HP PROBOOK 430 G8 NOTEBOOK

This business device (HP PROBOOK 430 G8 NOTEBOOK) is pretty compact. It weighs 1.37 kg, while the profile sits at 17.5mm. It is built out of aluminum and plastic. We think it feels pretty well built, although there is some flex in both the lid and the base. Surprisingly, the lid opens easily with a single hand. Its hinges are smooth, and allow the display to lay all the way flat. Here, you can see the thin bezels around the matte screen. This laptop is offered with an HD Web camera, which is essential for meetings. In addition to that, there is a privacy shutter on top of it, as well as an optional IR face recognition scanner. Then comes the keyboard. It is one of the good units out there, and we find it extremely comfortable for typing. Its key travel is long enough, while the feedback is both clicky, and quiet for office use. Obviously, there is no NumPad here, but the speakers are placed on either side of the keyboard. Beneath it, there is the touchpad. It offers a smooth gliding experience and relatively good tracking. To its right, you get an optional fingerprint reader.

Processor

The Probook 430 G8 is equipped with Intel Core i3-1115G4 is a dual-core SoC for laptops and Ultra-books based on the (UP3) that was introduced September 2020. It integrates two Willow Cove processor cores (4 threads thanks to Hyper Threading). Each core can clock from 3 GHz (base speed) to 4.1 GHz (single- and dual-core boost). The faster Core i5 and i7 models offer more cores and are therefore significantly faster. Another novelty is the integrated Xe graphics card based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. In the i3-1115G4 Intel is naming the GPU UHD Graphics and offers only 48 of the 96 EUs clocked at 400 – 1250 MHz. GPU and CPU can together use the 6 MB of L3 cache. Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (four lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and WiFi 6 in the chip. The chip is produced on the second-gen 10 nm Intel Super-Fin process that should be comparable to the 7 nm TSMC process (e.g. Ryzen 4000 series). The operating range of the UP3 series is specified at 12 to 28 Watt. Therefore, the processor is also suited for thin and light laptops.

Display quality

HP ProBook 430 G8 is equipped with a Full HD IPS panel. Its diagonal is 13.3-inch (33.78 cm), and the resolution – 1920 х 1080p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:9, the pixel density – 166 ppi, their pitch – 0.153 х 0.153 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 53 cm (from this distance, the average human eye can’t see the individual pixels). The maximum measured brightness is 285 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 278 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 6%.

Ports

On the left side, there is a security slot, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, an audio jack, and a MicroSD card reader. Then, on the right, there is the charging plug, a USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with DisplayPort 1.2 support, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and an HDMI 1.4b connector.

Sound

HP ProBook 430 G8’s speakers produce a sound of good quality. However, we found deviations across the entire frequency spectrum.

Battery

Now, we conduct the battery tests with Windows Better performance setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 120 nits, and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. Here, you get a 45Wh battery that will last you for 10 hours and 44 minutes of Web browsing, or 8 hours and 20 minutes of video playback.

Verdict

Business notebooks are famous for their simplicity, good looks, and stability. Ultimately, this is a fitting description for the ProBook 430 G8. We were really impressed by its input devices, which are on point for a laptop in this category. In addition to that, there are features like the privacy shutter, fingerprint reader, and optional IR face recognition scanner, which will improve your security. Plus, you get a hardware TPM 2.0 module.