HP ProBook 450 G10 Review (Intel Core i5-1340P)

Today, we’re taking an in-depth look at the HP ProBook 450 G10 laptop, a laptop with an Intel Core i5-1340P CPU and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. The laptop also comes with a 2.5K IPS screen, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. As we take a closer look at its range of features, it is clear that this laptop is a compelling option for users.

The HP ProBook 450 G10 with a Core i3-1315U processor is priced at $600. The model we are looking at today is priced between $1,100 and $1,200. However, its rich feature set makes it one of the best in its class.

Specifications

Design

The display case is made of high-grade aluminum alloy, reflecting meticulous attention to detail. The surface texture presents a smooth texture. The case also has an HP logo, which enhances brand recognition.

As soon as we open the laptop, we are greeted by a 15.6-inch display with an impressive slim bezel wrapped in a plastic frame. The display features a 180° hinge design, which allows users to choose different angles in different scenarios. The horizontal bar located above the display housing doubles as an antenna to receive signals.

The standout feature of this laptop is its compact size, with dimensions of 359.1 x 233.6 x 19.2 mm and a weight of around 1.78 kg, making it excellent for portability and not feeling any discomfort when carrying it for a long time.

Display

The HP ProBook 450 G10 brings a range of display choices, and the one we have here is quite the standout. It’s a 15.6-inch screen that’s a real visual treat, featuring a sharp 2.5K resolution and a super-smooth 120Hz high refresh rate. Please note that this display option is only available in select regions. What truly distinguishes this display from the more common 1080p screens is its level of visual finesse. It keeps the 16:9 aspect ratio but goes the extra mile to minimize annoying glare with its anti-glare properties. What’s incredibly cool is the hardware-level blue light filtering, which is fantastic for office work or gaming. It’s easier on the eyes, reducing the chances of feeling tired after extended use. Altogether, this display offers a superior visual experience and keeps your eyes comfortable.

A minor drawback of this monitor is that it does not support 1W ultra-low power consumption. The lack of this feature may result in a relatively short battery life compared to other display models.

In our display tests with Spyder X, we obtained the following results: the display covered 98% of the sRGB color gamut, 78% of the Adobe RGB color gamut, and 77% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The peak brightness of the screen is measured at an impressive 330 nits, and the contrast ratio is commendable at 950:1.

In our color accuracy tests, the average Delta E value was 2.1, with a maximum of 4.38 and a minimum of 0.65. For users involved in tasks such as picture design and color correction, it is advisable to calibrate the screen color to get accurate results. However, for daily office tasks and entertainment purposes, the display works well without calibration.

At the top of the display bezel, you’ll find a 5MP webcam with an 88° shooting angle. This is a significant upgrade over traditional 720p cameras. As a result, the video quality is greatly improved and the field of view is more expansive. What’s even more impressive is its physical privacy mode feature. The camera can be physically blocked when not in use, providing sufficient protection to prevent privacy leaks. In addition, the camera also supports the infrared face recognition unlocking function, which can automatically recognize faces when opening the laptop and log in directly to Windows.

Keyboard

The HP ProBook 450 G10 has a spill-resistant full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad and supports two-level backlit illumination. With a key travel of 1.5mm, typing on it provides a satisfying rebound, ensuring that prolonged use doesn’t quickly tire your hands.

However, there are a few key issues to note. The up and down arrow keys are significantly smaller in size, which can cause accidental presses. The location of the power button within the keyboard area near the delete key increases the likelihood of accidental touches. The lower right side of the keyboard surface houses a convenient fingerprint sensor for added security. Below the keyboard, there’s a standard touchpad that supports multi-touch gestures for smooth navigation.

Image credit: HPOn the left side, there is an RJ45 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, and a security lock hole. On the right side, there is a charging port, two USB 4 Type-C ports (supporting Thunderbolt 4, USB Power Delivery, and DisplayPort 1.4), a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a SIM card slot. This wide range of ports eliminates the need for users to carry additional USB docks or adapters.

Battery

The HP ProBook 450 G10 comes with a 3-cell 51Wh battery. According to the manufacturer’s specifications, this battery is expected to provide up to 13 hours of battery life. For quick charging, the company provides a 65W AC adapter.

When testing the battery using PCMark 10 in Modern Office mode, we used specific settings for a fair assessment. The laptop was set to balanced power mode, with Bluetooth disabled, while maintaining a Wi-Fi connection, and the screen brightness was adjusted to 30%. The battery was at 98% at the start of the test and 6% at the end, with a total battery time of 6 hours and 25 minutes.

It’s worth noting that battery performance has improved slightly compared to its predecessor, which is a welcome improvement in this regard.

RAM and SSD

The HP ProBook 450 G10 comes with 16GB of DDR4 memory. After removing the back cover, we found a memory module made by SK Hynix. The motherboard has an additional memory slot that allows users to expand the memory capacity. The laptop supports up to 32GB of RAM.

In our memory tests, we used AIDA64 Cache and Memory Benchmarks, got the following results: 47,538 MB/s read, 47,281 MB/s write, and 44,392 MB/s copy, with a latency of 73 ns. These scores seem to be perfect for typical day-to-day office tasks and are very close to the performance of other laptops with DDR4 memory.

The model under review comes with a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. However, for users with particularly demanding storage needs, HP offers an additional M.2 SSD slot.

To evaluate the SSD’s performance, we conducted two comprehensive tests. First, using the AS SSD benchmarking software, we obtained the following results: 3016.2 MB/s for sequential reads, 2024.3 MB/s for sequential writes, 76.5 MB/s for 4K random reads, and 221.6 MB/s for 4K random writes. Then, we recorded the following results using CrystalDiskMark: 3629.3 MB/s for sequential reads, 3018.1 MB/s for sequential writes, 77.2 MB/s for 4K random reads, and 170.5 MB/s for 4K random writes. These results clearly show that the SSD is fast enough to handle a wide range of daily office tasks, including handling large files, copying, pasting, and other similar operations.

CPU Benchmark

The HP ProBook 450 G10 is powered by the Intel Core i5-1340P processor. This processor has 12 cores and 16 threads. The laptop is available in a range of processor variants, from the 13th Gen Intel Core i3 to the Intel Core i7. In our evaluation, we selected the i5-1340P model, as it was the most suitable choice for this review.

We also did a benchmark test of the CPU, and the results are listed below:

Cinebench R15: 1831cb on multi-core and 99.05fps in OpenGL

Cinebench R20: 679cb on single-core and 4,007cb on multi-core

Cinebench R23: 1,759pts on single-core and 10,436pts on multi-core

GPU Benchmark

The Core i5-1340P is complemented by the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card, providing an excellent graphics solution. It’s worth noting that this laptop is also available in the RTX 2050 graphics variant, but we don’t recommend it due to its underwhelming performance. The Intel Iris Xe 80EU graphics in this configuration remains the same as the previous generation. As far as gaming performance is concerned, it’s ideal for online games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and DOTA 2. It can also handle basic tasks, such as photo editing and short video editing. The Intel Core integrated graphics also supports codec acceleration for faster video editing compared to some AMD-powered alternatives.

We also ran GPU benchmarks, and the results are below:

3DMark TimeSpy: 1,419 GPU score and total score was 1,628.

Heat Dissipation

The bottom cover of the HP ProBook 450 G10 has many small holes that serve as air intakes and key areas for cooling. This laptop cooling system has a cooling fan and two heat pipes. This setup efficiently handles the heat generated by the Core i5-1340P CPU and ensures that the laptop runs smoothly and maintains comfortably low temperatures during operation.

CPU Stress Test: In a stress test of the laptop using the AIDA64 FPU application, we observed that the CPU’s power consumption stabilized at 30 W. After more than 30 minutes of testing, the core temperature of the CPU reached 86°C, and the overall CPU temperature stabilized at 89°C. Under such high load conditions, the performance of the CPU was improved, and the core temperature was effectively controlled.

Summary

The HP ProBook 450 G10 strikes a balance between performance and style. Its Intel Core i5-1340P processor delivers a smooth computing experience. The 15.6-inch 2.5K display is a visual treat, and the 120Hz refresh rate makes everything extra smooth. The keyboard is excellent for typing, but the layout may take some getting used to. In the $1,100 to $1,200 price range, this laptop is well worth the investment, and its great performance and portability make it ideal for everyday office tasks.