HP ProBook 470 G3 (Core i7-6500U, Radeon R7 M340) Notebook Review
For the original German review, see here.
The ProBook 470 G3 is a 17.3-inch laptop that belongs to the entry-level devices of HP's business lineup. That not only makes it interesting for professional users but also recommends itself as a desktop replacement for the PC at home. The ProBook 470 is no stranger to us. Our present review sample is the fifth model we are testing from this line. The primary innovation of the G3 models is the now installed Skylake processors. However, the casing has also been modified slightly. The ProBook finds rivals in devices such as Acer's TravelMate P277-MG and Lenovo's B70-80.
What's new?
The G3 models of the ProBook 470 lineup are based on Skylake processors. Also some models, like our review sample - but not all - sport a new Radeon R7 M340 graphics core. HP has also made a few minor changes in the appearance of the ProBook 470 G3.
- The shape of the base unit's rear has changed. The last two centimeters of the base unit increase in height, and the base unit's upper side is bent upward here. HP adapts the ProBook 470's looks to those of the other ProBook 4X0 models.
- The interface positioning has been modified.
- Two separate maintenance hatches are on the laptop's underside.
- Beyond that, Hewlett Packard has reworked the keyboard. Unlike the flat keys of the former model, HP now relies on slightly concave keys. We find the stroke of the new keyboard a bit crisper.
Display
Though it might be hard to believe, HP is actually able to install good screens. Our review sample is furnished with a matte, Full HD, IPS panel that scores well in both brightness (290.6 cd/m²) and contrast (981:1). Lower-priced models of the ProBook have a matte HD+ screen (1600x900 pixels).
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 314 cd/m²
Contrast: 981:1 (Black: 0.32 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.43 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 3.72 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.39
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8458 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | ||
Even the color reproduction in delivery state is compelling. The DeltaE 2000 color shift of 3.43 just misses the target range (DeltaE less than 3). Furthermore, the screen does not exhibit a bluish tint. Calibrating can improve the initially good rates. The color shift then drops to a rate of just 1.63. Besides that, the grayscale levels are more balanced. The screen cannot reproduce the AdobeRGB color space. The coverage here is not quite 60%. The screen still manages to cover 92% of the sRGB color space.
HP furnishes our review sample with an IPS panel. Thus, the screen remains legible from every position. Outdoor use is possible although direct sunlight should be avoided.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 6.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 51 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 35 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 17.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 45 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (32.4 ms). | ||
| HP ProBook 470 G3 UWVA TN LED, 1920x1080 | HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA TN LED, 1920x1080 | HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) TN LED, 1600x900 | HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA TN LED, 1600x900 | Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 TN LED, 1920x1080 | Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE TN, 1600x900 | Dell Inspiron 17-5758 IPS, 1920x1080 | Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G TN LED, 1600x900 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 8% | -19% | -21% | 3% | -15% | 5% | -14% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 65.1 | 73.3 13% | 52.2 -20% | 50.6 -22% | 69.9 7% | 54 -17% | 69.6 7% | 55.2 -15% |
| sRGB Coverage | 92 | 96.6 5% | 74.4 -19% | 72.5 -21% | 92.1 0% | 81 -12% | 94.3 3% | 81.3 -12% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 66.5 | 70.7 6% | 53.7 -19% | 52.4 -21% | 67.3 1% | 55.5 -17% | 69 4% | 57.1 -14% |
| Response Times | 3% | |||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 35 ? | 27 ? 23% | ||||||
| Response Time Black / White * | 24 ? | 28 ? -17% | ||||||
| PWM Frequency | 100 | |||||||
| Screen | -65% | -65% | -56% | -43% | -78% | -51% | -32% | |
| Brightness middle | 314 | 271 -14% | 224 -29% | 269 -14% | 336 7% | 252 -20% | 276 -12% | 238 -24% |
| Brightness | 291 | 253 -13% | 215 -26% | 258 -11% | 319 10% | 236 -19% | 258 -11% | 236 -19% |
| Brightness Distribution | 88 | 84 -5% | 82 -7% | 86 -2% | 84 -5% | 90 2% | 87 -1% | 86 -2% |
| Black Level * | 0.32 | 0.46 -44% | 0.56 -75% | 0.58 -81% | 0.43 -34% | 0.51 -59% | 0.38 -19% | 0.66 -106% |
| Contrast | 981 | 589 -40% | 400 -59% | 464 -53% | 781 -20% | 494 -50% | 726 -26% | 361 -63% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.43 | 10.16 -196% | 9.08 -165% | 7.49 -118% | 9.26 -170% | 12.66 -269% | 9.38 -173% | 3.66 -7% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.72 | 11.55 -210% | 8.79 -136% | 9.3 -150% | 10.09 -171% | 13.37 -259% | 11.81 -217% | 4.62 -24% |
| Gamma | 2.39 92% | 2.37 93% | 1.95 113% | 2.61 84% | 2.57 86% | 1.93 114% | 2.03 108% | 2.6 85% |
| CCT | 6764 96% | 14522 45% | 9185 71% | 10832 60% | 12421 52% | 6491 100% | 8966 72% | 7557 86% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 59.8 | 63 5% | 48 -20% | 47.6 -20% | 60 0% | 52 -13% | 61 2% | 52 -13% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 92 | 92 0% | 76 -17% | 94 2% | ||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -29% /
-45% | -42% /
-52% | -39% /
-47% | -12% /
-26% | -47% /
-63% | -23% /
-37% | -23% /
-27% |
* ... smaller is better
Performance
HP has a 17.3-inch device for home and office users in its lineup with the ProBook 470 G3. Its computing power is more than enough for routine. The Radeon graphics core enables playing computer games to a limited degree. TPM and a fingerprint scanner are also installed. Our review sample is currently sold for approximately 980 Euros (~$1066); other configurations also exist. The lowest-priced model was sold for about 830 Euros (~$902) at test time. Users who want to save a bit can take the ProBook 470 G2 model. The prices for it currently start at 540 Euros (~$587).
Processor
The ProBook is powered by one of the strongest ULV processors that Intel presently has in its lineup: The Core i7-6500U (Skylake) dual-core processor. Intel specifies a TDP of 15 watts. The CPU clocks at a base speed of 2.5 GHz, which can be boosted to 3 GHz (both cores) and 3.1 GHz (one core) via Turbo. Thus, the CPU operates 100 MHz faster than its direct Broadwell predecessor - the Core i7-5500U processor. The Skylake processor scored up to 12% better than its predecessor in the tests we performed. That is primarily owed to the improved Skylake architecture. The advantage is bigger in multithread applications than in single-thread applications. The 6500U CPU can retrieve its full performance in both AC and battery modes.
| Geekbench 3 | |
| 32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| 32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
The system did not cause problems, and everything ran smoothly. The PCMark benchmark scores are correspondingly good. The ProBook owes its lead on a comparable device, such as the TravelMate P277-MG, to the Radeon GPU. The PCMark 8 benchmark especially benefits from AMD graphics cards. It would be possible to increase the system's overall performance by installing an SSD. The system would then boot faster and respond quicker.
| PCMark 7 Score | 2998 points | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3399 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 3877 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4177 points | |
Help | ||
| PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
Storage Device & Memory-Card Reader
HP installs a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive in our review sample. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and has a capacity of 1 TB. Therefore, there will not be a lack of storage so soon. We did not observe any irregularities in the transfer rates. They are on a normal level for a 5400 rpm model. An empty M.2 slot is behind one of both maintenance hatches (2280), where a corresponding SSD can be installed. Thus, it would be possible to use a fast SSD without sacrificing the existing hard drive's high storage capacity.
We check the transfer rates of the memory-card reader with our reference SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II), making it possible to compare different laptop readers with each other. The model installed in the ProBook is one of the fastest of its kind. It achieves a maximum transfer rate of 85.3 MB/s when copying large data blocks. Transferring 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) is accomplished at a speed of approximately 63.4 MB/s.
Graphics Card
HP still relies on dedicated graphics cards from AMD also for some G3 models of the ProBook. The Radeon R7 M340 GPU is found in our review sample. A look at the graphics core's technical specs shows that there are virtually no differences between it and a Radeon R5 M255 GPU. The latter is installed in ProBook 470 G2 models. The M340 core only has a marginally higher clock speed (1021 vs. 940 MHz). Therefore, it is not surprising that it scores better in the 3DMark benchmarks. However, the lead is bigger than the speed advantage would suggest. That is due to the stronger processor and newer driver.
Nvidia's counterpart to the Radeon R7 M340 GPU is the GeForce 920M graphics core. While the 3DMark scores of both cores differ slightly, they are basically on par in terms of performance in our gaming benchmarks.
In addition to the Radeon GPU, Intel's HD Graphics 520 graphics core is also found in the laptop. They create a graphics-switching solution (Enduro). Intel's comparatively frugal GPU takes care of routine and battery mode, while the Radeon core is responsible for performance-driven applications like computer games. Switching between both cores is automatic, but the user will have to occasionally intervene manually. Nvidia's switching solution (Optimus) functions smoother.
| 3DMark 03 Standard | 19471 points | |
| 3DMark 05 Standard | 15629 points | |
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 8982 points | |
| 3DMark Vantage P Result | 5427 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 2272 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 41790 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 5226 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1095 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score | 560 points | |
Help | ||
| 3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA | |
Gaming Performance
The ProBook can smoothly render many computer games in the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) using low to medium quality settings. Performance-demanding games, such as Batman: Arkham Knight and The Witcher 3 do not achieve sufficiently high frame rates even in reduced resolutions/quality settings. The Radeon core is too weak for that. The screen's native resolution (Full HD) can only be used for a handful of games.
Buyers who want to save money and opt for a Skylake ProBook without dedicated GPU can use the device for gaming anyway. The HD Graphics 520 graphics core sometimes achieves frame rates of GPUs from the lower mid-range in dual-channel mode. We recently reviewed the ProBook 430 G3 (Core i5-6200U, HD Graphics 520), and took the opportunity to test many games in single and dual-channel mode. The outcomes can be found in our comparison chart.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diablo III (2012) | 92 | 67.4 | 54.4 | 33.5 |
| Crysis 3 (2013) | 28.8 | 17.9 | 13.1 | 5.1 |
| Tomb Raider (2013) | 83.2 | 42.3 | 31.4 | 15.9 |
| GRID: Autosport (2014) | 138.5 | 56.3 | 27 | 13.8 |
| Sims 4 (2014) | 160.6 | 61.7 | 25.2 | 20.8 |
| Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) | 29.4 | 19.6 | 10.9 | 8.1 |
| Alien: Isolation (2014) | 42.3 | 31.3 | 16.9 | 13.8 |
| F1 2014 (2014) | 105 | 72 | 41 | 24 |
| Far Cry 4 (2014) | 28.5 | 25.7 | 11.6 | 10.7 |
| Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) | 19.3 | 14.2 | 8.6 | 4.9 |
| Evolve (2015) | 26 | 16.2 | 9.8 | 6.1 |
| Battlefield Hardline (2015) | 39.6 | 31.7 | 13 | 7.9 |
| Dirt Rally (2015) | 129.8 | 40 | 21.1 | 12.5 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 18.3 | 13 | 6.7 | 3.9 |
| Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) | 19 | 16 | 7 | 3 |
| Metal Gear Solid V (2015) | 44 | 26.2 | 12.7 | 6 |
| Mad Max (2015) | 25.8 | 11.8 | 10.2 | |
| World of Warships (2015) | 69.9 | 40.9 | 17.2 | 11.9 |
| FIFA 16 (2015) | 82.1 | 52.4 | 24 | |
| Anno 2205 (2015) | 35.6 | 17.3 | 6.9 | 3.3 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015) | 36.5 | 21.2 | 9.8 | 7.4 |
| Fallout 4 (2015) | 29.3 | 16.8 | 9.2 | 6.6 |
| Star Wars Battlefront (2015) | 23.7 | 16.1 | 8.7 | 5.3 |
| Tomb Raider | |
| 1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| GRID: Autosport | |
| 1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Sims 4 | |
| 1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Metal Gear Solid V | |
| 1024x768 Low / Off (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium / Off (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Dirt Rally | |
| 1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Battlefield Hardline | |
| 1024x768 Low Graphics Quality (DX11) (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Graphics Quality (DX11) (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| F1 2014 | |
| 1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Diablo III | |
| 1366x768 Medium / low (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Alien: Isolation | |
| 1024x768 (Very) Low, Off, Shadow Map 512 AF:1x (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium, On (AA & SSAO Off), Shadow Map 1024 AF:4x (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 17-5758 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| World of Warships | |
| 1366x768 Low Preset AF:Trilinear (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset AF:Trilinear (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| FIFA 16 | |
| 1280x720 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| 1366x768 High Preset AA:2x MS (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Fallout 4 - 1280x720 Low Preset AA:FX (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 1024x768 Low / Off (sort by value) | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
| HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES | |
New Driver Package: Radeon Software Crimson Edition
During our tests, AMD released a new driver package dubbed Radeon Software Crimson Edition that replaces the former Catalyst driver. Therefore, we took a glance at the new package. Just installing the new package was clearly faster. The time needed for single dialogs of the driver package is also much shorter.
The key element of the new package is the Radeon Settings - the successor of the Catalyst Control Center. The Radeon Settings are more clearly arranged and have a modern appearance. We tested the 3DMark benchmarks as well as the games Tomb Raider and Grid: Autosport with both packages. We did not notice real differences. The Crimson driver achieves a marginal lead of approximately 1% in all tests.
We did not encounter any serious problems. Only Anno 2205 did not run with the Crimson driver, since it recurrently crashed when trying. Some games (Batman: Arkham Knight, Assassin's Creed Syndicate) reported that the installed driver was an outdated one. The named games nevertheless ran smoothly. AMD is on the right track with the new package. It is faster, more clearly arranged, and it has new features.
Emissions
System Noise
The ProBook proves to be a surprisingly quiet laptop. Only a little noise is heard from the computer over the entire load range. The fans are often inactive in idle, and only the hard drive's noise is audible then. Users who want noiselessness will have to replace the hard drive with an SSD. The fan does not speed up exceedingly under load, either. We measured a noise level of 38.9 dB during the stress test - a rate that is absolutely acceptable.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 30 / 30 / 30 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 30.4 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 35.1 / 38.9 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance) | ||
| HP ProBook 470 G3 6500U, Radeon R7 M340 | HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA 5500U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) 4210U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA 4200M, Radeon HD 8750M | Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 5500U, GeForce 940M | Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE 5200U, GeForce 920M | Dell Inspiron 17-5758 5500U, GeForce 920M | Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G 4010U, GeForce GT 740M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | -3% | -13% | -7% | -14% | -9% | -13% | -3% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 30 | 31.5 -5% | 33.8 -13% | 31.2 -4% | 33.5 -12% | 33 -10% | 31.6 -5% | 31.4 -5% |
| Idle Average * | 30 | 31.5 -5% | 33.8 -13% | 31.3 -4% | 33.5 -12% | 33.5 -12% | 31.6 -5% | 31.4 -5% |
| Idle Maximum * | 30 | 31.5 -5% | 36 -20% | 35.2 -17% | 33.6 -12% | 34.1 -14% | 32.9 -10% | 31.5 -5% |
| Load Average * | 35.1 | 34.7 1% | 37.4 -7% | 35.2 -0% | 43.3 -23% | 35.8 -2% | 45.4 -29% | 36.3 -3% |
| Load Maximum * | 38.9 | 40.1 -3% | 43.7 -12% | 42.1 -8% | 43.6 -12% | 40.7 -5% | 45.6 -17% | 38.2 2% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
The processor performed our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) at 2.8 GHz in AC mode and 2.9 GHz in battery mode. The graphics core clocked stably at 551 MHz in battery mode, and at 1021 in AC mode. The speed ranged from 943 to 1021 MHz later in the test. Although both CPU and GPU clock at full speed, the laptop does not get excessively warm. 40 °C was only surpassed on a few measuring points in the stress test. The temperatures will be considerably lower in routine use.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.8 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.7 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.5 °C / 83.3 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+0.3 °C / 0.5 F).
| HP ProBook 470 G3 6500U, Radeon R7 M340 | HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA 5500U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) 4210U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA 4200M, Radeon HD 8750M | Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 5500U, GeForce 940M | Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE 5200U, GeForce 920M | Dell Inspiron 17-5758 5500U, GeForce 920M | Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G 4010U, GeForce GT 740M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 11% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 9% | -4% | 24% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 43 | 40.5 6% | 40.5 6% | 36.6 15% | 36.2 16% | 40.2 7% | 54.1 -26% | 34.1 21% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 45.8 | 42.1 8% | 42.1 8% | 48.1 -5% | 47.4 -3% | 41.7 9% | 43 6% | 33.3 27% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 32.5 | 29.5 9% | 26.3 19% | 27.3 16% | 25.7 21% | 30.8 5% | 33.3 -2% | 26.4 19% |
| Idle Bottom * | 35.6 | 27.7 22% | 26.7 25% | 27.7 22% | 26.1 27% | 30.4 15% | 32.8 8% | 25.6 28% |
* ... smaller is better
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The ProBook's idle power consumption climbed to 12.2 watts, which is a normal rate for a 17.3-inch ULV laptop. Thus, the ProBook's energy requirement is on par with that of the Broadwell predecessor. The Skylake ProBook has a marginally higher requirement in the stress test because, unlike the Broadwell ProBook, it utilizes the CPU's Turbo. In a nutshell: The ProBook 470 G3 has a higher per-watt performance than its predecessor. The power supply has an output of 65 watts.
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.7 Watt |
| Idle | 5.7 / 11.3 / 12.2 Watt |
| Load |
44.8 / 66.3 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| HP ProBook 470 G3 6500U, Radeon R7 M340 | HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA 5500U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) 4210U, Radeon R5 M255 | HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA 4200M, Radeon HD 8750M | Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 5500U, GeForce 940M | Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE 5200U, GeForce 920M | Dell Inspiron 17-5758 5500U, GeForce 920M | Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G 4010U, GeForce GT 740M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -1% | 16% | -1% | -8% | 28% | 24% | 15% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 5.7 | 5.6 2% | 5.1 11% | 7.2 -26% | 5.4 5% | 4.4 23% | 4 30% | 5.9 -4% |
| Idle Average * | 11.3 | 12 -6% | 8.8 22% | 10.9 4% | 12.6 -12% | 7.7 32% | 9.2 19% | 10.3 9% |
| Idle Maximum * | 12.2 | 12.6 -3% | 9.6 21% | 11.9 2% | 14.3 -17% | 7.9 35% | 9.4 23% | 10.3 16% |
| Load Average * | 44.8 | 47.1 -5% | 44.2 1% | 40.7 9% | 52.1 -16% | 33.6 25% | 40.4 10% | 38.5 14% |
| Load Maximum * | 66.3 | 62.8 5% | 51 23% | 60.7 8% | 67.5 -2% | 49.8 25% | 40.8 38% | 40.8 38% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Runtime
The battery life is overall satisfactory for a 17.3-inch laptop. It is on par with that of the preceding Haswell and Broadwell models. However, the Skylake ProBook has a lower battery capacity (44 Wh vs. 51 Wh). The ProBook achieves 4:37 hours in our real-world Wi-Fi test. This test simulates the load needed to open websites using the "Balanced" profile and a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m². We determined a similar rate in video playback, which is tested 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 approximately 150 cd/m². The ProBook managed a runtime of 4:30 hours here.
| HP ProBook 470 G3 44 Wh | HP ProBook 470 G2 L3Q28EA 51 Wh | HP ProBook 470 G2 (G6W68EA) 51 Wh | HP ProBook 470 G1 E9Y75EA 47 Wh | Acer TravelMate P277-MG-7474 37 Wh | Lenovo B70-80 80MR0006GE 41 Wh | Dell Inspiron 17-5758 40 Wh | Asus ASUSPRO P750LB-T2057G 45 Wh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -1% | -6% | -11% | 11% | 4% | -19% | ||
| Reader / Idle | 490 | 492 0% | 511 4% | 482 -2% | 437 -11% | 448 -9% | 339 -31% | |
| H.264 | 270 | 139 -49% | ||||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 277 | 247 -11% | 335 21% | 243 -12% | ||||
| Load | 81 | 80 -1% | 69 -15% | 64 -21% | 100 23% | 107 32% | 99 22% | |
| WiFi | 261 | 275 | 267 | 275 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The ProBook should come into question as a replacement for the desktop PC at home for many users. The new Skylake processor has more than enough computing power for most application scenarios. In conjunction with the new Radeon graphics core, the laptop can even be used for computer games - to a limited degree. The laptop operates quietly and does not get exceedingly warm at the same time. There is also enough storage capacity thanks to the 1 TB hard drive. Furthermore, it is possible to install a solid state drive (M.2 2280) in the laptop. That is fast and easy to do since the ProBook has two maintenance hatches. The battery life is overall acceptable.
We haven't often praised HP for a screen. Now the time has come.
The Full HD IPS model installed in the ProBook pleases with good contrast and decent brightness rate. Furthermore, we like the color reproduction and viewing-angle stability. However, we have to mention the same point of criticism for this 1000-Euro (~$1090) laptop as for many HP laptops: HP only includes a one-year warranty on the computer. A 24-month warranty period should be obligatory.
HP ProBook 470 G3
- 12/09/2016 v6 (old)
Sascha Mölck
Price comparison
