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MagyarHP Dragonfly Pro laptop review: AMD Ryzen 7 7736U makes a splash
While the Dragonfly series initially launched as a business-centric Elite laptop, later models have been slowly moving towards a more prosumer direction to appeal to work-at-home freelancers or content creators. The latest model is the Dragonfly Pro clamshell equipped with premium materials, the latest AMD Zen 3+ hardware options, and a new thin-and-light design distinct from the existing Pavilion, Envy, Spectre, or EliteBook families.
Our configuration in review is one of the first in the market with both an AMD Zen 3+ Ryzen 7 7736U processor and super-fast 6400 MHz LPDDR5 RAM for approximately $1399 USD retail. All SKUs at the moment ship with the same CPU and 14-inch 1920 x 1200 IPS touchscreen meaning they differ only in chassis color, RAM, and storage capacity.
Alternatives to the Dragonfly Pro include other high-end 14-inch prosumer subnotebooks like the Apple MacBook Pro 14, Asus ZenBook 14, Lenovo Yoga 7 14, LG Gram 14, or the Honor MagicBook 14.
More HP reviews:
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89.4 % | 03/2023 | HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M | 1.5 kg | 18.3 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 90.3 % | 08/2022 | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.4 kg | 17 mm | 13.50" | 3000x2000 | |
| 89.3 % | 03/2023 | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IRP G8 i7-1360P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.4 kg | 15.25 mm | 14.00" | 2880x1800 | |
| 93.9 % | 03/2023 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro M2 Pro, M2 Pro 19-Core GPU | 1.6 kg | 15.5 mm | 14.20" | 3024x1964 | |
| 87.3 % | 09/2022 | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED i7-1280P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.3 kg | 15.28 mm | 13.40" | 3456x2160 |
Case — EliteBook Vibes
The all-matte chassis contrasts the shinier Spectre series while maintaining a premium look and feel. Overall impressions are still similar to an EliteBook 840 series since the Dragonfly series started life as an Elitebook model. When compared to last year's Elite Dragonfly G3, the larger Dragonfly Pro is more substantial and rigid especially in regards to the display.
Overall dimensions are just slightly larger than the MacBook Pro 14 while weighing about 100 grams less. It's also slightly thicker than many other subnotebooks including the XPS 13 Plus and HP's own Elite Dragonfly G3. It's a strong chassis design for sure, but it comes at the cost of larger build.
Connectivity — Thunderbolt 3 Is Here!
Integrated ports are limited to just three USB-C ports. Two of the ports support USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 for speeds of up to 40 Gbps while the last port is only USB-C 3.2 for speeds of up to 10 Gbps. All three ports can otherwise be used for charging or video-out.
When asked why the model includes no USB-A ports, the decision was purely aesthetic; HP says a USB-A port would have required a bulge along the edge of the laptop due to thickness requirements. Users will have to rely on docking stations and adapters instead. Keep in mind that there is no 3.5 mm headset jack, either.
Communication
The Dragonfly Pro is one of the few laptops to ship with the new Qualcomm WCN685x instead of an Intel AX module. Transfer rates are high and very steady when on Wi-Fi 6 or 6E.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IRP G8 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IRP G8 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
Webcam
Higher-end HP laptops typically ship with some of the highest resolution webcams available on laptops. The Dragonfly Pro continues this trend with its 5 MP sensor for a noticeably sharper picture.
There is an electronic webcam shutter instead of a physical slider for privacy. However, toggling the electronic shutter does not prompt an opaque white film over the webcam unlike the electronic shutter on a Spectre.
IR comes standard for Hello support.
Maintenance
The serviceability of the system seems to be at odds with itself. While the bottom panel is very easy to remove with just a T5 Torx wrench, nothing inside is upgradeable as the RAM, SSD and WLAN modules are all soldered according to HP. Thus, only the primary battery is easily replaceable if needed. In contrast, the SSD and WLAN modules in the Elite Dragonfly G3 or Spectre x360 13.5 are easily replaceable.
Accessories and Warranty
There are no extras in the retail box other than the AC adapter and paperwork. The usual one-year limited manufacturer warranty applies.
New to the series is live 24/7 chat support that's included with the base warranty. The chat program is built into the MyHP application and so there is no need to jump through different hoops on HP.com just to get to a service agent. HP promises that the agents will be specialized in the Dragonfly Pro series to better aid in specific issues or requests.
Input Devices
Keyboard
Key travel and feedback feel slightly shallower and lighter than on the Spectre, EliteBook, or ThinkPad series. Clatter is noticeably quieter even for the Space and Enter keys which some users may appreciate.
Perhaps the biggest annoyance about the keyboard is the large column of auxiliary keys along the right edge of the keyboard. These are quick-launch MyHP keys for webcam controls and laptop support. The problem, however, is that these infrequently used keys take up valuable space from the Backspace, Backward Slash, and Enter keys which are now all shorter and more cramped as a result. Thus, we often found ourselves launching MyHP by accident when we meant to press Enter or Backspace.
Touchpad
The clickpad is exactly the same size as the one on last year's Dragonfly G3 13.5 at 12 x 8 cm. Other than that, the clickpad on the Dragonfly Pro differs significantly by being almost completely quiet when pressing down on its surface. It's a haptic trackpad much like on the MacBook series to contrast the standard clickpads on most other Windows laptops. It takes some getting used to, but stronger feedback would have been appreciated nonetheless. Dell is taking a similar depression-less clickpad approach on the certain Latitude models albeit with stronger vibration feedback.
Display — 1200p IPS Touchscreen
There is only one panel option at checkout whereas most EliteBook models have a wide variety of resolutions, brightness options, color coverages, refresh rates, and more. Even so, the 1200p touchscreen on the Dragonfly Pro offers full sRGB coverage and a relatively high contrast ratio for an IPS panel. Its biggest drawback is perhaps the slow black-white and gray-gray response times for more noticeable ghosting.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 425.9 cd/m²
Contrast: 1638:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.81 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.49
ΔE Greyscale 2.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
77.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
76.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.04
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 AU Optronics AUOA49A, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 SDC4160, OLED, 3000x2000, 13.50 | HP Elite Dragonfly G3 Chi Mei CMN13C0, IPS, 1920x1280, 13.50 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Mini-LED, 3024x1964, 14.20 | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED Samsung 134XK04, OLED, 3456x2160, 13.40 | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US Lenovo LEN140WQ+, OLED, 2880x1800, 14.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 16% | -8% | 30% | 19% | 19% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 76.6 | 99.9 30% | 68 -11% | 99.2 30% | 99.5 30% | 99.8 30% |
| sRGB Coverage | 100 | 100 0% | 98.3 -2% | 100 0% | 100 0% | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 77.4 | 90.8 17% | 69.9 -10% | 98.4 27% | 98.7 28% | |
| Response Times | 96% | 13% | 37% | 95% | 98% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 65.6 ? | 1.9 ? 97% | 50.8 ? 23% | 35.2 ? 46% | 2.6 ? 96% | 1.2 ? 98% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 36 ? | 2.16 ? 94% | 35.2 ? 2% | 26.4 ? 27% | 2.1 ? 94% | 1.2 ? 97% |
| PWM Frequency | 60.2 ? | 14880 ? | 59.5 | 347.2 ? | ||
| Screen | -4% | -9% | 211% | -1% | -31% | |
| Brightness middle | 425.9 | 351.7 -17% | 387.2 -9% | 500 17% | 371.8 -13% | 367.3 -14% |
| Brightness | 405 | 351 -13% | 360 -11% | 489 21% | 374 -8% | 369 -9% |
| Brightness Distribution | 87 | 87 0% | 80 -8% | 94 8% | 98 13% | 97 11% |
| Black Level * | 0.26 | 0.26 -0% | 0.02 92% | |||
| Contrast | 1638 | 1489 -9% | 25000 1426% | |||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.81 | 1.78 37% | 2.36 16% | 1.2 57% | 2.37 16% | 5.2 -85% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.91 | 6.14 -25% | 4.79 2% | 2.6 47% | 6.1 -24% | 8.04 -64% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.49 | 0.63 -29% | ||||
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.2 | 2.3 -5% | 3 -36% | 1.7 23% | 2 9% | 2.8 -27% |
| Gamma | 2.04 108% | 2.11 104% | 2.17 101% | 2.24 98% | 2.29 96% | 2.21 100% |
| CCT | 6688 97% | 6683 97% | 6137 106% | 6791 96% | 6261 104% | 5992 108% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 36% /
20% | -1% /
-6% | 93% /
163% | 38% /
22% | 29% /
6% |
* ... smaller is better
Although the display doesn't come pre-calibrated, average grayscale and color deltaE values aren't bad nonetheless. Calibrating the panel ourselves with an X-Rite colorimeter would improve grayscale and color from 2.2 and 2.81 to just 0.8 and 0.49, respectively. We recommend applying our calibrated ICM profile above to get more out of the display.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 17.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 18.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 65.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 31.1 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 34.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 97 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The 400-nit display may not be as bright as on some EliteBook models where 1000-nit options are available, but it's decent enough when under shade. Sunlight should still be avoided to reduce the impact of glare on the glossy screen. Be sure to disable AMD Vari-Bright via the Radeon control panel or else the maximum brightness ceiling will automatically drop when running on battery power.
Performance
Testing Conditions
We set Windows to Performance mode prior to running any benchmarks below. There is no pre-installed "Command Center" software for adjusting fan noise or performance levels unlike on many other laptop models from HP.
It's recommended that owners become familiar with the MyHP software that comes pre-installed with each system. Specific features of the laptop are all accessible through MyHP including the programmable key, webcam adjustments, audio control, support assistance, and more.
It's worth noting that certain benchmarks would automatically cause a blue screen of death including Geekbench 5.0 and AIDA and so the results of those benchmarks are not included below.
Processor — Close To H-series Performance
CPU performance is very fast for a U-series processor even though the Ryzen 7 7736U is a rebrand of the Ryzen 7 6800U. Multi-thread performance is 30 percent faster than last year's Ryzen 7 5825U which puts it ahead of any Intel 12th gen Core-U or Core-P option including even the Core i7-1280P. In fact, overall performance is within 5 to 10 percent of the more power-hungry Core i7-12700H as found on many larger gaming laptops. It's clear that the Ryzen 7 7736U was designed to go head-to-head with Intel's soon-to-be-available 13th gen Core U-series.
Performance sustainability is decent considering the small form factor. When running CineBench R15 xT in a loop, performance would slowly fall over time before stabilizing at an 11 percent deficit as shown by the graph below. In comparison, the MacBook Pro 14 can maintain higher performance levels indefinitely when under similar conditions.
Keep in mind that the Ryzen 7 7736U is Zen 3+ and not Zen 4. The second digit from the right signifies the generation of the processor in AMD's new (and confusing) naming convention this year.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
System Performance
Our overall PCMark 10 score is one of the highest of any laptop powered by a Core U-series CPU. The fast processor and graphics help the laptop excel in the Productivity and Digital Content Creation subtests.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M () | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 6261 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
LatencyMon shows no major DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs of our homepage or when running Prime95 stress. There is, however, a minor issue when playing back 4K content at 60 FPS as we're able to record 5 dropped frames during our minute-long test video even after multiple retests. It's not enough to be noticeable during use, but there's no reason why there are any dropped frames at all. We experienced similar issues back in 2020 during the launch of mobile Zen 2 and so it's disappointing to see it yet again for the new mobile Zen 3+ series. Here's hoping that AMD will release a hotfix soon just like last time.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
The PCIe4 x4 SSD is not user-removable and there are no secondary expansion slots available. HWiNFO identifies it as model PSEIB512GABBMC0 with a Phison PS5018 controller. Performance is nonetheless excellent with sequential read and write rates of up to 6800 MB/s and 3800 MB/s, respectively. It's stable as well with no throttling even after long periods of stress.
| Drive Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED | |
| HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 | |
| Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US | |
| HP Elite Dragonfly G3 | |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 | |
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU Performance — Playstation 4-Level Graphics
Integrated graphics performance is impressive with 3DMark results that are 15 to 20 percent higher than the average laptop in our database with the same Radeon 680M GPU. Thus, users can expect a decent year-over-year performance gain even though there are no significant iGPU changes between the Ryzen 6000U and 7000U series. The bump in performance is enough for our Radeon 680M to rival the discrete GeForce 1650 Max-Q in many cases. In other words, you're getting PS4-level performance with most games averaging 30 FPS at 1080p Medium settings.
The boost in iGPU performance over older Ryzen 6000U CPUs can be partly attributed to the very fast 6400 MHz LPDDR5 dual-channel RAM. Most subnotebooks have RAM in the 5000 MHz range or slower in comparison.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 11523 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 35309 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 6929 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 2914 points | |
Help | ||
* ... smaller is better
Witcher 3 FPS Chart
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| GTA V (2015) | 145.8 | 48.7 | 22.8 | |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 132.8 | 41 | 24.8 | |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 118.8 | 101.7 | 76.6 | 65.7 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 65.4 | 33.6 | 23.5 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 54.8 | 42.8 | 34.6 | |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 155.8 | 57.7 | 46.5 | 40.1 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn (2020) | 78 | 37 | 32 | 27 |
| God of War (2022) | 34 | 27.9 | 22.9 | 15.2 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 (2022) | 36.9 | 28.1 | 20.2 | 15.7 |
Emissions
System Noise — High Pitch When Noisy
There is little to no fan noise under most low to low-medium loads like web browsing or video streaming. Fan noise would typically hover around 26 dB(A) against a silent background of 23 dB(A) under such conditions which is almost inaudible when sitting at a normal distance from the screen.
When running higher loads like games, fan noise would stabilize at 40 dB(A) to be louder than on last year's Elite Dragonfly G3 or about the same as on the XPS 13 Plus assuming similar conditions. The high-pitch fan noise is unfortunately more noticeable on the Dragonfly Pro because of its small internal fans.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 23 / 23 / 23 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 27.8 / 40.3 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 23 dB(A) | ||
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 Radeon 680M, R7 7736U, PSEIB512GABBMC0 | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, Micron 3400 1TB MTFDKBA1T0TFH | HP Elite Dragonfly G3 Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1265U, Micron 3400 MTFDKBA512TFH 512GB | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro M2 Pro 19-Core GPU, M2 Pro, Apple SSD AP2048Z | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1280P, WDC PC SN810 512GB | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1260P, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 0% | 6% | -3% | -5% | -7% | |
| off / environment * | 23 | 23.5 -2% | 22.8 1% | 23.9 -4% | 23.4 -2% | 22.9 -0% |
| Idle Minimum * | 23 | 23.5 -2% | 23.2 -1% | 23.9 -4% | 23.4 -2% | 23.3 -1% |
| Idle Average * | 23 | 23.5 -2% | 23.2 -1% | 23.9 -4% | 23.4 -2% | 23.5 -2% |
| Idle Maximum * | 23 | 23.5 -2% | 23.2 -1% | 23.9 -4% | 23.4 -2% | 23.5 -2% |
| Load Average * | 27.8 | 27 3% | 25.1 10% | 26 6% | 35 -26% | 33.2 -19% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 40.6 | 36.2 11% | 32 21% | 41.6 -2% | 44.9 -11% | |
| Load Maximum * | 40.3 | 42.4 -5% | 35.2 13% | 43.2 -7% | 39.9 1% | 44.6 -11% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
Temperature development is largely symmetrical due to the symmetrical cooling solution within. The keyboard center and underside hot spots can be as warm as 39 C and 43 C, respectively, when running demanding loads for long periods. This is warmer than on the Spectre x360 13.5 while being cooler than the Framework Laptop 13.5 both powered by slower Intel CPUs.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.8 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.1 °C / 70 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 23.8 °C / 74.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+5 °C / 9 F).
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 AMD Ryzen 7 7736U, AMD Radeon 680M | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | HP Elite Dragonfly G3 Intel Core i7-1265U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Apple M2 Pro, Apple M2 Pro 19-Core GPU | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i5-1240p Intel Core i5-1240P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US Intel Core i7-1260P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 8% | -10% | -2% | -51% | -33% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 38.6 | 36.4 6% | 39 -1% | 46.9 -22% | 47.6 -23% | 43.2 -12% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 42.8 | 37 14% | 42.2 1% | 41.7 3% | 57 -33% | 45.6 -7% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 22.2 | 20.8 6% | 26.8 -21% | 21.4 4% | 38.8 -75% | 34.6 -56% |
| Idle Bottom * | 23.6 | 22.6 4% | 28.2 -19% | 21.4 9% | 41 -74% | 37 -57% |
* ... smaller is better
Stress Test
When running Prime95 to stress the CPU, clock rates and board power draw would spike to 3.9 GHz and 51 W for just a few seconds, respectively, before falling and stabilizing at 3.6 GHz and 40 W. Core temperature would stabilize at 73 C which is nearly the same as on the Intel-powered Elite Dragonfly G3 13.5 when under similar conditions.
GPU clock rate and temperature when running Witcher 3 would stabilize at 1974 MHz and 62 C, respectively, compared to 1097 MHz and 65 C on the aforementioned Spectre. The Dragonfly Pro offers faster graphics performance without needing to run warmer.
Performance on battery power is slightly reduced. A 3DMark 11 test on batteries would return Physics and Graphics scores of 15823 and 10856 points, respectively, compared to 16618 and 11605 points when on mains.
| CPU Clock (GHz) | GPU Clock (MHz) | Average CPU Temperature (°C) | |
| System Idle | -- | -- | 27 |
| Prime95 Stress | 3.5 - 3.6 | -- | 73 |
| Prime95 + FurMark Stress | 2.9 | 1123 | 58 |
| Witcher 3 Stress | 0.8 | 1974 | 62 |
Speakers
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 8% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (4.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 0% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Energy Management
Power Consumption — Low Lows And High Highs
The system is very power efficient which explains the relatively long battery life results in the next section. Idling on desktop draws just 3 W to 6 W depending on the brightness and power profile compared to 3 W to 8 W on the Elite Dragonfly G3 or 6 W to 13 W on the XPS 13 Plus OLED.
Gaming demands more power than on most other U-series-powered laptops, but the increase in graphics performance may be worth it for users. For example, running Witcher 3 averages 60 W on our Dragonfly Pro which is 67 percent and 22 percent more demanding than on the Iris Xe-powered Spectre x360 13.5 and XPS 13 Plus, respectively, while offering 40 to 60 percent faster graphics performance than either.
We're able to record a maximum draw of 82 W from the small (6.8 x 6.8 x 3 cm) 96 W GaN AC adapter when the CPU and iGPU are each at 100 percent utilization. This maximum rate is temporary as shown by the graphs below.
| Off / Standby | 0.33 / 0.76 Watt |
| Idle | 3.2 / 5.4 / 5.6 Watt |
| Load |
42.2 / 82 Watt |
   
| |
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M, PSEIB512GABBMC0, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Micron 3400 1TB MTFDKBA1T0TFH, OLED, 3000x2000, 13.50 | HP Elite Dragonfly G3 i7-1265U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Micron 3400 MTFDKBA512TFH 512GB, IPS, 1920x1280, 13.50 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro M2 Pro, M2 Pro 19-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP2048Z, Mini-LED, 3024x1964, 14.20 | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED i7-1280P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, WDC PC SN810 512GB, OLED, 3456x2160, 13.40 | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL2512HCJQ, OLED, 2880x1800, 14.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -16% | 0% | -41% | -45% | -80% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 3.2 | 4 -25% | 3.4 -6% | 2.4 25% | 6.5 -103% | 8 -150% |
| Idle Average * | 5.4 | 4.9 9% | 5.6 -4% | 11.3 -109% | 7.8 -44% | 14 -159% |
| Idle Maximum * | 5.6 | 12.5 -123% | 8.4 -50% | 11.5 -105% | 13 -132% | 14.4 -157% |
| Load Average * | 42.2 | 48.1 -14% | 40.8 3% | 59.6 -41% | 56.6 -34% | 59.6 -41% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 60 | 35.8 40% | 35.5 41% | 55.9 7% | 49.2 18% | 53.6 11% |
| Load Maximum * | 82 | 65.2 20% | 68.4 17% | 100 -22% | 63 23% | 68.1 17% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption Witcher 3 / Stresstest
Power Consumption external Monitor
Battery Life — Super Long
Runtimes are very long relative to how much performance you're getting from the hardware. We're able to clock in almost 13 hours of real-world WLAN browsing which is several hours longer than many other subnotebooks including the Intel-powered Lenovo Yoga 9 14 or Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320. Battery capacity is standard for the size class at 65 Wh.
Charging from empty to full capacity takes around 90 minutes.
| HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M, 65 Wh | HP Spectre x360 13.5 14t-ef000 i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 66 Wh | HP Elite Dragonfly G3 i7-1265U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 68 Wh | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro M2 Pro, M2 Pro 19-Core GPU, 70 Wh | Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 i7-1280P OLED i7-1280P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 55 Wh | Lenovo Yoga 9 14IAP7 82LU0001US i7-1260P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 75 Wh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -22% | 29% | -26% | -55% | -48% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1393 | 1223 -12% | 2268 63% | |||
| WiFi v1.3 | 777 | 481 -38% | 706 -9% | 807 4% | 346 -55% | 405 -48% |
| Load | 158 | 133 -16% | 209 32% | 70 -56% | ||
| H.264 | 917 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict — HP's Answer To The MacBook Pro 14 And Dell XPS 13 Plus
The Dragonfly Pro targets a similar audience as the recent Spectre x360 13.5 but with a very different approach. Instead of offering Intel processors with fancier display options, wider variety of ports, and more lustrous colors, the Dragonfly Pro offers AMD processors with limited configurations and muted matte colors. The end result is a no-frills clamshell with a focused yet barebones feel: we love what's here, but users might miss all the omitted features available on other PCs like HDMI, USB-A, card reader, audio jack, OLED, or expandable storage or memory.
The Dragonfly Pro is essentially a Spectre without all the bells and whistles for a more focused approach to productivity.
Users who value build quality and performance without resorting to power-hungry discrete graphics will likely find the Dragonfly Pro more attractive. The highly integrated internals and lack of physical features make for a very clean aesthetic while performance from the Ryzen 7 7736U is easily one of the fastest in the U-series category. The Radeon 680M in particular punches well above its weight that digital artists and casual gamers can appreciate.
Another aspect to keep in mind is the relatively high $1400 USD starting price which is similar to the Spectre x360 series or the faster Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro X with discrete Nvidia Studio graphics. These alternatives tend to be more versatile when it comes to auxiliary features and options.
Price and Availability
The Dragonfly Pro begins shipping today at HP.com starting at $1400 and $1550 USD for the 512 GB SSD/16 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD/32 GB RAM configuration, respectively.
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023
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02/23/2023 v7
Allen Ngo
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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