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HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 (i7-8650U, FHD) Convertible Review

Better than the Spectre 13. The latest EliteBook carries almost everything you want from an Ultrabook: tablet mode, super-bright display, 4G LTE, Thunderbolt 3, NFC, crisp keyboard, narrow bezels, long battery life... the list goes on and on. Just be ready to pay a hefty price when fully configured.

When people think of Ultrabooks or 2-in-1 laptops, the HP EliteBook x360 family doesn't often come to mind. It's a bit of a shame because the series consists of some of the best subnotebooks money can buy for both general consumers and business users alike. EliteBook models consistently top our lists of best premium office laptops, Ultrabooks, and subnotebooks.

Our test model today is the 14-inch EliteBook x360 1040 G5 to replace last year's EliteBook 1040 G4. Its biggest change is the introduction of 360-degree hinges to bring the the system more in line with last year's 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 series. As such, we recommend checking out our reviews on the EliteBook x360 1030 G3 since the two models have many similarities between them both inside and out.

There is a wider selection of SKUs to choose from when compared to your typical Ultrabook. Options range from the entry-level Core i5-8250U CPU with 256 GB NVMe SSD, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, and FHD touchscreen up to the i7-8650U CPU with 2 TB of storage, 32 GB RAM, 4G LTE connectivity, and a 4K UHD touchscreen. Expect to pay anywhere between $1500 to over $2350 depending on the configuration.

Direct competitors in the flagship 14-inch business convertible space are uncommon. Plenty of 13-inch business convertibles and 14-inch consumer convertibles exist as alternatives, however, including the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon series, ThinkPad X380, Yoga C930, Samsung Notebook 9 Pen, Microsoft Surface Book 2, and the LG Gram 14.

More HP EliteBook reviews:

HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 (EliteBook x360 1040 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8650U 4 x 1.9 - 4.2 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Core: 300 MHz, Memory: 1200 MHz, DDR4, 24.20.100.6222
Memory
16 GB 
, 1200 MHz, 17-17-17-39, Dual-Channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, 10-point capacitive, native pen support, AU Optronics AUO533D, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Base PCH
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5, LTE
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16.9 x 321.4 x 215 ( = 0.67 x 12.65 x 8.46 in)
Battery
56 Wh, 7300 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 1080p FHD
Additional features
Speakers: Quad speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, USB Type-C to RJ-45 adapter, USB Type-C to Type-A adapter, Windows 10 Pro installation DVD, HP Client Security, JumpStart, SoftPaq, ePrint SW, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.35 kg ( = 47.62 oz / 2.98 pounds), Power Supply: 333 g ( = 11.75 oz / 0.73 pounds)
Price
2350 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The EliteBook x360 1040 G5 is essentially the 14-inch version of the 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 G3 and so many of our existing comments still apply here. The unibody CNC aluminum chassis is firm with only minimal warping and twisting when attempting to bend its surfaces. It doesn't feel as rigid as the XPS 13, but the Dell is smaller and lacks many of the features of our HP. The 360-degree hinges are uniformly firm up to the maximum angle and the matte silver surfaces are excellent at detracting fingerprints unlike the usual darker color schemes of competitors. Very slight creaking can be heard if twisting the lid that isn't of any concern during actual use.

Construction quality is perfect with no unintended gaps, crevices, or bumps on our specific test unit. Users familiar with the Spectre x360 13 series will already have a very good idea of how the EliteBook x360 feels to hold.

When compared to the last generation EliteBook 1040 G4, the EliteBook x360 1040 G5 is slightly thicker but with narrower bezels for an overall smaller footprint. It weighs approximately the same as the Lenovo Yoga C930 at about 1.4 kg. Other 14-inch laptops like the Asus Zenbook UX430 and UX433 are slightly lighter than our HP while offering discrete graphics options. We find the system a bit heavy when using tablet mode for extended periods and we recommend taking a look at the lighter EliteBook x360 1030 G3 if weight is a priority.

CNC chassis designed to pass certain Mil-Spec testing procedures
CNC chassis designed to pass certain Mil-Spec testing procedures
Display "chin" reduced in size by moving the controller board behind the panel
Display "chin" reduced in size by moving the controller board behind the panel
Natural satin finish hides fingerprints very well
Natural satin finish hides fingerprints very well
Power button along the left edge
Power button along the left edge
328.9 mm / 12.9 inch 232.8 mm / 9.17 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.5 kg3.35 lbs321.4 mm / 12.7 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.4 kg2.98 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 227 mm / 8.94 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.4 kg3.1 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 217 mm / 8.54 inch 14.6 mm / 0.575 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.7 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 781 g1.722 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Available ports are identical to the EliteBook 1040 G4 but slightly rearranged. The nano-SIM slot, for example, is now along the left edge where the ventilation grilles used to be. If we are to change anything about the ports, we would move one of the two Thunderbolt 3 ports to the left edge so there would be one charging port per side similar to the Razer Blade Stealth.

There is still no integrated SD card reader of any kind. Competing machines like the XPS 13 and Samsung Notebook 9 Pen are at least able to integrate MicroSD card readers.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: Volume rocker, 2x USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.1 Type-A
Right: Volume rocker, 2x USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt 3, HDMI 1.4, USB 3.1 Type-A
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: USB 3.1 Type-A, 3.5 mm combo audio, Power button, Nano Security lock slot, Nano-SIM slot (optional)
Left: USB 3.1 Type-A, 3.5 mm combo audio, Power button, Nano Security lock slot, Nano-SIM slot (optional)

Communication

The Intel 8265 comes standard for 867 Mbps WiFi and integrated Bluetooth 4.2. In contrast, newer Ultrabooks have already made the transition to the Intel 9260 or 9560 for transfer rates of up to 1.73 Gbps and integrated Bluetooth 5. It's a bit strange to not have such an option for a flagship EliteBook, but we otherwise experienced no connectivity issues during our time the test unit.

Intel XMM 7360 and 7560 modules are available for gigabit Cat 9 and Cat 16 4G LTE connectivity. While our test unit does not carry such an option, this is nonetheless a defining characteristic of the EliteBook x360 1040 G5 as it's something most consumer Ultrabooks are lacking. The target audience of business travelers can certainly appreciate the feature. Embedded SIM (or eSIM) would be great to see on future releases.

Empty M.2 slot for the Intel XMM WAN module. Unfortunately, the antenna are not included if not already configured with LTE
Empty M.2 slot for the Intel XMM WAN module. Unfortunately, the antenna are not included if not already configured with LTE
Soldered WLAN module is non-removable
Soldered WLAN module is non-removable
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
559 (519min - 577max) MBit/s +17%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
513 MBit/s +8%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
477 MBit/s
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
412 MBit/s -14%
iperf3 receive AX12
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
660 MBit/s +1%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
654 MBit/s
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
630 MBit/s -4%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
593 (560min - 611max) MBit/s -9%

Security

The HP EliteBook series is filled to the brim with security features on both the hardware and software level. Users have the fingerprint reader, IR sensor, Sure View Gen 2 privacy screen to reduce viewing angles, and a dedicated "self-healing" Sure Start chip to repair the BIOS should it detect any suspicious tampering.

Accessories

Included extras are a USB Type-C to RJ-45 adapter, USB Type-C to Type-A adapter, Windows 10 Pro installation DVD, and the usual warranty card and Quick Start guide. Note that the HP Active Pen stylus is not included as it is sold separately for $76 USD. In contrast, Microsoft throws in the Surface Pen with every purchase of a Surface Pro.

Maintenance

The bottom panel requires a T5 torx wrench and a sharp edge to remove since the latches are very tight around the edges. Upgrade options are limited to the M.2 2280 and WWAN slots as RAM and WLAN are soldered. Note that the SSD is protected under the aluminum plate.

Internal layout is very similar to the 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 G3
Internal layout is very similar to the 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 G3

Warranty

The standard one-year manufacturer limited warranty applies if purchasing the base $1500 configuration. Higher-end configurations come with a three-year warranty as standard. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties article for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The backlit keyboard on this EliteBook is one of the best we've used on any Ultrabook. HP is boasting quieter key clatter, more consistent key pressure, and less slant and wobble on each key while keeping travel at 1.3 mm. Even though we don't have the instrumentation to objectively confirm these claims, the difference can undeniably be felt. The keys here feel crisper and with firmer feedback than on competitors while being quieter than we anticipated.

Our only complaint is that the smaller Arrow keys and top row of F keys are noticeably softer and spongier than the main QWERTY keys. Of course, this fortunately does not impact the general typing experience.

Touchpad

The Precision-enabled trackpad (~11.1 x 6.5 cm) is exactly the same as on the 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 G3 in both dimensions and texture. Cursor control is smooth and responsive with no sticking or jumping even when gliding very slowly. Multi-touch inputs like pinch-to-zoom are also responsive and have low latency. It's one of the smoothest trackpads we've used on a business laptop.

The integrated mouse keys are more of a mixed bag. Some users may appreciate the quiet auditory feedback when pressed, but we would have preferred a stronger tactile feedback or full-on dedicated click keys for improved accuracy much like on some traditional EliteBook models. Speaking of older models, don't expect the rubber cursor nub to make a comeback anytime soon for the x360 series, either.

QWERTY layout with side speaker grilles and a fingerprint reader
QWERTY layout with side speaker grilles and a fingerprint reader
Almost no key wobble with the crispest key feedback on an Ultrabook we've used
Almost no key wobble with the crispest key feedback on an Ultrabook we've used

Display

Top bezel is still quite thick in order to preserve webcam placement
Top bezel is still quite thick in order to preserve webcam placement

HP offers five very different IPS display options whereas most competing models have just a couple at most. These panels differ in resolution, reflectance, brightness, and even refresh rate. Our table below summarizes the options available and we recommend choosing wisely as each touchscreen panel offers unique advantages over the others. 

Regardless of choice, all panels integrate Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with 100 percent sRGB coverage including the matte options. Matte touchscreens are rarely found on consumer devices (the Toshiba Portégé X20W comes to mind), but HP is promising improved durability against touch and pen inputs with its matte etched glass solution.

The test unit we have today uses the less expensive 'option 1' panel below with the matte etched glass anti-glare overlay. Its AU Optronics AUO533D IPS panel name can be found on no other laptop in our database. Contrast is excellent at just over 1400:1 and our own independent measurements back HP's claim of a 400-nit backlight.

Unfortunately, there are two major disadvantages to this otherwise color-accurate panel. Firstly, black-white and gray-gray response times are very slow for significantly more ghosting than many competing models. Secondly, the matte glass overlay introduces a layer of noticeable graininess that is otherwise not present on the standard glossy option. Our microscope images below reveal the consequences of light scatter on the matte panel when compared to a glossy panel.

Another interesting characteristic we discovered is the presence of pulse-width modulation even when on the maximum brightness setting. It doesn't appear to be extreme enough to warrant any concern, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless as this almost never occurs on LED-lit laptop screens.

A small but annoying bug on our unit is that the brightness and volume hotkeys become unresponsive for about 5 seconds after waking from sleep.

The backlight is otherwise uniform with only minimal uneven light bleeding along the edges and corners.

Option 1Option 2 ("Outdoor Viewable")Option 3
Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 10803840 x 2160
Brightness400 nits700 nits500 nits
Matte (Anti-glare) or Glossy (BrightView)Both options availableBoth options availableGlossy only
Refresh Rate60 Hz120 Hz60 Hz
Sure View Compatible?NYN
Narrower side bezels than the last generation EliteBook 1040 G4
Narrower side bezels than the last generation EliteBook 1040 G4
Some very slight, but most unnoticeable, uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom edge
Some very slight, but most unnoticeable, uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom edge
Subpixel array. Note the grainy matte overlay
Subpixel array. Note the grainy matte overlay
Glossy EliteBook x360 1030 G3 for comparison
Glossy EliteBook x360 1030 G3 for comparison
404.6
cd/m²
421.2
cd/m²
401.4
cd/m²
396.7
cd/m²
416.3
cd/m²
415.9
cd/m²
375.4
cd/m²
386.3
cd/m²
385.5
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO533D tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 421.2 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 400.4 cd/m² Minimum: 33.95 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 416.3 cd/m²
Contrast: 1436:1 (Black: 0.29 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.69 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.13
ΔE Greyscale 2.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
94.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
94.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.4
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
AU Optronics AUO533D, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Chi Mei CMN14D7, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
B139HAN03_0, IPS, 13.90, 1920x1080
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Tianma XM, IPS, 13.90, 3000x2000
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
ID: AUO 282B B133ZAN Dell: 90NTH, IPS, 13.30, 3840x2160
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
LGPhilips LP123WQ112604, IPS, 12.30, 2736x1824
Display
4%
1%
2%
0%
3%
Display P3 Coverage
64.3
66.8
4%
64.3
0%
65.9
2%
64.7
1%
67.1
4%
sRGB Coverage
94.1
97.1
3%
94.6
1%
95.2
1%
93.1
-1%
95.5
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.5
69
5%
66.2
1%
67.6
3%
65.3
0%
67.9
4%
Response Times
1169%
31%
35%
7%
986%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
70.8 ?(34.8, 36)
34.4 ?(16.4, 18)
51%
40.8 ?(20.4, 20.4)
42%
40.4 ?(19.2, 21.2)
43%
58 ?(26, 32)
18%
43 ?(21, 22)
39%
Response Time Black / White *
34.4 ?(18.8, 15.6)
30 ?(11.2, 18.8)
13%
27.6 ?(15.6, 12)
20%
25.6 ?(11.6, 14)
26%
36 ?(20, 16)
-5%
25 ?(13, 12)
27%
PWM Frequency
735 ?(100)
26040 ?(59)
3443%
22000 ?(50)
2893%
Screen
-17%
-51%
-19%
-18%
-7%
Brightness middle
416.3
295.9
-29%
316
-24%
442.7
6%
404
-3%
484
16%
Brightness
400
287
-28%
291
-27%
428
7%
389
-3%
473
18%
Brightness Distribution
89
87
-2%
83
-7%
84
-6%
85
-4%
91
2%
Black Level *
0.29
0.23
21%
0.36
-24%
0.31
-7%
0.37
-28%
0.33
-14%
Contrast
1436
1287
-10%
878
-39%
1428
-1%
1092
-24%
1467
2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.69
2.83
-5%
5.9
-119%
2.24
17%
3.72
-38%
4.29
-59%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.95
7.34
-48%
12.9
-161%
7.19
-45%
7.38
-49%
6.46
-31%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.13
1.3
39%
1.11
48%
2.06
3%
1.34
37%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.9
5.2
-79%
8.6
-197%
9.7
-234%
4.44
-53%
4.3
-48%
Gamma
2.4 92%
2.28 96%
2.1 105%
1.42 155%
2.34 94%
2.51 88%
CCT
6623 98%
7056 92%
6854 95%
6227 104%
7095 92%
7315 89%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60.1
63
5%
60.7
1%
61.6
2%
60
0%
62
3%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
94.5
97
3%
94.5
0%
95
1%
93
-2%
95
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
385% / 209%
-6% / -31%
6% / -9%
-4% / -12%
327% / 170%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 60 percent and 95 percent of the AdobeRGB and sRGB standards, respectively, to be comparable to competitors. Users who need even deeper colors may want to consider the ThinkPad X1 Carbon where HDR panels are available.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter reveal a very accurate display out of the box. The average DeltaE values are even lower than on the Surface Pro 6. Our calibration attempts improve both grayscale and colors even further albeit just barely. If we are to nitpick, the color blue is slightly less accurate than other colors when at higher saturation levels.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
34.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18.8 ms rise
↘ 15.6 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. » 91 % 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
70.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 34.8 ms rise
↘ 36 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. » 99 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

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 detected 735 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 735 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 735 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

Outdoor visibility is great when under shade. Otherwise, be prepared for some glare despite having a matte panel as shown below. Even though reflections are easier to avoid and kept to a minimum by the matte screen, colors will still become washed out on a bright cloudy day. We suspect that the brighter 700-nit SKU will fare better when compared to our standard 400-nit test unit.

Viewing angles are excellent with no significant contrast or color changes at different orientations. Apparent brightness, however, dips if not viewing straight at the screen especially when in portrait mode.

Outdoors on cloudy day
Outdoors on cloudy day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on cloudy day
Outdoors on cloudy day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

A total of four Kaby Lake-R CPU options (i5-8250U, i5-8350U, i7-8550U, i7-8650U) are available with no Whiskey Lake-U to be found. Even so, we're not disappointed by this because Whiskey Lake-U offers only marginal performance benefits over Kaby Lake-R.

We're surprised to see a Core i7-8650U option because this particular CPU is not common on most other Ultrabooks. Models like the Zenbook 14 UX433 or Samsung Notebook 9 Pen top out at the Core i7-8550U or i7-8565U only.

There are no discrete GPU options available due to the thin and light form factor of the unit. Nonetheless, it would have been exciting to see Ryzen 5 2500U or Ryzen 7 2700U APU options as these AMD APUs are comparable to Intel Kaby Lake-R.

 

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

The Core i7-8650U underperforms in our HP as multi-thread performance is 10 percent slower than the average i7-8650U in our database taken from a sample of 16 other laptops. In fact, performance is comparable to the Core i5-8250U despite the fact that the i7-8650U is marketed as a faster option. The lower-end and supposedly slower Core i7-8550U in the competing Lenovo Yoga C930 outperforms our HP by 18 percent in CineBench R15.

The limited Turbo Boost potential is responsible for the disappointing CPU performance of the HP. By running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop, we can observe an initial score of 563 points compared to 651 points on the Yoga C930 i7-8550U. Our Stress Test section shows a sustainable clock rate of only 2.0 to 2.1 GHz when under high CPU stress.

To HP's credit, single-thread performance is good and where we expect it to be. If you intend to run CPU-heavy workloads, however, then the Elitebook x360 1040 G5 may not be the best option.

See our dedicated page on the Core i7-8650U for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø525 (511.81-563.88)
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019 UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø614 (574.66-670.36)
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5 GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø465 (452.33-537.54)
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4 UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø588 (570.26-651.27)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
Intel Core i7-8565U
174 Points +1%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel Core i7-8650U
172 Points
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel Core i7-8550U
168 Points -2%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel Core i7-7820HQ
166 Points -3%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
166 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U
  (128 - 178, n=17)
165 Points -4%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
153 Points -11%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel Core i5-8265U
148 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel Core i7-7500U
146 Points -15%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points -15%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
134 Points -22%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
28 Points -84%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
821 Points +46%
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
Intel Core i7-8565U
677 Points +20%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel Core i5-8265U
666 Points +18%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel Core i7-7820HQ
663 Points +18%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel Core i7-8550U
651 Points +15%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U
626 Points +11%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U
  (451 - 675, n=19)
589 Points +4%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel Core i7-8650U
564 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
538 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel Core i7-7500U
338 Points -40%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Core i7-7560U
336 Points -40%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel Atom x5-Z8350
97 Points -83%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
172 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
564 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
55.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

Most PCMark benchmarks rank our HP slightly higher than its competitors including the Surface Pro 6 Core i7 and XPS 13 9380. We suspect that its fast Samsung PM981 SSD is at least partly responsible for the high benchmark scores. We didn't experience any software or hardware issues during our time with the test unit.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4078 Points
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
4043 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3835 Points -6%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2403 - 4078, n=10)
3686 Points -10%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
3448 Points -15%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3445 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
2603 Points -36%
Essentials
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
8992 Points
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
8446 Points -6%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
8355 Points -7%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
8033 Points -11%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6877 - 8992, n=10)
7944 Points -12%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
7083 Points -21%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
7039 Points -22%
Productivity
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
6835 Points +2%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6670 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5271 - 7142, n=10)
6457 Points -3%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
6101 Points -9%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5727 Points -14%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
5715 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
5353 Points -20%
Digital Content Creation
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3125 Points +2%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
3108 Points +1%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3069 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
2952 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2117 - 3174, n=10)
2868 Points -7%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
2795 Points -9%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2735 Points -11%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
4186 Points +27%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3774 Points +14%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3216 - 4103, n=10)
3722 Points +13%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
3519 Points +6%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3478 Points +5%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3308 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
3281 Points -1%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
5161 Points +13%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
4854 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3926 - 5200, n=8)
4789 Points +5%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4558 Points
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4339 Points -5%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
4302 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
4262 Points -6%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3308 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4558 points
PCMark 10 Score
4078 points
Help

Storage Devices

Only a single M.2 PCIe x4 storage bay is available due to size constraints. Our particular test unit uses a 512 GB Samsung SSD PM981 commonly found on high-end Ultrabooks and gaming laptops including the Razer Blade 15.

Samsung SSDs are typically faster than many competing drives. The PM981 in our HP handily outperforms both the SK hynix PC401 and Toshiba XG4 in the last generation EliteBook x360 1040 G4 according to CrystalDiskMark. Sequential write rates in particular are very fast at over 1700 MB/s compared to half or less from other OEMs.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Microsoft Surface Pro 6 i5 256GB
Toshiba KBG30ZPZ256G
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
AS SSD
-45%
-52%
-25%
-111%
-42%
Seq Read
1816
1585
-13%
1850
2%
2416
33%
1169
-36%
2035
12%
Seq Write
1270
863
-32%
661
-48%
1170
-8%
171
-87%
658
-48%
4K Read
46.25
38.49
-17%
38.04
-18%
48.33
4%
29.51
-36%
39.74
-14%
4K Write
104.1
100.1
-4%
95
-9%
103.1
-1%
83.7
-20%
105.7
2%
4K-64 Read
1342
782
-42%
434.3
-68%
1039
-23%
330
-75%
461
-66%
4K-64 Write
1209
662
-45%
266.3
-78%
399.6
-67%
130.5
-89%
300.1
-75%
Access Time Read *
0.043
0.105
-144%
0.069
-60%
0.058
-35%
0.069
-60%
0.061
-42%
Access Time Write *
0.035
0.038
-9%
0.056
-60%
0.036
-3%
0.276
-689%
0.051
-46%
Score Read
1569
979
-38%
657
-58%
1329
-15%
476
-70%
704
-55%
Score Write
1440
848
-41%
427
-70%
620
-57%
231
-84%
471
-67%
Score Total
3790
2299
-39%
1373
-64%
2575
-32%
911
-76%
1479
-61%
Copy ISO MB/s
2034
534
-74%
539
-74%
739
-64%
231.9
-89%
893
-56%
Copy Program MB/s
450.3
133.7
-70%
209.7
-53%
312.3
-31%
218.1
-52%
287.9
-36%
Copy Game MB/s
1024
394.2
-62%
340
-67%
486.3
-53%
165.3
-84%
618
-40%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3380 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1869 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 313.2 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 470.6 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2392 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1725 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 46.57 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 122.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

The integrated UHD Graphics 620 holds no surprises here as it is a very common solution for Ultrabooks. After benchmarking over 100 laptops with this particular GPU, we want to make it clear that this GPU performs about the same no matter the CPU it is paired with. For example, the newer Whiskey Lake-U Core i7-8565U can be about 25 percent faster than our Core i7-8650U, but its integrated UHD Graphics 620 GPU performs similarly to the UHD Graphics 620 in our HP.

See our dedicated page on the UHD Graphics 620 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
4905 Points +158%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3483 Points +83%
Lenovo ThinkPad 25
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2849 Points +50%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2728 Points +43%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
2124 Points +12%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1977 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1911 Points 0%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1902 Points
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1815 Points -5%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -8%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1734 Points -9%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ
1732 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1489 Points -22%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
349 Points -82%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
4394 Points +135%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
3538 Points +89%
Lenovo ThinkPad 25
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
2975 Points +59%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1869 Points
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1862 Points 0%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1858 Points -1%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
1838 Points -2%
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
1837 Points -2%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ
1829 Points -2%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
1795 Points -4%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (927 - 2505, n=244)
1578 Points -16%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
1524 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
1193 Points -36%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
392 Points -79%
3DMark - 1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Razer Blade Stealth i7-8565U
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
21755 Points +101%
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i5-8250U
16553 Points +53%
Lenovo ThinkPad 25
NVIDIA GeForce 940MX, i7-7500U
13362 Points +24%
Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7560U
11232 Points +4%
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
10804 Points
HP EliteBook 755 G5 3UN79EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
10578 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB 81C4
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
10490 Points -3%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
10213 Points -5%
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U
10126 Points -6%
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
10003 Points -7%
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
Intel HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ
9921 Points -8%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13 20J1005TPB
Intel HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U
7285 Points -33%
HP x2 210 G2
Intel HD Graphics 400 (Braswell), Z8350
1841 Points -83%
3DMark 11 Performance
2131 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
9217 points
Help

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of twin ~30 mm fans and two heat pipes between them in a symmetrical arrangement not unlike on the EliteBook x360 1030 G3.

The fans will idle during very low loads like word processing or browsing when on the Power Saver profile for a silent experience. Using the laptop for extended periods on High Performance mode will eventually bump the fan noise up to the 30.6 to 32.6 dB(A) range even if just streaming video. While still very quiet, users may want to avoid working in High Performance mode if they don't want the fans to start at all.

When under higher loads like gaming, fan noise can jump up to 39 dB(A) before dropping and cycling between 33.4 and 36.6 dB(A). Fan RPMs change a bit too frequently than we like to be more noticeable than usual when under such stressful conditions. We would have preferred a more fixed fan speed instead.

There is a very small hint of electronic noise or coil whine when the system is under load. However, it's thankfully minor and unnoticeable unless if placing an ear directly on the keyboard.

Small fan diameter responsible for the slightly higher fan pitch
Small fan diameter responsible for the slightly higher fan pitch
Overall fan noise is similar to the last generation Elitebook 1040 G4 while being louder than the Yoga C930
Overall fan noise is similar to the last generation Elitebook 1040 G4 while being louder than the Yoga C930
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
HD Graphics 630, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
Noise
0%
-1%
-5%
-4%
off / environment *
28.3
28.2
-0%
29.3
-4%
27.9
1%
30.3
-7%
Idle Minimum *
28.3
28.2
-0%
29.3
-4%
27.9
1%
30.3
-7%
Idle Average *
28.3
28.2
-0%
29.3
-4%
27.9
1%
30.3
-7%
Idle Maximum *
28.3
28.2
-0%
29.7
-5%
27.9
1%
30.3
-7%
Load Average *
32.6
33.3
-2%
31.8
2%
36.2
-11%
33.5
-3%
Load Maximum *
36.6
35.3
4%
32.7
11%
45.2
-23%
33.5
8%
Witcher 3 ultra *
45

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
28.3 / 28.3 / 28.3 dB(A)
Load
32.6 / 36.6 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.3 dB(A)

Temperature

Dual rear exhaust (high load)
Dual rear exhaust (high load)

Surface temperature development is generally symmetrical and warmer towards the rear of the system not unlike on the EliteBook x360 1030 G3. If gaming or under very high processing load, the top and bottom hot spots can become as warm as 38 C and 49 C, respectively, compared to over 50 C on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. The keyboard and palm rests are never too warm for a comfortable typing experience no matter the onscreen load. 

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (bottom)
Maximum stress (bottom)

Stress Test

We stress the laptop with synthetic loads to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU can be observed running as high as 2.8 GHz for the first few seconds until core temperature reaches 91 C. Thereafter, clock rates steadily drop to the 2.0 to 2.1 GHz range in order to maintain a cooler core temperature of 73 C. Since the base clock rate of the Core i7-8650U is 1.9 GHz, the processor in the HP is only able to maintain a Turbo Boost of just +100 to +200 MHz. In comparison, the Lenovo Yoga C930 and its cheaper Core i7-8550U CPU runs at a steady 2.5 GHz when under the same stressful conditions.

Running on battery power will impact both CPU and GPU performance. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 4791 and 1130 points, respectively, compared to 7062 and 1902 points when on mains.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 40
Prime95 Stress 2.0 - 2.1 -- 73
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.0 748 70
Max. Load
 31.2 °C
88 F
38.2 °C
101 F
35.8 °C
96 F
 
 28.8 °C
84 F
37 °C
99 F
29.6 °C
85 F
 
 26.8 °C
80 F
26 °C
79 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 38.2 °C = 101 F
Average: 31.1 °C = 88 F
31 °C
88 F
48 °C
118 F
30.6 °C
87 F
28.2 °C
83 F
32.2 °C
90 F
30.4 °C
87 F
26.8 °C
80 F
27.6 °C
82 F
27.4 °C
81 F
Maximum: 48 °C = 118 F
Average: 31.4 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.2 °C = 86 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.1 °C / 88 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.2 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 48 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.6 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.8 °C / 80.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+0.9 °C / 1.7 F).

Speakers

Subnotebooks aren't normally known for offering the best audio experiences due to their small sizes and thin form factors. The EliteBook x360 1040 G5 challenges this notion with its four speakers and surprisingly balanced audio for its size class. Even bass is better than expected with a roll-off of about 200 as shown by our pink noise graph below. Maximum volume is loud and it introduces no static or major imbalances. It will, however, reverberate the chassis just slightly.

Both upward-firing and downward-firing quad speakers
Both upward-firing and downward-firing quad speakers
Surprisingly loud and balanced audio for a business laptop
Surprisingly loud and balanced audio for a business laptop
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.241.32536.838.93135.436.44035.836.25036.335.66335.336803536.310032.544.512531.553.816031.264.920030.769.225030.772.831529.370.94002967.150028.268.563028.771.180027.376.7100027.477.4125027.27516002775.9200026.975.325002778.9315026.573.9400026.673.1500026.478.4630026.580.7800026.480.91000026.174.71250026711600026.166.8SPL39.288.9N3.583.8median 27.2median 73.9Delta1.54.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP Elitebook x360 1040 G5Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 10% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 88% 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%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The system is extremely power efficient when on the Power Saver profile at just 2.7 W to explain its very long battery life in the next section below. Maximum brightness takes an additional 4 W and likely even more for the 700-nit SKU.

Running heavy loads like games will demand a relatively constant 39 W from the outlet compared to 54 W on the more powerful MateBook X Pro. Peak power draw can be as high as 50.5 W from the small (~7.5 x 7.3 x 2.9 cm) 65 W AC adapter when running extreme processing loads as shown below. Since the CPU is unable to maintain maximum Turbo Boost indefinitely, power consumption eventually falls after just a few seconds to be in line with our CineBench loop test results above.

Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Note the spike in power consumption before falling and stabilizing at 32.6 W
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Note the spike in power consumption before falling and stabilizing at 32.6 W
Power consumption during 3DMark 06
Power consumption during 3DMark 06
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.7 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.7 / 6.5 / 11.5 Watt
Load midlight 38.7 / 50.5 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 x360 1040 G5
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
i7-7820HQ, HD Graphics 630, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK), IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.90
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 3000x2000, 13.90
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix PC401 HFS256GD9TNG, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Power Consumption
-24%
-6%
-23%
-19%
0%
Idle Minimum *
2.7
5.1
-89%
3.3
-22%
3.5
-30%
4.8
-78%
3.2
-19%
Idle Average *
6.5
7
-8%
6.8
-5%
8.9
-37%
8.6
-32%
8.7
-34%
Idle Maximum *
11.5
11.7
-2%
9.5
17%
12.3
-7%
10.4
10%
10.4
10%
Load Average *
38.7
41.2
-6%
40.8
-5%
54.2
-40%
37.9
2%
29.2
25%
Load Maximum *
50.5
56.9
-13%
57
-13%
52.1
-3%
48.5
4%
40.8
19%
Witcher 3 ultra *
42.4

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Runtimes are very long and above average for its category. Expect almost 10.5 hours of real-world WLAN use or one to two hours longer than competing 13-inch Ultrabooks including the XPS 13 and MateBook X Pro. Note that battery capacity is actually smaller than on the last generation EliteBook 1040 G4 (56 Wh vs. 67 Wh) without significantly impacting battery life because of the switch to a more power-efficient Intel U-class CPU.

Charging from empty to full capacity takes between 2 to 2.5 hours compared to 1.5 hours on most laptops. Any of the two USB Type-C ports along the right edge can be used to recharge the system. Note that the AC adapter can be used to quick-charge other USB Type-C devices as well.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
27h 53min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 23min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 07min
HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh
HP Elitebook 1040 G4-2XU40UT
i7-7820HQ, HD Graphics 630, 67 Wh
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Huawei Matebook X Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 57.4 Wh
Dell XPS 13 9380 2019
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Battery Runtime
-20%
-20%
-22%
-28%
-28%
Reader / Idle
1673
1349
-19%
1432
-14%
1243
-26%
1032
-38%
1083
-35%
WiFi v1.3
623
665
7%
550
-12%
557
-11%
498
-20%
509
-18%
Load
187
96
-49%
124
-34%
133
-29%
141
-25%
131
-30%

Verdict

Pros

+ surfaces excellent at deterring fingerprints
+ excellent trackpad responsiveness
+ extensive security features
+ very bright display options
+ dual Thunderbolt 3 ports
+ 4G LTE and NFC optional
+ crisp keyboard feedback
+ loud internal speakers
+ 120 Hz panel options
+ very long battery life
+ USB Type-C charging

Cons

- disappointing Core i7 performance; weak CPU Turbo Boost
- slow display response times; noticeable ghosting
- weak GPU performance; no discrete graphics
- matte anti-glare option is very grainy
- HP Active Pen stylus sold separately
- top display bezel is relatively thick
- non-upgradeable RAM; soldered
- small, high-pitched fans
In review: HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 5NW10UT#ABA. Test model provided by HP
In review: HP EliteBook x360 1040 G5 5NW10UT#ABA. Test model provided by HP

The EliteBook x360 1040 G5 is everything we love about the EliteBook x360 1030 G3 but with a roomier 14-inch display. It can be best described as a Spectre x360 13 on overdrive in terms of features and security. You're not going to find another 14-inch convertible with a better keyboard that also just happens to have Thunderbolt 3, 4G LTE, great speakers, a super-bright 700-nit display, and very long battery life. It's as close to an "ultimate" Windows convertible for travelers if there ever was one.

There are a few key disadvantages to keep in mind. Firstly, the unique anti-glare matte touchscreen reduces glare at the heavy cost of increased graininess. Some users may not be bothered by it, but those who are accustomed to crisp glossy screens with fast response times will find the matte touchscreen to be an eyesore. Thankfully, a standard glossy (BrightView) option exists.

Secondly, CPU performance is again below average due to limited Turbo Boost. This hopefully won't become a trend with the EliteBook x360 series as we've discovered similar results on the EliteBook x360 1030 G3. It just doesn't feel right when the cheaper Core i7-8550U in the Lenovo Yoga C930 can outperform the supposedly faster Core i7-8650U in our HP by almost 20 percent.

Lastly, fan noise is higher-pitched than we were expecting from an Ultrabook. We suspect that the small ~30 mm fans are responsible as fan pitch will naturally be higher as diameter decreases. This isn't to say that the laptop is loud, but the fans are noticeable once they start revving.

We highly recommend the EliteBook x360 1040 G5 to not just traveling business users, but also general consumers who may be considering an Ultrabook. Even the least expensive SKU can offer as much as any convertible Ultrabook. Save yourself a few hundred dollars by skipping the Core i7 SKUs and going for the Core i5 SKUs instead. The system can't quite tap the full potential of the Core i7 series because of its limited Turbo Boost.

This is the 14-inch convertible to beat. Its few drawbacks don't detract from the long list of features and hardware options not found on most other subnotebooks including 4G LTE and a 700-nit touchscreen. If GPU performance is a concern, however, then the Acer Swift 7 or Surface Book 2 may make for better alternatives.

HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 - 10/22/2019 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
91 / 98 → 93%
Keyboard
92%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
70 / 80 → 87%
Weight
71 / 20-75 → 92%
Battery
88%
Display
90%
Games Performance
52 / 78 → 66%
Application Performance
85 / 95 → 89%
Temperature
92%
Noise
97%
Audio
80%
Camera
54 / 85 → 64%
Average
81%
91%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP Elitebook x360 1040 G5 (i7-8650U, FHD) Convertible Review
Allen Ngo, 2019-02-16 (Update: 2021-03-10)