Toshiba vs HP Laptops – How they differ

There’s no doubting that HP are one of the biggest laptop brands out there. When you’re looking for a new laptop, they’re often the first choice for many people. However, there are other options for you to choose from too.

One of the lesser known laptop sellers is Toshiba – most people have heard of the company, but not as many people know that they sell laptops. The Japanese brand are very well known across the Western world.

But how do these two brands compare, and which one of them should you opt for? Well, let’s take a look at them in closer detail to find out.

Toshiba vs HP

The main difference between the two brands is in the general quality of the laptops themselves. Whilst HP is primarily targeted at those looking for a mid-to-high priced laptop, Toshiba primarily deal in cheap budget laptops.

Toshiba as a brand have undergone a lot of changes over the last few decades. And whilst Hewlett Packard are now simply known as HP, they’re one of the longest running computer manufacturers in the game. Let’s look at the two in more depth.

Toshiba

Although they aren’t one of the well known laptop brands nowadays, Toshiba were actually the first company to produce a laptop for the consumer market.

Though they have released different laptop models since then, for the most part they’ve been one of the less popular makers, and they haven’t reached the heights that HP have in the laptop industry.

They’re not one of the top 6 brands that are all household names in UK and throughout the rest of the world.

Nowadays, you can’t actually purchase a new Toshiba laptop, as they’ve discontinued making them. They’ve also sold their computing business to Sharp, so it doesn’t look likely there will be any new models released any time soon.

However, you can still purchase used Toshiba laptops on the market. In the past, they tended to make budget end laptops for those looking for a low priced laptop. Though in the future, these are more likely to become purchased as a collectors item as opposed to being for practical use.

If you’re looking to buy a brand new laptop, you can find Toshiba, who merged with Sharp, rebranded under the laptop name Dynabook. Although most people haven’t heard of them, it’s worth having a quick browse of the models that they offer.

They specialise in business laptops, and though they’re not high end, there’s nothing inherently wrong with them. These laptops are okay, but they’re not on par with other quality laptop brands out there.

All of their models are targeted at those trying to spend the minimum possible, so their target market is actually relatively small. Though they are typically made with the same components (Intel processors) as most other major brands.

Pros

Because the company isn’t making new laptops, it is possible for you to pick up a bargain by buying one secondhand.
Toshiba laptops definitely make up some of the cheaper options in the market, so they could suit if you’re looking for a bargain.
Laptops made by Toshiba tend to have a lot of ports, so they suit someone who is looking for maximum connectivity.

Cons

The fact that there no longer being produced is well, a major setback and the main reason not to pick up a Toshiba laptop.
There’s not a wide range of Toshiba laptops to choose from, as they only have a few models that are available to mainstream consumers.
The quality of Toshiba laptops, in comparison to better built laptops like HP, is not very good.

HP

HP are the oldest brand out of the big laptop manufacturers, and they’re one of the biggest sellers in all of computing too. A lot of their laptops are premium models, and they make some of the best Ultrabooks on the market.

They have a really strong range of different laptops to choose from, with them covering from business laptops all the way to 2-in-1 laptops and even a selection of gaming laptops too.

HP have made some of the better laptops released in the last few years, and they tend to have a good compromise between price and quality. Many of their models tend to have an excellent battery life, too.

Whilst 20 years ago Toshiba might have had a chance being compared to HP (at one point, Toshiba were one of the largest laptop manufacturers worldwide), nowadays there isn’t much of a comparison to make. The difference between the two is vast, and HP are the clear choice.

HP make pretty solid, reliable laptops that have a good design and decent enough parts, so they’re not a bad brand of laptop to choose. They also tend to use good quality internal components as well, which is something to take into account when purchasing a new laptop.

Pros

As you’d expect, HP laptops are typically made to a much higher quality than Toshiba laptops.
Even in the past when Toshiba laptops were being manufactured, HP still had a lot larger range to choose from, so you have a better selection with HP.
HP has a really solid lineup of gaming laptops too, which are also pretty budget friendly.

Cons

Of course, with a better quality laptop often comes a bigger price. They tend to be more expensive than Toshiba laptops.
Although HP laptops are made with well made parts, it’s pretty well known that they break easier than other brands which create more robust laptops.
The customer service from HP isn’t on par with the premium brands out there.

Conclusion

All in all, it’s fair to say that in the modern day, it’s impossible to accurately compare the two. With Toshiba leaving the laptop market, there’s really no comparison with one of the biggest brands still not only in the laptop market, but right at the top of it.

However even in the past, a HP laptop would have been the better choice out of these two brands. They have some really good lines of laptops to choose from, and you can’t really go wrong with them.

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About Jon

Hey, I'm Jon. I'm an engineer by trade, so it makes sense that I'm obsessed with anything technology related! On the weekends, you can find me playing around with my computers or fixing something around the house. Feel free to leave a comment if you want to get in touch.

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