EXHIBIT 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Hewlett- Packard Company of our report dated November 18, 1996, which appears on page 52 of Hewlett-Packard's 1996 Annual Report to Shareholders, which is incorporated by reference in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 1996. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus. PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP San Jose, California January 9, 1998