HP ProBook 445 G8 reviewed: 14-inch office laptop is quiet and fast thanks to AMD Zen 3

This generation's HP ProBook 445 G8 retains its old look. This is good because it ensures that the office laptop with business features like an IR camera and HP's security software remains robust, while offering good input devices.

On the other hand, performance has improved dramatically thanks to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600U (Zen 3), but also because HP was more generous with its power limits this time, and because the cooling system is very good. It also results in the device operating quietly.

The 16 GB of RAM run in single-channel mode, which is especially unfavorable for the RX Vega 7 iGPU. However, the ProBook 445 wasn't designed for gaming anyway. Thanks to two SO-DIMMs, though, it's possible to expand the RAM and enable dual-channel mode.

The 512 GB SSD can also be replaced, and the Wi-Fi module as well. We would've wished for the faster Wi-Fi 6 here, though. Moreover, the 14-inch display with a Full HD resolution (1,920x1,080) isn't particularly bright (270 nits), and it only covers a very small color space (55.5% of sRGB). Fortunately, there are alternative panels, such as a 400-nit low-power variant (100% sRGB) or HP's 1,000-nit bright SureView panel.

The Wi-Fi battery life of around 10 hours is significantly better than that of the sibling model with an Intel CPU. It's also nice that the laptop can be charged via USB-C, although a more powerful 65-watt power adapter is required for fast charging. The price of 699 Euros (~$705) isn't too high for what you get, and the ProBook with 8 GB RAM is available for 599 Euros (~$604). An operating system needs to be installed in both cases.

For more detailed information and multiple benchmarks, check out our full review of the HP ProBook 445 G8.