The HP Dragonfly G4 is a thin and elegant ultraportable , but robust enough to withstand intensive nomadic use. Its 13.5-inch screen has an unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, which allows more space from top to bottom for reading a document or web page. The Dragonfly G4 nonetheless remains very compact and has phenomenal battery life.
The HP Dragonfly G4 is based on 13th generation Intel Core U-series processors. The base model is equipped with a Core i5-1335U, 16 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD hard drive and a 13.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1280 pixels. There is also a version equipped with a Core i7-1332U with a 3000 x 2000 pixel Oled screen.
Design of the HP dragonfly G4
With its 90% recycled magnesium alloy chassis, the Dragonfly G4 provides a feeling of refinement and quality. At 1.1 kg on the scale, it is lighter than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air M2 than the 13.4-inch Dell XPS 13 . The cover and keyboard are very rigid and the general finish is high quality. The matte dark blue shade is elegant and pleasant to the touch, but it attracts fingerprints. The Dragonfly G4 is a beautiful computer that we love to look at and show off.
The Dragonfly G4 is narrower and a bit deeper than most laptops. Most of them feature a 16:10 aspect ratio screen while the HP offers a larger and more compact 3:2 aspect ratio.
This choice is wise for a laptop that is primarily intended for productivity. This allows you to read more while scrolling through less information. This is why you don't find a 3:2 screen on a laptop intended for home use: this format is not ideal for watching movies, as it results in large black bars at the top and at the bottom of the video player.
Display and webcam
Our review unit is equipped with a 1920 x 1280 pixel IPS screen with a matte coating that reduces reflections. The resolution is sufficient for the screen size, but the text could be sharper. If you have to read documents for long periods as part of your work, it is better to opt for the version with an Oled screen. The IPS screen is more suitable for office automation than any other creative activity. Its brightness of 400 nits is sufficient for working and it offers fairly wide viewing angles. However, if your budget allows it, the Oled screen will give you much better contrast and finer definition.
photo credit: © Marc Zaffagni
The built-in 1440p webcam produces sharp images with accurate tones. It also has an infrared sensor that allows you to use the Windows Hello login system through facial recognition. The Dragonfly G4 also has a fingerprint reader.
Keyboard and connectors
The keyboard offers surprising typing comfort given the thinness of the chassis. The keys are very quiet, have surprisingly deep travel, and are responsive. Typing text with the Dragonfly G4 is a real pleasure.
photo credit: © Marc Zaffagni
In addition, the 3:2 format of the screen provides more depth for the wrist rest. The touchpad is precise, its click firm and quiet.
The Dragonfly G4 is equipped with four speakers that deliver richer sound than most ultraportables. The bass response is weak, as is the case with all laptops, but the output is powerful enough for series and films.
photo credit: © Marc Zaffagni
The connectivity is also generous for an ultraportable. There are a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A port, an HDMI port and a combo audio jack. The only adapter you might need is a USB-C-to-Ethernet since the laptop doesn't have an Ethernet port.
Battery life of the HP Dragonfly G4
Most ultraportables have a small three-cell battery. The Dragonfly G4 has a six-cell 68 watt/hour battery. Associated with the 15 watt Core i7 processor of our test unit, it provides excellent autonomy. The computer lasted 14.5 hours during our online video streaming endurance test. That's more than enough to get you through long work days without having to recharge. This also makes it possible to compensate for the energy consumption of the Oled screen which is higher than that of the IPS version.
photo credit: © Marc Zaffagni
In the rest of our tests, the Dragonfly G4 performed as expected. Its Core i7 processor combined with the integrated Intel GPU provides ample power to work and use Windows smoothly. No latency or slowdown, including multitasking. In addition, operation is perfectly silent.
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