HP vs Dell vs Lenovo: Which Laptop Under KSh 35,000 Wins?
🏆 3-Way Comparison · All In Stock · Tom Mboya Street
Same Price, Different Performance HP EliteBook 745 G6 vs Dell Latitude 5300 vs ThinkPad T490s i7 — Under KSh 35,000 in Kenya
Three certified business laptops, three different manufacturers, all under KSh 33,500. But the performance, RAM, processor architecture, and use-case fit are very different. Here is the full honest breakdown so you spend your money once and spend it right.
🔵 HP Ryzen 5 Pro — KSh 32,500
🔷 Dell i7 2-in-1 — KSh 32,000
🔴 ThinkPad i7 16GB — KSh 33,500
📊 Deep Spec Comparison
👤 Buyer Profiles
⚡ Quick Verdict — Before the Detail
Best overall value: ThinkPad T490s i7 — KSh 33,500 — Core i7, 16GB RAM (double the others), best keyboard, direct HDMI. The KSh 1,500–3,500 premium over the other two is justified by the doubled RAM alone.
Best for touch and 2-in-1: Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 — KSh 32,000 — cheapest of the three, i7 processor, 360-degree convertible touch. Weaker on RAM (8GB) but strong on flexibility.
Best for graphics performance: HP EliteBook 745 G6 — KSh 32,500 — AMD Ryzen 5 Pro with Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics outperforms Intel UHD 620 for video and visual tasks. But 8GB RAM and no direct HDMI are limiting.
HP
EliteBook 745 G6
Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U · 8GB · 256GB · Touch KSh 39,000 KSh 32,500
Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U · 8GB · 256GB · Touch KSh 39,000 KSh 32,500
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U
- GPU: Radeon Vega 8 — best iGPU here
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Display: 14" FHD Touchscreen
- Ports: USB-A · USB-C · HDMI
Dell
Latitude 5300 2-in-1
Core i7 8th Gen · 8GB · 256GB · 360° Touch KSh 38,000 KSh 32,000
Core i7 8th Gen · 8GB · 256GB · 360° Touch KSh 38,000 KSh 32,000
- CPU: Core i7 8th Gen
- GPU: Intel UHD 620
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Display: 13.3" FHD Touch · 360°
- Ports: USB-A · Thunderbolt 3 · microSD
Lenovo
ThinkPad T490s i7
Core i7-8550U · 16GB · 256GB · 14" FHD KSh 41,000 KSh 33,500
Core i7-8550U · 16GB · 256GB · 14" FHD KSh 41,000 KSh 33,500
- CPU: Core i7-8550U 8th Gen
- GPU: Intel UHD 620
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 — double others
- Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD
- Display: 14" FHD IPS · No touch
- Ports: 2× USB-A · USB-C · HDMI direct
Master Spec Comparison
| Spec | HP EliteBook 745 G6 KSh 32,500 |
Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 KSh 32,000 |
ThinkPad T490s i7 KSh 33,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U AMD Picasso · 4c/8t · 2.1–3.7GHz |
Core i7 8th Gen Intel · 4c/8t · up to 4.0GHz |
Core i7-8550U ⭐ Intel · 4c/8t · up to 4.0GHz · confirmed model |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 | 8GB DDR4 | 16GB DDR4 ⭐ double |
| Storage | 256GB SSD | 256GB SSD | 256GB NVMe ⭐ faster |
| Display | 14" FHD Touch ⭐ largest + touch | 13.3" FHD Touch · 360° | 14" FHD IPS · no touch |
| Convertible | ❌ Clamshell | ✅ 360° — 4 modes ⭐ | ❌ Clamshell |
| Integrated GPU | Radeon Vega 8 ⭐ fastest iGPU | Intel UHD 620 | Intel UHD 620 |
| USB-A ports | 1× USB-A | 1× USB-A | 2× USB-A ⭐ |
| HDMI direct | ✅ Yes ⭐ | ❌ No — adapter needed | ✅ Yes ⭐ |
| Thunderbolt | USB-C (no TB) | Thunderbolt 3 ⭐ | USB-C charging |
| Weight | ~1.58kg | ~1.36kg ⭐ lightest | ~1.27kg |
| Battery | ~10hrs | ~9hrs | ~11hrs ⭐ |
| Keyboard | Good | Good | Excellent — best in class ⭐ |
| Fingerprint reader | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Windows 11 | ✅ Genuine | ✅ Genuine | ✅ Genuine |
| Warranty | 6 months ✓ | 6 months ✓ | 6 months ✓ |
| Kenya Price | KSh 32,500 | KSh 32,000 ⭐ lowest | KSh 33,500 |
Deep Dive — Each Machine Individually
HP
EliteBook 745 G6 — Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U
KSh 32,500
- CPU AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U · 4 cores · 8 threads · up to 3.7GHz · 15W TDP
- GPU Radeon Vega 8 — 8 compute units · ~896 GFLOPS — fastest iGPU in this comparison
- RAM 8GB DDR4 — adequate for solo tasks, tight for heavy multitasking
- SSD 256GB SATA SSD
- Display 14" FHD IPS Touchscreen · anti-glare · largest + touch
- Ports 1× USB-A 3.1 · 1× USB-C · HDMI 1.4 · RJ45 ethernet · headphone
- Battery 50Wh · ~10hrs rated
- Weight ~1.58kg
- Security Fingerprint reader · HP Sure Start BIOS · TPM 2.0
Pros & Cons
Best integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 8 is ~30% faster than Intel UHD 620 for video rendering, light photo editing, and browser canvas
14" touchscreen — largest display with touch in this comparison
Direct HDMI — plug into any Nairobi boardroom projector or monitor without adapter
RJ45 ethernet port — rare at this price, useful for campus labs and office networks
AMD platform — better thermal management under sustained loads vs Intel at same TDP
Only 8GB RAM — the weakest RAM spec in this comparison; 16 tabs + Zoom + Office can cause slowdown
Ryzen 5 Pro 3500U is slightly behind Core i7-8550U in single-core performance (~8% slower)
SATA SSD — slower read/write than NVMe in the T490s (550 MB/s vs 3,500 MB/s)
No 360° hinge — touchscreen but clamshell only
Heaviest of the three at ~1.58kg
Verdict: The HP 745 G6 is the right choice if you need AMD's superior integrated graphics for video-heavy work, a 14-inch touchscreen for annotation, and a direct ethernet port for wired campus or office connections. The 8GB RAM is the primary constraint — if you regularly run Zoom + Chrome (10+ tabs) + Office simultaneously, you will feel the memory pressure. An upgrade path exists if the T490s slot is accessible, but confirm before buying. View HP 745 G6 — KSh 32,500 →
Dell
Latitude 5300 2-in-1 — Core i7 8th Gen
KSh 32,000
- CPU Core i7 8th Gen (i7-8665U likely) · 4 cores · 8 threads · up to 4.2GHz · 15W TDP
- GPU Intel UHD 620 · 24 execution units · adequate for office and video calls
- RAM 8GB DDR4 — same constraint as the HP 745 G6
- SSD 256GB SSD
- Display 13.3" FHD IPS Touch · 360° convertible hinge · anti-glare
- Ports 1× USB-A 3.1 · 1× Thunderbolt 3 USB-C · microSD · headphone
- Battery 42Wh · ~9hrs rated
- Weight ~1.36kg — lightest of the three
- Security Fingerprint reader · TPM 2.0 · Dell ControlVault
Pros & Cons
Cheapest of the three at KSh 32,000 — best value if convertibility is your priority
360° hinge — only true convertible in this comparison; laptop, tent, stand, tablet modes
Core i7 8th Gen — strong single-core performance for responsive apps
Thunderbolt 3 USB-C — supports external GPU, docks, and 40Gbps peripherals
Lightest at ~1.36kg — best for Nairobi commuters
No direct HDMI — Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI adapter needed for projectors (KSh 600–1,200)
Only 8GB RAM — same constraint as HP; tight for heavy multitasking
Smaller 13.3" display — less screen real estate than the other two
Smallest battery (42Wh) — shortest real-world runtime of the three
Only 1× USB-A — you will need a hub for multiple peripherals
Verdict: The Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 is the only true convertible in this comparison — and at the lowest price. If annotating documents, presenting in tent mode, or occasionally using the machine as a tablet is part of your workflow, the KSh 32,000 entry point with a Core i7 is compelling. The no-HDMI limitation is the biggest daily friction in Nairobi's boardrooms — carry a USB-C to HDMI adapter if you buy this machine. View Dell Latitude 5300 — KSh 32,000 →
Lenovo
ThinkPad T490s i7 — Core i7-8550U · 16GB
KSh 33,500
- CPU Core i7-8550U · 4 cores · 8 threads · up to 4.0GHz · 15W TDP · confirmed model
- GPU Intel UHD 620 · 24 EU · standard for Intel 8th Gen
- RAM 16GB DDR4 — double the other two; real-world multitasking advantage
- SSD 256GB NVMe SSD — PCIe, ~3,500 MB/s read (vs ~550 MB/s SATA in HP)
- Display 14" FHD IPS · anti-glare · no touch · excellent colour accuracy
- Ports 2× USB-A 3.1 · USB-C · HDMI 1.4 direct · headphone · microSD
- Battery 57Wh · ~11hrs rated · best battery of the three
- Weight ~1.27kg
- Security Fingerprint reader · IR camera (Windows Hello) · ThinkShutter webcam cover · TPM 2.0
Pros & Cons
16GB RAM — the single biggest performance advantage in this comparison; smooth with 20+ Chrome tabs + Zoom + Office simultaneously
NVMe SSD — 6× faster read speeds than SATA; apps load near-instantly
Best keyboard — ThinkPad keyboards are widely regarded as the best laptop keyboards made; ideal for heavy typing
2× USB-A — plug in mouse and USB drive simultaneously without a hub
Direct HDMI — no adapter for Nairobi boardrooms and campus projectors
Longest battery — 57Wh delivers 11hrs+ for all-day use through load-shedding
ThinkShutter webcam cover — physical privacy shutter for remote interviews and video calls
No touchscreen — purely clamshell, no touch input
No 360° hinge — cannot use in tablet or tent mode
KSh 1,500–3,500 more expensive than the other two
Intel UHD 620 graphics — weaker than Radeon Vega 8 in the HP for GPU tasks
Verdict: The ThinkPad T490s i7 is the strongest all-round machine in this comparison. The 16GB RAM, NVMe SSD, direct HDMI, 2× USB-A, and best-in-class keyboard make it the best daily driver for Kenyan professionals who type heavily, run multiple applications, and plug into projectors and monitors regularly. The KSh 1,500–3,500 premium over the other two buys a meaningful upgrade in daily usability — not just on paper. If you do not need touch or convertible features, this is the right machine. View ThinkPad T490s i7 — KSh 33,500 →
Performance at a Glance — Real-World Workloads
📊 Estimated Real-World Performance — All Three Machines
Office / Productivity (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Heavy Multitasking (Zoom + Chrome 15+ tabs + Office)
Video & Graphics (Canva, video playback, light photo editing)
Remote Interviews (Zoom HD video, background blur)
App Launch Speed (SSD performance)
The 8GB vs 16GB RAM difference is the most important performance distinction for Kenyan buyers in this comparison. Both the HP 745 G6 and Dell Latitude 5300 come with 8GB — adequate for straightforward single-task use but noticeable under Nairobi's typical multi-app work pattern: M-Pesa web + 3 Google Docs tabs + a Zoom call + WhatsApp Web. The T490s i7's 16GB handles all of this without memory pressure. If you are buying a laptop to do serious work — not just browse — the KSh 1,500–3,500 difference to the T490s i7 is the most cost-effective performance upgrade available at this price tier.
Who Should Buy Which
🔵 HP EliteBook 745 G6 — KSh 32,500
Buy this if:
- You edit video or images regularly and want the best integrated GPU at this price
- You need a 14" touchscreen for document annotation
- You need a wired ethernet port for campus or office networks
- Your workload is mostly single-app — coding, writing, or browsing (8GB is fine)
- AMD's better thermals under sustained load matter to your workflow
🔷 Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 — KSh 32,000
Buy this if:
- You need 360-degree convertibility — presentations, tablet annotation, tent mode
- You are a field professional who hands clients a device to review or sign
- Portability is priority — lightest of the three at ~1.36kg
- Thunderbolt 3 connectivity matters for docks or external displays
- Budget is tight and KSh 32,000 is your ceiling
- You can carry a USB-C to HDMI adapter for projectors
🔴 ThinkPad T490s i7 — KSh 33,500
Buy this if:
- You multitask heavily — multiple apps and browser tabs simultaneously
- You type all day and want the best keyboard at this price in Kenya
- You connect to projectors and monitors frequently (direct HDMI)
- You want the fastest storage — NVMe vs SATA makes a daily difference
- All-day battery matters for load-shedding resilience
- You want the most future-proof machine — 16GB RAM ages much better than 8GB
The Honest Bottom Line
At the KSh 32,000–33,500 price tier, you are choosing between three genuine trade-offs — not between a good machine and bad ones. All three are certified, genuine Windows 11, 6-month warranty, and tested at our Tom Mboya Street store. The choice comes down to what your daily work actually looks like:
- If your screen is full of browser tabs, Zoom is always running, and you never want to wait for anything to load — ThinkPad T490s i7 at KSh 33,500.
- If you regularly annotate documents, present to clients, or need the machine in tablet mode for any reason — Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 at KSh 32,000.
- If your work involves Canva, video, or graphics — or you need an ethernet port — HP EliteBook 745 G6 at KSh 32,500.
Not sure? Come into our store on Tom Mboya Street and test all three machines side by side. It takes 15 minutes to know which keyboard feels right, which screen size suits your eyes, and which form factor fits your bag. WhatsApp 0714 722 264 and we will have all three ready when you arrive.
All Three In Stock — Test Side by Side at Tom Mboya Street
HP EliteBook 745 G6 KSh 32,500 · Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 KSh 32,000 · ThinkPad T490s i7 KSh 33,500. All certified, tested, genuine Windows 11, 6-month warranty. Shop U11, F&F Building, Tom Mboya Street, 1st Floor. 0714 722 264