HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook: Chromebooks continue to improve in quality, but there has never been a Chromebook that felt “cutting edge.” The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is another option. This small Chromebook contains several platform-first innovations, such as a haptic touchpad, an Intel vPro processor, and a 5-megapixel webcam.
Our review was done on a $1,734 Elite Dragonfly Chromebook with a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-1245U with vPro processor and a 13.5-inch 3:2 WXUGA (2256 x 1504) IPS display. The 2-in-1, like all Elite Dragonfly machines, was thin, light, and attractive, and it was incredibly fast thanks to the CPU. There has never been a Chromebook this high-end.
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Design
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is made of a magnesium-aluminum alloy, which contributes to its 2.8-pound weight. As I have seen with similar laptops, the lid bends and the keyboard deck flexes. It’s not a knock on the laptop because the alloy is quite strong and the machine will withstand some abuse. HP also put the laptop through the MIL-STD 810H military test to ensure its toughness.
However, it has a different rigidity than all-aluminum designs. Two such laptops are the HP Elite C1030 Chromebook and the Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook, both of which feel more solid. The hinge on the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook, on the other hand, is flawless, allowing the lid to be opened with one hand while still holding the display in place in clamshell, tent, media, and tablet modes.
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is not only light but also thin at 0.65 inches. Its display bezels are thin on the sides but slightly larger on the top and bottom than those of other modern devices. It has an understated and elegant appearance.
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The 2-in-1 is nicely sized for its 13.5-inch 3:2 display, about an inch narrower than thin-and-light 14-inch 2-in-1s but equally as deep as those with 16:10 displays. It’s only a fraction of an inch longer than the Elite C1030 Chromebook, which has a 13.5-inch 3:2 display as well. Given the display size, the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is a very compact laptop.
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is designed in the same manner as the rest of the Elite Dragonfly line. It’s a dark blue that borders on black, with simple and minimalist lines. The laptop is unadorned except for some chrome accents on the hinges and a chrome HP logo on the lid. It’s an understated and elegant look that’s appealing without being overpowering. The Elite C1030 Chromebook is more visually appealing, while the upcoming Lenovo ThinkPad C14 Chromebook Enterprise appears to be dull in comparison.
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Performance
My review unit included an Intel 12th-generation Core i5-1245U with vPro, a 15-watt CPU with 10 cores (two Performance and eight Efficient), and 12 threads. It’s Intel’s mid-range processor for thin and light laptops, with the P-series consuming 28 watts and the U-series consuming 9 watts. Because Chrome OS is such a light and efficient operating system, the Core i5-1245U is almost overkill for the platform. The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook should fly when combined with the 8GB of RAM in my review unit — and you can configure the machine with an insane 32GB of RAM.
I can’t run a full suite of benchmarks on Chromebooks, but the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook achieved one of the highest scores we have seen on a Chrome OS laptop in the Android version of Geekbench 5. It was slightly slower in multi-core mode than the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5, which featured an 11th-generation four-core/eight-thread Core i5-1135G7 processor, but significantly faster in single-core mode. In the Speedometer 2.0 web benchmark, the HP achieved the highest score we’ve seen, 206, far outperforming the Chromebook Flip CX5.
Simply put, you’ll have to put in a lot of effort to outperform the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. I tried opening multiple Chrome tabs and running several Android apps in the background, but I couldn’t get the laptop to slow down.
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HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Ports
Connectivity is a significant advantage not only for such a small and light laptop but also for a Chromebook. First, there are two USB-C ports, one of which supports Thunderbolt 4, which is unusual for a Chrome OS laptop. This enables a variety of expansion possibilities, including compatibility with all of HP’s excellent Thunderbolt docks with up to three external displays. A USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, a full-size HDMI 2.0 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader are also included. Wireless connectivity is provided by Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, and both 4G LTE and 5G WWAN options are available.
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Display
The 13.5-inch 3:2 WXUGA (2,256 x 1,504) IPS display impressed me right away. The background was a cloth floral arrangement against a deep black backdrop, and I had to double-check the specs to make sure the panel was IPS rather than OLED. When I tested the laptop, I noticed that the colors were bright and vibrant, and the display was easy to use.
We cant use my colorimeter on Chromebooks and can only offer my subjective opinion. However, the display was bright enough to be used in my usual working environments, and black text stood out against a white background. It’s a great display for productivity users and creators, and it’s one of the best I’ve seen on a Chromebook.
A 1000-nit HP SureView privacy screen option makes the display unreadable from any angle other than direct-on. It’s an excellent display for anyone who is concerned about the privacy of their data.
Four speakers provide audio, two of which are located above the keyboard and two of which are located at the front bottom of the chassis. At full volume, the setup produced plenty of sounds that were just a tad distorted, with clear mids and highs and a hint of bass. It was adequate for watching YouTube videos and the occasional Netflix show, but music fans and binge-watchers will want to bring out their favorite headphones.
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Security and management
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is one of the few Chrome OS laptops that supports biometric authentication, in this case, a fingerprint reader on the palm rest. In my testing, it worked quickly and consistently, making the Chromebook much more convenient to use.
However, the security and management features provided by Chrome OS Enterprise in conjunction with the Intel vPro CPU are far more important. Chrome OS is already a secure operating system, but the Enterprise edition takes security to a whole new level. Most importantly, a company’s IT department can approve and block apps and extensions, remotely disable and wipe machines, and use advanced security controls to protect an entire fleet.
The vPro CPU supports total memory encryption (TME) and Keylocker, preventing hackers from accessing sensitive data. The Google Admin Console provides centralized control over Keylocker, TME, and Thunderbolt driver and firmware versions, as well as Wi-Fi configuration management.
Pricing and configurations
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook’s pricing varies greatly between pre-configured models and custom configurations, with the latter being significantly more expensive. As I write this review, I’m only seeing one pre-configured model on HP’s website, so I’ll list the pricing for custom-configured models here. Just be aware that less expensive pre-configured models will be available. My review unit costs $1,734 when outfitted with a Core i5-1245P with vPro processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe SSD, and the 13.5-inch QHD+ (2256 x 1504) IPS display.
The base pre-configured model costs $1,149 and includes a Core i3-1215U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB PCIe SSD, and a 13.5-inch WUXGA+ (1920 x 1280) display. A Core i7-1265U with vPro, 32GB of RAM, a 512GB PCIe SSD, a 13.5-inch WUXGA+ Sure View Privacy screen, and 5G WWAN support will set you back $2,278.
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Battery life
The Elite Dragonfly Chromebooks have a battery capacity of 50 watt-hours, which isn’t a lot for a 13.5-inch laptop. Chrome OS, on the other hand, is a very efficient operating system, whereas the Core i5-1245U is a lower-watt part in Intel’s 12th-generation lineup. It’s up against some ARM CPUs in our comparison group, so I’m not sure what kind of battery life to expect.
I observed a slightly disappointing battery life. In our web browsing test, which cycles through a handful of complex and popular websites, the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook only lasted eight hours. That doesn’t sound too bad, and it isn’t. However, in comparison to other Chromebooks that excel at battery life, it is clearly below average. The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook lasted 9.25 hours in our video test, which looped a local 1080p movie trailer. Again, that’s below average, even though Chrome OS laptops typically perform poorly in this test.
Overall, I would say the battery life is subpar. Depending on your workflow, you may or may not be able to complete an entire day’s work on a single charge. If this laptop has a flaw, it is its longevity.
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook Keyboard, touchpad, and webcam
The switches are light and springy, with a nice click when bottoming out, and the keycaps are larger with tight spacing. It has the same precision and comfort as HP’s Spectre keyboards, which are among the best Windows versions.
The 3:2 touchpad is haptic, and it’s fantastic. It has a large, comfortable surface and responds quickly to taps and clicks. During my testing, the feedback felt natural and reliable. The overall experience was excellent, with the entire touchpad surface responding equally to input. The haptic mechanism not only provides feedback for clicks but also alerts you when you snap a window to either side or move a desktop in multiple desktop modes. There are apparently more effects that I did not notice during my testing, but the platform is clearly designed to maximize the use of haptic technology.
Of course, the display is touch-enabled and functions normally. It includes an active pen that magnetically attaches to the right side of the chassis for storage and wireless charging in some configurations. I discovered that the pen supported Chrome OS inking with precision and dependability.
The webcam has a 5MP resolution, which is ideal for high-quality video streaming. The Elite Dragonfly Chromebook is an excellent laptop for hybrid workers who rely on videoconferencing to stay in touch with coworkers. For privacy, the webcam has a physical slider.
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