The competition in the business laptop segment is heating up now that many organisations have shifted to remote work. Numerous options are available, and several OEMs are also producing new variants of perennial favourites. HP also sells business laptops under the brand names EliteBook and ProBook.
I’ve been using the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 as my primary work computer for the last three weeks. This laptop offers a plethora of features that compel me to recommend it. Is the Rs 1,16,820 price tag, however, genuinely justified? Take a peek.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Specifications
- Processor AMD Ryzen 7 4700U (2.0 GHz base clock, up to 4.1 GHz max boost clock, 8 MB L3 cache, 8 cores)
- 16 GB DDR4-3200 RAM
- Storage capacity of 512 GB through PCIe NVMe
- “FHD IPS anti-glare panel with a brightness of 1000 nits on the 13.3” display.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 performance
This laptop’s performance is fueled by an AMD Ryzen 7 4700U CPU. AMD CPUs have made considerable advancements, and they are no longer lagging behind Intel counterparts.
The Ryzen 7 4700U achieved a very respectable 4,615 points on the PCMark test, outperforming both the ThinkPad 14 and the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, which are both powered by Intel’s 10th Generation Core i7 CPUs.
We received some fantastic results when we ran additional tests for our internal scoring sheets, such as Cinebench R15, 11.5, and PCMark 8, in hardware accelerated mode. This laptop performed properly and without issue during the execution of various benchmark applications.
We used 3DMark’s Time Spy test to determine the GPU’s performance and obtained an 826, which is in line with our expectations for this PC.
Its performance is equivalent to that of other laptops equipped with Radeon RX Vega 6 graphics. The laptop scored a respectable 7,805 in 3DMark’s Sky Diver test, placing it on a level with or better than laptops with a dedicated GPU. That is not at all repulsive.
Prior to discussing real-world performance, I’d want to point out that the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 kept quite cool during our stress tests. As you can see, the laptop has a compact chassis, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it only felt somewhat warm to the touch in certain areas, rather than being really hot.
This one goes to the Ryzen 7 4700U CPU, which provides quick performance without generating excessive heat. Even while the fan was running at maximum speed, the noise level was rather low. You’re unlikely to notice it in a noisy work atmosphere.
In terms of day-to-day use, the laptop was a pleasant experience. I had no trouble pushing this laptop to its limits for my regular job.
Of course, I don’t use many resource-intensive programmes on a daily basis, but I enjoy testing out extreme scenarios such as opening 40+ tabs in Chrome while simultaneously running an image editing tool. The laptop handled everything admirably, which encourages me to believe that you will have no performance issues with this computer.
I even played several games on this laptop, but bear in mind that this is not a gaming laptop. Even on the lowest settings, games like The Witcher 3 and Grand Theft Auto 5 struggle to maintain acceptable frame rates. Believe me when I say that there are far better laptops available at a lower price that are capable of gaming.
HP picked an SDD from SK Hynix over more costly storage options. The 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD achieved sequential read and write speeds of 2301.58 MB/s and 1066.47 MB/s, respectively, in the CrystalDiskMark test. This performs in a similar manner as the HP Pavilion Laptop 13, which is sufficient for a business notebook.
The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7’s display
The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 features a 13.3-inch IPS display. On the surface, it seems to be a solid panel. It has a 1920 x 1080 resolution, an anti-glare coating, a maximum brightness of 1000 nits, NTSC coverage of 72 percent, and HP’s Sure View privacy screen.
However, after a brief period of use, I quickly became aware of the laptop’s numerous flaws.
To begin, I examined the display thoroughly using the Portrait Displays C6 HDR2000 colorimeter. Although HP says the laptop has a maximum brightness of 1000 nits, I was able to measure a maximum brightness of 792.7 cd/m2. That is still better than many laptops available, but when I attempted to use the laptop outside, it would not work.
I was having difficulty using my laptop outside, even with an overcast sky. However, I assume this is a function of the display’s quality.
In my second feature article, I investigated the display quality in detail, exposing some of this privacy screen’s shortcomings. This laptop’s HP Sure View technology includes an integrated privacy screen that can be enabled with the push of a button.
The privacy screen itself operates as specified, although with a loss of horizontal viewing angle. To see everything properly, you must precisely adjust the display angle. Indeed, I would not be surprised if this is a TN panel. The viewing angle is a significant issue, which is unexpected given the IPS display on this laptop.
Regrettably, I was unable to fully appreciate the display owing to the privacy screen option. While this is a handy tool to have, I found it inconvenient because I had to constantly adjust the display to observe everything properly.
When I looked deeper into the display’s characteristics with the Calman colorimeter, I discovered some rather impressive results. The contrast ratio of the panel is equivalent to that of the majority of choices in this price range. Additionally, I received an average Correlated Color Temperature, or CCT, of 6478, suggesting a cool colour temperature.
Additionally, colour reproduction is extremely outstanding straight out of the box. This is demonstrated by the low DeltaE values of 1.2 and 2.1 in the Greyscale and ColorChecker analyses, respectively.
Additionally, the display covered 105 percent of the sRGB colour space and 69% of the DCI-P3 colour space.
When it comes to colours, I observed some little degradation in the deeper tones of some hues, such as green and blue. They look paler as a result of the high degree of parity between the DeltaC and DeltaH values of the colours in the Luminance Sweeps test.
This means that, with the exception of some darker shades of Green and Blue, the display will accurately reproduce the majority of the colours. I had no issues with skin tones because all of the colours were well within the margin of error. In general, this is a fantastic display for both daily work and content consumption.
However, as previously said, it was difficult to appreciate the event while anticipating difficulties with viewing angles. I had to constantly adjust the display’s angle to ensure that none of the text or visuals seemed distorted or blurry.
However, HP’s Sure View technology performs admirably, filtering 75% of visible light outside the privacy zone, so there are no complaints there, and I’m sure you’ll like it.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Battery Life
A competent business laptop should last at least a day without requiring charging. Being able to rely on battery power for day-to-day chores simplifies the process of suggesting a laptop. On the other hand, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 boasts an impressive battery life. It includes a three-cell 53 Wh Li-ion battery and a 65W EM External AC Power Adapter.
In PCMark 10’s Modern Office battery life test, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 lasted 10 hours and 49 minutes.
That equates to 649 minutes on PCMark’s battery test at full brightness. In case you’re unfamiliar, this exam measures performance on a realistic set of everyday tasks such as writing, online surfing, and video conferencing.
It outperforms a number of other laptops in its class, including the ASUS ZenBook Duo, which features a larger 70WHrs battery, and the Lenovo IdeaPad S540, which features a similarly sized battery. Take a look at the graph below –
In terms of performance, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 lasted slightly more than 8 hours on a regular workday for me. On a normal workday, I use the laptop to write pieces for the website, conduct internet research, view videos on YouTube and Twitch, and mostly listen to music via Bluetooth headphones. This should give you a decent idea of the battery life you may anticipate.
I kept track of my battery use over multiple days of the week and achieved a battery backup of around 8 hours. This was at full brightness, so you could probably get a few more hours out of it by dimming it a notch or two.
However, I will not recommend doing so owing to the display problems discussed above in the display section, which make viewing items correctly in their current state problematic. Even without such a feature, the 8-hour battery backup is more than sufficient in my opinion.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Laptop Keyboard, Trackpad, and I/O
When the lid is lifted, a full-size backlit keyboard with two-stage lighting is revealed. The keys are black, and the illumination illuminates the surrounding area as well as the labelling. These keys are flat, denoting a lack of a conical form. That was irrelevant to me because the keys had adequate key travel.
I had a lot of joy typing on the keyboard of this laptop. Despite its origins as a clicky mechanical keyboard, it’s one of those quiet, comfortable keyboards you immediately love.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 keyboard deck
I previously had an HP Pavilion Laptop 13, which included a less-than-pleasant keyboard with spongy keys. As a result, typing on this was undoubtedly more enjoyable. HP claims the keys are spill-resistant, however I was unable to verify this, so take their word for it.
When it comes to the touchpad, it is similarly minimal. This is understandable given the laptop’s size. It benefits from the absence of dedicated touchpad buttons. Additionally, the glass surface is preferable to plastic.
The ClickPad’s mechanics, in my opinion, feature a crisp, high-quality pressure point. Due to Microsoft’s Precision touchpad driver, all of the Windows movements work properly.
The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 IO is an Intel Core i7-powered laptop.
In terms of connectivity, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7, as is customary for business laptops, is competent. In comparison to prior business laptops, HP repositioned the air vents to the rear of the hinge, creating additional space for connections.
On the left are two USB Type-A connectors, while on the right is a SuperSpeed USB Type-C port with a signalling rate of 10Gbps. Additionally, this connection serves as a DisplayPort and supports USB Power Delivery.
Additionally, you receive a combined headphone/microphone connector, an HDMI port, and a charging port for your AC barrel adaptor.
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 Design and Build Quality
HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 is an aerodynamic notebook.
The HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 laptop is reinforced with recyclable aluminium and magnesium. This laptop looks to be capable of withstanding the shocks and jolts encountered by commercial computers during transportation. It’s critical to note that this is not one of those ultra-portable laptops like the Apple MacBook Air or the ASUS ExpertBook B9450, which ASUS claims is the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop.
The ProBook features an elegantly minimal design. It looks to be more up to date than some of the older business computers you may have used previously. In terms of design, I see a lot of similarities between this and the HP Pavilion Laptop 13.
It’s fortunate that HP is promoting slimmer designs, since this one is a great fit for a conference room. The laptop’s lid fully extends to 180 degrees, and I enjoy that it can be used with a single hand.
Although the laptop’s base is sturdy, I would not describe it as torsion-resistant. The lid, likewise, is made of aluminium. Although it is not torsion-resistant, minor pressure on the back causes no visible alterations to the screen’s visuals. The palm rest is similarly sturdy, with an angular edge that will not hurt your arms even after prolonged use.
The stereo speakers on the keyboard’s left and right sides are also visible. Its placement naturally lifts it over a large number of PCs equipped with bottom- or side-firing speakers. Due to the speakers’ reasonably powerful output, they can easily fill a medium-sized room.
They have an adequate range of high frequencies but are deficient in bass. Even at maximum level, the speakers’ sound is not distorted. They looked to be in good working order, albeit I would still require headphones for viewing material.
On top of the display, near to the 720p webcam, a pair of microphones can be observed. They’re adequate for video conferencing, but I wouldn’t choose them over headphones. There is no mention of noise reduction, and the audio registration is a little lacklustre.
In general, I’d say that the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 is a well-built laptop. I’ve always like HP’s design language, particularly on their latest laptops, and I’m pleased to see that their business notebooks are now sporting a robust chassis and a modern aesthetic as well.
Verdict
The AMD-powered HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 is an excellent business laptop that comes equipped with an array of outstanding features. With its high performance, the Ryzen 7 4700U glides through daily productivity tasks while maintaining an outstanding battery life.
It’s an excellent laptop that I recommend fully. Having saying that, I feel compelled to share my dissatisfaction with the exhibition.
The display is not insignificant, but it is not one of its numerous characteristics. Apart from that, there is a lot to like about the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 for business leaders, and it does everything effortlessly.
HP has added a slew of enterprise and privacy features to make it more appealing, including the HP Sure View privacy screen. Therefore, if your responsibilities do not require an ultra-premium computer, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 is an excellent pick.