HP ProBook 440 G9: A Reliable 14-inch Business Laptop

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Design and Durability
3. Display and Connectivity
4. Keyboard and Touchpad
5. Performance and Battery Life
6. Graphics and Gaming
7. Software and Security Features
8. Portability and Upgradability
9. Pros and Cons
10. Other Competing Laptops
11. Conclusion

Introduction

In this article, we will be taking a closer look at the HP ProBook 440 G9 laptop. The ProBook series has always been popular for its value-oriented business offerings, and now in its ninth generation, powered by Intel's U or P series of processors, we will examine whether it still holds up as a fantastic machine for home and office use. Let's dive in and find out!

Design and Durability

The HP ProBook 440 G9 hasn't changed much from its predecessor, the G8. It features a silver casing that is primarily made of aluminum and plastic. Weighing in at just over three pounds, or 1.38 kilograms, it is a fairly lightweight laptop that can be easily carried with one HAND. The G9 is also military standard 810H certified, meaning that it can endure daily wear and tear. The build quality is solid, with minimal flexing on the display lid and a sturdy keyboard deck. It also boasts easy access to the internals, making upgrades and maintenance a breeze.

Display and Connectivity

The ProBook 440 G9 comes with a 14-inch full HD 1920 by 1080 IPS display panel. The screen brightness is rated at an excellent 400 nits, making it ideal for working near sunny windows or in shaded areas. The viewing angles are excellent, as expected from an IPS panel, and the color accuracy is rated at 72% NTSC. The contrast is good, with rich blacks, making it perfect for office work or college tasks. However, if you require a color-accurate display for creative work, it's advisable to look at other options like the EliteBook or ZBook range.

In terms of connectivity, the ProBook 440 G9 offers a range of ports. On the left side, you'll find a nano Kensington lock, a gigabit RJ45 Ethernet port, and a USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port with a signaling rate of 5 gigabits per Second. On the right side, there's an AC power port, a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with a signaling rate of 10 gigabits per second, supporting USB power delivery and DisplayPort 2.1. Additionally, there are two USB Type-A ports with a signaling rate of 5 gigabits per second, one of which supports charging, an HDMI 2.1 port, a headphone/microphone combo jack, and an optional nano SIM card slot for LTE connectivity. The Wi-Fi card inside the ProBook 440 G9 is the Realtek RTL8852AE, offering Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The HP ProBook 440 G9 features the premium backlit keyboard that has become synonymous with the ProBook series. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, with good key travel and spacing. It also has a spill-resistant design, providing an added layer of protection against liquid damage. The touchpad is large and supports Windows Precision drivers, allowing for smooth and accurate gestures. Additionally, there is an optional fingerprint reader for biometric security. The finger tracking is accurate, and the integrated buttons have a tactile feel with average noise when depressed. The only limitation is the size of the touchpad, which is constrained by the 14-inch chassis dimension.

Performance and Battery Life

Inside the ProBook 440 G9 is the 12th generation Intel Core i7-1255U processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. The CPU offers two performance cores with a clock rate ranging from 1.7 to 4.7 GHz, and eight efficient cores with a clock rate ranging from 1.2 to 3.5 GHz, supporting 12 Threads. The TDP is rated at 15 watts. The laptop comes with a single stick of 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM running at 3200 MHz. While it may not have the faster DDR5 memory found in more expensive laptops, the ProBook 440 G9 performs admirably in most daily work tasks. Whether you have multiple browser tabs open, stream Music in the background, or use collaborative software like Microsoft Teams, the laptop handles everything smoothly. However, for maximum performance, it is recommended to keep the laptop plugged into the mains, as performance does drop slightly on battery power.

Benchmarking results also reflect the ProBook's capability, with Cinebench R23 testing producing a multi-core score of 7590 and a single-core score of 1635. In 3DMark Time Spy, the ProBook achieved an overall score of 1295, with a CPU score of 4802 and a graphics score of 1148. PCMark 10 yielded an overall score of 5257, while Geekbench 5.5 provided a CPU score of 1627 for single-core and 6215 for multi-core, along with a Compute Benchmark score of 13,071. In the Superposition benchmark, the ProBook scored 1647. These results place the Intel i7-1255U above the AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 6650U and slightly below the Intel Core i7-1270P.

Graphics and Gaming

The ProBook 440 G9 is equipped with Intel Iris Xe Graphics, which clocks with a base speed of 400 MHz and can boost up to 1314 MHz. While the Iris Xe falls below the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and above the Nvidia GeForce MX350 in benchmark tests, it should be noted that gaming performance is limited. The Iris Xe is best suited for casual gaming or less demanding titles. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 Present a challenge even at low settings. However, if you're looking to play games like APEX Legends, the ProBook 440 G9 can handle medium settings without any issues.

Software and Security Features

HP has bundled a range of software and hardware security tools with the ProBook 440 G9. It features a fingerprint sensor, TPM 2.0 embedded security chip, and a Kensington lock for physical security. Additionally, some models offer an optional IR sensor for Windows Hello. On the software front, the ProBook 440 G9 comes with HP Wolf Security Suite, HP Sure Click, and HP Sure Sense, providing robust protection against malware and cyber threats.

Portability and Upgradability

The ProBook 440 G9 strikes a good balance between portability and performance. Its lightweight design and slim form factor make it highly portable, allowing for easy transportation between home and office or while on the go. Upgradability is also a breeze with the ProBook 440 G9. The bottom panel can be easily removed by undoing the five Phillips captive screws and prying it away with a plastic tool. Inside, you'll find two SO-DIMM slots for up to 32 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM in dual-Channel mode and a PCIe M.2 SSD TLC slot for up to one terabyte of storage. The 51.3 watt-hour battery is also removable, providing the flexibility to replace it when it degrades over time.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Solid build quality
• Lightweight and portable
• Excellent display brightness and viewing angles
• Comfortable backlit keyboard
• Strong overall performance
• Good security features

Cons:

• Average webcam quality
• Lack of Thunderbolt or SD card reader
• Mediocre speakers

Other Competing Laptops

If you're in the market for a 14-inch business laptop and considering alternatives to the ProBook 440 G9, here are some other models to consider:

1. Lenovo ThinkBook 14
2. Dell Inspiron 14
3. MSI Modern 14 C12M
4. Acer Aspire 5 A514-51
5. Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen4

Conclusion

In conclusion, the HP ProBook 440 G9 is a solid choice for anyone in need of an affordable and capable laptop for work or play. It offers a sleek design, a good display, a comfortable keyboard, plenty of ports, and decent performance. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as average webcam quality, the lack of Thunderbolt or SD card support, and mediocre speakers. Overall, if you're looking for a value-for-money business laptop that runs cool, silent, and offers excellent security tools to protect your data, the HP ProBook 440 G9 is a reliable option.

Resources:

HP ProBook 440 G9

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Dell Inspiron 14 MSI Modern 14 C12M Acer Aspire 5 A514-51 Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen4