HP EliteBook 865 G9 Laptop review - 1000-nits Sure View display not quite up to par

[Redaktion]

HP's EliteBook 865 G9 is a high-quality business notebook with the newest AMD hardware and integrated LTE connectivity. The EliteBook has the potential to be one of the best business notebooks around - but the Sure View display in our test unit ruined our good impression despite its luminosity.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/HP-EliteBook-865-G9-Laptop-review-1000-nits-Sure-View-display-not-quite-up-to-par.675587.0.html

[LaptopRecon]

Once again, a big thank you to the NBC team for delivering some of the most in-depth laptop reviews out there. It's truly great to see HP still caring about great build quality and upgradability in their business lineups (looking at you Lenovo, becoming more Macbook-ish with every iteration...)

But enough about that. Something's been bugging me while reading the Elitebook reviews. These machines from factory have been configured with a single RAM stick, which has an immense impact on the Ryzen APU's performance, especially its iGPU. It's underperforming like h*ll. I understand that for objectivity's sake you must test them as-is, but it can be problematic in some ways.

Currently there arent't many Radeon 680M performance reviews on the site, and the specifications tested are really mixed, as in, some have soldered LPDDR5 with higher frequencies and lower TDP settings (Asus Vivobook OLED/Ideapad 5 Pro), and then there are these Elitebooks with 2 SODIMM slots and higher TDP (845 G9 can maintain 41W). By testing Elitebooks with no RAM upgrade, it's really unfair and misleading when people compare and see that somehow Elitebooks' graphics performance only match an Intel Xe 96 EUs, compared to other competitors. They can be far better, and overseas Chinese stores have been selling them with proper quad-channel RAM configuration. In the past, the team too had installed extra memory while reviewing in order to level the playing field. Why can't the same be done for these great laptops?

At the end of this long-winded reply, all I'm really asking for is a retest of the Elitebooks but with added RAM to objectively show their true capablities and to better inform future readers along with anyone who might reference the benchmark figures.

I wish all editors and the whole team to have a good day.
Recon out.

[NikoB]

As soon as the ruler has lost a reliable right angled power plug on the right in addition to usb-c, it is no longer of interest. Especially right-handers who are the majority on the planet. Against this background, everything else, including a stupid keyboard with a power button next to the backspace, can already be ignored.

The last normal 8 series laptop is G8 855.
RIP 8 series....

[NikoB]

Sometime in 2018, the Omen series was the best case and keyboard among gaming laptops. But this series has long been RIP ...

[drntr]

I use older 845 models for my business and i can honestly say that HP laptops have been a godsend. Considering they are cheaper as they are older, the performance/quality/price ratio has been amazing.

This new model seems better in all aspects.

While sureview is "problematic" its been a godsend in rare but very specific scenarios for me while travelling.

Its needed by very specific people who know they need it. Its not often but when it happens you are happy you have it.

in our use case scenarios, the laptops are docked so there are monitors used, which diminish the sub par display quality.

While i can understand why this was added as a negative its also not necessarily  one either.

I was sceptical for HP as ive been using macs in the last 10+ years but as a business owner Ive had a great experience and highly recommend.

Ram is annoying for sure but fairly easy to fix.

[Russel]

Omen laptop screens have this wobble. And the elitebook has pwm flickering.
Not good for me just from those xD

[NikoB]

It is easy to replace the screen of any laptop with a panel from LG in 1 hour with your own hands - they never flicker on any tests. This is definitely not a problem today if you like everything else in a laptop. I changed, it's not difficult.

[Russel]

Thanks for the info. 👍

[Russel]

Could you guys tell me if this also has the same issue the 845 has? I mean the glue coming off.
Also, how good is wolf pro security?

[Domas]

Hi NikoB,

I am curious about changing my laptop panel. Could you pleae advise where I could buy LG panel and how to know which model would fit the laptop?

It is easy to replace the screen of any laptop with a panel from LG in 1 hour with your own hands - they never flicker on any tests. This is definitely not a problem today if you like everything else in a laptop. I changed, it's not difficult.

[NikoB]

If you already know the exact dimensions, panel interface and electrical limits, then searching for the panel you need is easy on panelook.com. Then, having decided on the panel (or several options), first go to search in local stores (some even provide the service of installing the panel right in front of you in half an hour or an hour, drink coffee), if you don't find it, look in the companies of your country and if you don't find it, eBay, Ali and etc. After carefully discussing with the seller that you will definitely get the right model, because often the Chinese sellers cheat and write in the description several options (even cheaper ones) and send them randomly. This is the usual careful choice of a competent buyer and, in general, an adult capable person. I see no problem finding it all on my own.

As I already wrote, if you need 100% confidence with a flicker free model, take only LG. Otherwise, there are many more choices.

[NikoB]

Before installing the panel, be sure to watch a few videos on YouTube, usually there are even videos on the laptop model you need. Prepare in advance all the tools and high-quality double-sided adhesive tape - it will also be required for attaching the panel to the back - all the slim models are on it and for attaching the front frame from below - there should be very high-quality and powerful adhesive tape in there - ordinary, which are often sold in hardware stores can be too weak and the frame from below will move away, dust will gradually accumulate there.