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HP 15-BW077AX (A9-9420, Radeon R5) Notebook Review

Slow and Steady. The HP 15-BW077AX is an entry-level laptop from HP with AMD's newest A9 APU. Despite its young age, the CPU feels years behind the competition and the notebook as a whole offers very little for prospective consumers.

There's no doubt that HP is one of the most prolific notebook manufacturers. The low-tier and low-cost HP 15 line is targeted at budget-oriented users that don't need a lot of power; these are the kinds notebooks that tend to pop up in various big box stores and try to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Our review model today, the HP 15-bw077ax, falls squarely in the middle of the subbrand's current offerings. The main draw of this unit is the inclusion of one of AMD's latest mobile APUs, the dual-core A9-9420. To clarify, an APU (or Accelerated Processing Unit) is simply AMD's branding for CPUs that have a GPU embedded in the same silicon. In the case of the A9-9420, graphics are handled by a Radeon R5 GPU, a low-powered graphics core similar in performance to Intel's own integrated graphics. So can the HP 15-bw077ax meet your needs while fitting your wallet? Let's find out.

Due to the CPU's low-powered performance and relatively recent introduction, it's difficult to find other notebooks that will offer a proper comparison. Looking to other low-tiered devices, however, we have selected the Asus X555DA, Lenovo B50-10, HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng, and Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST. Each of these is equipped with either an AMD A9 or A10 APU, save for the Lenovo B50's Intel Pentium N3540. These devices are also decidedly budget laptops, hovering between $400-500. Our HP 15 retails for about $410, although that price can vary based on the configuration and color options selected at checkout.

HP 15-bw077ax (15 bw000 Series)
Processor
AMD A9-9420 2 x 3 - 3.6 GHz, Stoney Ridge
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), Core: 205 MHz, RAM: 750 MHz, Crimson ReLive 17.1.1
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR4-2400 / PC4-19200
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 100 PPI, No, BOE BOE06A4, TN LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
AMD CZ FCH
Storage
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 5400 RPM HDD, 931 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Combo audio in/out (headset), Card Reader: 4-in-1 SD/SDHC/SDXC card reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 20 x 380 x 254 ( = 0.79 x 14.96 x 10 in)
Battery
31 Wh Lithium-Ion, removeable, 4-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: Dual speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Norton Antivirus
Weight
1.86 kg ( = 65.61 oz / 4.1 pounds), Power Supply: 201 g ( = 7.09 oz / 0.44 pounds)
Price
410 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The HP 15 is a budget notebook through and through; plastic covers every surface of the case. The back of the lip is covered with a smooth satin-like finish that feels good underhand, but the rest of the device is cast in a very cheap feeling polycarbonate. The silver color on the outer shell is also very unassuming and looks subtle and as refined as plastic can. The black keyboard has a slight wave pattern that is, again, subtle. Unfortunately, the deck feels thin and cheap. There are some small gaps around the chassis where the keyboard meets the bottom of the case and where the screen meets its bezel, but these aren't noticeable at first glance. Overall, the HP 15 looks like a budget device but definitely looks better than other cheap notebooks.

Despite its cheaper looks, the chassis is surprisingly sturdy. While most keyboards in budget devices easily flex, the deck of the HP 15 will only slightly flex under direct pressure. While normally typing, the keyboard stays firm without warping. The underside is also solid and flexes a bit only in the center. However, there is a sickly creak when pressure is applied that doesn't inspire confidence. The hinges are poorly tuned. They are too stiff to allow for one-handed opening but aren't strong enough to hold the screen completely still while typing. The lid is also flimsier than we would like. The display can be easily twisted and flexes when pressed from the back. While carrying the device when the lid is closed, users will also notice that the lid warps and hits the keyboard deck underneath it. This creates an annoying and concerning click. Factors like this leave us questioning the longevity of the case.

We like the inclusion of an easily removable battery, but it seems that HP has opted for a generic battery case to fit the entire line. As such, the black battery looks out of place against the light silver color of the case. The removal mechanism is easy to operate and can quickly pop the battery out for a swift swap.

The HP 15-bw000 line is similar in size to other 15-inch budget-centric notebooks. 

382 mm / 15 in 256 mm / 10.1 in 25.8 mm / 1.016 in 2.1 kg4.7 lbs380 mm / 15 in 262 mm / 10.3 in 24.7 mm / 0.972 in 2.3 kg5.11 lbs382 mm / 15 in 242 mm / 9.53 in 22.5 mm / 0.886 in 2 kg4.39 lbs380 mm / 15 in 254 mm / 10 in 20 mm / 0.787 in 1.9 kg4.1 lbs336.4 mm / 13.2 in 232 mm / 9.13 in 20.9 mm / 0.823 in 1.8 kg3.86 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port selection is adequate. The lack of USB Type-C is disappointing but expected at this price point. However, the two USB 3.1 Gen 1 and single USB 2.0 ports should be more than enough for the average user. The HDMI and Ethernet ports are also good to have and are welcome additions. The SD card reader is a full-sized and can fit about 90% of an SD card.

Left: Power in, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.1 (Gen 1), Combo audio in/out
Left: Power in, Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3.1 (Gen 1), Combo audio in/out
Right: Activity LEDs, SD Card, USB 2.0, Kensington lock
Right: Activity LEDs, SD Card, USB 2.0, Kensington lock
Rear: removable battery
Rear: removable battery
Front: none
Front: none

SD Card Reader

Speaking of the SD card reader, we are disappointed in the transfer rates we measure with our Toshiba Exceria UHS-II SDXC reference card. Averaging at about 28 MB/s, the HP 15's card reader falls far below the competition and is very slow, even for a budget device.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
 
64.1 MB/s +131%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
 
57.3 MB/s +106%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
45.4 MB/s +64%
HP 15-bw077ax
 
27.75 MB/s
Asus X555DA-BB11
 
24.9 MB/s -10%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
 
87.3 MB/s +154%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
 
86.7 MB/s +152%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
 
85.3 MB/s +148%
HP 15-bw077ax
 
34.42 MB/s
Asus X555DA-BB11
 
26.8 MB/s -22%

Communication

The dual-band Intel 7265 wireless card offers a reliable and reasonably quick Wifi connection. The card has yet to drop a connection using our home 802.11ac WiFi router, and speeds are about average. Compared to other budget devices, such as the Asus X55DA and Lenovo Yoga 510, the HP 15 has noticeably faster wireless speeds.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP 15-bw077ax
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
349 MBit/s
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
332 MBit/s -5%
Asus X555DA-BB11
Realtek 8821AE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
197 MBit/s -44%
iperf3 receive AX12
HP 15-bw077ax
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
442 MBit/s
Asus X555DA-BB11
Realtek 8821AE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
341 MBit/s -23%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
188 MBit/s -57%

Maintenance

Maintenance requires some effort. After removing the battery to prevent damage to the user or the machine, there are 10 screws that need to be removed. Thankfully, all the screws are #00 Philips Head and are all the same length. Unfortunately, four are hidden underneath the rubber feet and two are secured tightly in the battery compartment. Once the screws are removed, users can carefully pry the keyboard deck away from the bottom chassis. There is a small seam between the black deck and silver case into which users can slip a small pry tool. After pulling several plastic clips loose all around the device, the bottom of the chassis will come loose.

Once inside, users can easily replace the 2.5-inch hard drive (one small Phillips Head screw holds the bracket in place) and swap out the RAM. There are two DIMM slots, allowing RAM to be upgraded to a maximum of 32 GB. The wireless card is also readily accessible, as is the single fan used to cool the APU. Getting inside is tricky, but components can be easily changed out.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The keyboard leaves a middling impression. Key size is average and the keys are well placed. The inclusion of a number pad will be useful for some users. There are also typical special keys, such as volume and brightness control. However, the positives end there. The keyboard is mushy and has a very unpleasant feedback. Key travel is also a bit shallow and key drop lacks definition. It's hard to tell whether or not a keypress registers. Typing is a chore and feels like treading through molasses. On top of all that, the keyboard is very clacky and sounds hollow and cheap.

Touchpad

On the other hand, the plastic touchpad is well tuned and very usable. The smooth finish feels like the rest of the chassis around the touchpad, but the pad itself is slightly recessed and easy to find. There are also dedicated buttons for left- and right-clicking that have a low, hollow sound. These buttons have a short travel but firm feedback. Tracking is very accurate, and gestures register consistently. Most users will find little to complain about.

Keyboard and touchpad.
Keyboard and touchpad.

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The 15.6-inch TN display is nothing exceptional. Response times are low, especially for a TN panel, but are in line with other budget options. The 1366x768 resolution is also relatively low, especially given the screen size. Pixel density is low at 100 PPI, and individual pixels can be seen at a normal viewing distance on some backgrounds. PWM is also present at every brightness level up to 99% and sits under 200; as such, sensitive users will want to avoid this screen.

218
cd/m²
212.6
cd/m²
204.1
cd/m²
200.7
cd/m²
194.1
cd/m²
183.9
cd/m²
175.5
cd/m²
176.1
cd/m²
159.4
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE BOE06A4 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 218 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 191.6 cd/m² Minimum: 9.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 73 %
Center on Battery: 192.8 cd/m²
Contrast: 719:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 11.6 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
58% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.16
HP 15-bw077ax
BOE BOE06A4, TN LED, 15.6", 1366x768
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Chi Mei N156BGE-EA2, TN LED, 15.6", 1366x768
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AU Optronics B140XTN02.E, TN LED, 14", 1366x768
Asus X555DA-BB11
TN LED, 15.6", 1920x1080
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Chi Mei, TN LED, 15.6", 1920x1080
Display
Display P3 Coverage
40.21
34.15
35.12
40.35
sRGB Coverage
60.1
51.4
52.7
60.3
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.56
35.28
36.29
41.71
Response Times
15%
-47%
1%
0%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
42.4 ?(22, 20.4)
28 ?(13, 15)
34%
70 ?(32, 38)
-65%
42 ?(23.6, 18.4)
1%
41 ?(19, 22)
3%
Response Time Black / White *
22.4 ?(17.2, 5.2)
20 ?(10, 10)
11%
29 ?(23, 6)
-29%
22.4 ?(14.4, 8)
-0%
23 ?(10, 13)
-3%
PWM Frequency
198.4 ?(99)
200 ?(90)
1%
Screen
5%
-17%
6%
-3%
Brightness middle
194.1
245
26%
242
25%
242.7
25%
240
24%
Brightness
192
230
20%
224
17%
232
21%
228
19%
Brightness Distribution
73
84
15%
88
21%
88
21%
89
22%
Black Level *
0.27
0.46
-70%
0.62
-130%
0.52
-93%
0.49
-81%
Contrast
719
533
-26%
390
-46%
467
-35%
490
-32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
9.9
8.34
16%
13.03
-32%
4.9
51%
10.96
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
23.4
12.31
47%
18.79
20%
20.3
13%
18.36
22%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.6
9.48
18%
14.6
-26%
2.7
77%
11.34
2%
Gamma
2.16 102%
2.38 92%
2.22 99%
2.34 94%
2.27 97%
CCT
11981 54%
10624 61%
18869 34%
6876 95%
12292 53%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37
38
3%
33
-11%
33.5
-9%
39
5%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
58
57
-2%
52
-10%
52.5
-9%
60
3%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
10% / 7%
-32% / -22%
4% / 5%
-2% / -2%

* ... smaller is better

On the plus side, the display offers good contrast for a budget device at 710:1. Other devices in this price range hover around 500:1 at best. Gamma is also comparatively good at 2.16.

Unfortunately, the HP 15's display has two main weaknesses. The display as a whole is dim and unevenly lit; the top left is noticeably brighter than the bottom right in any lighting condition and at any brightness level. This is particularly annoying in dimly lit or dark rooms. Color reproduction and accuracy are also poor. While color reproduction is about average compared to similar devices, color accuracy is lackluster. Deltas for color average at about 9.9 but reach a whopping 23.4. Calibration helps quite a bit, but even after tuning the display, deltaE still hits up to 17.9. The panel is usable for productivity applications but is not preferable for media consumption or content editing.

CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN ColorChecker (calibrated)
Grayscale
Grayscale
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
vs sRGB: 58%
vs sRGB: 58%
vs AdobeRGB:37%
vs AdobeRGB:37%

The glossy finish on the display panel coupled with the low brightness renders the screen all but useless outdoors. Under shade, the screen is barely visible; in direct sunlight, nothing can be seen on the screen. Users will want to remain indoors when using this notebook. Backlight bleed, on the other hand, is almost nonexistent. 

The backlight is even around all edges.
The backlight is even around all edges.
The dim screen is completely useless outdoors.
The dim screen is completely useless outdoors.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
22.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 5.2 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 46 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
42.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 20.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 67 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 198.4 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 198.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 198.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

As expected with a TN panel, viewing angles are poor. The already dull and inaccurate colors are washed out when viewed from anywhere but dead center, and colors invert past 45°. This is particularly problematic when viewing the screen from above or below.

Performance

Due to its budget-oriented design, the HP 15-bw007ax isn't expected to be the fastest notebook in its class. Still, the device is pokey and, at times, frustrating to use. The low-powered dual-core processor, coupled with a slow mechanical HDD and limited RAM, results in a slow experience that will try any user's patience. However, compared to some other low-tiered laptops, the HP 15 does have some power lurking under its hood. Let's take a look.

CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: CPU
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Caches
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Mainboard
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: Memory
CPU-Z: SPD
CPU-Z: SPD
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWiNFO64
HWiNFO64

Processor

The HP 15-bw077xa is among the first notebooks to bring AMD's new A9-9420 APU to the market. The dual-core chip is based on AMD's Stoney Ridge architecture. With a base clock of 3.0 GHz and a boost up to 3.6 GHz, the A9-9420 offers decent enough performance for basic office applications and light web browsing. However, anything heavier than casual use will overwhelm the CPU.

Using Cinebench R15 to analyze CPU performance, we see that single core operation is good and relatively good compared to other low-cost options. Indeed, single-core applications run at a decent clip and are reasonably responsive, considering the price. However, multi-core tasks are too much for the dual-core chip. Even low-tiered CPUs from Intel, like the Pentium N3540, best the A9-9420. This is mainly due to the lack of any kind of multithreading; the A9 is limited to two threads, which becomes a major hindrance. 

Compared to the older A9-9410, the newer APU offers a sizable boost in single-threaded situations but negligible improvement in multi-threaded processes. There is some good news: despite the lower performance, the A9-9420 is reliable and consistent. Running several instances of Cinebench R15’s multithreaded test, scores create a near-flat line (save for a small hiccup halfway through the test). This APU offers stable performance over long periods of use. 

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
0102030405060708090100110120130140Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
98 Points +31%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
86 Points +15%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
75 Points 0%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
75 Points
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
64 Points -15%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
63 Points -16%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
40 Points -47%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
256 Points +106%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
250 Points +102%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
215 Points +73%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
180 Points +45%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
151 Points +22%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
130 Points +5%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
124 Points
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
1.03 Points +7%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
0.96 Points
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
0.87 Points -9%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
0.83 Points -14%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
0.82 Points -15%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
2.85 Points +83%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
2.59 Points +66%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
2.3 Points +47%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
1.59 Points +2%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
1.56 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
8718 Points +88%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
8426 Points +82%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
6077 Points +31%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
4808 Points +4%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
4627 Points
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
4619 Points 0%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
4454 Points -4%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
3871 Points +40%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel Core i3-6100U
3714 Points +35%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
2761 Points
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
2694 Points -2%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD A10-9600P
2520 Points -9%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
2192 Points -21%
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel Pentium N3540
1340 Points -51%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD A9-9410
751 s * -1%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD A9-9420
747 s *
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel Core i3-7100U
645 s * +14%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD A10-8700P
507 s * +32%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2752
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4627
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2761
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
16.4 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.56 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.96 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
19.66 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
124 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
75 Points
Help

System Performance

Overall system performance is limited due to a number of factors. The combination of a low-powered dual-core CPU, a small amount of RAM (4 GB), and a very slow 5400 RPM HDD leave a lot to be desired. In our PCMark 8 testing, the HP 15-bw007ax falls behind other AMD-equipped notebooks, likely due to the other facets noted above. 

Anecdotally, the notebook requires some patience. Apps take time to load due to the slow hard drive, and some programs can take minutes to open. Even accessing the Windows Start Menu requires waiting for a few seconds.

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
2904 Points +45%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
2670 Points +33%
Asus X555DA-BB11
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2335 Points +16%
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
2005 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1413 Points -30%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
3883 Points +31%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
3728 Points +26%
Asus X555DA-BB11
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
3246 Points +10%
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
2961 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1426 Points -52%
Creative Score Accelerated v2
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
3569 Points +52%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
2898 Points +23%
Asus X555DA-BB11
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2856 Points +22%
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
2350 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
1265 Points -46%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2005 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2350 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
2961 points
Help

Storage Devices

Keeping in line with the inexpensive nature of the device, the 5400 RPM Western Digital mechanical hard drive is very slow, even for a budget machine. There is a generous 1 TB of space (931 GB available to the end user), but read and write speeds both hover around 90 MB/s, which falls behind even other entry-level machines. The drive is perhaps the single greatest bottleneck in this already slow notebook. The Lenovo Yoga 510 and HP Pavilion 15 both have much faster SSDs that make a world of difference in access times. Users will definitely want to consider upgrading the HDD to a solid state drive in this device.

CrystalDiskMark 3.0.4
CrystalDiskMark 3.0.4
CrystalDiskMark 5.2.1
CrystalDiskMark 5.2.1
HD Tune
HD Tune
HP 15-bw077ax
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
 
Asus X555DA-BB11
Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-3%
6722%
-5%
5054%
Read Seq
91.3
103.5
13%
434.6
376%
106.9
17%
503
451%
Write Seq
90.2
91.1
1%
207.7
130%
97.5
8%
316.6
251%
Read 512
29.02
33.74
16%
356.3
1128%
32.28
11%
261.9
802%
Write 512
39.51
38.77
-2%
195.6
395%
35.39
-10%
281.2
612%
Read 4k
0.34
0.374
10%
26.71
7756%
0.373
10%
17.04
4912%
Write 4k
0.94
0.649
-31%
56.8
5943%
0.636
-32%
46.55
4852%
Read 4k QD32
0.83
0.818
-1%
176.3
21141%
0.694
-16%
125
14960%
Write 4k QD32
0.96
0.648
-32%
163.3
16910%
0.682
-29%
131.4
13588%
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
Sequential Read: 91.3 MB/s
Sequential Write: 90.2 MB/s
512K Read: 29.02 MB/s
512K Write: 39.51 MB/s
4K Read: 0.34 MB/s
4K Write: 0.94 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 0.83 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 0.96 MB/s

GPU Performance

The big draw for APUs lies in the integrated GPU, at least according to marketing material. While Intel also includes integrated graphics on their CPU dies, AMD uses their own Radeon branded GPUs. The A9-9420 is coupled with a Radeon R5 graphics core. GPU performance is disappointing; despite the advertised advantages over Intel's iGPU, the R5 falls behind both Intel's HD Graphics 520 and 620 graphics cores. This may have more to do with the lackluster CPU than the GPU, but both are weak.

What is more surprising is that this APU falls behind the previous iteration, the A9-9410, in almost every graphical test. This is odd as both APUs have the same Stoney Ridge Radeon R5 GPU handling graphics processes. We suspect there may be package optimization and driver issues holding the A9-9420 and Radeon R5 back in our review unit.

All said, more powerful APUs (such as the A10-9600P) offer vastly better performance due to the high-tiered graphics core. Even Intel's integrated solutions have better graphical performance.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
3775 Points +244%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1633 Points +49%
Lenovo ThinkPad L570 20J80020PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1589 Points +45%
Asus Zenbook UX360UA-C4159T
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1489 Points +36%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1446 Points +32%
Fujitsu Lifebook S936 6600U 512GB PalmSecure
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6600U
1442 Points +32%
Acer TravelMate P449-M-7407
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1410 Points +29%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P
1288 Points +18%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
1190 Points +9%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
1131 Points +3%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420
1096 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
200 Points -82%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Lenovo ThinkPad L570 20J80020PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1630 Points +106%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1566 Points +98%
Acer TravelMate P449-M-7407
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1486 Points +88%
Asus Zenbook UX360UA-C4159T
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
1479 Points +87%
Fujitsu Lifebook S936 6600U 512GB PalmSecure
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6600U
1297 Points +64%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
1296 Points +64%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1225 Points +55%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
988 Points +25%
Acer TravelMate P249-M-3895
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6100U
911 Points +15%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P
861 Points +9%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420
790 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
239 Points -70%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
12483 Points +241%
Lenovo ThinkPad L570 20J80020PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
9153 Points +150%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
8075 Points +121%
Asus Zenbook UX360UA-C4159T
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
7917 Points +116%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
7265 Points +98%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
7068 Points +93%
Acer TravelMate P449-M-7407
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
7064 Points +93%
Fujitsu Lifebook S936 6600U 512GB PalmSecure
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6600U
6971 Points +90%
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel HD Graphics 620, i3-7100U
5854 Points +60%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
4755 Points +30%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P
4033 Points +10%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420
3661 Points
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540
1290 Points -65%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
2209 Points +244%
Lenovo ThinkPad L570 20J80020PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
1106 Points +72%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 20JES03T00
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
1000 Points +56%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
889 Points +38%
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
847 Points +32%
Acer TravelMate P449-M-7407
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
825 Points +29%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
772 Points +20%
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P
764 Points +19%
HP 15-bw077ax
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420
642 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Lenovo ThinkPad L570 20J80020PB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U
49623 Points
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
47091 Points
Acer TravelMate P449-M-7407
Intel HD Graphics 520, 6500U
40939 Points
Toshiba Portege X30-D (PT274U-01N001)
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7600U
36544 Points
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
AMD Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
33943 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad 13-20J1001BUS
Intel HD Graphics 620, i3-7100U
28425 Points
Asus X555DA-BB11
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P
26331 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1103 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
2673 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
596 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Despite its Radeon branded GPU, the HP 15-bw077ax is not well suited for gaming. Older titles like Bioshock Infinite and Batman: Arkham Origins will run smoothly on the lowest settings at 1366x768, but anything higher introduces stutters and low frame rates. More demanding games, such as The Witcher 3, are totally unplayable. CPU intensive games, such as Ashes of the Singularity, are particularly problematic; in addition to the weak GPU, the dual-core CPU becomes a major bottleneck.

01234567891011Tooltip
The Witcher 3 low
Ashes of the Singularity - 1280x768 low (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
7 fps
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
14.2 fps +103%
Batman: Arkham City
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
35 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
27 fps
1366x768 High Preset DX11 AA:2x MS (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
13 fps
Batman: Arkham Origins
1024x768 All Off (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
44 fps
1366x768 Normal / On (PhysX Off) (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
26 fps
1366x768 DX11 Enhanced / On (PhysX Off) AA:2x MS (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
14 fps
BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
38 fps
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
12.2 fps -68%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
43.5 fps +14%
Asus X555DA-BB11
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
36.3 fps -4%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
72.7 fps +91%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
22 fps
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
5.6 fps -75%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
26.9 fps +22%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
42.9 fps +95%
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
18 fps
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
4.8 fps -73%
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
22.2 fps +23%
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
33.7 fps +87%
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - 1024x768 Low / Off (Shader Preload On) (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
12 fps
The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing (sort by value)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
9 fps
lowmed.highultra
Mafia 2 (2010) 26 21 17
Batman: Arkham City (2011) 35 27 13
BioShock Infinite (2013) 38 22 18
Metro: Last Light (2013) 13 10 6
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 13 10 5
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) 44 26 14
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) 16 11
Alien: Isolation (2014) 27 17
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) 12
The Witcher 3 (2015) 9
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 8 5
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 14 8
Hitman 2016 (2016) 4 2
Ashes of the Singularity (2016) 7

Stress Test

Stress testing the system using synthetic loads gives us an idea of how the notebook will perform under the absolute worst-case scenario. Prime95 taxes the CPU to its limits, and the A9-9420 performs reasonably well. After boosting briefly to its maximum clock speed of 3.6 GHz, it settles in comfortably at its base clock of 3.0 GHz. Temperatures across the APU are also very cool, averaging 60º C  with a maximum of 68.5º C. FurMark tells us a different story, however. As the Radeon R5 graphics core boosts to about 850 MHz, the CPU is severely throttled back to 1.4 GHz. This is interesting, as temperatures average at about 46º C. There's plenty of breathing room for the CPU to increase its clock speed, and we are unsure why it is unable to do so. Running Prime95 and FurMark concurrently yields results very similar to running FurMark alone; it seems that the CPU throttles in order to give more power to the GPU under graphical stress.

Running the Witcher 3 allows us to see how the system operates under a prolonged gaming load. Again, these results are similar to our FurMark stress test; the CPU throttles to about 1.4 GHz while the GPU boosts to about 850 MHz. Temperatures again float around 46º C.

Prime95
Prime95
FurMark
FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
Prime95 + FurMark
The Witcher 3 stress test
The Witcher 3 stress test
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
Prime95 Stress 3.0 - 60 60
FurMark Stress 1.4 850 46 46
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.4 850 46 46
Witcher 3 Stress (if applicable) 1.4 850 46 46

Emissions

System Noise

Fan noise profile
Fan noise profile

Now for some good news: the HP 15-bw077ax is a very quiet machine. The single fan only hits about 33-36 dB(A) under full load and is virtually silent when the machine is idle. The fan itself is also low-pitched and doesn't whine when it spins up. It generally goes unnoticed under normal ambient noise and won't be heard in an office. This noise profile is becoming characteristic of lower-powered AMD APUs. While they lack power, they also tend to run cooler than more powerful CPUs.

Noise Level

Idle
31.8 / 33.2 / 34 dB(A)
Load
33.3 / 36.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 27.8 dB(A)
HP 15-bw077ax
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9420, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
HD Graphics (Bay Trail), N3540, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), A9-9410
Asus X555DA-BB11
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), A10-8700P, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
Radeon R8 M445DX, A10-9600P
Noise
-2%
5%
1%
-7%
off / environment *
27.8
31.2
-12%
30.4
-9%
28.9
-4%
31.2
-12%
Idle Minimum *
31.8
33.5
-5%
30.4
4%
31.6
1%
31.7
-0%
Idle Average *
33.2
33.5
-1%
30.4
8%
32
4%
31.9
4%
Idle Maximum *
34
33.5
1%
30.4
11%
32.4
5%
31.9
6%
Load Average *
33.3
33.5
-1%
31.3
6%
33.3
-0%
41
-23%
Load Maximum *
36.4
33.5
8%
33.3
9%
35.5
2%
42.7
-17%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Speaking of running cool, the chassis of the HP 15-bw077ax never gets uncomfortably warm. The hottest spot we measure under full synthetic load is at the single exhaust vent on the left side. Even here, temperatures only hit about 40º C. The rest of the body remains almost constantly cool.

Max. Load
 37.2 °C
99 F
30 °C
86 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
 36.6 °C
98 F
32.2 °C
90 F
26.2 °C
79 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
32.2 °C
90 F
30.2 °C
86 F
 
Maximum: 37.2 °C = 99 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
26.4 °C
80 F
26.8 °C
80 F
40.6 °C
105 F
27 °C
81 F
27.8 °C
82 F
39 °C
102 F
29.8 °C
86 F
30 °C
86 F
36.2 °C
97 F
Maximum: 40.6 °C = 105 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.2 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.5 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 31.3 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.6 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.8 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33 °C / 91.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-4.2 °C / -7.6 F).
Idle, keyboard
Idle, keyboard
Idle, underside
Idle, underside
Load, keyboard
Load, keyboard
Load, underside
Load, underside

Speakers

Speaker profile
Speaker profile

The speakers are surprisingly good considering the target market. Bass is thin but present, and highs and mids are crystal clear. Maximum volume is also fairly loud at about 75 dB, and the speakers do not cause any unpleasant rattling and don't distort. Music and media both sound great on this notebook.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2038.540.92539.340.13137.144.54038.942.85035.643.96336.942.68035.343.61003345.212532.445.316033.351.520032.755.325030.560.631530.263.540028.460.350028.260.26302963.78003066.3100028.361.7125026.661.9160025.761.120002554.2250024.860.2315024.659.940002462.9500023.765.1630023.665.7800023.366.1100002362.11250022.962.91600022.965SPL38.475N3.337.9median 26.6median 61.7Delta3.33.731.934.831.931.731.231.734.936.134.929.729.929.729.529.329.528.228.328.226.92726.926.525.726.527.524.327.529.623.429.633.223.533.24321.54354.721.154.762.120.462.157.419.457.456.41956.46518.16565.118.265.161.617.761.660.517.460.559.517.759.56017.86060.618.260.660.118.160.161.518.261.553.118.453.160.218.460.265.418.665.46518.4656018.36073.530.573.532.51.432.5median 60median 18.4median 607.61.27.6hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP 15-bw077axLenovo Yoga 510-14AST
HP 15-bw077ax audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 31% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 65% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 16% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 80% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (65 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 59% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 58% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency Comparison (Checkbox selectable!)
Graph 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Graph 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Power draw is fairly frugal, especially compared to machines with more powerful APUs (like the A10 series). Average power consumption under load hits about 18.5 Watts, and under full load, we see a maximum of 23 Watts. The included 45 Watt power adapter is more than adequate for this device.

The Yoga 510 with its older A9-9410 has a similar power profile but draws much less at idle. The even lower-powered Lenovo B50 only pulls 16 Watts on average load, which makes it a more power-efficient choice.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.15 / 0.33 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 8 / 9.4 / 13.9 Watt
Load midlight 18.5 / 23 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
HP 15-bw077ax
A9-9420, Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-60JC3T1, TN LED, 1366x768, 15.6"
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012-1DG142, TN LED, 1366x768, 15.6"
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
A9-9410, Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), , TN LED, 1366x768, 14"
Asus X555DA-BB11
A10-8700P, Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.6"
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
A10-9600P, Radeon R8 M445DX, , TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.6"
Power Consumption
28%
20%
-30%
-43%
Idle Minimum *
8
4.8
40%
3.9
51%
8.3
-4%
5.5
31%
Idle Average *
9.4
7.5
20%
7.4
21%
8.6
9%
8.2
13%
Idle Maximum *
13.9
9.2
34%
9.4
32%
13.1
6%
9.5
32%
Load Average *
18.5
16
14%
19.2
-4%
31.2
-69%
44.5
-141%
Load Maximum *
23
15.4
33%
22.5
2%
43.9
-91%
58
-152%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery life is disappointing. Despite being advertised with a 41 Wh battery, the 4-cell unit is actually a mere 31 Wh. This battery can power the machine for about three and a half hours under average internet browsing conditions (using our WiFi Surfing v1.3 test), which is poor. Users will need to take the power adapter with them when working away from their desk.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 00min
WiFi Websurfing
3h 26min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 05min
HP 15-bw077ax
A9-9420, Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), 31 Wh
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
N3540, HD Graphics (Bay Trail), 24 Wh
Lenovo Yoga 510-14AST
A9-9410, Radeon R5 (Stoney Ridge), 35 Wh
Asus X555DA-BB11
A10-8700P, Radeon R6 (Carrizo), 37 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-aw004ng W8Y60EA
A10-9600P, Radeon R8 M445DX, 41 Wh
Battery Runtime
0%
62%
-8%
25%
Reader / Idle
540
847
57%
435
-19%
560
4%
WiFi v1.3
206
207
0%
325
58%
176
-15%
260
26%
Load
65
112
72%
72
11%
95
46%

Pros

+ sturdy chassis
+ good speakers
+ relatively quiet and cool operation

Cons

- very slow CPU
- poor HDD performance
- poor TN display
- mushy keyboard
- short battery life

Verdict

In review: HP 15-bw077ax. Review unit courtesy of Computer Upgrade King.
In review: HP 15-bw077ax. Review unit courtesy of Computer Upgrade King.

The HP 15-bw077ax is a laptop of compromises without a lot of payoff. The build quality is good for a budget option, and the notebook stays very cool and very quiet, even under load. The speakers also lend to a rich multimedia experience and are a class above other inexpensive laptops. 

However, the CPU is underwhelming and the system as a whole is abysmally slow. Pair that with a lackluster screen, a sticky keyboard, and an overall lackluster experience and it becomes very hard to recommend the HP 15-bw077ax. There's really nothing here that makes the device stand out, and the notebook is likely to sit on store shelves, overlooked by perspective buyers. 

If you are looking for a budget option, this is not it. Chromebooks can have a smoother, faster experience due to their lightweight OS at similar (or cheaper) price points, and there are other, much better budget options. Our list of the best budget office notebooks has several options that offer much better performance for around the same price as this notebook. Either way, this is one that you should definitely look past.

HP 15-bw077ax - 07/08/2017 v6 (old)
Sam Medley

Chassis
66 / 98 → 67%
Keyboard
60%
Pointing Device
64%
Connectivity
43 / 81 → 53%
Weight
65 / 20-67 → 95%
Battery
72%
Display
70%
Games Performance
52 / 85 → 61%
Application Performance
52 / 92 → 56%
Temperature
92%
Noise
88 / 95 → 92%
Audio
70%
Camera
50 / 85 → 59%
Average
65%
70%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP 15-BW077AX (A9-9420, Radeon R5) Notebook Review
Sam Medley, 2017-07-12 (Update: 2017-07-14)