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HP EliteBook 725 G3 Subnotebook Review

More Middle-Class, Less Elite. HP shows their loyalty to AMD by using an AMD APU in their new subnotebook, the EliteBook 725 G3. Sadly, the price tag of roughly 1,000 Euros (~$1133) does not match the performance of this device. Our test model offered short battery life, a noisy fan and a dark screen with low contrast and poor viewing angles.

For the original German review, see here.

The HP EliteBook series represents the upper class of HP business notebooks and the EliteBook 725 G3 is the new 12.5-inch addition to this series. The system runs on an AMD APU, which is a rare sight in the business section. We are familiar with this model, as we previously tested the sister model, the EliteBook 820 G3. The sister model uses an Intel Core i processor. The competition of this model includes the Lenovo ThinkPad X260 and the Dell Latitude 12 E5270.

As the EliteBook 725 G3 and the EliteBook 820 G3 have the same build, we will not go into detail about the case, the connectivity, the display and the speakers. Information about these sections can be found in the review of the EliteBook 820 G3.

HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA (EliteBook 700 Series)
Processor
AMD Pro A10-8700B 4 x 1.8 - 3.2 GHz, Carrizo
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Core: 720 MHz, Single-Channel, 16.300.2311.0 (Crimson 16.7.3)
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-1600, Single Channel, two memory slots (one slot is occupied)
Display
12.50 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 125 PPI, LG Philips, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD KernCZ
Storage
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630, 500 GB 
, 7200 rpm, 420 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant CX20724 @ AMD K15.6 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: Accelerometer, TPM 1.2
Networking
Broadcom BCM5762 NetXtreme PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18.9 x 311 x 218.9 ( = 0.74 x 12.24 x 8.62 in)
Battery
44 Wh, 0 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64 Bit) + Windows 10 Pro (64 Bit)
Camera
Webcam: HD Webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Windows 10 DVD, Drivers DVD, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, Cyberlink YouCam, Foxit PhantomPDF, MS Office (trial), MS Security Essentials, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.26 kg ( = 44.45 oz / 2.78 pounds), Power Supply: 306 g ( = 10.79 oz / 0.67 pounds)
Price
1135 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

311 mm / 12.2 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 24.8 mm / 0.976 inch 1.6 kg3.42 lbs316 mm / 12.4 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs310.5 mm / 12.2 inch 214.5 mm / 8.44 inch 22.65 mm / 0.892 inch 1.7 kg3.66 lbs311 mm / 12.2 inch 218.9 mm / 8.62 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.3 kg2.78 lbs306 mm / 12 inch 209 mm / 8.23 inch 20.3 mm / 0.799 inch 1.5 kg3.32 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

SD Card Reader

The memory card reader is decent. While transferring large data blocks, it can achieve a maximum transfer speed of 81.8 MB/s. While transferring 250 jpg pictures (each around 5 MB), the card reader achieved 54.2 MB/s. We test memory card readers with a reference memory card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP EliteBook 820 G3
 
73.7 MB/s +36%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
 
62.1 MB/s +15%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
 
54.2 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
 
216.4 MB/s +165%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
 
86.9 MB/s +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
 
84.9 MB/s +4%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
 
81.8 MB/s

Communication

HP uses a WLAN module from Intel (Wireless-AC 7265). The module supports the 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN standards and the fast ac standard. We did not notice any connection interruptions between the router and the notebook. We measured transfer speeds under optimal conditions: no other WLAN devices were in the vicinity and the notebook and server PC were close. Despite these conditions, the EliteBook did not deliver impressive speeds. As shown in the diagram, other models reached much faster speeds using the newer Intel Wireless-AC 8260.

Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Broadcom 802.11ac
570 MBit/s
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Broadcom 802.11ac
397 MBit/s

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

The EliteBook 725 G3 is equipped with the same panel as the EliteBook 820 G3. This matte 12.5-inch display (1366x768 pixels) offers low brightness, poor contrast and unstable viewing angles. We expected a lot more given the price tag of this device. Positive: the screen does not show any signs of PWM flickering. The EliteBook can also be purchased with a Full HD screen.

260
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
241
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
224
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 267 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 240 cd/m² Minimum: 8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 239 cd/m²
Contrast: 446:1 (Black: 0.54 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 9.52 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
71.12% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
45.03% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
48.71% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
71% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
47.15% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.42
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
TN LED, 1366x768
HP EliteBook 725 G2
TN-Panel, 1366x768
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
TN, 1366x768
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
IPS, 1366x768
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
IPS, 1920x1080
HP EliteBook 820 G3
TN LED, 1366x768
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
IPS, 2304x1440
Display
-14%
-17%
2%
46%
-17%
39%
Display P3 Coverage
47.15
40.56
-14%
39.06
-17%
48.19
2%
72.3
53%
38.9
-17%
66.8
42%
sRGB Coverage
71
61
-14%
58.7
-17%
72.6
2%
93.8
32%
58.5
-18%
95.4
34%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
48.71
41.92
-14%
40.36
-17%
49.79
2%
73.8
52%
40.2
-17%
68
40%
Response Times
5%
1%
-19%
-5%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
50 ?(27, 23)
45.2 ?(22.4, 22.8)
10%
42.8 ?(18.8, 24)
14%
58 ?(24.8, 33.2)
-16%
41.2 ?(15.6, 25.6)
18%
Response Time Black / White *
24 ?(20, 4)
24 ?(6.8, 17.2)
-0%
27.2 ?(12.4, 14.8)
-13%
29.2 ?(12, 17.2)
-22%
30.4 ?(6.8, 23.6)
-27%
PWM Frequency
1000 ?(90)
220 ?(90)
Screen
-30%
-11%
42%
63%
-8%
51%
Brightness middle
241
188
-22%
161
-33%
262
9%
367.1
52%
244
1%
387
61%
Brightness
240
186
-22%
152
-37%
251
5%
341
42%
240
0%
358
49%
Brightness Distribution
83
91
10%
90
8%
88
6%
85
2%
84
1%
88
6%
Black Level *
0.54
0.86
-59%
0.29
46%
0.26
52%
0.3
44%
0.6
-11%
0.47
13%
Contrast
446
219
-51%
555
24%
1008
126%
1224
174%
407
-9%
823
85%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
8.04
12.31
-53%
10.31
-28%
3.55
56%
9
-12%
1.6
80%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
13.9
18.58
-34%
5.85
58%
15.73
-13%
4
71%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
9.52
12.56
-32%
11.3
-19%
3.36
65%
9.48
-0%
1
89%
Gamma
2.42 91%
1.86 118%
2.57 86%
2.39 92%
2.44 90%
2.26 97%
CCT
11362 57%
12047 54%
13574 48%
5985 109%
11116 58%
6680 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
45.03
38.6
-14%
37.32
-17%
45.9
2%
37.18
-17%
61.6
37%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
71.12
58.82
-17%
58.63
-18%
82.2
16%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-22% / -26%
-8% / -10%
15% / 28%
55% / 56%
-15% / -11%
28% / 41%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Color Checker
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Gray levels
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color saturation
CalMAN - Color Checker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color Checker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Gray levels (calibrated)
CalMAN - Gray levels (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color saturation (calibrated)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 48 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
50 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 27 ms rise
↘ 23 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. » 84 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Performance

The HP EliteBook 725 G3 is a 12.5-inch business subnotebook. It includes features such as TPM and a docking port. Furthermore, a 3G/LTE modem is optional. Our test model is available for about 1,000 Euros (~$1133). At the time of testing, there was only one other configuration of this model available in Germany (stronger APU, SSD, Full HD screen). HP offers more options for consideration in the form of their EliteBook 820 G3 series, which is equipped with Intel processors.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWINfo
LatencyMon

Processor

The EliteBook is equipped with the AMD Pro A10-8700B APU. The word "Pro" designates this model for business devices. AMD guarantees long-term availability of this APU. The APU uses the Carrizo architecture. The processor section of the APU consists of a quad-core CPU, which runs at a base clock speed of 1.8 GHz. Turbo allows the APU to boost its speed up to 3.2 GHz. The results of our CPU tests show that the AMD processor matches the performance of the Intel Core i3-4030U processor. The AMD APU might have reached greater heights if it did not limit its performance to 2.3 GHz. When running single thread tests, one core is occasionally pushed up to 3.2 GHz. HP has set the TDP value of the APU at 15 W, which limits the performance of the model. Theoretically, it is possible to have a TDP value of 35 W, but this would mean higher power consumption and temperature emissions, which would mean more cooling.

The APU is soldered on-board.
The APU is soldered on-board.
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4662
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
5907
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2200
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
18.32 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.29 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.82 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
22.48 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
192 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
70 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
Intel Core i7-6500U
130 Points +86%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
123 Points +76%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
121 Points +73%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
112 Points +60%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
91 Points +30%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
90 Points +29%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
74 Points +6%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
Intel Core i3-4030U
70 Points 0%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
70 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
55 Points -21%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
Intel Core i7-6500U
325 Points +69%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
311 Points +62%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
305 Points +59%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
289 Points +51%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
218 Points +14%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
192 Points
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
Intel Core i3-4030U
187 Points -3%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
187 Points -3%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
151 Points -21%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
10432 Points +77%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
9728 Points +65%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
7355 Points +25%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
6309 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
5907 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
4951 Points -16%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
4625 Points +110%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
4408 Points +100%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
3353 Points +52%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
2777 Points +26%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
2200 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
1907 Points -13%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
199.1 Points +79%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
188 Points +69%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
143 Points +29%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
130.7 Points +18%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
123.2 Points +11%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
111.2 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
66.4 Points -40%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
3814 ms *
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
2262 ms * +41%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
1976 ms * +48%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1770 ms * +54%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
1663 ms * +56%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
1283 ms * +66%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
1203 ms * +68%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
1196 ms * +69%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel Core i5-6300U
30812 Points +90%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel Core i5-6300U
29020 Points +79%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
26857 Points +66%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
21739 Points +34%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel Core m3-6Y30
18464 Points +14%
Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE
Intel Core i3-4030U
17378 Points +7%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
16222 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
9042 Points -44%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Despite having a relatively fast hard disk (7,200 rpm), the system runs a little slow. Starting Windows can take a while. This is true for both Windows 7 and Windows 10. We recommend swapping out the HDD for an SSD. The results of the PCMark benchmarks are good. The overall performance of the EliteBook can still be raised. Aside from installing an SSD, the user can install a second RAM module. The RAM would run in Dual-Channel mode, which would allow the GPU to run better and the performance to increase.

Two RAM slots are available.
Two RAM slots are available.
PCMark 7 Score
2331 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2706 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2710 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3691 points
Help
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP EliteBook 820 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
3400 Points +26%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3291 Points +22%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3262 Points +21%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Pro A10-8700B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2706 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
2550 Points -6%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2291 Points -15%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP EliteBook 820 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
4581 Points +24%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4335 Points +17%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
4273 Points +16%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Pro A10-8700B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3691 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HD Graphics 515, 6Y30, Apple SSD AP0256
3550 Points -4%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3227 Points -13%
PCMark 7 - Score
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3777 Points +62%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3263 Points +40%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Pro A10-8700B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2331 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1869 Points -20%

Storage Device

The system drive is a 2.5-inch HDD from Hitachi. It offers a capacity of 500 GB and runs at 7,200 rpm (rotations per minute). The transfer rates of the HDD are typical for a 7,200-rpm model. The laptop has a free M.2 slot (2280) on the inside. This means the test model could be equipped with an appropriate SSD. However, simultaneous use of an HDD and M.2 SSD is not possible, which means the buyer will have to pick one.

A M.2 SSD can be installed in place of the HDD.
A M.2 SSD can be installed in place of the HDD.
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
HP EliteBook 725 G2
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Samsung SM951 MZVPV256HDGL m.2 PCI-e
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Apple SSD AP0256
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-11%
-26%
18%
13315%
9582%
Read Seq
125.3
116.8
-7%
113.8
-9%
107.9
-14%
1255
902%
754
502%
Write Seq
124.3
115.6
-7%
108.5
-13%
110.2
-11%
1240
898%
638
413%
Read 512
40.95
39.14
-4%
24.9
-39%
36.26
-11%
1131
2662%
616
1404%
Write 512
57.6
49.61
-14%
51.9
-10%
77.1
34%
811
1308%
678
1077%
Read 4k
0.495
0.453
-8%
0.398
-20%
0.497
0%
51
10203%
14.6
2849%
Write 4k
1.13
0.947
-16%
0.654
-42%
3.136
178%
134.1
11767%
20.5
1714%
Read 4k QD32
1.129
1.019
-10%
0.798
-29%
1.155
2%
549
48527%
464
40998%
Write 4k QD32
1.133
0.931
-18%
0.636
-44%
0.766
-32%
343.9
30253%
315
27702%
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Transfer Rate Minimum: 63.9 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 134.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 105.2 MB/s
Access Time: 16.6 ms
Burst Rate: 164 MB/s

Graphics Card

The EliteBook is equipped with an integrated Radeon R6 graphics processor. This IGP supports DirectX 12 and operates at a speed of up to 720 MHz. The results of the 3D Mark benchmarks show that the IGP can perform at a higher level than the Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU. With dual-channel mode enabled, the latter can deliver the same level of performance as our IGP, which uses single-channel mode. If the review EliteBook gets a second, suitable RAM module and activates dual-channel mode, the Radeon IGP could perform at significantly higher levels, as the graphics chip would benefit from the dual-channel RAM.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
5207 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1424 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
34816 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3524 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
690 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
300 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A10-8700B
1767 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A10-8700B
1432 Points -19%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
1389 Points -21%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
1280 Points -28%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
1212 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1210 Points -32%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
1186 Points -33%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD Radeon R6 (Kaveri), AMD A10 Pro-7350B
987 Points -44%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
6928 Points +47%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
6309 Points +34%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
6131 Points +30%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
6078 Points +29%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
5978 Points +27%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A10-8700B
4717 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD Radeon R6 (Kaveri), AMD A10 Pro-7350B
3989 Points -15%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A10-8700B
983 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A10-8700B
769 Points -22%
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
815 Points -17%
HP EliteBook 820 G3
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
755 Points -23%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, Intel Core m3-6Y30
735 Points -25%
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
727 Points -26%
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i7-6500U
675 Points -31%
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD Radeon R6 (Kaveri), AMD A10 Pro-7350B
555 Points -44%

Gaming Performance

The APU of the laptop is capable of running a few games fluidly. The user will have to set the games to lower resolutions and details to achieve this. Games, which are not very demanding, can run well on this APU. However, resource hogs, like Hitman, will not run reliably on this model. The addition of a second RAM module might raise the frame rates slightly thanks to dual-channel mode.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 49.5 25.2 18.5
BioShock Infinite (2013) 42.7 24.1 19.4
Battlefield 4 (2013) 21.7 14.4 8.4
Far Cry Primal (2016) 10 7
The Division (2016) 12.3 7.5
Hitman 2016 (2016) 6.1 3.9
Need for Speed 2016 (2016) 11.1 10.4
Mirror's Edge Catalyst (2016) 6 2.3

Emissions

System Noise

When idle, the fan runs at a low speed, which means it is barely audible. However, as soon as the laptop is under slight load (installing PCMark benchmarks), the fan drives up its speed significantly. At this point, the fan emits an annoying whistling (that can be recognized on the frequency diagram in the 3000-4000 Hertz range). The faster the fan turns, the stronger the whistling is. This noise can be distracting while working and should not occur when a notebook is designed for business customers and has a high price tag.

Loudness of the fan
Loudness of the fan
Fan
Fan

Noise Level

Idle
30.5 / 30.5 / 30.5 dB(A)
HDD
30.9 dB(A)
Load
38.2 / 38.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.9 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress testing the EliteBook.
Stress testing the EliteBook.

The EliteBook runs through our stress test with the same performance on battery as when plugged in. After 1 or 2 seconds, the processor is throttled to 1.3 GHz and it stays there until the end of the test. The IGP starts the test at 620 MHz, but the speed quickly drops to a constant 350 MHz. While idling and while at load, the laptop heats up to higher levels than its Intel-based sister model, the EliteBook 820 G3. During the stress test, the 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) mark was crossed at one of the measurement points.

Max. Load
 37.8 °C
100 F
42.8 °C
109 F
38.7 °C
102 F
 
 36 °C
97 F
38.6 °C
101 F
38.3 °C
101 F
 
 33.5 °C
92 F
34 °C
93 F
37.4 °C
99 F
 
Maximum: 42.8 °C = 109 F
Average: 37.5 °C = 100 F
40.5 °C
105 F
54.3 °C
130 F
42 °C
108 F
40.5 °C
105 F
39.7 °C
103 F
36.3 °C
97 F
38.7 °C
102 F
35.5 °C
96 F
33.8 °C
93 F
Maximum: 54.3 °C = 130 F
Average: 40.1 °C = 104 F
Power Supply (max.)  44.5 °C = 112 F | Room Temperature 23.3 °C = 74 F | Fluke 62 Max
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.5 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.8 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 54.3 °C / 130 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.7 °C / 89 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 37.4 °C / 99.3 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-9.1 °C / -16.4 F).

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.936.72535.536.53135.333.54035.836.85036376333.935.58033.935.610036.335.812536.436.216032.628.620041.828.625051.528.631561.32840064.427.150067.825.963071.72580072.323.8100071.623.4125072.123.3160073.923200071.322.7250069.422.7315069.422.4400069.722.8500070.523.6630065.722.580006422.41000060.622.61250062.322.9160006122SPL82.335.8N53.52.7median 65.7median 23.4Delta8.52.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 72% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 60% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
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%

Frequency diagram in comparison (Check boxes above can be selected!)
Value 1: Pink Noise 100% Vol.; Value 2: Audio off

Energy Management

Power Consumption

While idling, we measure a maximum consumption of 13 W. This value is quite high for a 12.5-inch subnotebook. In comparison, the Core i5 sister model can manage with 6.2 W. At the beginning of the stress test, the power consumption of the EliteBook is 44.7 W. Due to the throttling of the CPU and GPU, this value drops to 34.7 W. Once again, the sister model has the upper hand, as the EliteBook 820 G3 requires less power at load. The power adapter can deliver up to 45 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.65 / 0.71 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.4 / 7.5 / 13 Watt
Load midlight 41.2 / 44.7 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
Pro A10-8700B, Radeon R6 (Carrizo)
HP EliteBook 725 G2
A10 Pro-7350B, Radeon R6 (Kaveri)
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
6300U, HD Graphics 520
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
6500U, HD Graphics 520
HP EliteBook 820 G3
6300U, HD Graphics 520
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
6Y30, HD Graphics 515
Power Consumption
9%
27%
30%
19%
32%
52%
Idle Minimum *
5.4
7
-30%
3.9
28%
3.6
33%
2.7
50%
3.5
35%
2.7
50%
Idle Average *
7.5
8.6
-15%
6
20%
5.9
21%
7.7
-3%
5.4
28%
2.7
64%
Idle Maximum *
13
9.9
24%
6.6
49%
6.6
49%
11
15%
6.2
52%
7.2
45%
Load Average *
41.2
24.4
41%
28.9
30%
28.5
31%
34.8
16%
27.3
34%
22
47%
Load Maximum *
44.7
32.5
27%
41.7
7%
36.8
18%
36.6
18%
39.5
12%
20.5
54%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The EliteBook delivers a run time of 4:41 h in the practical WLAN test. This test simulates surfing the web and uses the following system settings: power profile "Balanced", power saver functions off and brightness set to around 150 cd/m². The playback of the short movie, Big Buck Bunny (H.264 coding, 1920x1080 pixels), empties the battery of the test model after 4:18 h. The movie runs in a repeat loop with wireless modules turned off and brightness set to 150 cd/m².

On the positive side, the EliteBook 725 G3 has better battery life than its predecessor. However, we cannot call these run times good, as a 12.5-inch business subnotebook is expected to last much longer. Once again, the Intel-based sister model beats our test model by providing longer run times. If you want the best possible battery life, we recommend the EliteBook 820 G3 or the Lenovo ThinkPad X260.

The battery is secured with a screw.
The battery is secured with a screw.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 13min
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
4h 41min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 18min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 23min
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
44 Wh
HP EliteBook 725 G2
46 Wh
Dell Latitude 12 E5270
47 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X260-20F60041GE
46 Wh
Toshiba Portege Z30-C-125
52 Wh
HP EliteBook 820 G3
44 Wh
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
41.4 Wh
Battery Runtime
-2%
43%
57%
105%
62%
118%
Reader / Idle
553
456
-18%
772
40%
795
44%
1134
105%
826
49%
H.264
258
205
-21%
353
37%
386
50%
495
92%
512
98%
WiFi v1.3
281
398
42%
396
41%
373
33%
501
78%
Load
83
110
33%
128
54%
160
93%
144
73%
231
178%
WiFi
258
402

Pros

+ matte panel
+ sturdy case with good workmanship
+ good input devices
+ lots of upgrade options
+ 3 years warranty
+ LTE-ready

Cons

- dark TN panel with low contrast and poor viewing angles
- noisy fan
- short battery life

Verdict

In review: HP EliteBook 725 G3. Test model provided by Notebooksbilliger.de
In review: HP EliteBook 725 G3. Test model provided by Notebooksbilliger.de

The Hewlett Packard EliteBook 725 G3 is a 12.5-inch subnotebook. The AMD APU of this model offers sufficient performance for everyday tasks. The laptop has a good case and offers well-rounded connectivity. The keyboard is also quite good. The notebook has an option of including an LTE modem and the necessary antennas and SIM slot are already available. HP offers a 3-year warranty.

There are many aspects of this test model that can be criticized. The laptop only works quietly when idle. If the fan starts running, it will get noisy, due to an annoying whistling being emitted. This, combined with the price of the device, is enough to disqualify the laptop from being a viable business notebook. The EliteBook 725 G2 had a maintenance flap, which could be opened without any tools. It successor, the EliteBook 725 G3, has a bottom plate which is screwed shut. To be fair, we must admit that the device can be dismantled easily with a screwdriver, but even then, this is a step backwards.

The battery life is not great. The 12.5-inch notebook should offer longer run times and is outpaced by the EliteBook 820 G3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X260. The display is poor for the price the buyer is paying. It has low brightness, poor contrast and viewing angles and an HD resolution.

The EliteBook 725 G3 will have a tough time surviving in the HP business catalog. Neither the hardware, nor the price make this laptop something special.

To summarize, we cannot find a valid reason to recommend the EliteBook 725 G3. Even if the price is lowered, the battery life just does not match modern standards for this class. Furthermore, buyers always have the option of an EliteBook 820 G3 (T9X40ET), which is cheaper than our test model and has a Core i5-6200U processor. The remaining features of this model are similar to those of our test model, the 725 G3. At a price of 920 Euros (~$1043), the sister model is a good 80 Euros (~$91) cheaper than our test model, the 725 G3.

HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA - 08/11/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
91 /  98 → 93%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
57 / 80 → 71%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 86%
Battery
77%
Display
77%
Games Performance
50 / 68 → 73%
Application Performance
60 / 87 → 69%
Temperature
86 / 91 → 94%
Noise
76%
Audio
59 / 91 → 65%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
71%
82%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2016-08-18 (Update: 2018-05-15)