A Review of the HP EliteBook 850 G5

The HP EliteBook 850 G5 is a part of HP’s premium EliteBook series, designed for business professionals who demand a blend of performance, security, and portability. As a successor to the G4 model, the EliteBook 850 G5 brings several enhancements, including updated hardware, refined design, and improved security features. This review evaluates its design, performance, display quality, battery life, connectivity options, and overall user experience.

Design and Build Quality

The EliteBook 850 G5 features a sleek and professional design with a silver aluminum chassis, giving it a premium look and feel. Weighing around 4.27 pounds (1.94 kg), it strikes a balance between portability and robustness. The laptop is built to withstand daily wear and tear, meeting MIL-STD 810G standards for durability, which ensures it can handle the rigors of frequent travel and use.

The keyboard is spill-resistant and provides a comfortable typing experience with well-spaced keys and good key travel. The backlit keyboard is particularly useful for working in dimly lit environments. The touchpad is responsive and smooth, making navigation easy. Additionally, the EliteBook 850 G5 includes a fingerprint reader and an optional IR camera for facial recognition, enhancing security and convenience.

Display

The HP EliteBook 850 G5 is equipped with a 15.6-inch display, available in several resolutions including FHD (1920 x 1080) and UHD (3840 x 2160). The FHD display option is particularly impressive, offering sharp visuals, vibrant colors, and wide viewing angles. The anti-glare coating reduces reflections, making the screen easier to view in bright environments. This display quality is ideal for both productivity tasks and media consumption, providing a versatile visual experience.

Performance

Under the hood, the EliteBook 850 G5 is powered by Intel’s 8th generation Core processors, with options up to the Intel Core i7-8650U. The laptop supports up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and offers various storage options, including fast PCIe NVMe SSDs up to 1TB. This powerful hardware configuration ensures smooth multitasking and quick load times for applications, catering well to professionals who run demanding software.

For graphics, the EliteBook 850 G5 comes with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620. While this is sufficient for general productivity tasks and light media editing, it is not designed for heavy gaming or graphics-intensive applications. HP’s Noise Cancellation software enhances audio quality during conference calls, which is a valuable feature for business users.

Connectivity

The EliteBook 850 G5 excels in connectivity, providing a wide array of ports. It includes two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, one USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support, an HDMI 1.4b port, a headphone/microphone combo jack, and an RJ-45 Ethernet port. Additionally, the laptop offers an optional SIM card slot for mobile broadband. The device supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Battery Life

Battery life is a critical aspect for business laptops, and the EliteBook 850 G5 performs admirably in this regard. The device is equipped with a 56Wh battery, providing up to 14 hours of battery life under typical usage conditions. This allows professionals to work through a full day without needing to recharge frequently. The laptop also supports HP Fast Charge, which can charge the battery to 50% in just 30 minutes, offering quick power boosts when needed.

Security Features

HP has integrated a comprehensive suite of security features into the EliteBook 850 G5, making it an excellent choice for enterprise users. These include HP Sure Start, a self-healing BIOS technology that protects against firmware attacks, and HP Sure View, an integrated privacy screen that guards against visual hacking. The laptop also features a TPM 2.0 chip, a Smart Card Reader, and options for fingerprint and facial recognition authentication, ensuring robust security for sensitive data.

Usability and User Experience

The EliteBook 850 G5 offers a smooth and efficient user experience, thanks to its powerful hardware and thoughtful design. The keyboard and touchpad are both comfortable and responsive, enhancing productivity. The wide range of ports ensures that users can connect all necessary peripherals without needing additional adapters. The laptop operates quietly and remains cool even under load, thanks to its effective thermal management system.

Conclusion

The HP EliteBook 850 G5 is an outstanding choice for professionals seeking a high-performance and secure business laptop. Its robust build quality, powerful internals, extensive connectivity options, and comprehensive security features make it a standout in the competitive business laptop market. While it may not be the lightest option available, it offers a large, high-quality display and powerful performance, making it an excellent investment for enterprise users.

Overall, the HP EliteBook 850 G5 combines functionality, security, and a large display in a sleek and durable package, upholding the high standards expected from HP’s EliteBook series.