HP can do another scope called Envy Envy, but it’s the Elite Dragonfly that actually summons the blue-eyed monster. It’s an expensive device for business users but has features that will appeal to anyone looking for a thin, light, high-performance laptop.
In CES 2023HP disclosure that the Dragonfly name will eventually be given to consumer models, with the new Dragonfly Pro and Dragonfly Pro Chromebooks. But before that happens later this year, there’s the issue of HP’s ChromeOS flavor addition to the current range of businesses.
This is one of the Best Chromebooks you can buy—the brace for a squealing handbrake—if you can stomach the price too expensive. You’ll get a stylish, lightweight and productive laptop that’s enjoyable, but still has some flaws. It’s a hardware achievement that doesn’t come close to perfection. Here’s why.
Flying sparks
Photo: HP
Writing, browsing, and planning is fun on the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook. There are few devices on the market that welcome you to be as productive as this one—not the new Dell XPS 13 (6/10, Recommend wired), as well as HP’s premium consumer Specter x360 14, which features in best laptop instruct.
The Intel Core i5-1245U vPro configuration, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD had no trouble chewing through 20+ tabs. The keyboard plays an important role, with solid travel and a pleasantly crunchy response. Appropriately, the review you’re reading is currently being written on the aforementioned laptop, and it’s bliss to get the words on the page so quickly like this.
Unfortunately, there are two points that bring the productivity package down. The haptic touchpad simulates an unsatisfying “click” sound, although it is accurate and the right size. And with more productive workloads, the battery life only lasts about 6 hours. Your mileage may vary, as in my testing sometimes managing close to 8 hours on less busy days.
The 3:2 display boosts productivity even further, with the squarer screen adding extra screen real estate to your essays, web pages, spreadsheets, etc. Image quality is a bit poor, especially for a machine over $1,000. No complaints, but you’ll find better panels on devices cheaper than this, with OLED becoming more common on sub-$1,000 laptops. Anti-glare is an optional and essential add-on, as it’s a pretty reflective screen.
So what is the business focus of the Elite Dragonfly Chromebook? Besides the Intel vPro processor, which allows for deeper and easier device management, as well as an extra layer of security, there are several other introduced additions. There’s a physical security shutter for the webcam that you’ll find on some non-business-focused laptops, and the option to add an HP Sure View display. My review model doesn’t have this tech feature, but I’ve tried it before and it always works as advertised—a switchable feature that prevents viewers on your left and right from seeing content on your screen. A neat trick. The webcam itself provides a detailed picture, and the microphone delivers good sound. Not too shocking, but you won’t get any complaints from co-workers.
luxury look
This Chromebook is one of the most expensive Chromebooks you can buy, so you’re right to expect the good life experience. Fortunately, the design accommodates this. It’s spectacularly thin and incredibly light. The joy of working day in and day out, moving this lightweight machine deftly from home to desk and wherever you go on the go, can be felt. The hybrid material between magnesium and aluminum is not as flashy as MacBook or Dell XPS 13 Plus (7/10, Recommend wired), but it’s still taller than plastic and looks classy.
Photo: HP
