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HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 laptop in review: Quadro T500 and Tiger Lake in a 15-inch model

Workstation upgrade. The ZBook Firefly 15 also gets an upgrade to the Nvidia Quadro T500 and a Tiger Lake CPU in its 8th generation. Our review reveals the performance offered by the new hardware compared to the predecessor as well as other aspects that have changed.
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA

The hardware configuration of the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 that we have before us already achieved a good result in our review of the HP ZBook Firefly 14 G8. However, we'll compare the performance provided by this combination of the Intel Core i7-1165G7, the Nvidia Quadro T500, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD with the predecessor model, the ZBook Firefly 15 G7.

Since the looks and basic connectivity haven't changed much, we will also refer to the review of the Firefly 15 G7 in some places. In addition, we have the competing devices listed below, to which further laptops from our database can be added under each section.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA (ZBook Firefly 15 G8 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-1165G7 4 x 2.8 - 4.7 GHz, 51 W PL2 / Short Burst, 25 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-UP3
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1560 MHz, Memory: 1250 MHz, NVIDIA 452.69
Memory
32 GB 
, single-channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LGD069B, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Tiger Lake-UP3 PCH-LP
Storage
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, 1024 GB 
, 888 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Tiger Lake-U/Y PCH-LP - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 4.0 40 Gbps, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio jack, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.2 x 359.5 x 233.6 ( = 0.76 x 14.15 x 9.2 in)
Battery
56 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, HP Security and System software, CyberLink Power Media Player, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.752 kg ( = 61.8 oz / 3.86 pounds), Power Supply: 308 g ( = 10.86 oz / 0.68 pounds)
Price
2 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible contenders in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
83.8 %
04/2021
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
i7-1165G7, T500 Laptop GPU
1.8 kg19.2 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.7 %
10/2020
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
i7-10610U, Quadro P520
1.8 kg19.2 mm15.60"3840x2160
81.2 %
10/2020
Dell Precision 3000 3551
i9-10885H, Quadro P620
2.2 kg24.92 mm15.60"1920x1080
85.6 %
03/2021
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
i7-10750H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
2.7 kg31.45 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - Compact 15-inch workstation from HP

A detailed description of the case can be found in the review of the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA

Size comparison

375.4 mm / 14.8 inch 252.3 mm / 9.93 inch 31.45 mm / 1.238 inch 2.7 kg6.03 lbs359.1 mm / 14.1 inch 236.3 mm / 9.3 inch 24.92 mm / 0.981 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs359.5 mm / 14.2 inch 233.6 mm / 9.2 inch 19.2 mm / 0.756 inch 1.8 kg3.86 lbs359.5 mm / 14.2 inch 233.6 mm / 9.2 inch 19.2 mm / 0.756 inch 1.8 kg3.88 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - ZBook Firefly 15 G8 comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports

In terms of connectivity, HP now uses Thunderbolt 4 ports and an HDMI 2.0b port.

Left side: Cable lock, 1x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, combined audio jack
Left side: Cable lock, 1x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, combined audio jack
Right side: Nano SIM slot (optional WWAN), 2x Thunderbolt 4 (including DisplayPort 1.4), 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, power supply
Right side: Nano SIM slot (optional WWAN), 2x Thunderbolt 4 (including DisplayPort 1.4), 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, power supply

Communication

The HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 can establish wireless connections via Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. In combination with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router, speeds of 1,396 Mb/s are achieved for receiving data and 1,330 Mb/s for sending data. Therefore, the rates are higher than those of the ZBook Firefly 15 G7, even though the same WLAN adapter is used.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1421 MBit/s +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1364 (710min - 1483max) MBit/s +3%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1330 (606min - 1481max) MBit/s
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1167 (1092min - 1233max) MBit/s -12%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s -13%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1016 (596min - 1247max) MBit/s -24%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1407 (1295min - 1454max) MBit/s +1%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1396 (1215min - 1505max) MBit/s
Average of class Workstation
  (last 2 years)
1385 MBit/s -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1338 (1044min - 1432max) MBit/s -4%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s -10%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1137 (568min - 1726max) MBit/s -19%
05010015020025030035040045050055060065070075080085090095010001050110011501200125013001350140014501500Tooltip
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1396 (1215-1505)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1310 (606-1481)
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Webcam

The webcam continues to capture images at a low resolution of 0.9 MP and with a correspondingly mediocre image quality.

ColorChecker
25.6 ∆E
28.3 ∆E
28.3 ∆E
27.3 ∆E
28.9 ∆E
20.1 ∆E
17.5 ∆E
27.7 ∆E
19.6 ∆E
18.9 ∆E
18 ∆E
25.1 ∆E
13 ∆E
16.7 ∆E
20.9 ∆E
13 ∆E
19.6 ∆E
22.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
15 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
ColorChecker HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA: 18.4 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 28.89 ∆E

Security

The ZBook Firefly offers a variety of software solutions to safeguard the system. In addition, there's a fingerprint sensor, a mechanical webcam shutter, and a smart card reader.

Accessories

The HP workstation only comes with a 65-watt power adapter equipped with a USB-C connector. However, the manufacturer offers an extensive range of common laptop accessories on its own website.

Maintenance

The maintenance options remain unchanged compared with the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - Maintenance options
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - Maintenance options
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - SSD, built-in WWAN (upper left), RAM slots (one free)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - SSD, built-in WWAN (upper left), RAM slots (one free)

Warranty

HP grants a 36-month warranty period for the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8.

Input devices - With keyboard backlighting and trackpoint

The input devices have remained unchanged as well, which is why we refer to the review of the ZBook Firefly 15 G7 for their description.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 - Input devices
HP ZBook Firefly 15 - Input devices
HP ZBook Firefly 15 - Backlight
HP ZBook Firefly 15 - Backlight

Display - Weak out of the box, solid after calibration

The screen of the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 consists of a 15.6-inch IPS panel and offers a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The maximum brightness of 397 cd/m² on average is slightly above the level of our chosen competition. However, brightness distribution is only moderate at 84%. Furthermore, HP doesn't use PWM for brightness control.

Besides the display variant used here, the Firefly 15 G8 is also available with an anti-glare Full HD touchscreen (250 cd/m²), a 4K panel (400 cd/m²), and a Full HD panel (1,000 cd/m²) with HP's SureView privacy technology.

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding
425
cd/m²
402
cd/m²
401
cd/m²
437
cd/m²
397
cd/m²
400
cd/m²
426
cd/m²
366
cd/m²
367
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LGD069B tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 437 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 402.3 cd/m² Minimum: 17.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 399 cd/m²
Contrast: 3054:1 (Black: 0.13 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.1
ΔE Greyscale 8.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
70% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
68.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
LGD069B, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
LGD064F, IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell Precision 3000 3551
LG Philips 156WFD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
N156HCE-EN1, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-0%
-44%
-4%
Display P3 Coverage
68.6
68.8
0%
37.5
-45%
66.6
-3%
sRGB Coverage
98.5
97.7
-1%
56.5
-43%
92.3
-6%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
70
69.8
0%
38.74
-45%
67.1
-4%
Response Times
13%
32%
12%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
56 ?(27.2, 28.8)
44 ?(21.2, 22.8)
21%
29.6 ?(16.4, 13.2)
47%
41.2 ?(22, 19.2)
26%
Response Time Black / White *
32 ?(18, 14)
30.8 ?(16.4, 14.4)
4%
26.4 ?(14, 12.4)
17%
32.8 ?(18.8, 14)
-3%
PWM Frequency
24270
Screen
1%
-61%
-41%
Brightness middle
397
381
-4%
235.5
-41%
338
-15%
Brightness
402
382
-5%
228
-43%
304
-24%
Brightness Distribution
84
92
10%
89
6%
81
-4%
Black Level *
0.13
0.21
-62%
0.25
-92%
0.45
-246%
Contrast
3054
1814
-41%
942
-69%
751
-75%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.9
3
49%
5.44
8%
5.5
7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.4
5.2
45%
13.58
-44%
11.5
-22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.1
1.5
-36%
5.2
-373%
1.9
-73%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
8.8
3.5
60%
3.1
65%
7.8
11%
Gamma
2.47 89%
2.26 97%
2.42 91%
2.24 98%
CCT
6416 101%
7254 90%
7070 92%
6764 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63.7
64.3
1%
35.5
-44%
60
-6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98.5
97.5
-1%
56.1
-43%
92.1
-6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
5% / 3%
-24% / -46%
-11% / -28%

* ... smaller is better

Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 98.5%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 98.5%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 63.7%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 63.7%

The HP workstation's display offers a very good contrast ratio of 3,054:1 and an equally very good black level of 0.13 cd/m². The color-space coverage of 98.5% (sRGB) and 63.7% (AdobeRGB) is very good as well.

The CalMAN analysis shows that the display isn't well calibrated out of the box. The Delta E 2000 deviation is 8.8, and colors show a greenish tint. After calibration, the maximum brightness falls by 40 cd/m², but the Delta E 2000 deviation drops to a very good value of 0.8, and colors are now displayed in a balanced way. The corresponding ICC file can be downloaded in the window located at the top, to the right of the display's brightness distribution graph.

CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Grayscales
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscales (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)

Outdoors, the laptop can be used well in the shade. However, it's hard to read the display's content in direct sunlight.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in outdoor use
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in outdoor use
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in outdoor use
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in outdoor use

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
32 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 18 ms rise
↘ 14 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 84 % 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
56 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 27.2 ms rise
↘ 28.8 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. » 91 % 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 IPS panel of the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 is very viewing-angle stable. Content can be read from almost any angle without becoming distorted or showing incorrect colors.

Viewing-angle stability
Viewing-angle stability

Performance - Significantly increased GPU performance

HP offers the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in different configurations and targets mobile users who need a dedicated graphics card in addition to a strong CPU. Besides the processor used here, the Intel Core i5-1135G7 is also available. In addition, there are different storage configurations, which ultimately also have an impact on the purchase price.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - CPUz
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - CPUz
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - CPUz
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - CPUz
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - HWiNFO
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - GPUz
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - GPUz
 

Processor

The Intel Core i7-1165G7 used here is a quad-core processor from Intel's Tiger Lake generation. Its clock rates are between 2.8 and 4.7 GHz, and it can process up to eight tasks simultaneously. HP configures the i7-1165G7 with a PL1 of 25 watts and a PL2 of 51 watts. The 25-watt mark was also consistently reached during CPU-heavy tests.

Our benchmarks also show that depending on the discipline, the CPU performance of the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 is up to 25% higher than that of the ZBook Firefly 15 G7 predecessor. The HP workstation can also maintain its performance well under continuous load. Our Cinebench R15 long-term load curve only shows a slight drop of approximately 5%.

07014021028035042049056063070077084091098010501120119012601330Tooltip
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA Intel Core i7-1165G7: Ø807 (800.7-849.53)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7 Intel Core i7-10610U: Ø653 (629.17-674.89)
Dell Precision 3000 3551 Intel Core i9-10885H: Ø1152 (1113.77-1263.86)
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE Intel Core i7-10750H: Ø1307 (1278.98-1363.42)
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Workstation
  (528 - 816, n=28, last 2 years)
679 Points +16%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
586 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (442 - 589, n=81)
552 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
491 Points -16%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
469 Points -20%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
460 Points -22%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Workstation
  (1669 - 9329, n=28, last 2 years)
5730 Points +177%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
3147 Points +52%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
2798 Points +35%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
2069 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1060 - 2657, n=81)
1967 Points -5%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
1624 Points -22%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (166.2 - 301, n=27, last 2 years)
254 Points +11%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
229 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (115 - 230, n=78)
212 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
205 Points -10%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
197 Points -14%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
191 Points -17%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (706 - 3625, n=27, last 2 years)
2343 Points +176%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
1363 (1278.98min - 1363.42max) Points +60%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
1264 (1113.77min - 1263.86max) Points +49%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
850 (800.7min - 849.53max) Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (553 - 1027, n=86)
846 Points 0%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
675 (629.17min - 674.89max) Points -21%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
674 Seconds * -17%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (468 - 1138, n=80)
618 Seconds * -7%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
577 Seconds *
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
359.7 Seconds * +38%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
348 Seconds * +40%
Average of class Workstation
  (137 - 684, n=27, last 2 years)
253 Seconds * +56%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Workstation
  (4777 - 6670, n=27, last 2 years)
5891 MIPS +8%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
5443 MIPS
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
5397 MIPS -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
5243 MIPS -4%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (4478 - 5507, n=80)
5182 MIPS -5%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
4783 MIPS -12%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Workstation
  (20087 - 99351, n=27, last 2 years)
60746 MIPS +156%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
36927 MIPS +56%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
36740 MIPS +55%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
23707 MIPS
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (15347 - 27405, n=80)
22935 MIPS -3%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
20096 MIPS -15%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Workstation
  (1474 - 2095, n=27, last 2 years)
1816 Points +17%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
1556 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1302 - 1595, n=77)
1524 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
1304 Points -16%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
1261 Points -19%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
1216 Points -22%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Workstation
  (5022 - 17487, n=27, last 2 years)
11509 Points +132%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
6914 Points +40%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
6355 Points +28%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (3078 - 5926, n=77)
5155 Points +4%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
4955 Points
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
4622 Points -7%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Workstation
  (5.09 - 26, n=27, last 2 years)
16.9 fps +151%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
10.6 fps +57%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
10.6 fps +57%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
6.74 fps
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1.39 - 8.47, n=80)
6.3 fps -7%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
5.66 fps -16%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
60.2 s * -45%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
54 s * -30%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (21.5 - 88.1, n=78)
49.2 s * -19%
Average of class Workstation
  (36.5 - 95.2, n=27, last 2 years)
48.5 s * -17%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
45.9 s * -11%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
41.5 s *
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U
0.643 sec * -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H
0.612 sec * -9%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (0.552 - 1.002, n=80)
0.594 sec * -5%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H
0.572 sec * -1%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
0.564 sec *
Average of class Workstation
  (0.3876 - 0.594, n=27, last 2 years)
0.4665 sec * +17%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
850 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
195 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
229 Points
Help

System performance

The HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 achieves a very good result in the PCMark 10 test for evaluating system performance, and it places itself just behind the Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 1 in the overall score. In everyday use, this score is reflected in a smooth system operation. Applications are launched quickly, and data is accessed without delays.

The results achieved by other laptops in comparison can be found in our CPU Benchmarks article.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Workstation
  (5488 - 8587, n=27, last 2 years)
6843 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-10750H, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
5620 Points +1%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5550 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (5237 - 5550, n=3)
5356 Points -3%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Quadro P620, i9-10885H, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
5127 Points -8%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Quadro P520, i7-10610U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4096 Points -26%
Essentials
Average of class Workstation
  (9151 - 12197, n=27, last 2 years)
10513 Points +13%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Quadro P620, i9-10885H, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
10242 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-10750H, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
9907 Points +6%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9334 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (8765 - 9540, n=3)
9213 Points -1%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Quadro P520, i7-10610U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
8414 Points -10%
Productivity
Average of class Workstation
  (7846 - 10820, n=27, last 2 years)
9113 Points +3%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
8870 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (8337 - 9317, n=3)
8841 Points 0%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Quadro P620, i9-10885H, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
7831 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-10750H, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
7826 Points -12%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Quadro P520, i7-10610U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6883 Points -22%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Workstation
  (5399 - 13947, n=27, last 2 years)
9196 Points +64%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-10750H, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
6214 Points +11%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5604 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (4477 - 5604, n=3)
5186 Points -7%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Quadro P620, i9-10885H, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
4560 Points -19%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Quadro P520, i7-10610U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3221 Points -43%
PCMark 10 Score
5550 points
Help

DPC latencies

In the test with LatencyMon, the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 shows increased interruption times. As a result, it's only suitable for real-time applications to a limited extent.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - LatencyMon (statistics)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - LatencyMon (statistics)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - LatencyMon (drivers)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 - LatencyMon (drivers)
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Quadro P520, i7-10610U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3861 μs * -249%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Quadro P620, i9-10885H, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
1817 μs * -64%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
1105 μs *
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-10750H, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
635 μs * +43%

* ... smaller is better

Storage

HP installs a 1 TB SSD from Toshiba in our test configuration of the ZBook Firefly 15 G8. It offers very good read and write speeds that are on par with the competition.

How other mass storage devices perform in comparison can be found in our HDD/SSD Benchmarks article.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
Average Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
0%
-7%
6%
-3%
Write 4K
140.6
133.1
-5%
120.9
-14%
129.5
-8%
136.3 ?(104.3 - 181.6, n=8)
-3%
Read 4K
52.8
51.6
-2%
46.79
-11%
49.54
-6%
50.7 ?(45.2 - 57.4, n=8)
-4%
Write Seq
1844
1986
8%
1916
4%
2379
29%
1869 ?(1729 - 1986, n=7)
1%
Read Seq
2108
2208
5%
2216
5%
1989
-6%
1984 ?(1200 - 2359, n=7)
-6%
Write 4K Q32T1
418
462.3
11%
393.9
-6%
663
59%
435 ?(356 - 509, n=8)
4%
Read 4K Q32T1
476.8
400.2
-16%
375.1
-21%
425.2
-11%
439 ?(389 - 545, n=8)
-8%
Write Seq Q32T1
3064
3074
0%
2795
-9%
2960
-3%
3019 ?(2813 - 3074, n=8)
-1%
Read Seq Q32T1
3289
3268
-1%
3106
-6%
3182
-3%
3016 ?(1510 - 3297, n=8)
-8%
AS SSD
-7%
-36%
-4%
-2%
Seq Read
2599
2666
3%
1833
-29%
2747
6%
2385 ?(1287 - 2762, n=8)
-8%
Seq Write
1305
1257
-4%
1283
-2%
1192
-9%
1491 ?(1257 - 2493, n=8)
14%
4K Read
49.65
48.04
-3%
44.56
-10%
46.49
-6%
47.9 ?(42.6 - 52.1, n=8)
-4%
4K Write
128.1
137.5
7%
112.4
-12%
131.9
3%
129.5 ?(98.3 - 158, n=8)
1%
4K-64 Read
1157
977
-16%
1106
-4%
1431
24%
1099 ?(896 - 1473, n=8)
-5%
4K-64 Write
1475
1142
-23%
1262
-14%
1437
-3%
1440 ?(1142 - 1609, n=8)
-2%
Access Time Read *
0.057
0.053
7%
0.084
-47%
0.102
-79%
0.05788 ?(0.039 - 0.094, n=8)
-2%
Access Time Write *
0.03
0.03
-0%
0.105
-250%
0.031
-3%
0.03213 ?(0.027 - 0.039, n=8)
-7%
Score Read
1467
1292
-12%
1334
-9%
1752
19%
1386 ?(1210 - 1801, n=8)
-6%
Score Write
1734
1406
-19%
1503
-13%
1688
-3%
1718 ?(1406 - 1869, n=8)
-1%
Score Total
3894
3297
-15%
3498
-10%
4261
9%
3776 ?(3297 - 4568, n=8)
-3%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-4% / -4%
-22% / -24%
1% / 0%
-3% / -3%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3289 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 3064 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 476.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 418 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2108 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1844 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 52.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 140.6 MB/s

Continuous load read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics card

The ZBook Firefly 15 G8 is equipped with an Nvidia Quadro T500. This entry-level graphics card for workstations is based on the GeForce MX450, but it offers slightly higher clock rates. The variant with 4 GB of video memory is installed here; HP doesn't offer the 2 GB version.

In the 3DMark benchmarks, the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 can almost double its performance compared to the Nvidia Quadro P520 in the ZBook Firefly 15 G7. The performance that can be expected from other graphics cards in comparison can be found in our GPU Benchmarks article.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Workstation
  (7432 - 54334, n=27, last 2 years)
23544 Points +178%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-10750H
11377 Points +34%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-1165G7
8475 Points
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (6767 - 8475, n=4)
7808 Points -8%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
NVIDIA Quadro P620, Intel Core i9-10885H
5850 Points -31%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
NVIDIA Quadro P520, Intel Core i7-10610U
4128 Points -51%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (32743 - 133204, n=15, last 2 years)
62922 Points +126%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
NVIDIA Quadro P620, Intel Core i9-10885H
29746 Points +7%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-1165G7
27800 Points
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (22719 - 27800, n=3)
24657 Points -11%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
NVIDIA Quadro P520, Intel Core i7-10610U
18564 Points -33%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (4816 - 35868, n=28, last 2 years)
16313 Points +217%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-10750H
8757 Points +70%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-1165G7
5141 Points
Dell Precision 3000 3551
NVIDIA Quadro P620, Intel Core i9-10885H
4600 Points -11%
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (3696 - 5141, n=4)
4322 Points -16%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
NVIDIA Quadro P520, Intel Core i7-10610U
3215 Points -37%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Workstation
  (1882 - 16218, n=28, last 2 years)
6389 Points +200%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-10750H
3273 Points +54%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU, Intel Core i7-1165G7
2127 Points
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (1554 - 2127, n=4)
1814 Points -15%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
NVIDIA Quadro P620, Intel Core i9-10885H
1393 Points -35%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
NVIDIA Quadro P520, Intel Core i7-10610U
997 Points -53%
3DMark 11 Performance
8160 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15562 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4833 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
2270 points
Help

Gaming performance

The Nvidia Quadro T500 used here is only suitable for games to a limited extent. Although you can run recent titles in Full HD depending on the graphics performance requirements, you will have to use significantly lower detail settings for smooth frame rates in some cases.

We have listed the performance that can be expected in various games in our GPU Games article.

Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 - 1280x720 Low Preset
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (27.8 - 34.3, n=2)
31.1 fps +12%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
27.8 fps
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Workstation
  (19.6 - 156.5, n=28, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +182%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
35 (28min - 41max) fps +57%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
22.3 (16min, 17P1 - 25max) fps
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (16.9 - 22.3, n=4)
19.5 fps -13%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H, NVIDIA Quadro P620
16.5 (14min - 19max) fps -26%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U, NVIDIA Quadro P520
10.8 (8min - 13max) fps -52%
Far Cry 5 - 1280x720 Low Preset AA:T
Average of class Workstation
  (60 - 175, n=13, last 2 years)
125.8 fps +306%
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (31 - 72, n=2)
51.5 fps +66%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
31 fps
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1280x720 Lite Quality
Average of class Workstation
  (55.3 - 212, n=26, last 2 years)
129.2 fps
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H, NVIDIA Quadro P620
51.7 fps
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (49.1 - 51.1, n=3)
50.2 fps
Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking
Average of class Workstation
  (57.8 - 166.7, n=28, last 2 years)
122.7 fps +28%
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
115 (99.6min) fps +20%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
96.2 (84.2min) fps
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H, NVIDIA Quadro P620
82.8 (73.7min) fps -14%
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (70.5 - 96.2, n=4)
79 fps -18%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U, NVIDIA Quadro P520
60.4 (55.4min) fps -37%
X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 high (fps_test=3)
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
Intel Core i7-10750H, NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop)
80.1 fps +34%
Average of class Workstation
  (27.7 - 122.4, n=29, last 2 years)
79.4 fps +32%
Dell Precision 3000 3551
Intel Core i9-10885H, NVIDIA Quadro P620
63.9 fps +7%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
60 fps
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
  (38.6 - 65.1, n=4)
55 fps -8%
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
Intel Core i7-10610U, NVIDIA Quadro P520
48 fps -20%

Our continuous load test with The Witcher 3 on the "Ultra" setting shows that the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 gradually loses performance in games. The cooling system can stop this trend after a while, but performance takes a sawtooth trajectory afterwards, which manifests itself in stagnant frame rates.

05101520Tooltip
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA T500 Laptop GPU, i7-1165G7, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02: Ø22.3 (16-25)
low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 22.3
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 134 117 104 96.2
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 81.1 69 60
Far Cry 5 (2018) 31 25 22 21
Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 (2020) 27.8 14.4 10.9 10.1

Emissions

Noise emissions

The fan of the Firefly 15 G8 is audible at up to 36.1 dB(A) under load, but it's not annoyingly loud. Furthermore, the resulting noise is uniform, and it blends well into the background noise. We didn't notice any coil whine or the like in our test device.

Noise Level

Idle
24.1 / 24.1 / 27.1 dB(A)
Load
32.8 / 36.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 24.1 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.529.729.131.734.62522.725.224.425.9263130.72829.129.1354027.625.928.727.232.75036.336.536.736.237.56325.525.922.521.134.58022.321.621.220.825.610030.931.129.729.229.712521.923.521.318.522.516026.221.921.617.320.820026.222.82517.821.225024.421.419.115.721.43152623.421.316.42440023.820.519.313.323.150025.321.619.612.225.763025.22220.111.725.48002320.61810.622.8100023.620.918.611.224125026.223.42010.725.6160027.924.62010.325.7200027.323.521.210.825.9250024.12018.11123.1315022.618.91611.320.6400021.218.716.311.817.9500021.215.313.51216.3630016.313.71312.114.2800013.512.912.912.112.81000012.712.713.212.412.71250012.612.612.912.212.51600011.711.81211.511.7SPL36.132.830.324.134.8N2.31.71.30.62median 23.8median 20.9median 19.1median 12.1median 22.5Delta4.23.43.324.6hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseHP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

According to our measurements, the surfaces of the ZBook Firefly G8 reach up to 47.2 °C (~117 °F) under load. The warmest spot is at the bottom on the center of the rear section, which means that the workstation can no longer be used without limitations on the lap, for example.

During our approximately one-hour stress test, the temperatures inside HP's workstation rose up to 85 °C (~185 °F). The clock rates also dropped to an average of 1.4 GHz, which is below the base clock speed. In addition, the CPU's power consumption of 12 watts only corresponded to the minimum TDP of the i7-1165G7. Since the system stabilized quite quickly after the test, and an amount of load such as in our stress test scenario shouldn't occur in everyday situations, users won't necessarily experience limitations due to excessively high temperatures.

Max. Load
 39.2 °C
103 F
41.2 °C
106 F
40.1 °C
104 F
 
 31.7 °C
89 F
40.6 °C
105 F
39.7 °C
103 F
 
 25.7 °C
78 F
29.9 °C
86 F
29.1 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Average: 35.2 °C = 95 F
44.9 °C
113 F
47.2 °C
117 F
40.5 °C
105 F
42 °C
108 F
44 °C
111 F
30.7 °C
87 F
31.5 °C
89 F
31.9 °C
89 F
28.3 °C
83 F
Maximum: 47.2 °C = 117 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  43 °C = 109 F | Room Temperature 20.3 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.2 °C / 95 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 41.2 °C / 106 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 47.2 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 41.3 °C / 106 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.4 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.9 °C / 85.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (-2.1 °C / -3.8 F).

Speakers

The speakers of the ZBook Firefly 15 G8 offer medium volume and a fairly broad sound spectrum. This makes them suitable for occasional media playback in quiet environments, but external speakers or headphones are still recommended in the long run.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.732.12525.929.73129.132.94027.228.55036.236.16321.126.28020.824.710029.231.412518.532.516017.34320017.852.225015.757.831516.460.240013.361.650012.264.263011.768.480010.671.1100011.268.1125010.767.8160010.366.5200010.864.725001167.4315011.365.6400011.867.450001269.8630012.168800012.164.11000012.458.31250012.253.11600011.552SPL24.179.1N0.646.4median 12.1median 64.2Delta27.835.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseHP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EAApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 21% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 74% 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%

Energy management - Long battery life

Energy consumption

With an average power consumption of 5.6 watts in idle usage and 64.4 watts under load, the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 is one of the most energy-efficient devices in our test field. Although the maximum consumption under load of 69 watts exceeds the 65-watt power adapter's capacity, this value is only reached for a short time, and it quickly settles between 49 and 60 watts.

Furthermore, the maximum values in the idle scenario are 6.5 watts without the keyboard backlight enabled, 7.7 watts when it's set to level 1, and 8.7 watts when it's set to level 2.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.44 / 0.75 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.3 / 5.6 / 8.7 Watt
Load midlight 64.4 / 69 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 Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
i7-1165G7, T500 Laptop GPU, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
i7-10610U, Quadro P520, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, IPS LED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell Precision 3000 3551
i9-10885H, Quadro P620, Toshiba Kioxia XG6 KXG60PNV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
i7-10750H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average NVIDIA T500 Laptop GPU
 
Average of class Workstation
 
Power Consumption
-4%
-48%
-102%
-13%
-109%
Idle Minimum *
3.3
3.5
-6%
5.7
-73%
8.4
-155%
4.18 ?(3.1 - 5.8, n=4)
-27%
7.75 ?(2.6 - 19.5, n=26, last 2 years)
-135%
Idle Average *
5.6
6.7
-20%
8.7
-55%
12.3
-120%
7.68 ?(4.7 - 13.3, n=4)
-37%
12.5 ?(4 - 35.9, n=26, last 2 years)
-123%
Idle Maximum *
8.7
9.6
-10%
9
-3%
14.2
-63%
10.7 ?(8.6 - 15.6, n=4)
-23%
18.3 ?(5.6 - 47, n=26, last 2 years)
-110%
Load Average *
64.4
60
7%
100.2
-56%
96
-49%
52.6 ?(37.8 - 64.8, n=4)
18%
96.4 ?(47.7 - 182, n=26, last 2 years)
-50%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53
49.3
7%
56
-6%
95
-79%
Load Maximum *
69
68.6
1%
133.2
-93%
168.8
-145%
67.4 ?(64.7 - 69, n=4)
2%
157.6 ?(60.2 - 311, n=26, last 2 years)
-128%

* ... smaller is better

Battery life

The ZBook Firefly 15 G8 achieves a runtime of 10.5 hours in our real-world Wi-Fi test. This means that it can make good use of its 56 Wh battery, and it only has to admit defeat to competing devices with higher capacities. According to HP, fast charging is also supported with the included 65-watt power adapter, allowing 50% of the battery charge to be available again after half an hour.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 89)
10h 31min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge 89)
9h 15min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
15h 17min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 19min
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA
i7-1165G7, T500 Laptop GPU, 56 Wh
HP ZBook Firefly 15 G7
i7-10610U, Quadro P520, 53 Wh
Dell Precision 3000 3551
i9-10885H, Quadro P620, 97 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen1-20ST000DGE
i7-10750H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), 94 Wh
Average of class Workstation
 
Battery Runtime
-16%
30%
-7%
-28%
H.264
917
730
-20%
836
-9%
693 ?(347 - 1104, n=10, last 2 years)
-24%
WiFi v1.3
631
546
-13%
818
30%
844
34%
533 ?(252 - 897, n=26, last 2 years)
-16%
Load
139
120
-14%
73
-47%
79.6 ?(54 - 118, n=16, last 2 years)
-43%

Pros

+ compact case
+ two RAM slots
+ built-in WWAN
+ good battery life

Cons

- high case temperatures
- no LAN port, no card reader
- the system throttles (but only under very high load)
- the display needs subsequent calibration

Verdict - Improved performance at the expense of heat development

In review: HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8. Test device provided by: HP Germany
In review: HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8. Test device provided by: HP Germany

With the upgrade to a Tiger Lake CPU and the new Nvidia Quadro T500, HP accomplishes one goal in particular, namely a significant increase in performance compared to the predecessor. The graphics unit represents the biggest leap. Although it still belongs to the entry-level segment, performance is practically doubled. Connectivity has also been upgraded, and Thunderbolt 4 is supported now.

The ZBook Firefly 15 G8 can almost double its graphics performance with the new Nvidia Quadro T500. However, the cooling system reaches its limits under maximum load.

HP leaves the design unchanged, which isn't a negative thing. However, the cooling system seems to slowly be reaching its limits, and there are also fluctuations in performance under prolonged load. This is not ideal for a mobile workstation, and this aspect should definitely be improved in the next model.

Price and availability

You can find the HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 in the manufacturer's online store where you can customize it quite extensively. Prices will vary accordingly. For instance, the model with the same configuration as our test device currently costs around $2,600.

HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 2C9R7EA - 04/26/2021 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
90 / 98 → 92%
Keyboard
88%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
62 / 80 → 78%
Weight
66 / 10-66 → 100%
Battery
89 / 95 → 94%
Display
83%
Games Performance
64%
Application Performance
91%
Temperature
89 / 95 → 93%
Noise
95 / 90 → 100%
Audio
77%
Camera
28 / 85 → 33%
Average
78%
84%
Workstation - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8 laptop in review: Quadro T500 and Tiger Lake in a 15-inch model
Mike Wobker, 2021-04-30 (Update: 2021-04-30)