Insanely bright 1200-nit touchscreen. Chromebooks are a dime a dozen these days, but higher-end models are still relatively uncommon. The US$999 Dragonfly Pro Chromebook stands out from the crowd with its 4x Thunderbolt ports and one of the brightest displays on any consumer laptop.
Seven years ago, HP launched the Chromebook 13 G1 retailing for almost $1000 USD or twice as much as most other Chromebooks. It promised a more elegant and professional user experience for enterprises or businesses. For 2023, HP has introduced yet another high-end Chromebook this time for WFH professionals called the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.
The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook complements the Dragonfly Pro Windows version which also launches this month. Both may appear identical at first glance, but they are different inside and out as our review below will detail.
Our review configuration ships with the 12th gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU, 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM, 256 GB NVMe SSD, and 14-inch 2560 x 1600 touchscreen for $999 USD. The two SKUs available at launch ship with the same internal hardware and differ only in color. HP plans to offer additional SKUs with 5G and eSIM later this year.
1.536 kg ( = 54.18 oz / 3.39 pounds), Power Supply: 282 g ( = 9.95 oz / 0.62 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.
While the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook and Dragonfly Pro Windows share similar chassis materials and design languages, their similarities are mostly skin deep. Everything else from the keyboard, display, ports, processor, motherboard, battery capacity, and even chassis thickness are all different between the two models. Fortunately, the Chromebook model still retains the high-end feel and rigidity of its Windows alternative. It may be 2x more expensive than a typical Chromebook like the HP Chromebook 14, but the difference in quality is immediately noticeable.
The HP model is most similar to the Apple MacBook Pro 14 or Asus Zenbook 14 in terms of weight and dimensions. It’s denser than it looks for a high quality impression without feeling heavy.
HP is the first and so far only major maker to launch a Chromebook with four integrated USB-C ports each supporting Thunderbolt devices. It’s arguable that a combination of USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI would have been more practical, but HP is banking on forward-thinking owners and USB-C adapters to do the heavy lifting.
When compared to the Dragonfly Pro Windows model, the Chromebook model comes with more USB-C ports (4 vs. 3).
There is no integrated SD reader unlike on most other Chromebooks. HP says that was a conscious decision because of the form factor they were targeting.
HP notes that this is one of the first Chromebooks with an integrated 8 MP webcam. HP laptops in general have been shipping with higher quality webcams than the competition and the trend continues here. Video quality still appears to be limited to 1080p, however.
There is unfortunately no webcam shutter feature unlike on the Dragonfly Pro Windows.
The bottom panel comes off easily with just a T5 Torx wrench much like on the Dragonfly Pro Windows. However, components remain highly integrated for no end-user upgradeability.
The retail box includes no extras other than the USB-C AC adapter. The standard one-year limited warranty applies if purchased in the US.
Keyboard layout is different from that of the Dragonfly Pro Windows model as the Chromebook model drops the column of auxiliary keys in favor of larger speaker grilles along the sides of the deck. We find this preferable, however, as the auxiliary keys on the Windows model are easy to hit by accident. The typing experience is otherwise similar.
Another difference between the keyboards is the backlighting. Whereas the Windows version has white backlighting only, the Chromebook version comes standard with RGB lighting. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook are two of the very few models to have such a feature at the moment.
The haptic clickpad is identical in size and feel to the one on the Dragonfly Pro Windows model. This means that feedback is significantly lighter, shallower, and quieter than the clickpads on most other laptops or Chromebooks. Some users may appreciate the stiffer and more MacBook-like quality to the clickpad, but we find drag and drop actions more difficult to perform due to the weaker feedback.
The ultra-bright touchscreen is one of the main highlights of the model. In fact, HP claims it has exclusive rights to use this particular panel for this Chromebook model only, at least for the time being. Even the Dragonfly Pro Windows version utilizes a different and much dimmer panel.
The panel targets a brightness of 1200 nits to be over three times brighter than any other consumer Chromebook or laptop regardless of size or price. If you like to use your Chromebook outdoors under bright conditions, then this HP was designed for you.
Brightness uniformity could be better at only 63 percent compared to ~80 percent on most other IPS laptops. Our independent measurements show a maximum brightness of 1666 nits on the very center of the screen while the edges are dimmer at “only” about 1050 nits. This is not a major issue in practice since the screen is already very bright even after accounting for the modest brightness uniformity.
A notable drawback to the touchscreen is its slow black-white and gray-gray response times. The screen is therefore not ideal for streaming fast-paced 3D games because of the noticeable ghosting.
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.4 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 63 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.5 ms).
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
49.6 ms … rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined
↗ 23.2 ms rise
↘ 26.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 82 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.6 ms).
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession – a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19287 (minimum: 5 – maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.
Running on battery does not lower the brightness ceiling of the backlight meaning users are getting the full 1200 nits or brighter display when outdoors. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is subsequently one of the best consumer laptops for outdoor viewing as most laptops are just half as bright at best. Web pages and images are not just viewable but also comfortable to the eyes because you no longer need to squint. Glare is still noticeable especially if the content is predominantly dark in color, but it’s not overwhelming or distracting.
Wide IPS viewing angles. Colors and contrast degrade only from extreme angles
The Core i5-1235U may be common on Ultrabooks, but it is on the higher-end of the performance spectrum when it comes to Chromebooks as few offer similar 12th gen Core U-series CPUs. There is no Core i7-1255U option, however; you’ll have to consider the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5 for such a processor. Nonetheless, the Core i5 CPU runs Chrome OS seamlessly and with better multi-tasking potential than current generation Snapdragon solutions.
4K video playback at 60 FPS is flawless on the unit. We’re not able to record a single dropped frame during our streaming tests.
Google Phone Hub has been available for a couple of years now for pairing Android smartphones to Chromebooks. It’s analogous to Microsoft Phone Link on Windows PCs. Unfortunately, the feature remains barebones with much fewer options than the Microsoft equivalent. You’re still limited to viewing just the four most recent photos on your smartphone, for example, and any messages on your phone require a separate pairing process and app on the Chromebook to sync. Meanwhile, Microsoft Phone Link pairs all your messages, photos, calls, and music controls in one large easy-to-navigate window. Samsung Galaxy phones even take this one step further by allowing full screen mirroring on Windows PCs. You know Google is dropping the ball when our Pixel 7 Pro pairs better on a Windows platform than on their own in-house operating system.
Phone Hub isn’t completely useless. Its fast tethering feature in particular allows the Chromebook to use your smartphone’s internet connection without having to go through additional submenus. This can be especially helpful for travelers who don’t plan on purchasing the upcoming 5G or WAN configurations of the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook.
Phone Hub is still limited to the small popup window on the bottom right of the screen
Like most other Chromebooks, the HP model is very quiet no matter the load despite it sporting an internal fan. Typical web browsing or video streaming would induce a fan noise of just 24 dB(A) against a silent background of 23 dB(A) while heavier loads like games or stress tests would induce a noise of just 27 dB(A). In general, fan noise quieter than 30 dB(A) is difficult to hear in typical office or home environments.
We can notice no coil whine or electronic noise from our unit.
Fan noise profile (White: Background, Red: System idle, Blue: 4K video streaming, Green: CPU stress test)
Surface temperatures are warmer on the right half of the laptop than on the left due to the positioning of the processor inside. When under high loads like games, the warmest spots along the rear of the chassis can be up to 10 to 14 C warmer than the coolest spots along the front of the chassis.
Average temperatures are warmer than on most other Chromebooks likely because of the tighter build of the HP. For example, the corner of the keyboard can be up to 35 C compared to 31 C on the Asus Chromebook Flip CX5. Fortunately, temperatures never become uncomfortably warm. Certain Chromebooks can run even warmer like the Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook.
33 °C 91 F
35.6 °C 96 F
35.4 °C 96 F
29.6 °C 85 F
34.8 °C 95 F
35.2 °C 95 F
25.4 °C 78 F
25 °C 77 F
28.2 °C 83 F
Maximum: 35.6 °C = 96 F Average: 31.4 °C = 89 F
38.8 °C 102 F
38 °C 100 F
35.6 °C 96 F
35.4 °C 96 F
33.8 °C 93 F
31.2 °C 88 F
31.2 °C 88 F
30 °C 86 F
28 °C 82 F
Maximum: 38.8 °C = 102 F Average: 33.6 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.) 37 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.4 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook. (+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.6 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 35.8 °C / 96 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook. (+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 39.5 °C / 103 F (+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.9 °C / 71 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F. (+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.2 °C / 82.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch. (±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (+0.1 °C / 0.1 F).
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M; Prime95 V2810 Stress (external Monitor): Ø64.9 (62.7-79.1)
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M; Cinebench R15 Multi (external Monitor): Ø65.4 (59.9-75.3)
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M; 1280×720 FurMark 1.19 GPU Stress Test (external Monitor): Ø63.5 (60-65.7)
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M; 1920×1080 The Witcher 3 ultra (external Monitor): Ø57.5 (56-59.4)
HP Dragonfly Pro 2023 R7 7736U, Radeon 680M; Idle 1min (external Monitor): Ø3.24 (2.91-4.17)
We’re able to record almost 10 hours of real-world browsing when set to a screen brightness of 150 nits which is comparable to models like the Acer Chromebook 514.
Of course, runtime decreases if on the maximum brightness setting. In this scenario, we’re only able to record a runtime of just 290 minutes which is less than half of our 150-nit setting above. This significant reduction is certainly something to keep in mind if you plan on exploiting the super-bright display on a frequent basis.
Charging from empty to full capacity is thankfully quite speedy at under 90 minutes. The 96 W GaN USB-C charger can quick charge most smartphones, tablets, and even other compatible laptops. It is essentially the HP version of the 96 W AC adapter that currently ships with the MacBook Pro 14.
+accurate sRGB colors, high contrast, and extremely bright touchscreen
+4x USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support
+high resolution webcam for a Chromebook
+balanced audio quality for the size
+high quality and compact design
Cons
–slow black-white response times; not ideal for game streaming
–some may not like the soft clickpad feedback
–no HDMI, USB-A, or SD card reader
–pricey for a Chromebook
–no WAN or 5G options
In review: HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. Test unit provided by HP
Do you really need a luxurious Chromebook with RGB keyboard, four Thunderbolt ports, and a display that’s over 3x brighter than most others? Probably not, but it’s admittedly hard to look back once you have them. The RGB lighting adds a layer of personalization not available on most other Chromebooks while the Thunderbolt ports allow for better compatibility with USB-C docking stations and monitors. Additionally, the 1200-nit display becomes invaluable in sunny outdoor environments and it is indubitably a major selling point of the model.
If the above features don’t tickle your fancy, then the $999 USD price tag can be harder to justify. Display colors are accurate to sRGB, but less expensive alternatives like the Acer Chromebook Spin 713 or Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Chromebook have sRGB-accurate displays as well with the added advantage of 360-degree hinges. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is also one of the very few Chromebook clamshells to have no USB-A ports at all which might bug some users. The similarly-priced Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook offers a much wider variety of ports in comparison. The haptic trackpad can be a mixed bag as well; MacBook users may appreciate it, but Windows users accustomed to clicky trackpads may not.
The small form factor, super-bright sRGB display, and quality construction make the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook a near-ideal travel companion for most WFH users.
Other than that, there’s very little to dislike about the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook. Audio quality is better than expected and the specs are already higher than most in the category. We hope to see a 2-in-1 model in the near future with higher refresh rate options to better exploit the bright touchscreen.
The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook is now shipping directly from HP or Google for just under $1000 USD.
HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook
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03/19/2023 v7
Allen Ngo
Connectivity
65 / 75 → 87%
Games Performance
67 / 78 → 86%
Application Performance
92 / 85 → 100%
Subnotebook – Weighted Average
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Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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Allen Ngo – Lead Editor U.S. – 5045 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There’s a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I’m not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.
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