HP EliteBook 1040 G3 review

If you're looking for a Windows laptop that mimics the style and performance of the MacBook Pro, the HP EliteBook 1040 G3 might be an excellent option for you. The EliteBook 1040 isn't the sexiest or lightest device on the market, but it features a solid aluminum and magnesium chassis that looks and feels like its Apple rival.

At around 3 pounds, the EliteBook 1040 isn't the lightest laptop you can buy, but when its internals and durability are taken into account, its bulk is a fair tradeoff that should warrant your consideration.
Starting at $1,199 (about £806, AU$1,690), the EliteBook features most of the performance hardware you'll need to tackle even the most rigorous tasks.

Specs

*Operating system:Windows 10 Pro 64

*Processor family:Intel® Core™ i7 processor

*Processor:Intel® Core™ i7-6600U with Intel HD Graphics 520 (2.6 GHz, up to 3.4 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 4 MB cache, 2 cores)

*Chipset:Chipset is integrated with processor

*Memory:16 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM (2 x 8 GB)

*Internal drive:256 GB SATA SED

*Display:14" diagonal QHD UWVA anti-glare LED-backlit (2560 x 1440)

14" diagonal QHD UWVA anti-glare LED-backlit (2560 x 1440)

*Graphics:Intel® HD Graphics 520

*Ports:2 USB 3.0 charging; 1 USB Type-C™ (charging); 1 docking connector; 1 HDMI; 1 AC power; 1 headphone/microphone combo

*Audio:Audio by Bang & Olufsen; Integrated dual-microphone array; 2 integrated stereo speakers

*Pointing device:Glass ClickPad (with chemically etched surface), taps and gestures enabled by default, two-finger scrolling, two finger zoom (pinch)

*Wireless:Intel 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2x2) and Bluetooth® 4.2 Combo

*Power supply:45 W Smart AC adapter

*Battery:HP Long Life 6-cell, 45.6 Wh Li-ion polymer

*Dimensions (W X D X H) :13.27 x 9.23 x 0.62 in (non-touch); 13.27 x 9.23 x 0.65 in (touch)

*Integrated camera:720p HD webcam

*Keyboard:Spill-resistant backlit keyboard and drain

*Weight:Starting at 3.15 lb

*Security management :Security lock slot (lock must be purchased separately); TPM 1.2/2.0 (Infineon, soldered down); Integrated smart card reader (active); Fingerprint reader; Preboot Authentication (password, Smart Card)

LG Gram 15 Review!

Think of a thin and light laptop. You're thinking of something like a MacBook Air, aren't you? Well, let this beauty of a notebook fill your mind now, because LG's redefining what thin and light computing devices look like with its gram line.

The LG gram 15 is a 15.6-inch laptop packing an FHD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS display and 6th generation Intel Core i5 processor inside a cool, sharp magnesium frame. It offers 256GB of solid-state storage, a number pad on the keyboard and some of the thinnest bezels I've seen on a 15-inch laptop.

Spec sheet

Audio quality is equally impressive with the stereo setup from DTS Sound and a Wolfson DAC. The LG Gram 15Z960 sports an Intel Core i7-5500U processor clocked at 2.4 GHz, 8 GB of DDR3L 1600MHz RAM, an Intel HD Graphics 5500 GPU and a 256 GB SSD for fast transfer speeds. Other features found on the laptop are dual-band WiFi, a card reader, Bluetooth 4.0, an HDMI out, two USB 3.0 ports,USB type C, and a 1.3 MP webcam. The LG Gram 15Z960 comes with a 2-cell lithium polymer battery rated at 4555 mAh for excellent battery life.

Intel HD Graphics 520: Integrated GPU (GT2) with 24 EUs found on some Skylake CPU models (15 W ULV series).

Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.


Intel Core i7: The Intel Core i7 for laptops is based on the LG1156 Core i5/i7 CPU for desktops. The base clock speed of the CPUs is relatively low, but because of a huge Turbo mode, the cores can dynamically overclock to up to 3.2 GHz (920XM). Therefore, the CPU can be as fast as high clocked dual-core CPUs (using single threaded applications) but still offer the advantage of 4 cores. Because of the large TDP of 45 W / 55 W, the CPU is only intended for large laptops.


6500U: Skylake-based ULV dual-core processor for thin notebooks and ultrabooks. Offers an integrated HD Graphics 520 GPU and is manufactured in 14 nm.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

15-16 inch is a standard display size for laptops and offers the biggest variety of products.