HP Elite Dragonfly Palms-On Evaluate: A 1,000-Nit Laptop computer?

HP Elite Dragonfly hands-on

“Light-weight and trendy, the HP Elite Dragonfly is nearly too modern to be thought-about purely a enterprise laptop computer.”

Light-weight but sturdy design

Extraordinarily vibrant show choices

Snug keyboard and touchpad

Numerous security measures

Launching with older processors

Costly

The HP Spectre x360 is the crown jewel of HP’s laptops, and it’s lengthy been considered one of our favourite laptops. However HP has extra as much as its sleeve than simply Spectres.

Enter the brand new HP Elite Dragonfly. Whereas technically a enterprise laptop computer, you don’t need to be a CEO to understand its stylings — or its peculiar title. Holding the CNC-machined magnesium, outfitted in a trendy blue end and weighing in at 2.2 kilos, it was probably the most jealous for a enterprise laptop computer I’ve ever been.

Lighter than Air?

The very first thing I seen with the Dragonfly was its portability. Because it was handed to me, I instantly felt how gentle this new 2-in-1 really is. At 2.2. kilos, the Dragonfly is simpler to carry in a single hand than the MacBook Air and XPS 13 (2.7 kilos.) It’s even lighter than the Spectre x360, which is simply shy of three kilos.

Actually, it’s so gentle, that I assumed it was manufactured from plastic. But it surely’s not.

To perform this lightness, the Dragonfly sports activities an alloy magnesium chassis, which HP claims could be lighter than the aluminum sometimes utilized in different 2-in-1s. There won’t be the flamboyant “gem cuts” like with the Spectre x360, however every of the person surfaces on the Dragonfly is customized and lower on a CNC machine.

It’s also MIL-STD 810G navy spec, with HP placing it by way of 120,000 hours of testing on the hinges and different areas of the gadget. This could imply the Dragonfly is construct to final.

There’s additionally the identical diamond-cut accents from the Spectre x360 working alongside the perimeters, for added integrity and rigidity. Once I pushed down on the keyboard and turned the lid, there was no flexing or bending.

I jammed out sentences shortly due to the near-perfect, square-shaped keycaps.

The gadget is then topped with a “Dragonfly Blue”-colored oleophobic coating, which resists mud and fingerprints. I’ve by no means seen this colour laptop computer earlier than, and it’s visually gorgeous. It’s virtually like a magic trick, with the laptop computer showing black in dimly lit areas, however blue within the gentle. The coating can also be one thing to be appreciated, as matte client laptops just like the Razer Blade Stealth and even ThinkPads could be fingerprint magnets.

Regardless of the burden, typing on the Dragonfly can also be pleasing, as HP claims the keyboard deck is 32% lighter, with the backlit keyboard itself being 26% lighter than the EliteBook x360 1030 G3.

I jammed out sentences shortly due to the near-perfect, square-shaped keycaps. Although it was arduous to evaluate within the crowded showroom flooring, HP guarantees the keyboard is twice as quiet as earlier than. The glass touchpad is bigger than on the Spectre x360 and supplied strong clicks when navigating by way of Home windows.

A 1,000-nit show? Maintain on there

The load isn’t the Dragonfly’s solely jaw-dropping spec. HP additionally claims the laptop computer’s show can go as much as 1,000 nits in brightness. If that feels like overkill, that’s as a result of it’s. Even 4K OLED shows often max out at round 500 nits. It’s arduous to think about the necessity for a laptop computer display screen to be twice that vibrant.

But HP has achieved it anyhow. I can’t blame them — it’s an attention-grabbing spec, and if you happen to had been in direct daylight, it may very well be helpful. In individual, the laptop computer was, certainly, vibrant. I’ll must do extra testing sooner or later with a trusty colorimeter to get a greater concept of the show’s picture high quality.

Along with this 1080p 1,000-nit display screen, HP additionally provides a 400-nit 1080p and a 4K 550-nit mannequin.

No matter which display screen you select, it comes with skinny zero.19-inch aspect bezels. That has been one of many main complaints towards HP laptops previously, so I’m joyful to see slimmer bezels come to the Dragonfly.

No 10th-gen underneath the hood — but

As nice because the Dragonfly sounds, there may be one obvious flaw. Presently, HP is launching the Dragonfly with Intel’s Eighth era U-series vPro processors and 16GB or 8GB of RAM. Different new gadgets are launching with Intel’s 10th-gen processors, however based on HP, for enterprise professionals and business customers, the Eighth-gen processors are apparently the most effective.

The Intel Core i7-8665 vPro remains to be a quad-core processor with loads of efficiency for on a regular basis enterprise duties. Nevertheless, seeing a tool launched in 2019 with an Eighth-gen processor is disappointing.

When requested why 10th-gen was skipped, Intel said that it believes Eighth-gen vPro holds the most effective applied sciences wanted for an enterprise-grade PC. They labored extensively with HP on BIOS safety and restoration options, and these vPro processors have all the things wanted for IT departments to remotely handle, erase, diagnose and replace a PC.

“That is an enterprise-grade PC, so it required the enterprise validation, and enabling and safety work that we do with vPro. The 10th gen isn’t but prepared on the vPro firmware. It takes further firmware, software program, and BIOS work. That may occur early subsequent yr. Proper now, the most effective enterprise-grade PCs are on the Eighth gen,” mentioned Stephanie Halford, Vice President & Normal Supervisor, Enterprise Shopper Platforms at Intel.

Fashions with 10th-gen Intel vPro processors may very well be on the way in which quickly, relying on HP’s scheduling.

Constructed to final, and stability work and life

Regardless of the hanging title, the Dragonfly does include quite a few business-specific options. Considered one of these is HP’s pre-installed Workwell software program, which gives personalised suggestions and promotes well-being at work and coaches customers with really useful breaks and actions.

However, that’s not all. Very like client laptops just like the XPS 13, HP is claiming that the Dragonfly packs huge battery life. There’s as much as 24.5 hours promised with a efficiency battery, and 16.5 hours with the light-weight battery.

That might put it forward of clamshells like XPS 13 (13.5 hours,) and even comparable convertible All the time Related PCs just like the Samsung Galaxy Guide 2.  Extra testing is required, however in my temporary hour with the Dragonfly, the battery solely dropped roughly 1%. I can see this because the laptop computer for the enterprise folks who’re all the time out and about.

Businesspeople also needs to admire the varied port choice too. The Dragonfly contains two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt three suitable), a USB-A port, in addition to HDMI and a headphone jack.

Just like Lenovo’s ThinkShutter, different security measures embody HP’s Privateness Digicam, which helps you to flip a slider on the highest of the gadget to disable and conceal the webcam. That ties in with HP’s elective SureView display screen, which, on the contact of a button, can scale back the sunshine in order that the display screen is tough to learn from aspect.

The HP Dragonfly doesn’t appear like a normal enterprise laptop computer — and I imply that as a praise.

There are additionally enterprise security measures built-in, reminiscent of HP’s Endpoint Safety Controller, HP SureSense Fingerprint reader, and an built-in Home windows Good day webcam on the highest for logins.

HP’s SureSense expertise may defend the gadget towards malware with the facility of synthetic intelligence. And, with HP SureRecover, customers can reimage and get better the Dragonfly, anytime one thing goes flawed.

A dear endeavor

The HP Dragonfly doesn’t appear like a normal enterprise laptop computer — and I imply that as a praise. Extra testing is required, however with its skinny and light-weight design, vibrant and slim show, plus security measures that companies want, it may find yourself being a go-to alternative for individuals who don’t need to quit modern design for enterprise options.

HP will launch the Elite Dragonfly later in October for costs beginning at $1,549. A leather-based cowl and Wacom pen can also be an elective buy.

Editors’ Suggestions