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HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET Notebook Review

AMD @Business. Around 790 Euros (~$873) has to be put on the table for the ProBook 655 G2. For that, you get a business notebook which delights with good input devices, a robust casing and low operating noise. Unfortunately, it disappoints once again with the screen.

For the original German review, see here.

With the ProBook 655 G2, HP presents the identically constructed sister model to the ProBook 650 G2, which has already been reviewed by us. Whilst the 650 G2 models are assembled with Intel processors, AMD APUs are deployed in the 655 G2 series. Competitors are computers like the Lenovo ThinkPad L560, the Dell Latitude 15 E5570 and the Acer TravelMate P658-M.

Because the ProBook 655 G2 and ProBook 650 G2 are built identically, we won't go into detail about the casing, equipment, the input devices and speakers - unless differences exist. Appropriate information can be found in the review of the ProBook 650 G2 T9X61ET.

ProBook 655 G2 (ProBook 655 Series)
Processor
AMD Pro A8-8600B 4 x 1.6 - 3 GHz, Carrizo
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Core: 720 MHz, Single-Channel, Crimson 16.7.3 (16.300.2311.0)
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-1600, Single-Channel, two memory banks (one bank occupied)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 100 PPI, BOE, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD CZ FCH
Storage
Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 420 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant CX20724 @ AMD K15.6 - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Serial Port, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: audio combo, Card Reader: SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Broadcom BCM43228 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4
Optical drive
HP DVDRW GUD1N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 27.4 x 378 x 257 ( = 1.08 x 14.88 x 10.12 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64 Bit) + Windows 10 Pro (64 Bit)
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Windows 10 DVD, driver DVD, Cyberlink Power2Go, Cyberlink PowerDVD 12, Cyberlink YouCam, MS Office (trial version), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.31 kg ( = 81.48 oz / 5.09 pounds), Power Supply: 297 g ( = 10.48 oz / 0.65 pounds)
Price
899 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Equipment

The ProBook 655 G2 and ProBook 650 G2 differ a little in equipment. Whilst the 650 G2 utilizes DDR4 memory, DDR3 internal memory is used in the 655 G2. The card reader of the 655 G2 works at a lower speed than the built-in model of the 650 G2. The transfer of 250 jpg-image files (each about 5 MB) was achieved at a speed of 36.3 MB/s (ProBook 650 G2: about 60 MB/s). We tested the card reader with our reference card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
 
155 MB/s +327%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
 
85.4 MB/s +135%
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
 
68.1 MB/s +88%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
 
60.2 MB/s +66%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
 
57.3 MB/s +58%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
 
36.3 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
 
88.2 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
 
72.3 MB/s
Networking
iperf Server (receive) TCP 1 m
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (jseb)
234 MBit/s +81%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
Broadcom BCM43228 (jseb)
129 MBit/s
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
77.4 MBit/s -40%
iperf Client (transmit) TCP 1 m
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (jseb)
79 MBit/s +58%
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
58 MBit/s +16%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
Broadcom BCM43228 (jseb)
50 MBit/s

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid
Continuous PWM in battery operation (@max. brightness) at 200 Hz!
Continuous PWM in battery operation (@max. brightness) at 200 Hz!

The ProBook comes with a matte 15.6-inch display that works at a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Brightness (201.8 cd/m²) and contrast (371:1) come out poorly. Beyond that, the screen shows PWM-flickering with a frequency of 200 Hz at a brightness level of 90% and below. This can lead to headaches and/or eye problems in sensitive users. Unfortunately, there's more bad news to come: battery operation throttles the brightness massively, PWM is therefore constantly on and cannot be avoided by the user. With that, the screen rating gets a strong deduction. 

228
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
236
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 248 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 229.7 cd/m² Minimum: 11.8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 248 cd/m²
Contrast: 443:1 (Black: 0.56 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.48 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
67% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
45.97% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
44.49% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
TN LED, 1366x768
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
TN LED, 1920x1080
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
TN LED, 1366x768
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
TN LED, 1366x768
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
AH-IPS, 1920x1080
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
IPS, 1920x1080
Display
17%
-7%
-9%
-12%
38%
Display P3 Coverage
44.49
52.1
17%
41.59
-7%
40.48
-9%
39
-12%
66.6
50%
sRGB Coverage
66.9
78.3
17%
62.3
-7%
60.9
-9%
58.3
-13%
85.7
28%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
45.97
53.7
17%
43
-6%
41.82
-9%
40.33
-12%
62.8
37%
Response Times
5%
-1%
0%
7%
14%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44 ?(21, 23)
41 ?(23, 18)
7%
40.4 ?(19.6, 20.8)
8%
47 ?(22, 25)
-7%
39.2 ?(18.8, 20.4)
11%
38 ?(14, 24)
14%
Response Time Black / White *
29 ?(9, 20)
27 ?(10, 17)
7%
32 ?(18.8, 13.2)
-10%
27 ?(10, 17)
7%
28 ?(12.4, 15.6)
3%
25 ?(6, 19)
14%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
200 ?(90)
0%
200 ?(90)
0%
Screen
2%
-3%
-4%
16%
27%
Brightness middle
248
313
26%
247
0%
228
-8%
262
6%
308
24%
Brightness
230
296
29%
223
-3%
236
3%
250
9%
319
39%
Brightness Distribution
88
90
2%
85
-3%
90
2%
92
5%
71
-19%
Black Level *
0.56
0.59
-5%
0.61
-9%
0.56
-0%
0.29
48%
0.61
-9%
Contrast
443
531
20%
405
-9%
407
-8%
903
104%
505
14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
8.7
11.89
-37%
8.8
-1%
10.02
-15%
8.49
2%
4.51
48%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
14.96
20.81
-39%
15.98
-7%
15.93
-6%
17.99
-20%
10.19
32%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.48
12.95
-13%
10.13
12%
10.66
7%
8.11
29%
2.91
75%
Gamma
2.38 92%
2.4 92%
2.34 94%
2.48 89%
2.37 93%
2.4 92%
CCT
11179 58%
15063 43%
12581 52%
11800 55%
6300 103%
6740 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
42
50
19%
39.6
-6%
39
-7%
37.07
-12%
56
33%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
67
78
16%
62.2
-7%
61
-9%
57.94
-14%
86
28%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
8% / 5%
-4% / -3%
-4% / -5%
4% / 9%
26% / 27%

* ... smaller is better

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 200 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

In delivery condition the screen shows a DeltaE-2000 color deviation of 8.7. A value smaller than 3 would be ideal. In addition to that, the display suffers from a distinct blue cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

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
29 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 9 ms rise
↘ 20 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. » 73 % 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
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 23 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. » 69 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

HP endows the ProBook with a TN panel with poor viewing angles. The screen is not legible from every position. The notebook cannot be used outdoors. In battery mode the display brightness drops to 81 cd/m².

The ProBook outdoors
The ProBook outdoors

Performance

HP's ProBook 655 G2 belongs to the middle-class business notebooks. On board are a docking port, TPM and a fingerprint reader. An LTE modem could be installed if required. Our test device can be obtained for around 790 Euros (~$873). Differently equipped variants are available. The offer is extended over the equivalent ProBook 650 G2 series (equipped with Intel processors).

Processor

HWInfo
HWInfo

AMD's Pro A8-8600B (Carrizo) is found in the interior of the computer. The CPU part consists of a quad-core processor that works at a base speed of 1.6 GHz. Through Turbo an increase up to 3 GHz is possible. The CPU tests run by us were processed at 2.1 GHz. During the single-thread tests one core occasionally accelerated to 3 GHz. The reason for the poor Turbo exploitation is the TDP. HP has set it to 15 watts to be on a level with the Intel ULV processors. As a consequence, the CPU has to work with a handbrake applied to it.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4282
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
5885
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2111
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
17.82 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.18 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.81 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
22.04 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
181 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
69 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Core i5-6300U
124 Points +80%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
116 Points +68%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
116 Points +68%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
110 Points +59%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
98 Points +42%
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
Intel Core i5-6200U
78 Points +13%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
AMD Pro A12-8800B
72 Points +4%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
70 Points +1%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Pro A8-8600B
69 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
55 Points -20%
HP ProBook 455 G2
AMD A6 Pro-7050B
49 Points -29%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Core i5-6300U
310 Points +71%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
291 Points +61%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
290 Points +60%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
288 Points +59%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
251 Points +39%
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
Intel Core i5-6200U
219 Points +21%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
AMD Pro A12-8800B
202 Points +12%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
192 Points +6%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Pro A8-8600B
181 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G2
AMD A10 Pro-7350B
151 Points -17%
HP ProBook 455 G2
AMD A6 Pro-7050B
82 Points -55%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Core i5-6300U
2874 Points +55%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
2661 Points +43%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
2188 Points +18%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
AMD Pro A12-8800B
1969 Points +6%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Pro A8-8600B
1858 Points
HP ProBook 455 G2
AMD A6 Pro-7050B
1255 Points -32%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
950 Points -49%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Core i5-6300U
6172 Points +48%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
5718 Points +37%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
4804 Points +15%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
AMD Pro A12-8800B
4691 Points +12%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Pro A8-8600B
4173 Points
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
2728 Points -35%
HP ProBook 455 G2
AMD A6 Pro-7050B
1902 Points -54%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
194.1 Points +216%
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel Core i5-6300U
119.8 Points +95%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel Core i5-6200U
112.6 Points +83%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
111.2 Points +81%
HP EliteBook 725 G3-P4T48EA
AMD Pro A10-8700B
66.4 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
Intel Core i5-6200U
110.1 Points +79%
Lenovo ThinkPad E560 20EV000MGE
Intel Core i3-6100U
93.8 Points +53%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
AMD Pro A12-8800B
69.1 Points +13%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Pro A8-8600B
61.4 Points

System Performance

The system runs fluidly and well. Problems did not occur for us. The results in the PCMark benchmarks turn out well. An increase of the total output is possible. By adding a second internal memory module, dual-channel mode becomes activated and this leads to an enhancement of the graphics power. Trading the HDD for an SSD provides a quick-running system. Also, the charging times are reduced.

PCMark 7 Score
1888 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2634 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
2607 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3577 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
3475 Points +32%
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN128HCHP
3282 Points +25%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SN6S-256G-1006
3234 Points +23%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3229 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
2886 Points +10%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
Radeon R6 (Carrizo), Pro A8-8600B, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2634 Points

Storage Device

The ProBook is equipped with a conventional 2.5-inch hard drive. It works at 7200 revolutions per minute and offers a capacity of 500 GB. The transfer rates range on a standard level for 7200-rpm models. Instead of a 2.5-inch hard drive an M.2-SSD (2280) can also be used. A corresponding slot does exist. Simultaneous use of a 2.5-inch hard drive and an M.2-SSD is not possible.

Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
Transfer Rate Minimum: 58.1 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 134.9 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 105.9 MB/s
Access Time: 16.4 ms
Burst Rate: 124.6 MB/s
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Sandisk X300 SD7SN6S-256G-1006
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN128HCHP
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
WDC Slim WD10SPCX-21KHST0
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
11682%
-1%
11239%
31%
9948%
Read Seq
122.1
475
289%
109.6
-10%
474.7
289%
113.6
-7%
479.1
292%
Write Seq
110.7
435
293%
109.1
-1%
155
40%
111.7
1%
333.1
201%
Read 512
33.53
280.4
736%
30.66
-9%
393.6
1074%
39.65
18%
418
1147%
Write 512
51.3
265.5
418%
45.71
-11%
119.7
133%
55.3
8%
320.5
525%
Read 4k
0.357
32.71
9062%
0.351
-2%
34
9424%
0.488
37%
25.66
7088%
Write 4k
0.641
98.7
15298%
0.798
24%
96.6
14970%
1.022
59%
64.7
9994%
Read 4k QD32
0.778
347.2
44527%
0.656
-16%
383.3
49167%
1.367
76%
226.2
28975%
Write 4k QD32
0.672
154.1
22832%
0.787
17%
100.2
14811%
1.036
54%
211.4
31358%

Graphics Card

GPU-Z
GPU-Z

For the graphics output, AMD's Radeon R6 GPU is responsible. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and can reach speeds of up to 720 MHz. At least, theoretically. The built-in graphics core does not go beyond a speed of around 654 MHz. The results in the 3DMark benchmarks range on the same level as the Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU. If a second internal memory module is installed into the ProBook (= dual-channel mode activated) then graphics power and, as a consequence, 3DMark results will increase.

3DMark 11 Performance
1348 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
AMD Radeon R6 (Carrizo), AMD Pro A8-8600B
1349 Points
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1347 Points 0%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1305 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6300U
1296 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1225 Points -9%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
Intel HD Graphics 520, Intel Core i5-6200U
1220 Points -10%

Gaming Performance

The built-in APU can run a couple of games fluently on the screen. But, the user has to deal with minor resolutions and low quality settings. This applies to games that set moderate requirements to the hardware. Power-hungry hits like Rise of the Tomb Raider are not playable at all. Through installation of a second internal memory module (= dual-channel mode active) frame-rates can be increased a little bit.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 42.2 22.9 18.2

Emissions & Energy Management

System Noise

Fan noise
Fan noise

Like the ProBook 650 G2, the ProBook 655 G2 creates very little noise. In idle state the fan works at low speed. It is hardly audible as it is drowned out by the hard drive. Also, during the stress test the fan hardly turns on. We measure a sound pressure level of 33.5 dB - an excellent value. Here, the strong throttling of the CPU and GPU during the stress test is noticeable.

Noise Level

Idle
31.6 / 31.6 / 31.6 dB(A)
HDD
31.7 dB(A)
DVD
37 / dB(A)
Load
33.5 / 33.5 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: 31.5 dB(A)

Temperature

The ProBook in the stress test
The ProBook in the stress test

Our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark working for at least one hour) runs on the ProBook in AC and battery modes in the same way. The CPU and GPU only work at high speed for a short period of time. Then, throttling to 1.2 GHz (processor) and 300 MHz (graphics core) applies. The computer only warms up moderately. During the stress test the 40 °C mark is not exceeded at any measuring point.

Max. Load
 33.5 °C
92 F
35.8 °C
96 F
31.9 °C
89 F
 
 26.6 °C
80 F
34.1 °C
93 F
31.5 °C
89 F
 
 23.9 °C
75 F
25 °C
77 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 35.8 °C = 96 F
Average: 29.9 °C = 86 F
32.8 °C
91 F
36.1 °C
97 F
37.6 °C
100 F
33.6 °C
92 F
32.8 °C
91 F
31 °C
88 F
28.6 °C
83 F
30.3 °C
87 F
25.7 °C
78 F
Maximum: 37.6 °C = 100 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.8 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.9 °C / 86 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 35.8 °C / 96 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 37.6 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.4 °C / 79.5 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 (+1.3 °C / 2.4 F).
Temperature development upper side (load)
Temperature development upper side (load)
Temperature development underside (load)
Temperature development underside (load)
Temperature development upper side (idle)
Temperature development upper side (idle)
Temperature development underside (idle)
Temperature development underside (idle)

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.232.232.22540.734.440.73132.432.832.44030.631.530.6503736.5376328.427.828.4802626.42610027.224.927.212534.725.234.716027.425.427.42002623.82625027.52227.531534.721.634.740048.920.648.950049.719.849.763056.719.456.780061.318.561.3100069.618.169.6125073.217.873.2160065.417.765.420006317.863250069.317.769.3315065.817.865.8400065.21865.2500069.51869.5630069.118.269.1800064.318.264.31000061.418.361.41250059.818.159.81600057.618.157.6SPL79.430.579.4N41.21.541.2median 61.3median 18.2median 61.3Delta13.81.213.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ETApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 6.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (14.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 90% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (check boxes above can be turned on/off!)

Power Consumption

In idle state we registered a maximum power consumption of 8.6 watts - a good result. During the stress test power consumption temporarily increases to 42.1 watts but then falls down to 30.5 watts. The reason: the CPU and GPU are being throttled. The nominal output of the power supply is 45 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.26 / 0.5 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.8 / 7.5 / 8.6 Watt
Load midlight 31 / 30.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

With our practical Wi-Fi test we simulate load by browsing different website pages. The profile "balanced" is active and the power-saving mode is inactive. We usually reduce the display brightness to around 150 cd/m². This is not possible with the ProBook. In battery mode the maximum brightness is a poor 81 cd/m². The ProBook reaches a runtime of 5:14 h which is almost two hours behind the ProBook 650 G2 (7:04 h).

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (IE 11)
3h 40min
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Dell Latitude 15 E5570
6300U, HD Graphics 520, 62 Wh
632 min +187%
Acer TravelMate P658-M-537B
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 55 Wh
512 min +133%
HP ProBook 650 G2 V1A44ET
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 48 Wh
424 min +93%
HP ProBook 650 G2-T9X61ET
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 48 Wh
408 min +85%
Lenovo ThinkPad L560-20F10026GE
6200U, HD Graphics 520, 48 Wh
406 min +85%
HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET
Pro A8-8600B, Radeon R6 (Carrizo), 48 Wh
220 min

Pros

+ matte screen
+ M.2-slot
+ can incorporate an LTE modem
+ docking port
+ relatively stable casing
+ good keyboard

Cons

- dark, low contrast screen with poor viewing angles
- constant PWM in battery operation
- only one-year warranty
- positioning of the ports
- no USB 3.1 Gen2
- no keyboard lighting

Verdict

In review: HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET. Test provided by HP Germany.
In review: HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET. Test provided by HP Germany.

The HP ProBook 655 G2 is the identically constructed sister model of the ProBook 650 G2. Both devices are middle-class 15.6-inch business notebooks. AMD APUs are used in the 655 G2 series. The 650 G2 models utilize Intel processors. The built-in processor in the 655 G2 cannot operate at its full speed. The reason: HP limits the TDP to 15 watts to range on the same level as the Intel ULV processors. As a consequence, the AMD CPU has its Turbo feature restricted. Nevertheless, the processing power is more than sufficient for office and Internet usage.

The ProBook 650 G2 is not a real alternative to the ProBook 655 G2. The lower price also means less CPU performance and a distinctly shorter battery life.

The computer always runs quietly and hardly warms up. Our test device does not have a solid state drive, although such an upgrade could be installed. The existing 2.5-inch hard drive could then be replaced by an SSD in 2.5-inch- or M.2-format. The notebook does not offer a maintenance hatch. The bottom part of the device would have to be removed. The latter does not cause a problem.

The built-in keyboard left a good impression and will satisfy frequent writers. However, there is no keyboard illumination - just like the ProBook 650 G2 models we tested. This should be standard for a device like the ProBook. The battery runtimes are only average. Our test device does not have an LTE/3G modem on-board. Such a modem could be installed as an upgrade. The corresponding slot and antennas are available.

It is hard to believe, but HP actually manages to noticeably undercut the already poor screens in both of the tested ProBook 650 G2 models. The implemented display of the ProBook 655 G2 is very dark, low-contrast and has poor viewing angles. In battery mode the brightness decreases to 81 cd/m². This rate is even too low for use indoors.

HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET - 11/07/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
81 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
85%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
51 / 80 → 63%
Weight
61 / 20-67 → 87%
Battery
73%
Display
75%
Games Performance
54 / 68 → 79%
Application Performance
59 / 92 → 64%
Temperature
93%
Noise
91%
Audio
59%
Camera
48 / 85 → 56%
Average
71%
81%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP ProBook 655 G2 T9X09ET Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-10-19 (Update: 2018-05-15)