FHD Viewing Experience

Modern Design

Processor Speed 1.1 GHz

3 USB Ports And 1 HDMI Port

CD-ROM Optical Drive

Dell Laptop Price: Rs 31,028

Buy Now

Check out the Dell Inspiron 3511 laptop that comes with 8 GB RAM and 512 GB storage space. The offered Dell laptop has a CPU speed of 1.7 GHz and is available in the ‎23.5 x 35.8 x 1.9 cm dimension. In addition to this, the offered Dell Inspiron 3511 laptop is ideal for beginners and is appreciated for its lightweight, superior performance, durable design, and excellent battery life.

Reasons To Purchase:

User-friendly

Top-notch Performance

HDR Compatible

Better Hardware

15.6 Inch Screen

Dell Laptop Price: Rs 40,490

Buy Now

Don’t miss this new Dell Inspiron 3511 NB version that comes with an Intel Core i3 11th Gen processor. Available with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage capacity, this Dell laptop comes in black color and is available in the ‎43.18 x 22.28 x 48.01 cm dimension. The offered Dell laptop has a processor speed of 3 GHz and is known for its DDR4 memory technology. With a memory clock speed of 3200 MHz and a hard drive size of 1 TB, this Dell laptop comes with 8 USB ports and 1 HDMI port.

Highlighting Attributes:

The screen size of 15.6 Inches

Seamless Wi-Fi Connectivity

Average Battery Life Of 8 Hours

Comes With a Preloaded Windows 11 Home

FHD Display

Dell Laptop Price: Rs 39,999

Buy Now

Choose this Dell Inspiron 3525 laptop that comes with a screen size of 15.6 inches and weighs around 1.68 kg. The offered Dell laptop is known for its anti-glare screen and is available with an Intel Athlon Silver 3050U processor. Moreover, this Dell laptop comes with narrow three-sided borders, which further ensures an immersive FHD viewing experience. Available with tiny rubber feet and bumpers, this Dell laptop offers skid resistance and additional stability.

Features To Consider:

2.3 GHz Processing Speed

‎Radeon Graphics

4 Hours Of Average Battery Life

6.4% Larger Keycaps

Spacious Touchpad

Dell Laptop Price: Rs 29,200

Find more on the best Dell laptops in India here.

Best ASUS Laptops In India: Spectacular i3, i5, and i7 Laptops Online

Talking about ASUS laptops, they are not so expensive yet very effective for everyone, be it students or working professionals. The ability to multitask and the ability to offer the best performance with superior visuals make these ASUS laptops a worthy purchase. So, without any delay, let’s go through some of the most popular purchase options available online in India:

Buy Now

ASUS VivoBook 15 is an impeccable laptop to go with, considering its low-price range and high aesthetics. Available with 4 GB RAM and 256 GB storage space, this ASUS laptop comes with a preloaded Windows 11 Home. Versed with a screen size of 15.6 inches, this ASUS laptop comes in the 23.5 x 36 x 2 cm dimension and weighs around 1.8 kg. Moreover, this laptop comes with in-built speakers and an ‎Intel HD Graphics coprocessor.

Reasons To Buy

Connectivity: ‎Bluetooth, 802.11ac

‎Windows 11 Home OS

‎4 GB Graphics Card Ram Size

‎6 Hours Average Battery Life

Resolution - ‎1366 X 768 (HD) Pixels

ASUS Laptop Price: Rs 25,590

Buy Now

Check out this ASUS VivoBook 14 that comes with a 14-inch screen and is versed with a powerful 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor (with DDR4 3200MHz RAM). This ASUS laptop also comes with optional NVIDIA MX130 discrete graphics. With 8 GB RAM and a dual-storage design that allows the space for the ideal amalgamation of 1TB PCIe SSD and a 1 TB HDD, this laptop is everything you need.

Why Get This?

Compact And Lightweight Design

Wide-view FHD Display Panel

In-built Fingerprint Reader In Touchpad

Stylish Look

Affordable Choice

ASUS Laptop Price: Rs 27,962

Buy Now

Explore this incredible ASUS ROG Strix G17 laptop that is an ideal choice for gamers, editors, and pro-level coders. Embedded with 16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD, this ASUS laptop has an impeccable refresh rate of 144 Hz and comes with a 4-zone RGB backlit chiclet keyboard. Versed with an FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution, this ASUS laptop also has an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 coprocessor.

Reasons To Pick This:

State-Of-Art DDR5 Memory

ROG Intelligent Cooling

Colorful In Design

Hi-Res Audio

Up To 12 Hours Of Video Playback

Perfect For Gamers

ASUS Laptop Price: Rs 89,985

Buy Now

If you’re seeking a robust laptop that’s apt in performance but yet is extremely light in weight and stylish in design, the ASUS VivoBook K15 is an excellent choice to go with. The ASUS VivoBook K15 comes with a handsome 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD, giving you additional reasons to buy this laptop. Available in a smooth sliver color, this ASUS VivoBook K15 has a screen size of 15.6 inches.

Features Of This Laptop:

0.2 ms Response Time

Backlit Chiclet Keyboard

FHD (1920 x 1080) OLED Display

3200MHz DDR4 Memory

In-Built Speakers

ASUS Laptop Price: Rs 42,480

Find more on the best ASUS laptops in India here.

Disclaimer: Jagran’s Journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The prices mentioned here are updated with respect to Amazon.