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HP ProBook 430 G2 Notebook Review Update

A round bundle. The 13.3-inch size alongside a swift solid state drive and good battery life commends the ProBook 430 G2 as a portable companion. The laptop's screen proves to be its primary weakness.

For the original German review, see here.

The ProBook 430 G2 is a member of the entry level among business laptops. It is not only to attract professional users but also private consumers. We tested the ProBook 430 G1 over a year ago. Now we have an updated version at hand. Both ProBook models basically feature an identical build. However, the ProBook 430 G2 has undergone minor superficial modifications. Our review sample shows whether or not the ProBook is appealing.

The ProBook does not have many direct contenders because only a few manufacturers have affordable, 13.3-inch business laptops in their lineup. Examples would be Dell's Latitude 3340 and Asus' ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA. Lenovo also provides competition with its ThinkPad Edge E330 and ThinkPad Edge E335 lines. These models are, however, no longer available and successors are not yet in sight. Acer's latest Aspire V3-371 series could also be considered as a rival of the ProBook. Although they are primarily aimed at private customers, their matte screen and very good battery life will likely appeal to professional users, as well. We have tested many models from this range. Acer's Aspire V3-371-38ZG stands out as the most interesting contender owing to its Iris Graphics 5100 core.

Since both ProBook models are largely identical, we will not go in-depth about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers. The corresponding information can be found in the review of the ProBook 430 G1.

Case & Connectivity

As mentioned earlier, HP has slightly modified the ProBook 430 G2's exterior compared with the ProBook 430 G1. These modifications are found in the touchpad. The mouse buttons are now rounded on one side and the recess below the mouse keys has been omitted. Another modification is found in the right-hand interfaces. The dedicated headphone and microphone jacks of the ProBook 430 G1 have disappeared and have been replaced by a combo jack in the ProBook 430 G2.

Touchpad HP ProBook 430 G1
Touchpad HP ProBook 430 G1
Touchpad HP ProBook 430 G2
Touchpad HP ProBook 430 G2
Right HP ProBook 430 G1: headphone out, microphone in, USB 2.0, Ethernet port, power socket
Right HP ProBook 430 G1: headphone out, microphone in, USB 2.0, Ethernet port, power socket
Right HP ProBook 430 G2: combo audio, USB 2.0, Ethernet port, power socket
Right HP ProBook 430 G2: combo audio, USB 2.0, Ethernet port, power socket

Display

The ProBook sports a matte, 13.3-inch screen with a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. HP apparently believes that the laptop will exclusively be used in low-light conditions. The low brightness of 172 cd/m² cannot be explained otherwise. The screen should have considerably more to offer in view of the target group and HP's price design. We deem a brightness of 250 cd/m² as the absolute minimum. HP has actually managed to worsen the brightness of the screen installed in the ProBook 430 G1 (201.9 cd/m²) even more. The screens in both Dell's Latitude 3340 (211.1 cd/m²) and Asus' ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G (235.1 cd/m²) score a bit better.

165
cd/m²
172
cd/m²
160
cd/m²
173
cd/m²
175
cd/m²
164
cd/m²
181
cd/m²
177
cd/m²
181
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Samsung tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 181 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 172 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 176 cd/m²
Contrast: 143:1 (Black: 1.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 12.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 13.66 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
33.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
35.95% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
52.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
34.79% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.11
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
Display
13%
26%
21%
24%
17%
15%
Display P3 Coverage
34.79
39.15
13%
43.98
26%
42.06
21%
43.23
24%
40.58
17%
40.23
16%
sRGB Coverage
52.4
58.5
12%
65.9
26%
62.8
20%
64.8
24%
60.6
16%
59.6
14%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
35.95
40.52
13%
45.47
26%
43.5
21%
44.7
24%
42
17%
41.68
16%
Screen
20%
25%
16%
48%
42%
23%
Brightness middle
175
228
30%
232
33%
247
41%
230
31%
252
44%
259
48%
Brightness
172
202
17%
211
23%
235
37%
220
28%
255
48%
233
35%
Brightness Distribution
88
72
-18%
85
-3%
87
-1%
91
3%
67
-24%
81
-8%
Black Level *
1.22
1.029
16%
0.94
23%
1.37
-12%
0.56
54%
0.696
43%
1.3
-7%
Contrast
143
222
55%
247
73%
180
26%
411
187%
362
153%
199
39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
12.1
9.81
19%
10.35
14%
12.04
-0%
8.4
31%
9.1
25%
11.83
2%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
13.66
9.94
27%
11.79
14%
11.75
14%
9.95
27%
9.44
31%
6.24
54%
Gamma
2.11 104%
2.33 94%
2.38 92%
2.87 77%
2.19 100%
2.56 86%
2.3 96%
CCT
14498 45%
11631 56%
14957 43%
13613 48%
10109 64%
10890 60%
5429 120%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
33.3
37.5
13%
42
26%
40
20%
41
23%
38.6
16%
40
20%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
17% / 18%
26% / 26%
19% / 17%
36% / 41%
30% / 35%
19% / 21%

* ... smaller is better

ProBook 430 G2 vs. sRGB
ProBook 430 G2 vs. sRGB
ProBook 430 G2 vs. AdobeRGB
ProBook 430 G2 vs. AdobeRGB

The contrast (143:1) and black level (1.22 cd/m²) are also disappointing. The screen should have a contrast of at least 500:1. HP's choice of screen seemingly wants to dissuade potential buyers from purchasing the laptop and virtually sends them to the competition. Neither Dell's Latitude 3340 (247:1; 0.94 cd/m²) nor Asus' ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G (180:1; 1.37 cd/m²) will really come into question with their screens. The ProBook's screen cannot reproduce either the sRGB or AdobeRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 48% (sRGB) and 33.3% (AdobeRGB).

Besides the contrast and brightness, the screen's color reproduction is not satisfactory. The average DeltaE 2000 shift in state of delivery is approximately 12.1. The target should be a rate less than 3. Furthermore, the screen exhibits a bluish cast. We discovered that calibration could improve the screen's color reproduction massively. The DeltaE 2000 shift dropped to 3.45, which is very close to the target range. The bluish cast also disappeared completely.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)


The ProBook sports a TN screen, which means the screen can only offer limited viewing angles. Changing the vertical viewing angle quickly leads to image distortions. It is more generous horizontally, and even several people can look at the screen simultaneously. It is quite possible to use the ProBook outdoors, but it should not be an overly bright day. The screen's low brightness and poor contrast would thwart any such intentions otherwise.

The ProBook outdoors
The ProBook outdoors
Viewing angles: HP ProBook 430 G2
Viewing angles: HP ProBook 430 G2

Performance

The ProBook 430 G2 is a member of the entry level among business laptops. The device is aimed at private and professional users alike. The laptop's computing power is more than sufficient for routine use. Additionally, the laptop offers typical business features, such as a Trusted Platform module and a fingerprint scanner. The laptop is also available with a 3G/LTE modem. HP offers multiple configurations of its ProBook. The currently cheapest member of the lineup (model: FN65AV) largely features the same configuration as our review sample. However, a 500 GB hybrid hard drive is installed instead of an SSD. A Windows operating system is not part of the delivery. The price is approximately 499 Euros (~$607).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
System information: HP ProBook 430 G2

Processor

The dual-core Core i5-4210U processor installed in the ProBook 430 G2 is a slightly higher-clocked version of the Core i5-4200U installed in the ProBook 430 G1. The single clock levels are 100 MHz higher. Thus, the Core i5-4210U operates with a base speed of 1.7 GHz, which can be increased to 2.4 GHz (both cores) and 2.7 GHz (one core) via Turbo. The slightly higher speed compared with the Core i5-4200U is not noticed in practice. The ProBook does not use the processor's Turbo in battery mode. The CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmarks were performed with a consistent 1.7 GHz. All Turbo levels were maxed out in AC mode.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
6978
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6130
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3956
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.59 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.19 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
14.92 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
18.42 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
240 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
106 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
240 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
229 Points -5%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
272 Points +13%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
194 Points -19%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
304 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
313 Points +30%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
106 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
100 Points -6%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
114 Points +8%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
77 Points -27%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
121 Points +14%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
126 Points +19%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
2.59 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
2.5 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.52 Points -3%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
2.95 Points +14%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
2.16 Points -17%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3.35 Points +29%
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
1.19 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.04 Points -13%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1.3 Points +9%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
0.89 Points -25%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.39 Points +17%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
6978 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
7796 Points +12%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
6393 Points -8%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
10144 Points +45%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
10709 Points +53%
Rendering Single 32Bit (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
3956 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
3795 Points -4%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
2974 Points -25%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4585 Points +16%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
4726 Points +19%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
2391 Points
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
1865 Points -22%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
4653 Points
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
3949 Points -15%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
118.7 ms *
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
168.1 ms * -42%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
164.7 ms * -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
87.1 ms * +27%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
12186 Points
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
9363 Points -23%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
26941 Points +121%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
2614 ms *
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
3428 ms * -31%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1320 ms * +50%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
2233 ms * +15%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
2413 Points
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
1917 Points -21%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

Problems with the system performance are not expected from a laptop equipped with a swift solid state drive and Core i5 processor. The laptop does not disappoint here. The system responds swiftly and Windows is booted quickly. The ProBook 430 G2 scored considerably better than the ProBook 430 G1 in the PCMark 7 benchmark, which is owed to the SSD in the ProBook 430 G2. It strongly influences the result. The ProBook 430 G1 "only" sports a conventional hard drive.

The PCMark 8 benchmark scores are throughout good. We ran two different versions of PCMark 8 on the ProBook 430 G2. Futuremark (benchmark developer) has modified version 2. A comparison of the scores from version 1 and version 2 is not possible. We supply the results of both benchmarks for comparing the ProBook 430 G1 with current contenders. The ProBook 430 G2 then scores considerably better than the ProBook 430 G1. It again benefits from its SSD.

PCMark 7 Score
4556 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated
3084 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2391 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated
2945 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2495 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated
4782 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3599 points
Help
PCMark 8
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
3599 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2738 Points -24%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
3065 Points -15%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3774 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
3951 Points +10%
Work Score Accelerated (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
4782 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
4140 Points -13%

Storage Devices

The ProBook 430 G2 sports a solid state drive from Samsung. It is a model in the standard 2.5-inch format. The SSD has a capacity of 128 GB. The owner only has roughly 80 GB of that available. The recovery partition and Windows installation reserves the remaining storage capacity. The SSD achieves overall good to very good transfer rates. It does not exhibit any major shortcomings. However, there are currently even somewhat faster SSDs available, particularly among models with a higher capacity.

Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
Sequential Read: 511 MB/s
Sequential Write: 431.3 MB/s
512K Read: 435.4 MB/s
512K Write: 368.2 MB/s
4K Read: 37.17 MB/s
4K Write: 95.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 392.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 315.7 MB/s
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
Bullman C-Klasse S i7 15FHD Dirtbook
HD Graphics 4600, 4810MQ, Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250GB
AS SSD
-31%
-95%
21%
Seq Read
517
508
-2%
469.9
-9%
506
-2%
Seq Write
323.5
285.2
-12%
174.6
-46%
496.6
54%
4K Read
33.3
25.1
-25%
23.46
-30%
39.16
18%
4K Write
85.4
61.2
-28%
74.1
-13%
120
41%
4K-64 Read
370.2
156.7
-58%
221.3
-40%
335.2
-9%
4K-64 Write
215.3
136.3
-37%
166
-23%
231.3
7%
Access Time Read *
0.083
0.116
-40%
0.178
-114%
0.06
28%
Access Time Write *
0.04
0.057
-43%
0.235
-488%
0.029
27%

* ... smaller is better

Graphics Card

Like in the ProBook 430 G1 and the countless other laptops we have tested, Intel's HD Graphics 4400 GPU is responsible for graphics output in the ProBook 430 G2. The core supports DirectX 11.1 and achieves speeds of up to 1 GHz. The 3DMark benchmark scores are as expected and are on par with those of the ProBook 430 G1. The graphics performance of both ProBooks can be increased a bit by installing a second working memory module. The memory then operates in dual-channel mode and makes better use of the GPU. The effect becomes considerably more evident in computer games than in the 3DMark benchmarks.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
4252 points
3DMark 11 Performance
781 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
36498 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
3928 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
484 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
781 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
784 Points 0%
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
774 Points -1%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
843 Points +8%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
929 Points +19%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
838 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
853 Points +9%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
36498 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
33312 Points -9%
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
35351 Points -3%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
39918 Points +9%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
33266 Points -9%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
34337 Points -6%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
3928 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
3937 Points 0%
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3828 Points -3%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
4335 Points +10%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
3722 Points -5%
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4396 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
4325 Points +10%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
2260 Points
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
2816 Points +25%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
484 Points
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
550 Points +14%
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
502 Points +4%
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
527 Points +9%
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
572 Points +18%

Gaming Performance

HP's engineers unlikely focused on the ability to render games when designing the ProBook. Nevertheless, it is possible to play many games in a low resolution and with low quality settings. Users who want to play an occasional game should, however, install a second working memory in the laptop. That automatically enables dual-channel mode, which leads to higher frame rates.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 34.5 18.1 10.7 5.9
BioShock Infinite (2013) 25.8 13.6 11.3 3.9
Thief (2014) 12.3 7.5 6.2

Emissions

System Noise

Only little if anything at all is heard from the ProBook 430 G2 in normal, everyday use. The fan is often idle and only spins at a low speed when it is active. It is audible in quiet surroundings. The fan does not speed up excessively even when the laptop is fully loaded. We measured a noise level of 35.8 dB during the stress test - a very moderate rate. Unfortunately, the fan belongs to those models that produce other sounds besides its usual operating noise. In this case, it is a whistle that becomes more audible the faster the fan spins. Basically, the ProBook 430 G2 is also on par with the ProBook 430 G1 in terms of noise emissions.

Noise Level

Idle
31.1 / 31.1 / 31.5 dB(A)
HDD
34 dB(A)
Load
35.8 / 35.8 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-451 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

HP ProBook 430 G2 in the stress test
HP ProBook 430 G2 in the stress test

The casing's temperatures are very moderate over the entire load range. 40 °C was only surpassed on one measuring point in the area of the heat sink - just like in the ProBook 430 G1. The casing's low temperatures are owed to the slow operating speeds of the CPU and GPU. The CPU performed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) with 1 to 1.1 GHz. The graphics core ran with 750 to 800 MHz. The behavior was identical in both AC and battery modes.

Max. Load
 37.4 °C
99 F
30.2 °C
86 F
26 °C
79 F
 
 36.9 °C
98 F
35.1 °C
95 F
25.6 °C
78 F
 
 31.5 °C
89 F
34.5 °C
94 F
26.6 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Average: 31.5 °C = 89 F
27.1 °C
81 F
31.1 °C
88 F
34 °C
93 F
27.1 °C
81 F
37.6 °C
100 F
43 °C
109 F
27.7 °C
82 F
34.4 °C
94 F
34 °C
93 F
Maximum: 43 °C = 109 F
Average: 32.9 °C = 91 F
Power Supply (max.)  42.8 °C = 109 F | Room Temperature 20.8 °C = 69 F | Fluke 62 Max
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.5 °C / 89 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 37.4 °C / 99 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 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.2 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.5 °C / 94.1 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-6.8 °C / -12.2 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

HP has to be praised for the very low idle power consumption. The ProBook 430 G2's rates are even a bit lower than those of the ProBook 430 G1. The power consumption of HP's laptop does not skyrocket in undreamed-of heights during load, either. The ProBook consumed 27.1 watts in the stress test (it needed 31.7 watts for a few seconds at initiation). The strongly throttled processor is noticed here. The rate should clearly increase to above 30 watts when the processor works with full power. There is still some headroom; the power supply has a nominal output of 40 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.4 / 5.2 / 6.9 Watt
Load midlight 26 / 27.1 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Extech Power Analyzer 380803
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.

Battery Runtime

The ProBook 430 G2 achieved an idle runtime of 12:02 hours with one battery charge. That places it between Dell's Latitude 3340 (19:05 h) and Asus' ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G (11:05 h). Idle mode is simulated using Battery Eater's Reader's test. The screen operates in minimum brightness, the energy-saving profile is enabled, and the wireless modules are off. The ProBook shut down after 2:04 hours of load. It thus lasts a bit longer than the Latitude (1:56 h) and Asus' laptop (1:35 h). The load runtime is ascertained with Battery Eater's Classic test. The screen's brightness is set to maximum, the high-performance profile is enabled, and the radio modules are on.

HP's laptop stopped our real-world Wi-Fi test after 5:32 hours. Asus' laptop (5:17 h) is almost on par. However, the Latitude (14:31 h) clearly outruns its contenders. Websites are opened automatically every 40 seconds, the energy-saving profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m² in this test. We check the video playback time by running the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) in a loop. The wireless modules are disabled, and the screen's brightness is set to roughly 150 cd/m². The ProBook lasted 5:31 hours. Again, Asus' laptop is on par, and the Latitude delivers the best rate by far.

The battery life is overall good. It is even better than from its virtually identically built ProBook 430 G1 sister model. That is owed to the ProBook 430 G2's very low idle power consumption.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 02min
WiFi Surfing
5h 32min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
5h 31min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 04min
HP Probook 430 G2
HD Graphics 4400, 4210U, Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1
HP ProBook 430-G1
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Dell Latitude 13 3340 Education Series
HD Graphics 4400, 4200U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G
HD Graphics 4400, 4500U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG
Iris Graphics 5100, 4158U, Kingston RBU-SC100S37240GE
Fujitsu Lifebook E544
HD Graphics 4600, 4210M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
Battery Runtime
-9%
70%
-9%
5%
-12%
-15%
Reader / Idle
722
672
-7%
1145
59%
664
-8%
1053
46%
771
7%
594
-18%
H.264
331
539
63%
328
-1%
337
2%
WiFi
332
257
-23%
871
162%
317
-5%
428
29%
262
-21%
292
-12%
Load
124
128
3%
116
-6%
95
-23%
55
-56%
95
-23%

Verdict

HP's ProBook 430 G2 is a 13.3-inch office laptop aimed at professional and private users alike. Compared with the ProBook 430 G1, HP has only made very minor superficial modifications. The laptops are identical otherwise. The computing power is more than sufficient for routine. A swift solid state drive ensures a fast-working system. Users who need a higher storage capacity can quickly replace the SSD with another SSD or a conventional hard drive owing to the maintenance cover. Decent input devices and good battery runtimes complement that. The laptop's biggest shortcoming is its screen. Although it features a matte surface, it is relatively dark, has a very low contrast, and it is viewing angle dependent. The ProBook's price is clearly beyond 600 Euros (~$730), and thus we would expect more here. The fan's subtle whistling should not be left unmentioned. Fortunately, it is often idle in normal, everyday use.

Asus' ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G is an equivalent alternative to the ProBook. The laptops do not differ in either price or performance. A slimmed-down version of Asus' laptop is available for a price starting at 630 Euros (~$767). Dell's Latitude 3340 is first choice when the longest possible battery life is a purchase criterion.

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In review: HP ProBook 430 G2 (G6W23EA). Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de.
In review: HP ProBook 430 G2 (G6W23EA). Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de.

Specifications

HP Probook 430 G2 (ZBook 14u G6 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-4210U 2 x 1.7 - 2.7 GHz, Haswell
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 4400, Core: 1000 MHz, 10.18.10.3496
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, single-channel, two memory banks (one bank filled)
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, Samsung, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Lynx Point-LP
Storage
Samsung SSD 840 PRO MZ7PD128HCFV-000H1, 128 GB 
, 80 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Lynx Point-LP - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader, TPM 1.2
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Realtek RTL8723BE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21 x 326 x 233.5 ( = 0.83 x 12.83 x 9.19 in)
Battery
40 Wh Lithium-Ion, 14.8 V, 2550 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 40-watt power supply, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, Foxit PhantomPDF, MS Office (trial), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.5 kg ( = 52.91 oz / 3.31 pounds), Power Supply: 370 g ( = 13.05 oz / 0.82 pounds)
Price
749 Euro

 

HP ProBook 430 G2.
HP ProBook 430 G2.
The lid's back is rubber coated.
The lid's back is rubber coated.
The ProBook 430 G2's input devices.
The ProBook 430 G2's input devices.
The hinges...
The hinges...
...wobble a bit.
...wobble a bit.
Radio modules and speakers can be turned on and off via dedicated buttons.
Radio modules and speakers can be turned on and off via dedicated buttons.
The device's underside features a maintenance cover.
The device's underside features a maintenance cover.
Two screws have to be removed to open the cover.
Two screws have to be removed to open the cover.
The laptop has two working memory banks.
The laptop has two working memory banks.
Hard drives in a 2.5-inch format fit in the ProBook.
Hard drives in a 2.5-inch format fit in the ProBook.
An empty M.2 slot is present, but a 3G/LTE modem cannot be installed. The corresponding antennas and SIM-card slot is not available.
An empty M.2 slot is present, but a 3G/LTE modem cannot be installed. The corresponding antennas and SIM-card slot is not available.
The ProBook only has one antenna; two antennas should actually be a must.
The ProBook only has one antenna; two antennas should actually be a must.

Similar Laptop

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HD Graphics 4400, Core i3 4030U, 15.60", 2.32 kg
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Acer TravelMate P246-M-598B Notebook Review
HD Graphics 4400, Core i5 4210U, 14.00", 2.063 kg
Dell Latitude 14 Rugged 5404 Notebook Review
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Dell Latitude E5550 Notebook Review
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Dell Latitude 14 E5450 Notebook Review
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Acer TravelMate P256-M-39NG Notebook Review
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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Matte screen
+Quality casing
+Low power consumption
+Decent battery runtimes
+Maintenance flap
+Swift SSD
 

Cons

-Dark, low-contrast screen
-Lightly whistling fan
-One year warranty only

Shortcut

What we like

The swift solid state drive.

What we'd like to see

A brighter, higher-contrast screen.

What surprises us

Manufacturers still dare to install such a dark, low-contrast screen even in 2014.

The competition

Dell Latitude 13 3340, Asus ASUSPRO Essential PU301LA-RO064G, HP ProBook 430 G1, Acer Aspire V3-371-38ZG, Fujitsu Lifebook E544 (14-inches), Lenovo Thinkpad L440 (14-inches).

Rating

HP Probook 430 G2 - 03/05/2015 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
81%
Connectivity
66 / 80 → 83%
Weight
69 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
87%
Display
70%
Games Performance
56 / 68 → 82%
Application Performance
74 / 92 → 80%
Temperature
90%
Noise
89%
Audio
50%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
72%
79%
Office - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2014-12-26 (Update: 2015-01- 2)