Compact cell workstations not solely have chips beneath the hood however chips on their shoulders—they battle to show {that a} mild 14-inch laptop computer can run the form of demanding apps that decision for impartial software program vendor (ISV) certifications. HP’s ZBook Firefly 14 G11 (begins at $1,139; $2,189 as examined) is one instance. It has the topnotch construct high quality we count on from HP workstations, in addition to enterprise options that embody Intel vPro IT manageability and normal on-site assist, to not point out one of many firm’s wonderful DreamColor screens. That stated, one of many Firefly’s key rivals, the Dell Precision 5490, is solely a sooner machine, particularly in graphics efficiency, and retains our Editors’ Selection award amongst petite cell workstations.Design: Constructed for Enterprise ClassThe Firefly 14 is essentially the most transportable member of HP’s ZBook workstation household, meant for skilled content material creation and design. Although barely over our qualifying line for an ultraportable at 3.13 kilos, the system nonetheless presents Intel Core H-series processors and entry-level workstation graphics. Our evaluation configuration is about as highly effective as this laptop computer will get, with a Core Extremely 7 165H processor, an Nvidia RTX A500 GPU, 32GB of reminiscence, and a 512GB NVMe solid-state drive. It runs Home windows 11 Professional, helps Intel’s vPro Enterprise, and carries a three-year guarantee.
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(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
HP’s acquainted silver-and-black palette and squared-off corners give this ZBook an aesthetic, skilled look; branding is proscribed to the stylized HP brand on the lid. The one indication that this is not an EliteBook enterprise laptop computer is the tiny ZBook print on the palm relaxation.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The Firefly 14 G11’s aluminum development is robust and helps hold its weight down. (The Precision 5490, at 3.3 kilos, is barely heavier.) Measuring 0.76 by 12.4 by 8.8 inches, the Firefly will not be fairly as compact because the Dell (0.75 by 12.2 by 8.3 inches), however the distinction will not be noticeable in sensible use.The ZBook’s port choice satisfies for a 14-inch laptop computer, with two USB Kind-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Kind-A ports, an HDMI video output, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack. The facility adapter will be plugged into both USB-C port. Our unit additionally has HP’s non-obligatory SmartCard reader. Intel Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth are normal, with close to subject communication (NFC) and cell broadband non-obligatory for wi-fi addicts.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The ZBook’s backside panel comes off for servicing, retained by some strange Philips screws. Getting the panel off is difficult, although—I used a plastic trim-removal software and began close to the rear hinges, working my manner round towards the entrance. The changeable parts embody the M.2 Kind-2280 solid-state drive and two SO-DIMM reminiscence modules. The Precision 5490 would not allow you to improve the RAM, in order that’s a degree within the Firefly’s favor. The wi-fi card will not be user-upgradable, although you’ll be able to change out the primary battery.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
On the environmental facet, HP walks the stroll with ocean-bound plastic, post-consumer recycled plastic, high-efficiency energy provides, and 100% recyclable packaging.Utilizing the HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11: Sensible for On a regular basis UseThe ZBook Firefly 14 is effectively suited to on a regular basis productiveness and average content material creation. The luxurious image of our mannequin’s 2,560-by-1,600-pixel DreamColor show brings even drab workplace paperwork to life and presents full DCI-P3 gamut protection for color-sensitive work. There isn’t any scarcity of brightness; in truth, I used to be happy with 70% brightness more often than not. It additionally has a 120Hz refresh price for extra-smooth scrolling. The display screen in our check mannequin, sadly, would not assist contact, however a few of HP’s different show choices for this mannequin do.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The 1080p webcam over the show has a fairly sharp image and carried out higher than I anticipated in low mild. It has infrared functionality for Home windows Good day facial-recognition logins and a sliding privateness shutter. There’s additionally a fingerprint reader within the palm relaxation.The island-style keyboard felt participating beneath my fingertips; I achieved 121 phrases per minute with 100% accuracy within the MonkeyType on-line typing check. I like that each one the cursor arrow keys are the identical dimension, though they’re half-size. Like many different new laptops we’re seeing, the Firefly has a Copilot key close to the house bar. The keys’ white backlighting stands out towards the black keycaps. The massive touchpad beneath is correct and has satisfying tactile clicks.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The ZBook would not skimp on leisure worth. HP’s in-house Poly Studio-tuned audio system sounded loud and clear after I performed Rob Thomas’s “One thing to Be” and supplied a large soundstage after I watched the Captain America: Courageous New World trailer.Testing the HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11: Barely Behind the PackAs talked about, our ZBook has an Intel Core Extremely 7 165H processor (16 cores, as much as 5.0GHz turbo), an Nvidia RTX A500 GPU, 32GB of dual-channel RAM, and a 512GB SSD. This configuration is an enormous step up from the bottom mannequin’s Core Extremely 5 125U chip and Intel built-in graphics.Workstations are normally bought at company quantity reductions and quantity-one pricing varies wildly amongst enterprise-bound fashions like this. The closest configuration I discovered on HP’s web site was a $2,189 prebuilt mannequin with twice the storage (a 1TB SSD). The Dell Precision 5490 we examined value almost $4,000, although a setup nearer to our ZBook’s was $2,943 at presstime.Our benchmark spherical will see the ZBook face its archrival, Dell’s Precision 5490, together with a bigger (however nonetheless trim) stablemate, the HP ZBook Studio 16 G10. We additionally included two prosumer notebooks, the Microsoft Floor Laptop computer Studio 2 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio. These two lack workstation ISV certifications, Intel vPro, and enterprise-class assist, however they can be utilized for comparable duties. Since all 5 laptops use Intel Core H-class CPUs, we’ll count on comparable efficiency in some assessments.The Firefly’s single cooling fan appeared well-behaved as we ran these assessments; it was audible however did not exhibit annoying whine or motor noise. The laptop computer itself obtained heat, however to not the purpose the place its surfaces have been untouchable.
Productiveness and Content material Creation TestsWe run the identical normal productiveness benchmarks throughout each cell and desktop methods. Our first check is UL’s PCMark 10, which simulates a wide range of real-world productiveness and workplace workflows to measure total system efficiency and likewise features a storage subtest for the first drive.Three different benchmarks deal with the CPU, utilizing all accessible cores and threads, to price a PC’s suitability for processor-intensive workloads. Maxon’s Cinebench R23 makes use of that firm’s Cinema 4D engine to render a posh scene, whereas Geekbench 5.4 Professional from Primate Labs simulates standard apps starting from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine studying. We additionally use the open-source video transcoder HandBrake 1.4 to transform a 12-minute video clip from 4K to 1080p decision (decrease instances are higher).Lastly, we run PugetBench for Photoshop by workstation maker Puget Programs, which makes use of the Artistic Cloud model 22 of Adobe’s well-known picture editor to price a PC’s efficiency for content material creation and multimedia functions. It is an automatic extension that executes a wide range of normal and GPU-accelerated Photoshop duties starting from opening, rotating, resizing, and saving a picture to making use of masks, gradient fills, and filters.
The ZBook Firefly completed final in PCMark’s productiveness train and its prospects did not enhance within the CPU benchmarks, the place it fell effectively behind in Photoshop and Handbrake. A minimum of its Cinebench and Geekbench scores have been aggressive, and the Dell wasn’t a lot sooner in both check regardless of utilizing a higher-clocked Core Extremely 9.Graphics and Gaming TestsWe check the graphics inside all laptops and desktops with two DirectX 12 gaming simulations from UL’s 3DMark, Evening Raid (extra modest, appropriate for laptops with built-in graphics) and Time Spy (extra demanding, appropriate for gaming rigs with discrete GPUs).To additional measure GPUs, we additionally run two assessments from the cross-platform GPU benchmark GFXBench 5, which stresses each low-level routines like texturing and high-level, game-like picture rendering. The 1440p Aztec Ruins and 1080p Automotive Chase assessments, rendered offscreen to accommodate totally different show resolutions, train graphics and compute shaders utilizing the OpenGL programming interface and {hardware} tessellation respectively. The extra frames per second (fps), the higher.
We gained’t spend lengthy right here since these aren’t gaming laptops, however the ZBook Firefly’s scores have been subpar in each check, particularly subsequent to the Dell.Workstation-Particular TestsWe measure workstation graphics efficiency utilizing SPECviewperf 2020, which renders, rotates, and zooms out and in of stable and wireframe fashions utilizing viewsets from standard impartial software program vendor (ISV) functions. We run the 1080p decision assessments based mostly on PTC’s Creo CAD platform; Autodesk’s Maya modeling and simulation software program for movie, TV, and video games; and Dassault Systemes’ SolidWorks 3D rendering package deal. Outcomes are listed in frames per second (fps); greater numbers are higher.Our different workstation check is Blender, an open-source 3D content material creation suite for modeling, animation, simulation, and compositing. We report the time it takes for Blender’s built-in Cycles path tracer to render two photo-realistic scenes of BMW automobiles, one utilizing the system’s CPU and one the GPU. Decrease instances are higher.
Nowhere close to as quick because the Dell, the ZBook Firefly was solidly outperformed in each Blender assessments and the 2 SPECviewperf assessments it managed to finish. Its RTX A500 GPU is quicker than built-in graphics silicon, nevertheless it’s not usable for complicated 3D modeling as Nvidia’s Ada-series GPUs are.Battery and Show TestsWe check laptops’ and tablets’ battery life by enjoying a regionally saved 720p video file (the open-source Blender film Tears of Metal) with show brightness at 50% and audio quantity at 100%. We be certain the battery is absolutely charged earlier than the check, with Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting turned off.To gauge show efficiency, we additionally use a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor and its Home windows software program to measure a laptop computer display screen’s coloration saturation—what share of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 coloration gamuts or palettes the show can present—and its 50% and peak brightness in nits (candelas per sq. meter).
Regardless that the ZBook Firefly fell about 50 minutes wanting the Dell’s unplugged runtime, it nonetheless confirmed admirable stamina for a 14-inch laptop computer packing above-average energy. Its display screen was about half as shiny because the Precision’s on the 50% setting we use for testing, so maybe the numbers are optimistic, however venturing away out of your desk to indicate CAD drawings at a shopper website should not be an issue.The Firefly additionally had the very best show within the group, tying the bigger ZBook in brightness and coloration protection and simply edging out the Dell in each areas.Verdict: A Succesful, However Outclassed, Cell WorkstationHP’s ZBook Firefly 14 G11 brings impeccable high quality and enterprise options to the desk. Its DreamColor display screen is good for color-sensitive work, and we have now no complaints about its practicality as a enterprise PC within the workplace or on the highway. Nevertheless, the Dell Precision 5490 presents vastly superior graphics efficiency and matches this HP in most different areas, thereby retaining its Editors’ Selection award amongst compact cell workstations.
The Backside Line
HP’s ZBook Firefly G11 14-inch workstation is an ready sufficient productiveness platform, however Dell’s Precision 5490 outshines it on sheer efficiency.
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About Charles Jefferies
Computer systems are my lifelong obsession. I wrote my first laptop computer evaluation in 2005 for NotebookReview.com, continued with a constant PC-reviewing gig at Laptop Shopper in 2014, and moved to PCMag in 2018. Right here, I check and evaluation the newest high-performance laptops and desktops, and generally a key core PC element or two. I additionally evaluation enterprise computing options for StorageReview.I work full-time as a technical analyst for a enterprise software program and companies firm. My hobbies are digital pictures, health, two-stroke engines, and studying. I’m a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Expertise.
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