Notebookcheck Logo

HP ZBook 14u G5 (i7-8550U, Pro WX 3100) Workstation Review

Based on the EliteBook. The HP ZBook series has been updated to Intel Kaby Lake Refresh processors. HP has also significantly changed the design and is one which we have already seen during our recent EliteBook 840 G5 review. The ZBook 14u G5 should be able to provide enough computing power thanks to its AMD Polaris GPU. Find out whether HP has achieved this in our HP ZBook 14u G5 review.

The HP ZBook 14u G5 is a 14-inch mobile workstation that is equipped accordingly. Our test device is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8550U processor, a 256 GB SSD and an AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 dedicated graphics card that is optimized for professional use. This configuration costs around €1,680 (~$1,937), which is relatively cheap for a workstation laptop.

The ZBook 14u G5 is configurable up to €2,600 (~$2,999), for which you get an Intel Core i7-8650U processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD and a 4K display. HP configures every variant with an AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 GPU.

There is also an Intel Core i5-7200U variant, which is around €250 (~$300) cheaper than our test device.

In this review, we will be comparing the ZBook 14u G5 against several competitors. These include its predecessor, the HP ZBook 14u G4, and the HP ZBook 15u G5, which has an AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 GPU too. We will also be comparing the ZBook 14u G5 against the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s and the Dell Precision 5520.

A second test unit was also provided by CUKUSA for us to double-check our benchmarks and results between two similar SKUs.

HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 4 x 1.8 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1046 MHz, Memory: 6000 MHz, GDDR5, 23.20.787.768, Enduro
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4 2400, 1 of 2 slots occupied, maximum 32 GB
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, LG Philips, LGD0599, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, 256 GB 
, M.2-2280, SSD, 175 GB free
Soundcard
Conexant ISST Audio
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18 x 326 x 234 ( = 0.71 x 12.83 x 9.21 in)
Battery
50 Wh, 4330 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HDSecondary Camera: HD-IR
Additional features
Speakers: v, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Power supply, HP Client Security, HP Velocity, HP Sure-Click, HP LAN Protection, HP Connection Optimiser, HP JumpStart, HP PhoneWise, HP Noise Cancellation Software, HP 3D DriveGuard, HP ePrint Driver & JetAdvantage, HP Hotkey Support, HP Recovery Manager, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.576 kg ( = 55.59 oz / 3.47 pounds), Power Supply: 352 g ( = 12.42 oz / 0.78 pounds)
Price
1680 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The ZBook 14u G5 uses the same case as the HP EliteBook 840 G5. The only difference between the two is the color scheme, with the HP ZBook 14u G5 available in gray. Please see our HP EliteBook 840 G5 review for our views on the case design.

HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5
HP ZBook 14u G5

Size Comparison

At 32.6 cm (~12.8 in) wide and 23.4 cm (~9.2 in) deep, the ZBook 14u G5 has the smallest footprint compared with our comparison devices. Our test device weighs 1.6 kg (~3.5 lb), which is 100 g (~3.5 oz) lighter than its predecessor and 300 g (~10.6 oz) heavier than the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s.

Added to the 1.6 kg (~3.5 lb) weight is the power supply, which weighs 352 g (~12.4 oz). While heavy, this is within reasonable limits for a workstation power supply.

371 mm / 14.6 inch 251 mm / 9.88 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.9 kg4.22 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 237 mm / 9.33 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 2.1 kg4.58 lbs338 mm / 13.3 inch 237 mm / 9.33 inch 25.1 mm / 0.988 inch 1.7 kg3.75 lbs331 mm / 13 inch 226.8 mm / 8.93 inch 18.45 mm / 0.726 inch 1.3 kg2.97 lbs326 mm / 12.8 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.6 kg3.47 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The ZBook 14u G5 has the same connectivity as the HP EliteBook 840 G5, and all the advantages and disadvantages too.

The redesigned case omits a VGA port in favor of a USB Type-C port, which not only can send videos, but also power the device. The connections are distributed on both sides, but not evenly. The left-hand side houses a large vent, so most of the ports are on the right-hand side. HP has equipped the ZBook 14u G5 with two USB 3.1 Type-A ports on either side, an RJ45 Ethernet port and an HDMI port. HP includes a proprietary docking port too, which makes it easy to connect the ZBook 14u G5 to a suitable docking station.

Furthermore, there is a SIM card slot. Unfortunately, our test device is only WWAN ready, so it is missing the LTE modem for us to test this functionality. Thankfully the bottom plate is easy to remove, so retrofitting an LTE modem is possible.

We have one criticism concerning port selection though, and it is the same thing for which we criticized the EliteBook 840 G5; the lack of a card reader. Connecting an SD card, for example, will require using cumbersome adapters or dongles.

Left-hand side: Kensington Lock, vent, USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, SmartCard reader
Left-hand side: Kensington Lock, vent, USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, SmartCard reader
Right-hand side: micro-SIM slot, combined headphone and microphone 3.5 mm jack, USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, HDMI v1.4b, RJ45 Ethernet port, Docking port, USB Type-C Thunderbolt port, power connector
Right-hand side: micro-SIM slot, combined headphone and microphone 3.5 mm jack, USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 1, HDMI v1.4b, RJ45 Ethernet port, Docking port, USB Type-C Thunderbolt port, power connector
Front: Status LEDs
Front: Status LEDs
Rear: No ports
Rear: No ports
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1421 MBit/s +197%
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
665 MBit/s +39%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
528 MBit/s +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
515 MBit/s +8%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
506 (622min) MBit/s +6%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
479 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1385 MBit/s +124%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
639 MBit/s +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
623 MBit/s +1%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
622 MBit/s 0%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
619 MBit/s
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
519 MBit/s -16%

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Backlight bleed in the upper corners
Backlight bleed in the upper corners

The ZBook 14u G5 can be configured with a variety of IPS panels, which are much better than their TN equivalents. There is a choice of four displays according to the datasheet: a 1080p display, a UHD panel, a touch screen variant and a display with HP Sure View, an integrated privacy screen.

Our test device comes with a matte 1,920x1,080 panel from LG Phillips. The display has a pixel density of 157 PPI and achieved an average maximum brightness of 215 cd/m² in our tests. The larger HP ZBook 15u G5 is equally disappointing here, managing a marginally worse 212 cd/m². Our test device cannot compete against its predecessor, or against the Dell Precision 5520 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s. All these devices achieved over 300 cd/m², with the Precision 5520 leading the way with 372.4 cd/m². Our test device has acceptable brightness uniformity at 85%, but we would expect at least 90% for a workstation at this price. On the positive side, the black value is very low at 0.16, which corresponds to an equally impressive 1,463:1 contrast ratio. These values surpass all the competition; particularly the ZBook 14u G4, which has a 431% worse black value and a 73% lower contrast ratio.

We did not see any shadowing because of the below-average maximum brightness. There is some backlight bleed in the top corners though, but this is not disruptive in normal use. The display does not use PWM to regulate brightness either, which is a bonus.

215
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
202
cd/m²
227
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
203
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
198
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips, LGD0599 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 234 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 215.1 cd/m² Minimum: 9.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 234 cd/m²
Contrast: 1463:1 (Black: 0.16 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.7 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.2
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60.4% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.25% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
LG Philips, LGD0599, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
CMN15E7, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
SHP1476, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
LP140QH2-SPB1, IPS LED, 2560x1440, 14.00
HP ZBook 14u G4
AU Optronics AUO123D, TN, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
7%
65%
70%
39%
Display P3 Coverage
40.25
43.05
7%
67.4
67%
71.4
77%
56.6
41%
sRGB Coverage
60.6
64.7
7%
98.5
63%
96.6
59%
82.4
36%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.59
44.5
7%
68.9
66%
72.1
73%
58.5
41%
Response Times
-6%
-51%
3%
-4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39.6 ?(20.4, 19.2)
41.6 ?(22, 19.6)
-5%
59.2 ?(27.6, 31.6)
-49%
36 ?(17.6, 18.4)
9%
47 ?(29, 18)
-19%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(16.4, 10.8)
28.8 ?(15.6, 13.2)
-6%
41.6 ?(26.8, 14.8)
-53%
28 ?(15.6, 12.4)
-3%
24 ?(19, 5)
12%
PWM Frequency
25770 ?(40)
Screen
2%
16%
22%
-51%
Brightness middle
234
229
-2%
372.4
59%
311
33%
338
44%
Brightness
215
212
-1%
368
71%
302
40%
307
43%
Brightness Distribution
85
88
4%
90
6%
91
7%
81
-5%
Black Level *
0.16
0.23
-44%
0.48
-200%
0.36
-125%
0.85
-431%
Contrast
1463
996
-32%
776
-47%
864
-41%
398
-73%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.7
4.2
26%
2.6
54%
3
47%
8.53
-50%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.4
18
2%
5.6
70%
6.1
67%
14
24%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.2
4.2
-0%
1.7
60%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.7
2
57%
3.7
21%
4
15%
11.12
-137%
Gamma
2.38 92%
2.23 99%
2.14 103%
2.17 101%
2.5 88%
CCT
6730 97%
6292 103%
7096 92%
6961 93%
12193 53%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.3
41
7%
63
64%
66.7
74%
53
38%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60.4
64.5
7%
99
64%
96.7
60%
82
36%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
1% / 2%
10% / 17%
32% / 28%
-5% / -27%

* ... smaller is better

sRGB coverage – 60.4%
sRGB coverage – 60.4%
AdobeRGB coverage – 38.3%
AdobeRGB coverage – 38.3%

Overall, we would class image quality as satisfactory. However, we would have expected a higher quality display given that HP is marketing the ZBook 14u G5 as a workstation. Delta E 2000 divergences are too high out of the box, something that we significantly improved with additional calibration. We have linked our ICC profile if you would like to use our calibration. Unfortunately, the ZBook 14u G5 also has poor color space coverage; 60.4% sRGB and 38.3% AdobeRGB coverage are simply too low. The Dell Precision 5520 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s put the ZBook 14u G5 to shame in this respect, with both achieving practically 100% sRGB coverage over 60% AdobeRGB.

CalMAN: Grayscale (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscale (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation (uncalibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation (calibrated)

Typically, a device needs to have a display with two characteristics for unrestricted outdoor use; high maximum brightness and a matte finish. Our test device only has the latter, so there are no annoying reflections when using the device outside. However, usability is hampered by the low brightness as even using it outside on a cloudy is a struggle. While the Dell Precision 5520 has the brightest display of our comparison devices, its highly reflective display renders the device unusable outdoors. We would recommend looking at the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s if you regularly work outdoors.

Using the HP ZBook 14u G5 in the sun
Using the HP ZBook 14u G5 in the sun
Using the HP ZBook 14u G5 in cloudy conditions
Using the HP ZBook 14u G5 in cloudy conditions

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↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 10.8 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
39.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 19.2 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. » 55 % 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 not detected

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.

The Full HD IPS panel has strong viewing angles, with images easily recognizable from practically any angle. Equally impressive is the lack of glare, which we commonly see in the corners of IPS panels at acute angles.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

A workstation needs a decent level of performance. The Intel Core i7-8550U processor provides this and is powerful enough to handle demanding applications. If you need even more power, then devices such as the Dell Precision 5520 are equipped with the Intel Xeon E3-150M v6, a dedicated workstation processor. These devices are considerably more expensive though, so the Core i7 is a good option for those that are conscious of cost. We would advise against stepping down to the Intel Core i5-7200U as it is considerably slower than the Core i7-8550U.

Our test device is also equipped with 8 GB of RAM and a fast 256 GB SSD. HP has a variety of memory options if these are not large enough. The RAM and the SSD are easily upgradable if you ever need to do so post-purchase.

Processor

Intel Core i7-8550U
Intel Core i7-8550U

The Intel Core i7-8550U is an ultra-low voltage (ULV) quad-core processor with a 1.8 GHz base clock speed. Thanks to Turbo Boost, the CPU can boost up to 4 GHz for a short time. Turbo Boost technology allows the CPU to temporarily increase its thermal design power (TDP) from 15W to 44 W. The CPU performs at the expected level in single-core benchmarks. However, the Core i7-8550U falls short in multi-core benchmarks, hence why the ZBook 14u G5 occupies the penultimate last place in our comparison tests. Nevertheless, the i7-8550U clearly demonstrates the performance improvement from Intel 7th generation CPUs.

You can find more benchmarks for the Intel Core i7-8550U here.

The cooling system has no problems with the 15 W CPU. After the first pass of the Cinebench R15 multi-loop benchmark, the score drops from an initial 530 to around 500, where performance stabilizes. This means that there is around a 7% performance drop under continuous load. While this is a reasonable performance drop, the ZBook 14u has anywhere from 10 to 36% lower maximum performance than comparable devices.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (166.2 - 301, n=27, last 2 years)
254 Points +50%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
172 Points +2%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
170 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
170 Points +1%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
169 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (108 - 172, n=76)
159.6 Points -6%
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Core i7-7500U
142 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (706 - 3625, n=27, last 2 years)
2343 Points +341%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
723 Points +36%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
654 Points +23%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (301 - 761, n=78)
576 Points +8%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
552 Points +4%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
531 Points
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Core i7-7500U
349 Points -34%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
2.97 Points +55%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.94 Points +1%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.93 Points +1%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
1.92 Points 0%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.92 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (1.43 - 1.95, n=32)
1.834 Points -4%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
21.6 Points +266%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
7.89 Points +34%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
7.84 Points +33%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4.38 - 8.56, n=32)
6.28 Points +6%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
5.9 Points
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
5.86 Points -1%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
8436 Points +1%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
8430 Points +1%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
8383 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (6737 - 8436, n=12)
8065 Points -4%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
29780 Points +30%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (12279 - 31667, n=12)
23153 Points +1%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
22966 Points
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
22346 Points -3%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
270.4 Points +7%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
252.7 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (141.9 - 288, n=61)
234 Points -7%
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Core i7-7500U
228 Points -10%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
226.6 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
141.9 Points -44%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Workstation
  (68050 - 100022, n=10, last 2 years)
85350 Points +138%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
35855 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
35599 Points -1%
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Core i7-7500U
35013 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (17296 - 42043, n=39)
33448 Points -7%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
30229 Points -16%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
1107 ms * -19%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (877 - 2114, n=45)
1087 ms * -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Intel Core i7-8550U
1073 ms * -15%
HP ZBook 14u G4
Intel Core i7-7500U
1069 ms * -15%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Intel Core i7-8550U
930 ms *
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
897 ms * +4%
Average of class Workstation
  (451 - 644, n=28, last 2 years)
531 ms * +43%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Jetstream 1.1
Jetstream 1.1
Octane V2
Octane V2
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
8666
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
17449
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6428
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
8850 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
22966 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
8383 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
5.9 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
1.71 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
5.51 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
77.9 fps
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
78.1 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.92 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
76.5 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
531 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
169 Points
Help

System Performance

Our test device worked fast and without issue during our testing. The ZBook 14u G5 is at the top of our PCMark benchmark list, despite the unconvincing CPU performance. It is worth noting that all devices perform better PCMark 8 than in PCMark 10, the latter of which is the benchmark in which the ZBook 14u G5 has its greatest lead over its rivals.

PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Home
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Creative
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Work
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 8 Storage
PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4438 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (3721 - 4438, n=2)
4080 Points -8%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
3947 Points -11%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3721 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3540 Points -20%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
3504 Points -21%
Work Score Accelerated v2
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5183 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (5137 - 5183, n=2)
5160 Points 0%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5137 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4909 Points -5%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
4781 Points -8%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
4291 Points -17%
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Workstation
  (5488 - 8587, n=27, last 2 years)
6843 Points +98%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4046 Points +17%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3960 Points +14%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (3464 - 4046, n=2)
3755 Points +8%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3464 Points
Productivity
Average of class Workstation
  (7846 - 10820, n=27, last 2 years)
9113 Points +31%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
6944 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (6777 - 6944, n=2)
6861 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6825 Points -2%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
6777 Points -2%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4438 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5376 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5183 points
PCMark 10 Score
3464 points
Help

Storage Devices

Toshiba M.2-2280 256 GB SSD
Toshiba M.2-2280 256 GB SSD

We are well acquainted with the Toshiba M.2-2280 256 GB SSD from our EliteBook 840 G5 review. There is around 175 GB of storage space available once the OS and pre-installed applications have been installed. Despite being an NVMe SSD, the drive does not match manufacturer specifications of 2,700 MB/s read and 1,050 MB/s write.

We suspect that this is a driver problem though that HP could remedy with something like a BIOS update.

The lower than expected SSD performance does not slow down system performance though, as PCMark results demonstrate. CrystalDiskMark 3.0 highlights this hamstrung performance, with 34 MB/s 4k read speed being the only result worth mentioning.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CrystalDiskMark 3
CrystalDiskMark 3
CrystalDiskMark 5
CrystalDiskMark 5
CrystalDiskMark 6
CrystalDiskMark 6
CrystalDiskInfo
CrystalDiskInfo
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP ZBook 14u G4
Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
Read Seq
2014
2040
1%
2253
12%
2588
29%
517
-74%
Write Seq
375.5
917
144%
1662
343%
1858
395%
502
34%
Read 512
921
912
-1%
459.1
-50%
1799
95%
467
-49%
Write 512
370.4
488.9
32%
1611
335%
1863
403%
83.2
-78%
Read 4k
33.24
35.5
7%
56.1
69%
62.7
89%
30.9
-7%
Write 4k
100.7
99.1
-2%
169.4
68%
146.8
46%
91.3
-9%
Read 4k QD32
270.9
276.7
2%
633
134%
446.6
65%
298.4
10%
Write 4k QD32
350.5
351.5
0%
506
44%
706
101%
222.3
-37%
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Sequential Read: 2014 MB/s
Sequential Write: 375.5 MB/s
512K Read: 921 MB/s
512K Write: 370.4 MB/s
4K Read: 33.24 MB/s
4K Write: 100.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 270.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 350.5 MB/s

Graphics Card

AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (driver)
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (driver)
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100

Intel has integrated the CPU with Intel UHD Graphics 620, which is suitable for 2D applications. The system uses the integrated graphics when playing, for example, high-definition videos. The UHD Graphics 620 is much more power efficient than a dedicated GPU, which particularly benefits battery life. A workstation needs to have an adequate dedicated GPU, something on which the ZBook 14u G5 delivers. HP has installed an AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, a dedicated GPU that has 2 GB GDDR5 VRAM. The Polaris chip corresponds with the consumer AMD Radeon RX 540 but has been optimized for professional use. This means that the WX 3100 has significantly better CAD or DCC performance than its consumer counterpart and has compatibility certifications for various professional software.

Our comparison chart demonstrates that both ZBooks perform similarly. The 15-inch device has marginally better graphics performance probably because of better cooling. 3DMark benchmarks highlight that the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is comparable to an NVIDIA GeForce MX150. Notably, the Radeon Pro WX 3100 fails to outperform the older AMD FirePro W4190M in every benchmark. The WX 3100 only has a clear advantage in benchmarks like 3DMark and 3DMark 11.

More benchmarks for the Intel UHD Graphics 620 and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 can be found here.

SPECviewperf 12
1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
69 fps +164%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
55.3 fps +112%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
53.5 fps +105%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
31.31 fps +20%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
26.11 fps
1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
34.18 fps +140%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
28.31 fps +98%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
27.54 fps +93%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
18.74 fps +31%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
14.27 fps
1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
26.2 fps +405%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
20.17 fps +289%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
12.13 fps +134%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
7.28 fps +40%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5.19 fps
1900x1060 Medical (medical-01)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
17.49 fps +371%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
10.34 fps +179%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
9.33 fps +151%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3.99 fps +8%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3.71 fps
1900x1060 Maya (maya-04)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
32.07 fps +248%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
25.21 fps +173%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
21.61 fps +134%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
11.75 fps +27%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
9.22 fps
1900x1060 Energy (energy-01)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
3.78 fps +1119%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
0.62 fps +100%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
0.55 fps +77%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
0.31 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
0.26 fps -16%
1900x1060 Creo (creo-01)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
46.12 fps +169%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
35.91 fps +110%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
35.26 fps +106%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
18.82 fps +10%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
17.12 fps
1900x1060 Catia (catia-04)
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
45.75 fps +204%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
33.32 fps +121%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
27.97 fps +86%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
17.1 fps +14%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
15.05 fps
SPECviewperf 11
1920x1080 Siemens NX
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
38.74 fps +53%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
37.9 fps +50%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
28.74 fps +14%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
25.26 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
24.88 fps -2%
1920x1080 Tcvis
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
41.41 fps +100%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
40.35 fps +95%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
23.36 fps +13%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
20.7 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
20.1 fps -3%
1920x1080 SolidWorks
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
51.2 fps +7%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
50.1 fps +5%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
47.82 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
46.79 fps -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
42.52 fps -11%
1920x1080 Pro/ENGINEER
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
20.19 fps +163%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
16.57 fps +115%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
8.71 fps +13%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
7.69 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
7.66 fps 0%
1920x1080 Maya
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
65.5 fps +40%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
55.4 fps +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
54.6 fps +17%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
46.83 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
45.64 fps -3%
1920x1080 Lightwave
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
67.5 fps +4%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
64.8 fps 0%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
64.7 fps
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
54.8 fps -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
46.67 fps -28%
1920x1080 Ensight
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
32.63 fps +76%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
32.3 fps +74%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
21.09 fps +14%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
18.55 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
18.01 fps -3%
1920x1080 Catia
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
51.5 fps +35%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
40.16 fps +6%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
38.01 fps
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
33.99 fps -11%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
29.61 fps -22%
SiSoft Sandra 2016
Image Processing
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
226.6 MPix/s +5%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
216.2 MPix/s
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
190.6 MPix/s -12%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
137.5 MPix/s -36%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
128.1 MPix/s -41%
GP Cryptography (Higher Security AES256+SHA2-512)
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
8 GB/s +38%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5.78 GB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5.24 GB/s -9%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
5.16 GB/s -11%
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
4 GB/s -31%
GP Financial Analysis (FP High/Double Precision)
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
42.2 KOPT/s +14%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
37 KOPT/s
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
25.76 KOPT/s -30%
Dell Precision 3520
Quadro M620, i7-7820HQ, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
19.2 KOPT/s -48%
Lenovo ThinkPad P52s-20LB000HGE
Quadro P500, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
11.84 KOPT/s -68%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (32743 - 133204, n=15, last 2 years)
62922 Points +229%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
NVIDIA Quadro M1200, Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
28254 Points +48%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
19122 Points
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (17922 - 19122, n=2)
18522 Points -3%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
17922 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
17743 Points -7%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
12317 Points -36%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (4816 - 35868, n=28, last 2 years)
16313 Points +505%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
NVIDIA Quadro M1200, Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
4165 Points +54%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
2807 Points +4%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
2698 Points
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (2644 - 2698, n=2)
2671 Points -1%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
2644 Points -2%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
1745 Points -35%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Workstation
  (7432 - 54334, n=27, last 2 years)
23544 Points +528%
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
NVIDIA Quadro M1200, Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6
5105 Points +36%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
3749 Points
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (3632 - 3749, n=2)
3691 Points -2%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
3632 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3551 Points -5%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
2351 Points -37%
Unigine Heaven 4.0
Extreme Preset OpenGL
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
35.1 fps +416%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
10.7 fps +57%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
10.7 fps +57%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
7.4 fps +9%
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (6.8 - 7.4, n=2)
7.1 fps +4%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
6.8 (3.6min - 14.6max) fps
Extreme Preset DX11
Average of class Workstation
  (25.2 - 38.3, n=2, last 2 years)
31.8 fps +293%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
12.4 fps +53%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
12.4 fps +53%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
8.8 fps +9%
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (8.1 - 8.8, n=2)
8.45 fps +4%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
8.1 (4.2min - 17.9max) fps
Unigine Valley 1.0
1920x1080 Extreme HD DirectX AA:x8
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
34.1 fps +263%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
10.8 fps +15%
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (9.4 - 10.8, n=2)
10.1 fps +7%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
9.4 (3.5min - 20.9max) fps
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
8.3 fps -12%
1920x1080 Extreme HD Preset OpenGL AA:x8
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
26.8 fps +379%
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
6.3 fps +13%
HP ZBook 14u G4
AMD FirePro W4190M, Intel Core i7-7500U
6.2 fps +11%
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
  (5.6 - 6.3, n=2)
5.95 fps +6%
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, Intel Core i7-8550U
5.6 (3.2min - 9.9max) fps
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Cloud Gate
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Sky Diver
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark Time Spy
3DMark 11
3DMark 11
3DMark 11 Performance
4123 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
48101 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
12174 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2513 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
1242 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
918 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is designed for professional use though, and as such games do not benefit from the additional optimization. Despite having a dedicated GPU, the ZBook 14u G5 is quickly overwhelmed by modern games. Our test device achieves a constant 10 FPS at the start of our “The Witcher 3” endurance test. Frame rates quickly start jumping between 5and 10 FPS though. This change in performance demonstrates the limitation of the cooling system, as it is unable to maintain maximum graphics performance. Regardless, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is only capable of playing games at the lowest graphics settings.

012345678910Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 160.7 74.7 47 14.7
The Witcher 3 (2015) 26.8 16.7 8.7 6.8
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 50.4 30 15.3 12.2
Far Cry Primal (2016) 30 11 10 7
The Division (2016) 37.3 20.4 9.2
Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016) 31.2 15.6 8.4 3.2
For Honor (2017) 37.8 14.9 11.5 9.2
Ghost Recon Wildlands (2017) 25.4 10.4 9.1 8.1
F1 2017 (2017) 60 21 21 13
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 28 11 9

Emissions

Fan Noise

The ZBook 14u G5 stays completely silent for the most part. The small fans only kick in under load, reaching a maximum of 37.3 dB(A). The latest ZBook is a little quieter than its predecessor and considerably quieter than the Dell Precision 5520, which reaches up to 45.5 dB(A). While fan noise is audible under load, the ZBook 14u G5 is far from annoying. We did not detect any coil whine with our test device either.

Noise Level

Idle
29.8 / 29.8 / 29.8 dB(A)
Load
33.5 / 37.3 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: 29.8 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2030.933.131.934.52529.831.62931.93131.930.330.632.54028.32928.131.15032.726.928.734.76324.926.126.327.58024.726.825.627.510027.726.325.82712524.224.62524.516022.223.623.22420021.722.622.222.925022.422.121.62331521.520.820.421.440020.620.31921.950020.619.918.522.563020.319.717.422.680021.320.917.223.2100021.821.217.424125022.722.816.925.3160023.723.616.82720002322.117.427.1250025.523.917.428.2315024221729.1400020.920.217.324.7500019.219.317.221.36300181817.520.380001818.317.918.81000018.318.717.917.9125001919.418.317.61600018.619.31817.4SPL34.233.529.837.3N1.91.81.32.5median 21.5median 20.9median 17.9median 23Delta21.71.72.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
Noise
-1%
-12%
1%
-4%
off / environment *
29.8
29.8
-0%
28.7
4%
29
3%
30.4
-2%
Idle Minimum *
29.8
29.8
-0%
28.7
4%
29
3%
30.4
-2%
Idle Average *
29.8
29.8
-0%
32.1
-8%
29
3%
30.4
-2%
Idle Maximum *
29.8
30.8
-3%
32.1
-8%
29
3%
30.4
-2%
Load Average *
33.5
32.9
2%
41.3
-23%
36.5
-9%
37
-10%
Witcher 3 ultra *
34.2
36.5
-7%
45.5
-33%
32.8
4%
Load Maximum *
37.3
36.5
2%
45.5
-22%
38.2
-2%
40
-7%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

3DMark 11 post stress test
3DMark 11 post stress test

The case temperatures of the ZBook 14u G5 have improved compared with its predecessor. We measured the warmest point of the device at 42.7 °C (~109 °F), which is practically 6 °C (~11 °F) cooler than last year’s model. Under load, the entire palm rest stays below 30 °C (~86 °F), with the top two-thirds of the case reaching closer to 40 °C (~104 °F). The bottom case is marginally hotter as an average, with most areas reaching above 30 °C (~86 °F). Our test device is impressively cool while idling, with the entire case averaging 23.9 °C (~75 °F) in our tests, the ZBook 14u G5 is considerably cooler than both the Dell Precision 5520 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s.

We stress tested our test device by running Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously for at least an hour. This test is designed to determine the highest CPU and GPU temperatures under extreme load conditions. During these tests, HWiNFO recorded the CPU reaching 93 °C (~199 °F) and the GPU at 65 °C (~149 °F). The GPU frequency frequently fluctuated despite the cooler core temperature, behavior which coincides with “The Witcher 3” load test.

The CPU stays cooler only when it is being stress tested. In this scenario, HWiNFO measured a maximum temperature of 76 °C (~169 °F) and a 2.2 GHz average frequency. This is well above the 1.8 GHz base clock speed.

Prime95 stress test
Prime95 stress test
FurMark stress test
FurMark stress test
FurMark & Prime95 stress test
FurMark & Prime95 stress test
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
Radeon Pro WX 3100, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
Quadro M1200, E3-1505M v6, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
HP ZBook 14u G4
FirePro W4190M, i7-7500U, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ
Heat
1%
-12%
-7%
-12%
Maximum Upper Side *
39.7
39.8
-0%
51.6
-30%
49.2
-24%
48
-21%
Maximum Bottom *
42.7
43.1
-1%
43.6
-2%
48.2
-13%
48.6
-14%
Idle Upper Side *
24.2
23.3
4%
26.6
-10%
23.2
4%
25.4
-5%
Idle Bottom *
24.6
24.6
-0%
26.2
-7%
23
7%
26.1
-6%

* ... smaller is better

Max. Load
 38.8 °C
102 F
39.3 °C
103 F
38.3 °C
101 F
 
 39.5 °C
103 F
39.7 °C
103 F
37.8 °C
100 F
 
 30 °C
86 F
27.6 °C
82 F
27.5 °C
82 F
 
Maximum: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Average: 35.4 °C = 96 F
38.5 °C
101 F
42.7 °C
109 F
37.8 °C
100 F
36.6 °C
98 F
38.1 °C
101 F
36 °C
97 F
29.7 °C
85 F
32.3 °C
90 F
31.9 °C
89 F
Maximum: 42.7 °C = 109 F
Average: 36 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  38.7 °C = 102 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.4 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 32 °C / 90 F for the devices in the class Workstation.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 38.1 °C / 101 F, ranging from 22.2 to 69.8 °C for the class Workstation.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.7 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 41.3 °C / 106 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 34.9 °C / 95 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 30 °C / 86 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (-2.2 °C / -4 F).
Top case surface temperatures under load
Top case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load
Bottom case surface temperatures under load

Speakers

HP has placed the stereo speakers above the keyboard, which allows sound to project away from the case without having to reflect off another surface. The speakers are rather small, which explains the low volume and lack of bass. High and mid tones are in the foreground, so the sound is clearly reproduced. We could not notice any drastic improvement because of the Bang & Olufsen branding though. The speakers are suitable for audio or video telephony. There is no noticeable distortion or tininess at maximum volume. However, we would recommend connecting either headphones or external speakers for a better listening experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.930.3252930.43130.6354028.130.45028.727.26326.331.88025.632.110025.829.61252531.916023.240.320022.249.825021.653.331520.458.34001965.450018.569.163017.469.280017.267.8100017.471.4125016.972.3160016.872.9200017.471.2250017.47331501772.4400017.373.3500017.276.3630017.576.9800017.972.81000017.972.51250018.369.6160001856.2SPL29.885N1.363.4median 17.9median 69.6Delta1.77.831.129.529.328.631.13131.130.129.727.12624.726.623.725.724.923.928.623.837.922.645.822.451.720.454.818.956.618.16617.772.116.774.416.770.816.161.615.761.915.961.715.959.115.95816.364.216.668.516.968.117.260.917.26017.358.217.454.42978.91.242.9median 17.2median 601.96.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EALenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 50% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 33% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 53% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 59% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

65 W power supply
65 W power supply
65 W power supply
65 W power supply

The ZBook 14u G5 is economical at idle, only consuming between 3.4 and 8.5 W. This increases temporarily to 71.4 W under load, before reducing and averaging at 55.2 W. The power supply is rated at 65 W, which means that our test device temporarily exceeded the power supply’s maximum wattage. In practice this is not a problem as this behavior is only short-lived; the battery did not discharge during our stress tests when plugged in.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.29 / 0.44 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.4 / 5.6 / 8.5 Watt
Load midlight 55.2 / 71.4 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.
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
E3-1505M v6, Quadro M1200, Samsung SM961 MZVKW512HMJP m.2 PCI-e, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS LED, 2560x1440, 14.00
HP ZBook 14u G4
i7-7500U, FirePro W4190M, Samsung SSD PM871a MZNLN256HMHQ, TN, 1920x1080, 14.00
Average AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100
 
Average of class Workstation
 
Power Consumption
-5%
-108%
-6%
12%
-3%
-112%
Idle Minimum *
3.4
3.2
6%
8.9
-162%
3.4
-0%
2.4
29%
3.3 ?(3.2 - 3.4, n=2)
3%
7.75 ?(2.6 - 19.5, n=26, last 2 years)
-128%
Idle Average *
5.6
6.1
-9%
13.6
-143%
7.5
-34%
5.3
5%
5.85 ?(5.6 - 6.1, n=2)
-4%
12.5 ?(4 - 35.9, n=26, last 2 years)
-123%
Idle Maximum *
8.5
9.7
-14%
14.1
-66%
10.8
-27%
8.8
-4%
9.1 ?(8.5 - 9.7, n=2)
-7%
18.3 ?(5.6 - 47, n=26, last 2 years)
-115%
Load Average *
55.2
62
-12%
100.3
-82%
55.4
-0%
45
18%
58.6 ?(55.2 - 62, n=2)
-6%
96.4 ?(47.7 - 182, n=26, last 2 years)
-75%
Witcher 3 ultra *
46
48
-4%
100.2
-118%
34
26%
Load Maximum *
71.4
71
1%
126.3
-77%
70.3
2%
64
10%
71.2 ?(71 - 71.4, n=2)
-0%
157.6 ?(60.2 - 311, n=26, last 2 years)
-121%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

3DMark 11 on battery
3DMark 11 on battery

The ZBook 14u G5 has good battery life that is well above the class average. Neither the Dell Precision 5520 nor the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s could compete with the ZBook 14u G5 in our battery life tests. Our test device managed nine and a half hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. Equally impressive is the runtime under load, which we measured at just over three hours. Overall, you should be able to use the device for extended periods of time away from your desk without needing a charge. The charging time from depleted to 100% is around two hours. The 50 Wh battery is inbuilt, which should not be a problem in daily use. It is worth noting that 3D performance is throttled when running on battery. In 3DMark 11 our test device scored 1,503 points on battery, which is drastically lower than the 4123 points it scored on mains power.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
19h 12min
WiFi Websurfing (EDGE: 41.16299.15.0)
9h 34min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
8h 24min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 08min
Maximum battery runtime
Maximum battery runtime
Minimum battery runtime
Minimum battery runtime
Wi-Fi test - battery runtime
Wi-Fi test - battery runtime
H.264 test - battery runtime
H.264 test - battery runtime
SPECviewperf test – battery runtime
SPECviewperf test – battery runtime
Charging time
Charging time
HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, 50 Wh
HP ZBook 15u G5 2ZC05EA
i5-8550U, Radeon Pro WX 3100, 56 Wh
Dell Precision 5520 UHD
E3-1505M v6, Quadro M1200, 97 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 57 Wh
HP ZBook 14u G4
i7-7500U, FirePro W4190M, 51 Wh
Average of class Workstation
 
Battery Runtime
8%
-54%
-10%
1%
-15%
Reader / Idle
1152
1301
13%
724
-37%
1366
19%
1418
23%
755 ?(319 - 1072, n=6, last 2 years)
-34%
H.264
504
623
24%
550
9%
575
14%
693 ?(347 - 1104, n=10, last 2 years)
38%
WiFi v1.3
574
514
-10%
254
-56%
530
-8%
643
12%
533 ?(252 - 897, n=26, last 2 years)
-7%
Load
188
200
6%
61
-68%
76
-60%
104
-45%
79.6 ?(54 - 118, n=16, last 2 years)
-58%

Verdict

Pros

+ stylish and stable case
+ AMD Radeon Pro with 2GB VRAM
+ good battery life
+ matte IPS display
+ no PWM
+ many security features
+ good system performance
+ comfortable input devices
+ USB Type-C with Thunderbolt
+ low surface temperatures
+ Docking connector
+ WWAN ready

Cons

- below average display brightness
- color space coverage is too low
- no memory card reader
- GPU throttling under load
- Core i7 processor has a comparatively weak power output
The HP ZBook 14u G5 in review. Test device courtesy of Cyberport and CUKUSA. Use code NBC20 for $20 off
The HP ZBook 14u G5 in review. Test device courtesy of Cyberport and CUKUSA. Use code NBC20 for $20 off

The HP ZBook 14u G5 is a 14-inch mobile workstation that fulfills the criteria of being a workstation thanks to its fast CPU and its professional standard GPU. The package is rounded off with many security features and a fast NVMe SSD. Overall, HP has created a relatively affordable mobile workstation at €1,680 (~$1,937) that calls into question whether spending more for a higher-end workstation is worthwhile. 

There are some downsides though, namely the display. 215 cd/m² maximum brightness is unacceptable at this price point, as is the poor color space coverage. Even cheap office devices have better displays than the ZBook 14u G5. While in practice the device may be connected to a docking station and to external monitors, we would have expected a better default display for a mobile workstation. We do not understand the lack of a card reader either.

The performance of the cooling system, CPU and GPU leaves a lot to be desired. The cooling system reaches its limit under load, while the CPU performs worse than the equivalent processor in comparable devices. Worse still, the GPU often falls behind the older AMD FirePro W4190M GPU. This means that the ZBook 14u G5 is outperformed by its predecessor in some professional applications.

The HP ZBook 14u G5 is slimmer than its predecessor that has a high-quality chassis. HP has created an impressive mobile workstation that warrants attention from potential buyers.

Positively, HP offers a variety of configuration options. Unfortunately, there are no alternatives to the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100. Overall, the system performance is decent, while the good battery life is a bonus. Moreover, the USB Type-C Thunderbolt port future proofs the device to a certain extent. 

 

 

 

 

HP ZBook 14u G5-2ZB99EA - 05/18/2018 v6(old)
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
92 / 98 → 94%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
62 / 81 → 77%
Weight
68 / 10-66 → 100%
Battery
91%
Display
84%
Games Performance
63%
Application Performance
92%
Temperature
91 / 95 → 95%
Noise
97 / 90 → 100%
Audio
68%
Camera
27 / 85 → 32%
Average
76%
81%
Workstation - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP ZBook 14u G5 (i7-8550U, Pro WX 3100) Workstation Review
Sebastian Bade, 2018-05-24 (Update: 2020-05-19)