But its new side keys and myHP app need some work.
Looking at the new HP Dragonfly Pro, its hard not to think of this as a generic-looking laptop.
Indeed, there seems to be nothing extraordinary about it.
Dragonfly Pro’s build quality is solid and sturdy, even if slightly heavy.
If all that sounds bad, its not.
Powered by AMDs latest Ryzen 7 processor, the HP Dragonfly Pro is solid all around.
A laptop with few compromises, whod thunk it?
All versions ship with Windows 11 Home.
Pricing starts at $1,399 for the 16GB RAM/512GB storage model in either ceramic white or sparkling black.
Pricing for those begins at $1,000.
Dragonfly Pro’s build quality is solid and sturdy, even if slightly heavy.
I am using the $1,399 Windows PC model in sparkling black for this review.
The only other decision is black or white?
It feels premium and not something like a toy, which is nice.
The two Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 on the left side.
The sparkling black colorway is lovely, with a matte finish and a subtle textured feel.
Those speakers are arranged with two flanking the keyboard and two more on the bottom laptop side edges.
In terms of usage, its a pleasing display.
Relatively thin bezels are balanced on all sides.
Its plenty bright, the colors look good, there is touch, and everything looks evenly lit.
The only critique would be the relatively low resolution with no higher-tier option.
The Dragonfly Pro can also auto-adjust brightness and contrast, which is nice.
Dragonfly Pro’s LCD is above average and looks nice even if only full HD.
Its configurable from 15 to 28 watts.
Regarding performance, its a fine chip but nothing extraordinary compared to Intel.
For instance, theLenovo Yoga 7i 14with a Core i7-1255U still beats it out on Geekbench 5.
Sure, thats a two-year-old chip, but thats a lot of performance for a 14-inch laptop.
It also edges out a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 P-series processor, which is just as impressive.
The AMD Ryzen 7 processor is quite powerful compared to older Intel H-series processors.
(Image credit: Future)
ON Geekbench 5, Dragonfly Pro earns some respectable scores for single and multi-core processing.
Dragonfly Pro just beats out an older Spectre 16 with a 45W Intel H processor.
HP used a very fast SSD in the Dragonfly Pro.
(Image credit: Future)
Interestingly, under Windows prefs for the processor levels (balanced, more performance, etc.
I have never seen this in any laptop before, and its different.
Fan volume never went over 50dB and usually hovered at 45dB, making this a relatively quiet laptop.
(Image credit: Future)
Thermals were also not an issue, with the laptop never seeming to get hot.
The boasting is earned in this case.
But what about real-world experiences?
(Image credit: Future)
There is one caveat to this greatness: Standby battery drain.
Hopefully, some more CPU tuning can address that.
Basically, this is one of the longest-lasting laptops Ive used thats not ARM-based.
Under 100% CPU load the Dragonfly Pro gets warm right in the center.(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Good job, AMD.
However, like all things, there are different haptic touchpad technologies.
The results are satisfactory.
In one area it hits a toasty 111°F (44°C), which is warm, but not hot.(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Its not a lousy touchpad, and it is amply sized.
The keyboard is … curious.
HPs font choice is different, but I like it.
Right side of the Dragonfly Pro has one Type-C power/display out port.
The keys themselves are square and provide a good amount of travel.
In short, its a good keyboard, and I like using it.
The multi-stage backlighting is also well done.
The Dragonfly Pro does very well for battery life compared to other laptops.
The bad news is two-fold.
The second key launches HP Support, found in the myHP app.
It offers one-touch access to 24/7 Pro Live Support, which is undoubtedly different.
Dragonfly Pro keyboard with side keys and touchpad.
HP includes this for free for the first 12 months.
After that, its $10.99 monthly for up to 36 months, and you might cancel anytime.
Notably, that includes accidental damage protection (drops, spills, etc.)
The touchpad is large and quite good, but HP should have used Sensel for the haptics.
Its a nice touch for those of us who spend a lot of time in video meetings.
Finally, the fourth key is a user-programmable one, so you could link it to whatever you want.
While all these keys are unquestionably something new in a laptop, Im not sure everyone would use them.
Dragonfly Pro’s keyboard is fun to use and feels good to type with.
Lenovo does something similar on its consumer Yoga laptops, like theYoga 9i.
The myHP app, which is brand new, is also a problem, at least at this stage.
Sections for audio are difficult to read because the fonts and sliders are pale white.
Four keys, three of which launch myHP at an excruciatingly slow pace.
Surprisingly, theres not a lot of other HP software compared to its Intel laptops.
Perhaps HP wanted to keep things simple this time.
HP Dragonfly Pro: Camera and audio
The full HD camera is also acceptable.
The myHP app with 24/7 support is still very under-baked.
Again, its on the better end of most laptops, but its nothing outstanding, either.
The sound is also solid from the four speakers.
Its not the best, but its up there.
WTH? The myHP app’s audio section is barely readable.
Thats also a 2-in-1 convertible laptop (pen included) with a superb speaker system in its hinge area.
It wont get nearly as good battery life.
That said, its a great laptop with an incredible display and impressive sound.
One of four B&O-tuned speakers on the Dragonfly Pro.
Microsoft’sSurface Laptop 5is also a good choice as you get a better display, webcam, and audio.
Again, battery life wont be as good as the Dragonfly Pro.
DellsXPS 13 (9315)and not the Pro version is comparable.
The full HD 5MP webcam is slightly better than average.
I like this laptop much more than the Dragonfly Pro, although its battery life will fall short.
However, it is over a pound lighter.
HP Dragonfly Pro: Should you buy?
The Lenovo Yoga 9i is only $100 more, but you get a much better display that is OLED and more features.
As I mentioned in the intro, that sounds bad, but its not.
The Dragonfly Pro is just an all-around solid laptop with exceptional battery life.
And thats how I feel about the Dragonfly Pro.
The new Dell XPS 13 (9315) won’t get as good battery life, but it’s cheaper and looks amazing.
The Dragonfly Pros other positive feature?
Competing with Intel between its U- and P-series chips while adding hours of battery life is not trivial.
Regarding cons, those new side keys are a bit pointless.
HP Dragonfly Pro does look nice.
Or, rather, the new myHP app is a bit buggy and undercooked at the moment.
Is all that true?
HP just needs to get its software better-tuned.
A very clean and minimalist design.
However, some software issues need to be worked out.
