A Chromebook for MacBook Pro 14 customers: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook review Reviews

Seven years in the past, HP launched the Chromebook 13 G1 retailing for virtually $1000 USD or twice as a lot as most different Chromebooks. It promised a extra elegant {and professional} person expertise for enterprises or companies. For 2023, HP has launched one more high-end Chromebook this time for WFH professionals referred to as the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.

The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook enhances the Dragonfly Pro Windows model which additionally launches this month. Both might seem equivalent at first look, however they’re completely different inside and outside as our review under will element.

Our review configuration ships with the twelfth gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU, 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256 GB NVMe SSD, and 14-inch 2560 x 1600 touchscreen for $999 USD. The two SKUs out there at launch ship with the identical inner {hardware} and differ solely in shade. HP plans to supply extra SKUs with 5G and eSIM later this 12 months.

Alternatives to the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook embody different upper-range Chromebooks just like the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5, Acer Chromebook Spin 713, or the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook.

More HP evaluations:

• Dragonfly Pro
• EliteBook 835 G9
• ZBook Firefly 14 G9
• Spectre x360 16
• Victus 15

Note: The producer might use elements from completely different suppliers together with show panels, drives or reminiscence sticks with comparable specs.

      Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 CX5601FB       Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16       Acer Chromebook 514 CB514-1WT-36DP       HP Dragonfly Pro 2023       HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook       Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook       DIN A4 {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_335334’).checked = false;doc.querySelectorAll(‘#presentDeviceSize_334319’).forEach(aspect => {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_334319’).checked = false;doc.querySelectorAll(‘#presentDeviceSize_329693’).forEach(aspect => {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_329693’).checked = false;doc.querySelectorAll(‘#presentDeviceSize_335957’).forEach(aspect => {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_335957’).checked = false;doc.querySelectorAll(‘#presentDeviceSize_336220’).forEach(aspect => {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_336220’).checked = false;doc.querySelectorAll(‘#presentDeviceSize_327203’).forEach(aspect => {aspect.classList.add(‘hideEl’)});doc.getElementById(‘presentDeviceSizelabel_327203’).checked = false;return false;” title=”disguise all”>❌

The ultra-bright touchscreen is without doubt one of the important highlights of the mannequin. In truth, HP claims it has unique rights to make use of this explicit panel for this Chromebook mannequin solely, at the least for the time being. Even the Dragonfly Pro Windows model makes use of a special and far dimmer panel.

The panel targets a brightness of 1200 nits to be over 3 times brighter than some other client Chromebook or laptop computer no matter dimension or worth. If you want to make use of your Chromebook outdoor below shiny situations, then this HP was designed for you.

Brightness uniformity may very well be higher at solely 63 p.c in comparison with ~80 p.c on most different IPS laptops. Our unbiased measurements present a most brightness of 1666 nits on the very middle of the display whereas the sides are dimmer at “only” about 1050 nits. This will not be a significant situation in observe for the reason that display is already very shiny even after accounting for the modest brightness uniformity.

A notable downside to the touchscreen is its gradual black-white and gray-gray response occasions. The display is subsequently not supreme for streaming fast-paced 3D video games due to the noticeable ghosting.

* … smaller is best

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Display response occasions present how briskly the display is ready to change from one shade to the subsequent. Slow response occasions can result in afterimages and may trigger shifting objects to seem blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles ought to pay particular consideration to quick response occasions.

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To dim the display, some notebooks will merely cycle the backlight on and off in fast succession – a technique referred to as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This biking frequency ought to ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If stated frequency is simply too low, customers with delicate eyes might expertise pressure or complications and even discover the flickering altogether.

The Core i5-1235U could also be widespread on Ultrabooks, however it’s on the higher-end of the efficiency spectrum in relation to Chromebooks as few provide comparable twelfth gen Core U-series CPUs. There isn’t any Core i7-1255U choice, nevertheless; you will have to contemplate the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 for such a processor. Nonetheless, the Core i5 CPU runs Chrome OS seamlessly and with higher multi-tasking potential than present technology Snapdragon options.

4K video playback at 60 FPS is flawless on the unit. We’re not in a position to file a single dropped body throughout our streaming checks.

Google Phone Hub has been out there for a few years now for pairing Android smartphones to Chromebooks. It’s analogous to Microsoft Phone Link on Windows PCs. Unfortunately, the characteristic stays barebones with a lot fewer choices than the Microsoft equal. You’re nonetheless restricted to viewing simply the 4 most up-to-date images in your smartphone, for instance, and any messages in your telephone require a separate pairing course of and app on the Chromebook to sync. Meanwhile, Microsoft Phone Link pairs all of your messages, images, calls, and music controls in a single massive easy-to-navigate window. Samsung Galaxy telephones even take this one step additional by permitting full display mirroring on Windows PCs. You know Google is dropping the ball when our Pixel 7 Pro pairs higher on a Windows platform than on their very own in-house working system.

Phone Hub is not fully ineffective. Its quick tethering characteristic particularly permits the Chromebook to make use of your smartphone’s web connection with out having to undergo extra submenus. This will be particularly useful for vacationers who do not plan on buying the upcoming 5G or WAN configurations of the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.

Like most different Chromebooks, the HP mannequin may be very quiet regardless of the load regardless of it sporting an inner fan. Typical internet searching or video streaming would induce a fan noise of simply 24 dB(A) towards a silent background of 23 dB(A) whereas heavier masses like video games or stress checks would induce a noise of simply 27 dB(A). In basic, fan noise quieter than 30 dB(A) is troublesome to listen to in typical workplace or dwelling environments.

We can discover no coil whine or digital noise from our unit.

Noise Level

Idle		23 / 23 / 23 dB(A)
Load		24.3 / 27.3 dB(A)
	30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud
min: , med: , max:    Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   setting noise: 22.9 dB(A)

* … smaller is best

Surface temperatures are hotter on the best half of the laptop computer than on the left as a result of positioning of the processor inside. When below excessive masses like video games, the warmest spots alongside the rear of the chassis will be as much as 10 to 14 C hotter than the good spots alongside the entrance of the chassis.

Average temperatures are hotter than on most different Chromebooks doubtless due to the tighter construct of the HP. For instance, the nook of the keyboard will be as much as 35 C in comparison with 31 C on the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5. Fortunately, temperatures by no means grow to be uncomfortably heat. Certain Chromebooks can run even hotter just like the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook.

Frequency diagram (checkboxes will be checked and unchecked to check gadgets)

While the system is usually very environment friendly as to be anticipated from any Chromebook, energy consumption can grow to be fairly excessive due to the super-bright show. The distinction between the minimal and most brightness settings will be as excessive as 8 W in comparison with simply 2 W or 4 W on most different Chromebooks together with the bigger Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook 16. This can have a profound impact on battery life as our subsequent part will present.

Power consumption when working Asphalt 8 on the utmost brightness setting is round 19 W which is once more greater than on most different Chromebooks. For a extra excessive state of affairs, we’re in a position to measure a most draw of 69 W when the CPU is at one hundred pc utilization. This fee is barely short-term, nevertheless, as Turbo Boost efficiency will not be indefinite.

* … smaller is best

We’re in a position to file virtually 10 hours of real-world searching when set to a display brightness of 150 nits which is corresponding to fashions just like the Acer Chromebook 514.

Of course, runtime decreases if on the utmost brightness setting. In this state of affairs, we’re solely in a position to file a runtime of simply 290 minutes which is lower than half of our 150-nit setting above. This important discount is actually one thing to remember when you plan on exploiting the super-bright show on a frequent foundation.

Charging from empty to full capability is fortunately fairly speedy at below 90 minutes. The 96 W GaN USB-C charger can fast cost most smartphones, tablets, and even different appropriate laptops. It is actually the HP model of the 96 W AC adapter that presently ships with the MacBook Pro 14.

Do you actually need an opulent Chromebook with RGB keyboard, 4 Thunderbolt ports, and a show that is over 3x brighter than most others? Probably not, however it’s admittedly exhausting to look again after getting them. The RGB lighting provides a layer of personalization not out there on most different Chromebooks whereas the Thunderbolt ports enable for higher compatibility with USB-C docking stations and screens. Additionally, the 1200-nit show turns into invaluable in sunny out of doors environments and it’s indubitably a significant promoting level of the mannequin.

If the above options do not tickle your fancy, then the $999 USD price ticket will be tougher to justify. Display colours are correct to sRGB, however inexpensive options just like the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 or Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook have sRGB-accurate shows as effectively with the added benefit of 360-degree hinges. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook can be one of many only a few Chromebook clamshells to don’t have any USB-A ports in any respect which could bug some customers. The similarly-priced Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook presents a a lot wider number of ports compared. The haptic trackpad is usually a blended bag as effectively; MacBook customers might recognize it, however Windows customers accustomed to clicky trackpads might not.

The small kind issue, super-bright sRGB show, and high quality building make the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook a near-ideal journey companion for most WFH customers.

Other than that, there’s little or no to dislike in regards to the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. Audio high quality is best than anticipated and the specs are already greater than most within the class. We hope to see a 2-in-1 mannequin within the close to future with greater refresh fee choices to higher exploit the brilliant touchscreen.

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