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MagyarHP EliteBook 840 G9 laptop review: The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon alternative
The EliteBook 840 G9 is the Intel version of the EliteBook 845 G9 that we had recently reviewed in two different configurations. For this review page, we'll be focusing on the performance of the EliteBook 840 G9 Core i7-1280P configuration as details on the chassis, keyboard, serviceability, and other physical attributes can be found on our existing AMD review pages.
The selection of SKUs is much wider than on most consumer laptops since the EliteBook integrates many more optional features. CPUs range from the Core i5-1250P up to the Core i7-1280P, 250-nit to 1000-nit displays, and 8 to 64 GB of RAM among other auxiliary options as shown here. Our particular review unit comes with the highest tier Core i7-1280P processor but with an otherwise mid-tier 400-nit panel and 16 GB of RAM for just under $3000 USD.
Alternatives to the EliteBook 840 G9 include other flagship 14-inch business subnotebooks like the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 or the Dell Latitude 9430 or Latitude 7420.
More HP reviews:
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88.7 % | 12/2022 | HP EliteBook 840 G9 i7-1280P, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.5 kg | 19 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 88.6 % | 07/2022 | HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA R9 PRO 6950HS, Radeon 680M | 1.5 kg | 19.3 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 89.8 % | 08/2021 | HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA i7-1185G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.2 kg | 17.9 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
| 90.2 % | 12/2022 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U i7-1265U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.2 kg | 15.36 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 86.6 % | 10/2022 | LG Gram 14Z90Q i5-1240P, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 980 g | 16.8 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 90.1 % | 04/2022 | Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH i5-1145G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.3 kg | 17.3 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 |
Case — Same As The EliteBook 845 G9
Though the chassis is visually identical to the EliteBook 845 G9, a quick look at the USB-C ports along the left edge will easily distinguish between the two models. The 840 G9 will have a Thunderbolt label next to the ports while the AMD-powered 845 G9 omits the label completely due to its lack of support.
For servicing, HP has an entire video guide from start to finish on how to remove and replace every major component of the model. This is a practice we hope other major manufacturers can emulate in the future to take all the guesswork away from end users.
Communication
An Intel AX211 comes standard on most 840 G9 configurations since this is an Intel-powered series, after all. In contrast, the AMD-powered 845 G9 utilizes a Qualcomm Fast Connect 6900 to provide the same Wi-Fi 6E functionality. Overall performance is comparable between the two based on our tests with an Asus AXE11000 router.
WAN is optional with the choice of either an Intel XMM 7560 R+ LTE or the 5000 5G.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
| HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
| HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
Webcam
The 5 MP webcam may not be as sharp as the 8 MP webcam on the recent Dragonfly Folio G3, but it is still significantly better than the 1 MP or 2 MP webcams on most other laptops. HP is well ahead of the curve in this regard.
A webcam slider shutter comes standard for added privacy while the IR sensor for Hello support is optional.
Accessories and Warranty
There are no extras in the retail box outside of the AC adapter and paperwork. The standard warranty window is disappointingly only a year compared to three years on most competing Dell Latitude models.
Display — Great Colors, Slow Response Times
HP offers seven distinct panel options:
- 250 nits, no WWAN
- 250 nits, WWAN
- 400 nits, low blue light, no WWAN
- 400 nits, low blue light, WWAN
- 250 nits, touchscreen, no WWAN
- 1000 nits, low blue light, Sure View, WWAN
- 250 nits, touchscreen, WWAN
- 1000 nits, low blue light, Sure View, no WWAN
Our measurements below reflect only the bolded option above. It's interesting to note that all are 1920 x 1200 matte IPS 60 Hz with no OLED option. Unfortunately, Sure View is tied to the 1000-nit option whether users like it or not. HP says the 1000-nit panel is required to make Sure View Reflect work and so they cannot be separated.
Other than the limitations above, the Chi Mei panel on our unit is a high quality panel in terms of color coverage and contrast. Its biggest drawback is the very slow black-white and gray-gray response times for noticeable ghosting. Though not uncommon on office or business-centric laptops, they are egregiously slow here to the point of distraction when web browsing or video streaming.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 391.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 1223:1 (Black: 0.32 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.49 | 0.59-29.43 Ø5.2, calibrated: 0.44
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
69.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.12
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 Chi Mei CMN1435, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA InfoVision X140NV4J, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA AU Optronics AUO068B, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U R140NW4D R0, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | LG Gram 14Z90Q LG LP140WU1-SPF1, IPS, 1920x1200, 14.00 | Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH Chi Mei CMN1416 CHF07 140HCG, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 1% | -0% | 1% | 23% | 0% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 67.6 | 69 2% | 68 1% | 68.7 2% | 98.4 46% | 68 1% |
| sRGB Coverage | 98.7 | 99 0% | 97.6 -1% | 99.5 1% | 99.9 1% | 99 0% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 69.7 | 70 0% | 69.3 -1% | 70.2 1% | 85.9 23% | 70 0% |
| Response Times | 54% | 33% | 12% | 38% | 31% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 66 ? | 31 ? 53% | 48 ? 27% | 55.2 ? 16% | 47.5 ? 28% | 55 ? 17% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 46.4 ? | 21 ? 55% | 28.8 ? 38% | 43.2 ? 7% | 24.5 ? 47% | 26 ? 44% |
| PWM Frequency | ||||||
| Screen | -41% | -69% | -5% | -63% | -6% | |
| Brightness middle | 391.3 | 678 73% | 466.4 19% | 421.9 8% | 341 -13% | 408 4% |
| Brightness | 368 | 745 102% | 426 16% | 420 14% | 305 -17% | 378 3% |
| Brightness Distribution | 86 | 69 -20% | 84 -2% | 87 1% | 87 1% | 86 0% |
| Black Level * | 0.32 | 0.33 -3% | 0.32 -0% | 0.29 9% | 0.26 19% | 0.22 31% |
| Contrast | 1223 | 2055 68% | 1458 19% | 1455 19% | 1312 7% | 1855 52% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.49 | 3.56 -139% | 2.84 -91% | 1.69 -13% | 3.11 -109% | 1.54 -3% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.29 | 7.23 -120% | 4.73 -44% | 3.55 -8% | 8.29 -152% | 2.72 17% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.44 | 1.05 -139% | 2.27 -416% | 0.5 -14% | 0.83 -89% | 1.08 -145% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 4.93 -190% | 3.7 -118% | 2.8 -65% | 5.3 -212% | 1.95 -15% |
| Gamma | 2.12 104% | 2.63 84% | 2.13 103% | 2.13 103% | 2.037 108% | 2.33 94% |
| CCT | 6488 100% | 7114 91% | 6886 94% | 6442 101% | 7571 86% | 6806 96% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 5% /
-18% | -12% /
-40% | 3% /
-2% | -1% /
-30% | 8% /
0% |
* ... smaller is better
The display is already well-calibrated out of the box with average grayscale and color deltaE values of just 1.7 and 1.49, respectively. Calibrating the panel ourselves with an X-Rite colorimeter would actually improve these values even further as shown by the screenshots below, but this won't be necessary for most users. Our calibrated ICM profile is available above if owners want to try applying it.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 46.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 24.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 22 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.4 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 99 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 66 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 35.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 30.8 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 98 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.6 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 19287 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance — Fastest Core i7 P-Series Option
Testing Conditions
We set our unit to 'Best performance' mode via Windows prior to running any benchmarks below. Curiously, the pre-installed Power Manager app does not include any additional power settings unlike what we observed on the recent Dragonfly Folio G3.
Processor
CPU performance is a mixed bag due to the limited Turbo Boost potential of the system. When running CineBench R15 xT in a loop, for example, the initial score of 1992 points would fall noticeably to 1458 points after just one run to represent a performance dip of 27 percent. This drop is steeper than on most other laptops including even many Core U-series models. In comparison, the Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS in the EliteBook 845 G9 would return steady performance results throughout the entire stress test.
Many other laptops with the same Core i7-1280P CPU are able to offer faster performance than our HP due to their stronger cooling solutions. The larger MSI Summit E16 Flip, for example, can offer 25 to 50 percent faster multi-thread performance than our EliteBook 840 G9.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | 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 5.4: 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
| Blender - v3.3 Classroom CPU | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (444 - 1156, n=43) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
* ... 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
System Performance
PCMark results are comparable to the AMD version except in the Productivity subtest likely because the Ryzen 9 PRO 6950HS offers faster raw multi-thread performance as shown by the benchmarks above.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1280P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (6450 - 7180, n=4) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
| HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-1280P, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs (1394 - 1746, n=4) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5994 points | |
Help | ||
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
LatencyMon reveals DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs on our homepage. 4K video playback at 60 FPS is otherwise nearly perfect with just a single dropped frame during the start of our test video.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
Our unit ships with a 512 GB SK hynix PC801 PCIe4 x4 NVMe SSD capable of sequential read and write rates of up to 7000 MB/s and 5000 MB/s, respectively. However, sustained read rates are a bit slower at 5800 MB/s likely due to temperature limitations.
| Drive Performance Rating - Percent | |
| HP EliteBook 840 G9 | |
| LG Gram 14Z90Q | |
| HP EliteBook 845 G9 6F6H6EA | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10 Core i7-1265U | |
| HP EliteBook 840 Aero G8 3E4Q6AA | |
| Dell Latitude 7420 JW6MH | |
* ... smaller is better