Face Off: HP EliteBook 820 G2 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X250 vs. Dell Latitude 12 E7250

In most cases, the build quality between a typical Ultrabook and a dedicated business notebook is like night and day. The three models here all meet MIL-SPEC standards and are all made of magnesium alloy. In the case of the ThinkPad X250 and Latitude E7250, these two are further reinforced with glass-fiber plastic and aluminum, respectively. Rigidity and stability are both excellent for all models, so any complaints in this section will simply be nitpicking between them.

First place in this category goes to the EliteBook 820 G2, which remains unchanged from the 820 G1 series. The notebook shows outstanding resistance to twists and depressions, even on normally weaker spots such as the outer lid and center of the keyboard. The large metal hinges keep wobbling to a minimum. The Dell is a very close second as its signature Tri-Metal case is almost as impressive; The palm rests and display will slightly warp with some force. Note that all models can be equipped with touchscreen options, though the HP and Dell also include Gorilla Glass 3.

The ThinkPad X250 comes in last place for its all-around weaker chassis. It's still quite sturdy, but the lid is not as stiff and the base can still be twisted. However, the Lenovo is lighter than both the HP and Dell by at least 100 grams and is ever so slightly smaller as well.

Winner: HP EliteBook 820 G2

A good business notebook should be adaptable with plenty of options and ports, and all three do not disappoint in this regard. SIM slots are optional on all models with RJ-45 and proprietary docking ports for even more options. Instead, the key differentiating factors are the choice of video-out ports and internal storage options. The Dell includes no VGA-out, which is still a widely used legacy port in classrooms and conference rooms, so a dongle may be necessary.

The EliteBook comes out slightly ahead again as it is the only model with 3x storage solutions to support M.2, mSATA, and 2.5-inch SATA drives all in one chassis. It also has VGA-out and an additional USB 3.0 port compared to the Dell and Lenovo, respectively.

Winner: HP EliteBook 820 G2

Display options vary for each notebook, but all three can be equipped with up to 1080p IPS displays. In the case of our test models, the panels are all produced by LG Philips and offer relatively similar colors and contrast. Even color coverage is similar between the three panels at about 42 percent of the AdobeRGB standard.

The main difference here is backlight brightness and the display on the ThinkPad X250 can be brighter than both the HP and Dell. This makes a tangible difference when using the notebook outdoors compared to any slight advantages that the other notebooks may have in color accuracy or reproduction.

Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X250

The same integrated HD 5500 GPU powers all three models. Thus, the GPU performance gap between them is even narrower than any CPU differences. Lenovo consistently comes out ahead in synthetic graphics benchmarks by up to 5 percent. Of course, the hair-thin advantage is likely meaningless to the target audience and will barely make a difference when gaming.

More comparisons and technical information on the HD 5500 can be found on our dedicated GPU page.

System Noise & Temperature

The three notebooks remain silent at around 30 dB(A) when idling or under very low loads. When under very high loads, the HP and Lenovo are still surprisingly quiet at 34 to 35 dB(A) maximum. This is compared to 43 dB(A) on the Dell, which is a common maximum fan noise range for many Ultrabooks. The X250 has a handy fan control mode to allow for higher speeds, but we noticed no major performance advantages when enabled.

Both the Dell and HP show higher surface temperatures when under stress compared to the Lenovo. This may be because of the longer heat pipes in the two systems that distribute more heat to more areas of the notebook when taking our surface temperature measurements. Even so, the E7250 can get quite warm at over 55 C on the bottom rear of the notebook.

The slight edge goes to Lenovo for its lower surface temperature and fan noise compared to the EliteBook and Latitude.

Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X250

The manufacturers have opted for integrated Li-Ion polymer solutions for their respective models, so they can only be accessed after removing the maintenance panels. The E7250 can be configured with a lower capacity 39 Wh battery to reduce weight.

Lenovo has taken an interesting approach by equipping the X250 with both integrated and removable batteries. The small internal 24 Wh battery comes standard, but users can attach a secondary battery on the rear of the notebook up to 24 Wh, 48 Wh, or 72 Wh capacities for a combined total of up to 96 Wh. Runtimes will increase at the cost of a heavier notebook. Our particular unit is equipped with a 24 Wh secondary for a total of 48 Wh.

Runtimes are generally similar between the three models with the HP slightly ahead in most cases. Our WiFi v1.3 test is more demanding than our older WiFi test, so we cannot compare WiFi runtimes directly against the Dell. Nonetheless, we prefer the modular and more adaptable approach of the X250 for its battery hot swapping.

Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X250