HP introduced a new design line with the EliteBook 800 range. It relies on curved shapes and restrained colors, primarily black and silver. This dress looks just as good on the 820 G1 as on the recently tested 850 G1. The matte surfaces also prove to be resistant and insensitive to smudging. HP even promises that the laptop has successfully been tested according to the MIL-STD-810 US military standard.

The EliteBook is almost completely made of magnesium, which is supposed to make an approximately 30 percent lower weight possible compared with the precursor. Nevertheless, our review sample weighs over 1.5 kilograms (~3.3 pounds), which is also due to the lush configuration. In any case, the chassis provides outstanding performance in terms of rigidity and stability, and even defies the strongest pressure completely unimpressed. The screen, rimmed by a protective rubber lip, can also be warped by only a few millimeters using high force. Both massive metal hinges limit any wobbling of the lid to a minimum, and are yet so smooth running that only one hand is needed for opening.

Like the bigger sister model, the 820 G1”s meticulous build is impressive. We did not discover any sharp edges or irregular material transitions; the manufacturer should only rectify the slight play between the display bezel and screen.

Communication

The manufacturer installs different Wi-Fi modules depending on the configuration; in our case, it is Intel”s Dual-Band Wireless-N 7260. Although this mid-range model does not feature the latest ac standard, it supports 802.11 a/b/g/n, and consequently also transmits in the less frequented 5 GHz band. Transmission rates of up to 300 Mbps can be reached owing to dual-stream technology (2x2), providing an appropriate router is on the other side. The EliteBook proved to have an above average range, and excellent connection stability even in difficult reception conditions in our practical test (o2 Box 4421, max. 150 Mbps).

In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, our review sample also sports a mobile broadband modem (HP hs 3110), which enables the user to browse via UMTS/HSPA+ on the go. Inserting a corresponding SIM card was a bit inconvenient because it has to be inserted in a slot under the battery.

The same 0.9 megapixel webcam including the array microphone as found in the EliteBook 850 G1 is available for video conferencing. The picture and sound quality are acceptable for communication purposes, but the primary camera of every low-priced smartphone provides much better results.

Security

Protecting the laptop against (physical) theft is not the only security issue for laptops, but in particular protecting the stored data. HP therefore relies on extensive hardware and software technologies, which include a specially protected BIOS, and an optional file and drive encryption. Physically, the EliteBook can be protected against theft with a Kensington lock, but it can also be located and/or remote locked (Computrace and Intel Anti-Theft) in real emergencies. Naturally, a fingerprint scanner should not be omitted, which is a convenient alternative, or a supplement for normal passwords.

Accessories

Since Windows 8 is not widely accepted in the professional field, HP installs the older Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) ex-factory, but includes the installation and driver DVDs for both operating systems. Apart from that, the accessories are only comprised of the usual leaflets, a matching 45-Watt power supply, and various programs, such as PowerDVD 12 and a PDF reader.

Maintenance

A practical slide mechanism secures the 820 G1”s base plate, and thus allows maintenance without tools. Since both memory banks and the 2.5-inch slot (7 mm height) of our review sample are furnished, only the empty M.2 slot (NGFF 2242) is left for potential upgrading. Naturally, the installed components can be replaced. Except for the soldered CPU, virtually the entire hardware can be exchanged in a few steps. Only removing and cleaning the processor”s fan would involve disassembling the device even further.

Warranty

HP includes a 3-year warranty on the laptop and the battery, which can be upgraded via so-called "Care Packs". Buyers who are satisfied with a basic pick-up and return service can upgrade (U7868E) to a total of 4 years for approximately 130 Euros (~$180); a 5-year warranty, including accidental damage and on-site service (UL786E, UM236E) quickly surpasses 500 Euros (~$700).

Typical for a TN, the screen proves to be very viewing angle dependent, and only supplies a true image from a straight-on view. The slightest movements, particularly up and down, cause an intense brightness loss and color deviations. The optional "HD Premium UWVA screen" promises better performance, although it is likely only a high-quality IPS screen. Unfortunately, only the "HD SVA screen" that we tested is on the market until now. The user can alternatively use an external monitor that renders a sharp and flicker-free image even via VGA (tested with up to 1920x1080 pixels).

A version of HP”s Elitebook 820 with a higher-quality IPS screen has now found its way into our tests. The device incorporates a screen from LG Philips (LGD0404) and like the base configuration, offers the same resolution of 1366x768 pixels on a screen diagonal of 12.5 inches (125 ppi). The available desktop thus remains the same, but the screen”s rates have been improved considerably.

For example, the average brightness of very good 355 cd/m² is well beyond the base TN screen with approximately 210 cd/m². The maximum contrast has also been improved, and is now good 703:1 (cf. 363:1 in the TN screen).

The limited cooling capacity of the small 12-inch chassis requires the use of energy-efficient ULV processors that are based on Intel”s latest Haswell architecture, and which the contenders also use. Depending on the configuration, HP installs various Core i3 and Core i5 CPUs; our premium model even sports the Core i7-4600U. Its base speed of 2.1 GHz can be increased up to 3.3 GHz via Turbo Boost (2 cores: 2.9 GHz). Additionally, Hyperthreading improves the multi-threading performance. Intel builds the chip in a 22-nanometer process, and it is specified with a TDP of only 15 Watts (including the chipset).

Since it does not sport a dedicated solution from AMD or Nvidia, the integrated HD Graphics 4400 takes care of all graphic tasks. The medium, also called "GT2", expansion stage of the Haswell GPU features 20 execution units (EUs) with a clock of 200 up to 1100 MHz.

A swift dual-channel connection to the main memory is necessary so that the graphics unit can max out its full performance. This prerequisite is given in the form of two 4 GB DDR3L-1600 modules, which gives the 820 G1 an advantage over the ThinkPad X240 that only sports one memory slot. We were also pleased with the large 180 GB SSD - but more about that below.

The low TDP of, specifically, the faster Haswell generation ULV models, prevents maintaining the maximum Turbo Boost constant for a long time - even with optimal cooling. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Core i7-4600U gradually reduces it initial clock of 2.9 GHz to approximately 2.6 GHz in Cinebench R11.5. The frequency varies between 3.0 and 3.3 GHz when one core is loaded, and is at the upper end of our expectations.

The good Turbo utilization allows the EliteBook to gain a slight edge on the ThinkPad with the same CPU. The secret star is, however, the Core i5-4300U in the Latitude E7240. In practical use, its clock is not much lower than that of the i7-4600U, particularly during full load, begging the question, is the i7 worth its surcharge.

Regrettably, HP has again decided to limit the performance artificially in battery mode. The clock drops to the base speed of 2.1 GHz without the power supply, which leads to a performance loss of 20 to 35 percent.

The Intel SSD Pro 1500 is a sister model of the familiar Intel SSD 530 Series from the consumer range, and it additionally supports business features like vPro. The hardware of both drives is identical: Intel uses the somewhat older SF-2281 SandForce Controller alongside its own firmware and MLC-NAND built in 20 nm. A five-year manufacturer warranty promises good reliability, and explains the relatively high price.

Although the SSD Pro 1500 does not achieve the absolute top performance, the contenders do not really have much of a lead. Compared with the Samsung SSD 840 in the ThinkPad X240, the Intel model lags behind only slightly in read speeds (in particular 4K-64), but the ascertained differences are not noticed in everyday use.

As mentioned earlier, the swift memory interface considerably increases the graphics performance of the HD Graphics 4400 depending on the benchmark. While the synthetic 3DMark 11 benchmark only displays low increases of around 15 percent, the frame rate gains roughly 30 percent and more in other cases. These increases are welcome in view of the generally low performance level that is far remote from a dedicated GeForce 710M. We did not ascertain a performance difference between AC and battery mode.

However, the HD 4400 has enough reserves for basic 3D applications and multimedia purposes, and it supports many up-to-date features. Besides OpenCL support, the fast Quick Sync Transcoder is particularly interesting. While the CPU converts an H.264 video (Big Buck Bunny 1080p, CyberLink MediaEspresso) for the iPhone 5 in exactly 8 minutes, the same task is completed after just 61 seconds using Quick Sync.

The 820 G1 can smoothly render most current 3D games in low to medium graphic settings, with the exception of a few very demanding games like the newest Need for Speed sequel. However, visual enhancements or even additional anti-aliasing are usually not possible, which seems bearable for a laptop of this category.

The low noise development is only one side of the coin – the temperatures also have stayed within limits. The 820 G1 masters this balancing act perfectly, and barely surpasses 40 °C (104 °F) even during full load. Except for one measuring zone, all rates remain clearly below this temperature so that the laptop can be used on the thighs without hesitation.

The casing”s inner temperatures are just as uncritical. Our stress test, consisting of Prime95 and FurMark, drive the CPU to approximately 65 °C (149 °F); the manufacturer specifies a maximum of 100 °C (212 °F), which will unlikely come close to being reached even in warm summer months. The CPU”s throttling to 1.2 GHz can be explained with the TDP”s limit of 15 Watts. The graphics unit claims the majority of that, and its clock rate settles to 850 MHz.

An interesting side note: The second memory module causes the uncore area”s consumption to increase by a good 0.5 Watts. When removed, the CPU and GPU can achieve an almost 100 MHz higher clock rate.

Home run: HP has created a compelling subnotebook with the EliteBook 820 G1. It comprehensively meets the requirements placed on a portable, professional office device.

We especially liked the generally high quality standard that ranges from the casing over the input devices up to small details, such as the well-conceived maintenance cover. All these properties are also found in the comparatively affordable base model though. The appeal of our premium configuration is primarily found in the superior memory equipment, and the additional UMTS modem. Consequently, users who want to use the device mainly in the office can easily save a few hundred Euros. The lower-priced examples of this series should also offer long battery runtimes and low emissions.

So far, so good - if it were not for the screen. Its extreme viewing angle dependency, poor color reproduction, and middling brightness let us ask whether this is necessary in a laptop from this price range. Lenovo and Dell both offer optional Full HD displays with an IPS screen - why not HP? The EliteBook”s spec sheets list an alternative "premium" screen that only has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels, but which is not installed in any regional model.

How the potential buyer sees this drawback is ultimately something everyone has to decide for themselves. Nevertheless, the EliteBook 820 G1 made an overall outstanding impression on us, and thus qualifies itself as a serious contender for both the Latitude E7240 and ThinkPad X240.

Update 07/2014: The alternative IPS screen is now available in Germany. We tested a version of the Elitebook 820 G1 (model number: J2A93AV, configured in HP”s online shop), and ascertained significant improvements in brightness, color reproduction, and viewing angle stability in contrast to the base screen