Best HP Laptops for the Gig Economy
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The gig economy is characterized by people working multiple short-term or contract jobs instead of being employed for long-term, full-time work. Workers must provide tools, including laptops and accessories, to complete the job. Because the nature of gig work also requires workers to be flexible and adaptive to new technology for booking gigs, tracking work, and getting paid, having the best in laptop technology is a must.
HP’s laptops are made for anyone but are especially empowering to gig workers. Learn what makes these devices ideal for remote and contract work in any industry.
Portability and design
The gig economy includes many jobs, from grocery shopping to creating unique 3D illustrations. Professionals may choose to work in their homes, in coffee shops, at a co-working space, or in the field; this means that their tech gear needs to be ultra-light and portable to transport.
HP laptops not only have sleek designs and a modern feel, but they also weigh very little. Most laptops average between three and six pounds while still being loaded with all the extras.
For example, the HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook has a beautiful look and is made with sustainable and recycled materials. It also weighs just 3.3 pounds, making it a breeze to tuck into your backpack or briefcase.
Performance and processing power
If a professional needs to do many things at once, it’s a gig worker. Managing jobs, advertising services, and collecting payments requires different tools. You’ll sometimes need to have many programs running and browsing tabs open simultaneously.
If tasks include photo editing, video calls, 3D illustration, or design work, the laptop will need plenty of processing power to continue running seamlessly. That’s where a high-powered processor and graphics combo comes in. Not investing in this tech can cause your computer to lag or even crash at vital moments.
Fortunately, the Victus by HP Gaming Laptop is up to the challenge. While it's designed for gamers' high demands, it's ideal for any professional who needs performance and speed. With a 14th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and powerful NVIDIA® graphics card, it's made to optimize resources and help you stay on track. The laptop also uses the latest in AI technology to control graphics in the best way for your work task and reduce the time you need to wait between commands.
Battery life
Even if you plan your day well, it’s likely to end up somewhere you can’t plug in. Having a laptop with a long battery life becomes very important and can be the difference between finishing that gig and losing out entirely.
HP's laptops come with a long battery life and can charge fast. Many models charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes!
The HP ENVY is one such model, and it gives you up to 10 hours and 15 minutes of battery life to keep you running all day – even when nowhere near an outlet.
Connectivity options
Most gig workers have to multitask in a wide range of environments. Plugging into the latest tech is just one way to get that done. Whether using USB headsets with mics to conduct a conference call or attaching a digital drawing tablet to sketch the latest design, they need the right connections to do the work. They also need high-speed USB, WiFi, and Bluetooth connections, with the latest drivers to maintain a secure connection.
The HP ENVY Laptop delivers on all fronts and is loaded with ports, including:
- 2 Thunderbolt™ 4 with USB Type-C 40Gbps signaling rate
- 1 USB Type-A 10Gbps signaling rate
- 2 USB Type-A 10Gbps signaling rate
- 1 HDMI 2.1
- 1 headphone/microphone combo
The screen on this computer offers a crisp and vibrant experience, but the added ports make it simple to connect additional monitors for an expanded view of your work. It also has Intel WiFi 6E AX211 and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card for fast connections.
Security features
Clients trust gig workers to work with sensitive company information, and this information must be kept private. Using the right computer with secure hardware and software can prevent data breaches or unauthorized logins. It’s also recommended that gig workers keep their PCs equipped with the latest security software and use best practices like protected WiFi and VPN services.
The HP ENVY laptop goes further to protect sensitive data. It offers extra features like a Mic mute key to keep others from hopping on calls and a camera privacy shutter. The walk-away lock also puts the computer into inactive mode when you walk away from it, so prying eyes don’t see what you’re working on when you’re not around.
Collaboration tools and webcam quality
Because most gig work is remote, and you'll be working from other locations, having great audio and video tools is a must. Not every laptop out there can connect quickly and maintain a great audio-video experience, but HP laptops have added features to make setting up video calls a simple process.
Some perks include auto-framing to keep you (and only you) in the video, even as you move around, and audio adjustment that keeps the volume at just the right level. High-quality cameras capture every detail and provide the best lighting for your room. They also include professional-level speaker quality from brands like Bang & Olufsen. Whether you plug in a headset or let the speakers do the work, you’ll hear others on the call with fewer issues.
The HP Pavilion Plus is one computer with amazing HP Presence collaboration features. It also uses facial recognition to log in quickly and start your video call in seconds.
Storage capacity and speed
Laptops have come a long way with how much they can store, and the HP laptop family has been pushing the envelope in its storage capabilities for some time. It’s standard to have at least 256GB in memory to stash your files, documents, photos, and more; upgrade to 1TB on most laptops for even more flexibility in what you store offline.
RAM is just as important when choosing storage as it determines how fast your PC can retrieve data. Victus gaming laptops shine in this area, as they have 16GB and 32GB configurations with DDR5 technology to serve up files fast and keep you working throughout the day. If you're one to have dozens of browser tabs open while you work, this is an essential distinction to make when picking a PC.
Because the Victus was designed for gamers, it's made to work, especially with large program files. Graphic designers, developers, and programmers will find it has just what they need to create on the go and deliver top-notch work from where they roam.
Display quality
For creatives who depend on their devices to make illustrations or edit videos, having a high-resolution screen makes a difference in their work. It's essential to have your projects rendered well on your laptop screen so you can make appropriate design decisions.
Some top picks for display quality include the HP Pro Dragonfly Chromebook, which has a 100% sRGB display to enhance color accuracy. It offers powerful processing and thoughtful extras, such as the world's first user-facing 8MP camera in a Chromebook laptop and an ambient light sensor to help you see the screen no matter the lighting.
Convertible or 2-in-1 options
Do you need the functionality of a laptop and the flexibility of a tablet? Check out one of HP's 2-in-1 devices, like the HP Spectre x360 2-in-1 Laptop. This device can be opened with a keyboard to type or flip over in tablet mode for touch-screen tasks, video calls, or app use.
This computer offers a bigger, better view, thanks to its 16-inch diagonal 3K display, and the screen reminders let you know when you've been working too long and might need a break. For the busy freelancer, this can be a welcome addition to maintaining health and balance.
Summary
Working in the gig economy takes a special kind of dedication and a willingness to embrace new things every day. With the right HP laptop in your arsenal, you will be better prepared to grow your business and meet new opportunities as they present themselves. These lightweight, durable, powerful, and flexible computers come with a variety of processing, memory, and graphics options, too; you can be sure to find the perfect model for your gig.
