HP has certainly raised the standards of its products in order to compete with other top brands in the laptop market. The company is now releasing several new models every year under two lines: HP Probook and Pavilion. The latter are affordable consumer notebooks while the former is a laptop line that caters to the computing needs of business users. Today, we are reviewing HP ProBook 445r G6, a powerful business laptop that HP claims is the answer to your modern computing needs.
The ProBook 445r G6 features AMD components instead of Intel, a 14-inch display and SSD storage. This is an entry-level addition to HP laptops and has the ability to carry out your everyday tasks. We have evaluated its design, display and specs to assess its strengths, weaknesses and performance in the real world.
Specs sheet
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3500U (Quad-Core) / 2.1GHz Max. Turbo Speed 3.7GHz
Display: 14-inch HD (1366 x 768) Resolution
RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD
Graphics: AMD Radeon Vega 8 Integrated
Battery: 45Wh, 3-cell
Weight: Around 3.5lbs (1.6kg)
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
The hardware on this business laptop is modest yet satisfactory, while HP has pre-installed the Windows 10 Pro for additional business features.
Design
HP ProBook 445r G6 comes in silver colour with a flare of black. The silver dominates the lid and extends to its keyboard deck, whereas the keyboard and display bezels are black. HP has used aluminium and plastic materials to build its chassis which are sturdy and appear to be stable. Moreover, the hinges offer desirable resistance and its lid can be opened up to 180 degrees.
We test its endurance by applying pressure and found that its cover and base unit can be bent. However, HP has used high-quality material so it can handle everyday knocks and bumps. The sides of this ProBook are more stable but the base center also gave sway just like its cover and base when we applied some pressure.
At a glance, the ProBook 445R G6 offers a more modern and trendy look. The 14-inch size makes it suitable for professionals who like to take their laptops with them laptops while commuting. The laptop weighs about 3.5lbs (1.6kg) which you can easily take with you from office to home and vice versa.
Display
HP has equipped the ProBook 445R G6 with a 14-inch wide HD display that offers a screen resolution of 1366 x 768p. This is a subpar display by modern standards that is good for office work but can’t work well with editing tools. However, we found the visuals to be bright and lively, thanks to AMD Radeon Vega 8 GPU.
Keyboard
The keyboard of this budget business laptop has large keys and delivers a comfortable typing experience. It is a six-row chiclet keyboard supported by the significant pressure point. However, the keyboard isn’t spongy as we found the key attenuation to be a bit weak. A minor drawback in its design is that the space between “UP” and “Down” keys is short.
Touchpad
Hp ProBook 445R G6 features an 11 x 6.5cm large touchpad that provides adequate space for navigation. It doesn’t look odd and has enough space for gestures, while we found the surface to be smooth. At the bottom side, there are two integrated keys that produce make an audible sound when clicked.
Connectivity
The port selection is pleasing on the ProBook 445R G6 and consists of a variety of ports. Most of the ports are on the left side, while the laptop contains four USB ports in total (1x Type-C and 3x Type-A).
On the left side, there are two Type-A USB 3.0 ports and a Type-C USB 3.1 Gen.1 port (with DisplayPort and power delivery). Additionally, there is an RJ-45 connector, and HDMI 1.4b output, a 3.3mm combo audio and a power supply. The right side houses another Type-A USB 3.0 port (charging), an SD card reader, ventilation grilles, and Kensington lock. For an entry-level business laptop, this is a decent selection of ports.
Performance
Hp ProBook 445R G6 is an entry-level business level but it has the specs of a decent mid-range laptop. The laptop comes with a quad-core Ryzen 5-3500U processor whose clock speed ranges from 2.1GHz to 3.7GH. HP has paired this quad-core CPU with an 8GB memory and 256GB SSD storage to further improve its speed and performance.
We tested the ProBook 445R G6 by running Office Suit, spreadsheets, and other processing software. We didn’t notice any lags or stuttering when we switched between files and programs. We were able to multitask with ease while the SSD storage allowed us to access stored data quickly.
Battery life
HP has added a 3-cell, 45Wh battery on the ProBook 445R G6 that can deliver around 14 hours of battery life on a single charge. This is above average battery performance by an entry-level business laptop. The HP Fast Charge features further improves its battery performance and quickly charge it from 0% to 50% in merely half an hour time.
Verdict
Overall, HP ProBook 445r G6 is a good choice for business users who need a sleek laptop to accomplish tasks. AMD components offer sufficient power while keeping the price on the lower side, whereas the Windows 10 Pro offers added features and security.
