Useful Notebook HP ProBook 5330m Review

The HP ProBook line of business notebooks has always attempted the meet the needs of businesses and consumers alike. The new HP ProBook 5330m looks like the perfect solution if you want a powerful, aluminum-wrapped laptop for work and play but can't afford a MacBook Pro.Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , Is it possible to find a lust-worthy business laptop for $899 or less? Keep reading to find out.

Let's be honest. Anyone who thinks the new HP ProBook 5330m wasn't designed to directly compete with the 13-inch Apple MacBook Pro is likely suffering from some type of delusion. Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop ,The 13.3-inch ProBook 5330m combines all the aluminum-clad beauty of the MacBook Pro with the Windows-based business features of the HP Elitebook laptops.

The 5330m is less than 1-inch thin (if you don't count the rubber feet on the bottom of the notebook), Dell Latitude E5530 laptop ,features a dual-tone color scheme, brushed aluminum chassis and backlit keyboard and is HP's first business notebook to offer "Beats Audio" with Dell Latitude E5530 laptop ,software-enhanced audio playback over the built-in speakers and the earphone jack. The ProBook 5330m features a 13.3-inch anti-glare display (1366x768) and second-generation Intel Core i-series processors, including the dual-core i3 and i5 variants. It does not have an internal optical drive but weighs only 4.0 lbs.

The design is a quantum leap over most of the previous HP ProBook laptops --Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , which are mostly just low-cost alternatives to the enterprise-class HP EliteBook line. The 5330m gives you the durability of aluminum construction combined with an underside made of magnesium alloy and covered in rubberized black paint similar to what you'll find on the Lenovo ThinkPad line of business-rugged notebooks.

Overall, the build is exceptionally strong for a notebook that has a starting price of just $799. At first glance the build and design has a lot of drool-worthy elements for both IT geeks and average computer users.Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , Of course, you can't have everything on a budget.

Most notebooks designed for business have an impressive array of ports so you can connect your laptop to any number of devices. Unfortunately, HP didn't include that many ports since the ProBook 5330m was designed for budget-conscious businesses and consumers. Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop ,Of course, you also don't get a built-in DVD drive.Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , What you do get are two USB 2.0 ports (three if you count the eSATA/USB 2.0 port), Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, an SD card reader and a headset jack.

Gone are the days of ExpressCard expansion slots, FireWire or dedicated microphone and headphone jacks. HP decided to offer HDMI on the 5330m rather than DisplayPort since more consumers will likely connect their notebook to consumer-grade monitors or HDTVs. Dell Latitude E5530 laptop ,The only connection I'm disappointed isn't here is a USB 3.0 port. USB 3.0 is the new USB standard and we're seeing more and more external storage and accessories take advantage of the faster speeds offered by this port.Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , I understand that HP was aiming for a street price of $899 or less, but this 5330m should have come with USB 3.0.

The HP ProBook 5330m has a 13.3-inch HD anti-glare 720p (1366x768) display with LED backlighting. HP isn't offering any alternative screen options at the time of this writing.Dell Latitude E5530 laptop , Most of our editors agree that higher resolutions of 1600x900 and 1920x1080 are preferable on larger screens, but 1366x768 is probably the maximum about of resolution you want to pack onto a 13-inch screen ... assuming you actually care about reading text. Dell Latitude E5530 laptop ,Of course, you can always connect a larger, higher resolution display to the 5330m via either the VGA port or HDMI.

The biggest advantage of the anti-glare (matte) screen is that it helps reduce reflections and makes the screen usable outdoors under direct sunlight.Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop , I really have to praise HP for doing this. Yes, glossy screens have better contrast and usually better color saturation, but laptops are made to be mobile ... which means people sometimes use them outdoors.Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop , I wish more modern notebooks came with anti-glare screens as standard.

Viewing angles are pretty average: Colors and brightness appear good from straight-on or when viewing from the sides,Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop , but tilt the screen forward or back more than 5 degrees and you'll start to notice color distortion and inversion. Lenovo ThinkPad W520 laptop ,The contrast ratio is average to low--we measured it at 201:1 with a peak luminance of 152 nits in the center. This notebook's display is fine for working in Microsoft Office watching the occasional movie but you'll probably want to connect an external display if you're doing color-critical work.

HP borrowed the Beats Audio processing from its consumer notebooks and put it into the new ProBook 5330m to give this laptop better sound. Indeed, the stereo speakers on the 5330m do sound a little better than the typical micro-sized speakers found on notebooks designed for small and medium businesses. HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,However, there's only so much that Beats Audio can do with two speakers that are smaller than the size of a dime.

The biggest problem we have with the audio performance is the location of the speakers. Both speakers are located on the bottom front edge of the notebook instead of near the top of the keyboard or next to the screen.HP Pavilion g6 notebook , As a result, sound isn't directed up and toward the user. In fact, if you're using the 5330m as a "laptop" then the sound is muffled against your legs. HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,Similarly, if you decide to use the notebook on your bed then the sound will likewise be suppressed. That said, if you use the 5330m on a desk the audio will "bounce" off the hard surface of the desk and you'll be able to hear it fine.

The HP ProBook 5330m has a Chiclet-style keyboard with extra spacing between the keys to help prevent typos on a physically smaller laptop like a 13-inch notebook. HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,The keys are flat and have a textured feel to them. Key travel and throw are excellent; it's generally very easy to type with and is a quite comfortable experience.HP Pavilion g6 notebook , The support structure in the chassis prevents the keyboard from flexing under heavy typing pressure. Thankfully, HP included dedicated page up, page down, end, and home keys on the right hand side of the keyboard.

As you can see in the images above, HP gave the 5330m a backlit keyboard to make typing easier in dark environments like a meeting room during a PowerPoint presentation or when you're on an evening flight. HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,My only complaint about the backlit keyboard is that there is a significant amount of light "bleed" around each key. This helps with overall visibility in dark rooms, HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,but it can also be disruptive at times. I wish HP either deduced the adjusted the edges of the keys to block excess light or made the keyboard backlighting adjustable. As it is now, you can only turn the keyboard backlight on or off (you can't tweak the brightness to your liking).

Considering that the 5330m is obviously "inspired" by the Apple MacBook Pro,HP Pavilion g6 notebook , I am a little surprised that the Synaptics touchpad is so small. It's larger than the touchpad on the HP EliteBook 2560p, but it's not large enough to be as "convenient" as the touchpad on the MacBook Pro. HP Pavilion g6 notebook ,The surface of the touchpad is very smooth and easy to use even if your fingertips are moist from holding a beverage. The dedicated left and right touchpad buttons are fine with soft, cushioned clicks.