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HP ProBook 430 G5 (i5-8250U, FHD) Laptop Review

Smaller is better 13.3 inch laptops are a rarity in the business laptop sector. The fact that these models have their place in the market is shown by the less exciting and yet rock solid ProBook 430 G5. Read this detailed review to find out the advantages and disadvantages of this low priced business notebook.

The ProBook-400 series consists of four models. We have already tested the three larger models of this generation in the HP ProBook 440 G5, the HP ProBook 450 G5 and the HP ProBook 470 G5. Now we are testing the fourth and smallest ProBook of the entry-level series by HP.

The ProBook 430 G5 has a 13.3-inch display, a rather uncommon size in the business sector. In conjunction with the low price, the small measurements add up to a combination that is sure to have potential buyers. The Lenovo ThinkPad 13 (or its successor ThinkPad L380, which we have not been able to test yet) covers a similar spectrum, also being targeted towards the educational sector or small business. Additionally, we are comparing the ProBook with the Dell Latitude 5280, as well as with its bigger brother, the ProBook 440 G5. Furthermore, the predecessor ProBook 430 G4 is, of course, an interesting device to compare it to.

Our ProBook 430 G5 is a special edition from HP's campus program. This configuration's main features are: 512 GB SSD storage, 16 GB of RAM and the Intel Core i5-8250U. With these components, the ProBook 430 G5 currently costs 800 Euros (~$986) for students, although Windows is not included with this model. A similar configuration with Windows included costs more than 1000 Euros (~$1233) for regular customers.

HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES (ProBook 430 G5 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2400, max. 32 GB, 2 of 2 Slots used
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 166 PPI, LGD052D, IPS LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G, 512 GB 
, 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Combo audio, Card Reader: 3-in-1 SD card reader, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 326 x 236 ( = 0.75 x 12.83 x 9.29 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo speakers, Keyboard: 6 rows chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.483 kg ( = 52.31 oz / 3.27 pounds), Power Supply: 291 g ( = 10.26 oz / 0.64 pounds)
Price
829 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Chassis & Features – Easy to expand, hard to maintain

From the outside, the smallest ProBook barely differs from its bigger brother ProBook 440 G5. This is no coincidence, since HP has refreshed all models of the ProBook 400 series this year with a new, uniform design. The most striking difference from the previous generation is the aluminum palm rest, which is now black instead of silver. Moreover, HP has changed the hinge design from two drop-down hinges to a singular broad mono hinge.

It is easy to feel what price range HP targets the ProBook at in terms of quality. Only the palm rest is made of aluminum, the rest of the chassis is made of smooth, silver plastic that feels rather cheap, especially on the bottom. When trying to twist the base it barely bends, but we were able to noticeably dent the plastic on the bottom. The thin plastic display cover is not very sturdy either, almost immediately passing any applied pressure directly on to the panel. Only the palm rest, which is not flexible, creates stability. The front edge of the palm rest is not quite cleanly processed on this ProBook 400, this is something we have already noticed with the ProBook 440 G5 and the 450 G5 - at least with this model it is not as troublesome as with the larger models, the overlap is not as crass.

Access to the internal components is possible through the removal of two maintenance covers on the bottom. This way you can access the WLAN module, the two RAM slots (both occupied), the M.2-2280 SSD and the 2.5-inch slot. It remains uncertain whether or not a caddy is required for the latter. Important components such as the battery or the fan are inaccessible however, which is why this design is not quite ideal.

In a size comparison, there is very little difference between the ProBook 430 G5 and the ProBook 440 G5 - you could almost say that HP has built a smaller display into an oversized chassis. The ProBook 430 G5 is around 100 grams (~3.5 oz) lighter. The port selection also matches that of its bigger brother, which is commendable: VGA and Ethernet are particularly hard to find in today's notebooks, even though we like seeing them. The USB-C port does warrant some criticism for being positioned too far to the front for the optional charging connection feature, though.

Size Comparison

336 mm / 13.2 inch 238 mm / 9.37 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.6 kg3.42 lbs330 mm / 13 inch 233.5 mm / 9.19 inch 19.8 mm / 0.78 inch 1.6 kg3.48 lbs326 mm / 12.8 inch 236 mm / 9.29 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.5 kg3.27 lbs322.4 mm / 12.7 inch 222.8 mm / 8.77 inch 19.8 mm / 0.78 inch 1.4 kg3.16 lbs305.2 mm / 12 inch 211.3 mm / 8.32 inch 21.4 mm / 0.843 inch 1.4 kg3 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Port Selection

Right: USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, power supply
Right: USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, power supply
Left: Kensington lock, USB 3.0 Type-A, combined audio jack, SD card reader
Left: Kensington lock, USB 3.0 Type-A, combined audio jack, SD card reader
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
81.4 MB/s
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
79.5 MB/s -2%
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76.5 MB/s -6%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -32%
Dell Latitude 5280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
45.51 MB/s -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.8 MB/s -72%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell Latitude 5280
  (Toshiba THN-M401S0640E2)
92 MB/s +5%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.9 (79.5min) MB/s 0%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.9 MB/s
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87.4 MB/s -1%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.02 MB/s -69%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
640 MBit/s
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
629 MBit/s -2%
Dell Latitude 5280
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
497 MBit/s -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
297 MBit/s -54%
iperf3 receive AX12
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
661 MBit/s
Dell Latitude 5280
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
650 MBit/s -2%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Realtek 8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
649 MBit/s -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
645 MBit/s -2%

Input devices - Better and with more stability

Externally, the keyboard with six rows and square chiclet keys with backlight is identical to that of the larger ProBook 440 G5. With one important distinction: The keyboard, unlike the larger model, does not give way as much on the left side. Thus the keyboard is on an entirely different level. The keys have sufficient travel distance and a very comfortable pressure point, not too hard, but also not too soft. A decent keyboard is a must-have in an office laptop, the ProBook 430 G5, unlike its bigger brother, does not disappoint in this respect. The keyboard layout might take some getting used to, since the navigation keys are located to the left of the space bar and the vertical arrow keys are very small.

Despite the budget status of the ProBook, HP uses a touchpad with a glass surface. It is chemically burnt and thus slightly rough. For a low priced laptop the feel of the touchpad is truly outstanding, gliding properties are good, too. The click mechanism of the touchpad, which with its integrated mouse buttons is a ClickPad, is not as good. The clicks are rather loud and rattle slightly. The touchpad convinces in day-to-day use, which is not surprising considering the excellent Windows precision drivers. Inputs of any kind are handled well.

HP ProBook 430 G5 keyboard area
HP ProBook 430 G5 keyboard area

Display – ProBook with mediocre IPS display

Pixel array HP ProBook 430 G5
Pixel array HP ProBook 430 G5
Slight backlight bleeding (exaggerated in this depiction)
Slight backlight bleeding (exaggerated in this depiction)

As usual with cheap business devices, you can choose between two display resolutions: HD (1366x768) and Full HD (1920x1080). The matte HD LCD is based on TN technology and should be avoided at all costs. If you are interested in the ProBook 430 G5, you should choose a model with Full HD display, which is matte and uses an IPS panel.

HP specifies a rather low brightness value of 220 cd/m² for the Full HD display their data sheet. Luckily, the built-in LCD by LG exceeds this value; the average brightness is 253 cd/m². This positions the ProBook around the class average, the Lenovo ThinkPad 13 easily competes with this with 307 cd/m² on average. Concerning contrast on the other hand, the ProBook is ahead, although the difference compared to other models with IPS displays is minimal - only the Dell Latitude 5280 with an HD TN display is significantly worse.

The illumination of the LG panel is at 82% - there is room for improvement, but subjectively it is hard to notice. There is backlight bleed and it is clearly visible with a black background, but there is not an obscene amount of it. We were also able to detect PWM, but the frequency is high enough that it should not give you a headache.

272
cd/m²
277
cd/m²
261
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
262
cd/m²
244
cd/m²
238
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LGD052D tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 277 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 253.1 cd/m² Minimum: 14.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 262 cd/m²
Contrast: 936:1 (Black: 0.28 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.8
ΔE Greyscale 3.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60.1% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.23% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.15
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
LGD052D, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
LP133WF2-SPL78, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Dell Latitude 5280
1366x768, 12.50
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
LGD04B2, , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
LGD052D, , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
0%
-2%
-2%
-4%
Display P3 Coverage
40.23
40.16
0%
39.34
-2%
39.56
-2%
38.55
-4%
sRGB Coverage
60.3
60
0%
59.2
-2%
59.3
-2%
57.8
-4%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.59
41.54
0%
40.67
-2%
40.88
-2%
39.85
-4%
Response Times
18%
7%
-1%
1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
41.6 ?(20.4, 21.2)
43.6 ?(20.8, 22.8)
-5%
42 ?(21.2, 20.8)
-1%
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
4%
42.4 ?(15.6, 26.8)
-2%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(13.6, 13.6)
25.2 ?(12.8, 12.4)
7%
23.2 ?(17.2, 6)
15%
28.8 ?(17.2, 11.6)
-6%
26.4 ?(6.4, 20)
3%
PWM Frequency
20490 ?(99)
30860 ?(90)
51%
Screen
5%
-60%
-2%
1%
Brightness middle
262
306
17%
251.8
-4%
236
-10%
253
-3%
Brightness
253
307
21%
246
-3%
221
-13%
249
-2%
Brightness Distribution
82
89
9%
90
10%
88
7%
92
12%
Black Level *
0.28
0.36
-29%
0.75
-168%
0.26
7%
0.32
-14%
Contrast
936
850
-9%
336
-64%
908
-3%
791
-15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.7
5.1
11%
11.3
-98%
5.7
-0%
5.28
7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
22.4
13.3
41%
23.1
-3%
22
2%
13.66
39%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.8
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.6
3.9
-8%
13.2
-267%
3.8
-6%
3.8
-6%
Gamma
2.15 102%
2.17 101%
2.05 107%
2.1 105%
2.3 96%
CCT
7096 92%
6829 95%
14912 44%
7318 89%
6646 98%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.3
38.24
0%
37.6
-2%
37.7
-2%
36.7
-4%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60.1
59.75
-1%
59.2
-1%
59.2
-1%
57.6
-4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
8% / 7%
-18% / -39%
-2% / -2%
-1% / -0%

* ... smaller is better

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
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.6 ms rise
↘ 13.6 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 64 % 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
41.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 21.2 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. » 62 % 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 20490 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 20490 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 20490 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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Color values
Color values
Saturation
Saturation
Grayscales
Grayscales
Color values (calibrated)
Color values (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)
Grayscales (calibrated)

In accordance with the price class, the installed IPS display is cheap and barely covers 60% of the sRGB color space - as a result, colors look fairly lifeless, image processing is not something you should be thinking about doing with this notebook. Outdoor use is possible, even if only in a limited capacity. At 250 cd/m² it is advisable to stay in the shadows if you want to recognize the screen's content. 

sRGB: 60.1%
sRGB: 60.1%
AdobeRGB: 38.3%
AdobeRGB: 38.3%
Viewing angles of the HP ProBook 430 G5
Viewing angles of the HP ProBook 430 G5
Outdoors (cloudy)
Outdoors (cloudy)

Performance – CPU performance is average

The entry-level of the ProBook 430 G5 costs just shy of 650 Euros (~$800), the most expensive configuration is available for almost 1130 Euros (~$1395). At 650 Euros (~$800) you are only getting the older Kaby Lake processor Core i5-7200U with two cores, otherwise there is the Core i5-8250U or the Core i7-8550U – CPUs with vPro are limited to the more expensive ProBooks and EliteBooks. Almost all models exclusively rely on the Intel UHD Graphics 620 as their graphics solution, only one comes with the optionally available AMD Radeon 530.

The ProBook is fitted with either 4, 8 or 16 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM, whereas this is easily expandable with two RAM slots. Available SSD storage sizes are 128, 256 or 512 GB; some models also have a 1 TB hard drive installed.

HWiNFO
HWiNFO
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z SPD
CPU-Z SPD
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
LatencyMon
LatencyMon

Processor

The Intel Core i5-8250U is an Ultra-Low-Voltage processor based on the Kaby Lake refresh generation with a TDP of 15 W. The CPU has four cores (eight threads thanks to Hyperthreading), that are theoretically able to operate at a maximum of 3.4 GHz. It has a base clock of 1.6 GHz.

So much for the theory. In practice, the performance of the processor highly depends on the manufacturer's settings. The ProBook 430 G5, for instance, allows for 28 seconds of 25 watts power consumption, with a CPU clock of 3 GHz. Afterwards, the TDP is limited to 17 watts and the CPU clock falls to 2.5 GHz. In addition to this TDP limit, there is a temperature limit, which HP has set to approximately 75 °C (~167 °F). If the CPU reaches this threshold, the TDP drops to 15 watts and the CPU clock is then only at 2.3 to 2.4 GHz.

Throttling, as in the processor falling below its base clock, was absent during our Cinebench loop.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

In the singular Cinebench R15 Multicore test, where short boost performance is of the utmost importance, the ProBook performs exactly at the average value of all tested laptops with the Core i5-8250U. Its bigger brother, the ProBook 440 G5, is 6% faster, which can probably be attributed to the minimally larger chassis which offers slightly better cooling. The ProBook 430 G5 outclasses its competitors with older dual-core processors with ease.

HP limits CPU performance in battery mode ex-factory by deactivating Turbo Boost. This limitation can be lifted in the BIOS, enabling maximum CPU performance in battery mode.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +48%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
146 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
145 Points 0%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
Intel Core i7-7500U
144 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points -11%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +135%
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
620 Points +6%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Intel Core i5-8250U
586 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel Core i7-7500U
351 Points -40%
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
Intel Core i7-7500U
341 Points -42%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel Core i5-7200U
328 Points -44%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
52.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
586 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
145 Points
Help

System Performance

System performance is excellent, both in day-to-day use and in PCMark benchmarks. Competing devices with older processors fall behind slightly in these benchmarks, although the difference is not massive.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +12%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
3792 Points
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3774 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, Toshiba NVMe THNSF5512GPUK
3705 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2986 - 4458, n=69)
3584 Points -5%
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
HD Graphics 620, i7-7500U, SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
3554 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 5280
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Toshiba MQ01ACF050
3409 Points -10%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3792 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4734 points
PCMark 10 Score
3722 points
Help

Storage Solution

Our test device is equipped with a 512 GB SSD with the model number XG5 KXG50ZNV512G. It is a PCIe NVMe SSD made by Toshiba. This SSD performed averagely for a PCIe NVMe SSD in the ProBook, probably because it is limited to PCIe 2x - this limitation comes from the ProBook, not from the Toshiba SSD, which is a PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD according to the data sheet.

HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Toshiba NVMe THNSF5512GPUK
Dell Latitude 5280
Toshiba MQ01ACF050
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
SanDisk SD8SNAT256G1002
Average Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
 
Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
2%
-95%
-1%
-49%
-3%
63%
Read Seq
1440
1143
-21%
107.5
-93%
1181
-18%
505
-65%
1641 ?(984 - 2137, n=11)
14%
1895 ?(508 - 3536, n=3, last 2 years)
32%
Write Seq
522
653
25%
95.3
-82%
602
15%
328.9
-37%
591 ?(460 - 1390, n=11)
13%
2113 ?(459 - 3702, n=3, last 2 years)
305%
Read 512
947
629
-34%
31.13
-97%
923
-3%
313.6
-67%
779 ?(551 - 969, n=10)
-18%
878 ?(392 - 1221, n=3, last 2 years)
-7%
Write 512
517
518
0%
45.49
-91%
600
16%
301
-42%
558 ?(461 - 835, n=10)
8%
1297 ?(389 - 2096, n=3, last 2 years)
151%
Read 4k
33.63
31.96
-5%
0.357
-99%
35.48
6%
21.69
-36%
29.9 ?(13.6 - 40.7, n=10)
-11%
43.3 ?(19.7 - 68.2, n=3, last 2 years)
29%
Write 4k
118.5
138.5
17%
0.827
-99%
139.8
18%
80.4
-32%
106.6 ?(63.2 - 168.9, n=10)
-10%
132.5 ?(45.9 - 214, n=3, last 2 years)
12%
Read 4k QD32
386.6
578
50%
0.737
-100%
287.8
-26%
132.2
-66%
402 ?(253 - 640, n=10)
4%
433 ?(186.4 - 761, n=3, last 2 years)
12%
Write 4k QD32
510
443.1
-13%
0.795
-100%
417.1
-18%
258.8
-49%
401 ?(220 - 548, n=10)
-21%
341 ?(222 - 526, n=3, last 2 years)
-33%
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G
Sequential Read: 1440 MB/s
Sequential Write: 522 MB/s
512K Read: 947 MB/s
512K Write: 517 MB/s
4K Read: 33.63 MB/s
4K Write: 118.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 386.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 510 MB/s

Graphics Card

The performance of the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU, which you can find in all Kaby Lake Refresh CPUs, is highly dependent on the amount of installed memory. Laptops with memory in single channel mode generally perform worse than devices with dual channel RAM.

Our test device has two RAM modules built-in, meaning that the memory is operating in dual channel mode. Therefore the Intel GPU can reach maximum performance - even in battery mode.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +257%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +6%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1647 Points
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1595 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1508 Points -8%
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-7500U
1463 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 5280
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1309 Points -21%
3DMark 11 Performance
1861 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7992 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1046 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The ProBook is a compact office or business laptop, not a gaming system. Gaming with the Intel UHD Graphics 620 is possible, albeit restricted to older or undemanding titles.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 72 36.75 31 10.26

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

The fan of the ProBook 430 G5 is practically always off during idle. It spins under load, but even then it does not produce a terrible amount of noise. While the fan noise does have a high frequency, it does not become disturbing since, as mentioned before, the general noise level is low.

We were unfortunately able to detect coil whine on the ProBook 430 G5 - when getting close to the keyboard with your ear you can hear a sort of buzzing hiss.

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 29 / 29 dB(A)
Load
34.5 / 35.9 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: 29 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.332.833.131.132.42529.430.83029.327.83132.133.531.731.132.14030.32827.731.131.45028.528.126.829.729.16326.927.726.72627.38026.126.824.826.626.810026.525.827.125.726.212524.824.525.323.924.716025.225.124.723.825.420024.124.123.722.623.725022.32323.922.422.631521.621.821.420.421.840021.720.719.818.920.850023.320.81918.122.163023.220.218.417.721.6800222116.916.722100023.121.316.616.723125025.523.616.216.125.3160028.126.516.215.727.7200027.926.616.115.927.3250025.323.315.915.925.3315021.720.516.515.921.8400020.519.917.516.320.5500018.918.517.116.619.263001818.117.716.918.1800017.718.218.717.217.71000017.618.718.817.217.71250017.619.519.717.317.71600017.518.118.217.417.6SPL35.934.529.82935.6N2.221.31.22.1median 22.3median 21median 18.4median 17.2median 22Delta3.22.52.51.93.339.134.633.835.230.229.32730.634.731.533.529.732.329.629.429.830.326.129.728.428.426.625.726.72524.125.625.324.724.125.825.326.22526.327.123.722.922.924.423.222.622.625.522.121.420.822.323.52120.422.920.418.818.92119.918.818.420.721.918.217.42121.617.41722.922.617.417.124.223.41716.425.324.216.315.925.624.116.515.925.925.41615.727.224.716.51627.218.717.416.319.618.617.516.719.117.918.116.818.318.523.517.217.919.222.917.517.817.919.31717.418.922.816.917.434.530.729.13621.41.22.3median 22.1median 18.8median 17.1median 22.92.72.51.73.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ESHP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES

Temperature

Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

The exterior of the chassis warms up to 50 °C (~122 °F) under load in the fan exhaust area. The front side of the ProBook 430 G5 however stays cool even during the stress test. All in all, the temperature development on the outside is not critical.

During the stress test with Prime95 and FurMark, the same behavior as in the Cinebench R15 continuous load tests show, only this time with the added GPU load. Processor and GPU can consume 25 watts for half a minute, then the 15-watt power limit takes effect. As a result, the CPU clock drops down as low as 1.1 GHz and thus below the base clock, whereby we were able to observe TDP-based throttling.

3DMark11, which we ran immediately following the stress test, produced normal results.

Max. Load
 39.8 °C
104 F
40 °C
104 F
38 °C
100 F
 
 38.4 °C
101 F
39.4 °C
103 F
37.9 °C
100 F
 
 23.9 °C
75 F
23.1 °C
74 F
23.4 °C
74 F
 
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 33.8 °C = 93 F
37.9 °C
100 F
41.5 °C
107 F
50.3 °C
123 F
39.2 °C
103 F
47.8 °C
118 F
41 °C
106 F
23.4 °C
74 F
24.5 °C
76 F
23.6 °C
74 F
Maximum: 50.3 °C = 123 F
Average: 36.6 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.2 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.8 °C / 93 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 40 °C / 104 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 50.3 °C / 123 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 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 23.9 °C / 75 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 (+3.8 °C / 6.9 F).
Stress test (top)
Stress test (top)
Stress test (bottom)
Stress test (bottom)
Stress test (fan exhaust)
Stress test (fan exhaust)

Speakers

Our expectations in terms of office notebook speaker quality are generally low. As with the larger models of the ProBook 400 G5 series, the ProBook 430 G5, where the speakers especially benefit from their position on the top of the chassis, exceeds these expectations. On its own, this, of course, would not be enough, but luckily the speakers are fairly loud and the sound is relatively balanced. Bass is, as usual, almost completely absent.

Even comparatively good laptop speakers cannot compete with external speakers or headphones. Therefore, we recommend you to use the audio jack that works perfectly.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.132.32529.331.53131.137.14031.133.45029.732.66326358026.637.910025.739.512523.938.316023.843.320022.645.825022.454.631520.459.140018.964.250018.166.663017.76880016.766.7100016.766.9125016.170.3160015.771.5200015.968.8250015.967.9315015.966400016.364500016.667.3630016.969.7800017.269.61000017.262.11250017.360.51600017.452.6SPL2980.1N1.248.7median 17.2median 66Delta1.9734.436.738.73637.636.240.338.634.432.630.83127.833.825.830.826.434.523.334.72339224521.653.919.854.819.554.118.259.917.467.616.969.11666.215.461.415.458.214.857.414.953.116.558.514.759.215.555.915.658.816.457.115.454.9185328.874.11.231.1median 16.9median 55.92.65.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ESLenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 16% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 23% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 46% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 54% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram (select or deselect the checkboxes above!)

Power Consumption

Idle power consumption values are in line with what we expect from a laptop with an ultra-low voltage processor and a Full HD display. Under load we measured a peak consumption of 46.2 watts, which is minimally more than the 45-watt power supply can provide. This does not have a big impact though, since the power consumption drops due to throttling anyway.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.34 / 0.65 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.5 / 6.8 / 8.8 Watt
Load midlight 36.8 / 46.2 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.

Battery Runtime

Charging Time: 157 Minuten
Charging Time: 157 Minuten

All 400 series ProBooks are equipped with a 48 watt-hour battery. With it, the ProBook 430 G5 managed to run for almost seven hours, also confirming the ProBook 440 G5's results, which it only beats by two minutes.

The charging time of the battery is 157 minutes.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Office
  (272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
589 min +41%
Lenovo ThinkPad 13-20J2S00G00
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 42 Wh
475 min +14%
Dell Latitude 5280
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 51 Wh
470 min +12%
HP ProBook 430 G4-Y8B47EA
i7-7500U, HD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
430 min +3%
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
418 min
HP ProBook 440 G5-3KX87ES
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
416 min 0%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
6h 58min

Pros

+ comfortable input devices
+ good port selection
+ expandability with two RAM slots & SSD/HHD options
+ good speakers for an office notebook

Cons

- awkwardly positioned USB-C port
- battery & cooling system inaccessible
- only 12 months warranty
- coil whine

Verdict

Test: HP ProBook 430 G5
Test: HP ProBook 430 G5

The ProBook 430 G5 is very similar to its larger siblings. This makes sense, since they are all part of the same laptop series. The devil is in the detail.

A very important detail, for instance, is the keyboard. From the outside, it is the same as in the ProBook 440 G5, but unlike with this model, it does not yield. Its typing feel and layout are more than adequate for a low priced office laptop. Even better is the glass touchpad that could only use slightly more quiet clicks. As with the larger models, we like the port selection and expandability. Furthermore, the speakers are not half bad for a compact office notebook.

The similarity to the other models does not end with the positives; there is common ground in terms of negatives as well. Included in this is the USB Type-C port, which, as a charging connection, is placed too far to the front even on the smallest ProBook 400. Although expandability is good, maintenance is poor due to the lack of access to the battery or the fan. 12 months warranty is too short, as is the case with other ProBooks. However, only the ProBook 430 G5 had coil whine.

A well-made office laptop with a comfortable keyboard and a cheap price tag: The HP ProBook 430 G5 is a success. 

You should keep these negative points in mind when purchasing the ProBook 430 G5, that still gets a recommendation from us - unlike its bigger brother ProBook 440 G5. This is mainly due to the better keyboard. When looking for a cheap office laptop for mobile use, the ProBook 430 G5 can certainly be a potential candidate. The low price in particular may make it an interesting option for students.

HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES - 03/28/2018 v6(old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
74 / 98 → 76%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
95%
Connectivity
56 / 80 → 70%
Weight
69 / 20-67 → 100%
Battery
89%
Display
83%
Games Performance
60 / 68 → 88%
Application Performance
88 / 92 → 96%
Temperature
91%
Noise
92%
Audio
64%
Camera
39 / 85 → 46%
Average
75%
85%
Office - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP ProBook 430 G5 (i5-8250U, FHD) Laptop Review
Benjamin Herzig, 2018-03-30 (Update: 2018-04- 3)