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HP ProBook 5330m laptop review
How our IT reviews work:We analyse reviews from the web’s most trustworthy sources, then summarise what your business needs to know in a single page. No jargon, no waffle. |
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About the HP ProBook 5330m
- Type: Compact laptop computer, designed to be portable.
- Price: Basic list price £665 including VAT.
- Consider if: You’re after a laptop to travel with, but you don’t need a super-light model or the best battery life.
Pros:
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Cons:
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HP ProBook 5330m reviews: key areas
Size, weight and overall design
Key pointsWith its aluminium and magnesium components the HP ProBook 5330m is well-made and feels up to heavy use. But this laptop looks dated and those looks will probably age more quickly than its competitors. Although compact, at 1.8kg or more (depending on the model you choose), the HP ProBook 5330m is heavier than we’d expect for this type of laptop. The keyboard has well-spaced keys and useful backlighting, but some reviews suggest it’s imprecise, with the occasional keypress not registering. |
From TechRadar:
“The word 'desirable' can't be thrown at the boxy shell, no matter how durable or slim it is. We also found the occasional key press didn't register, despite the otherwise excellent build quality.”
From Laptopmag.com:
“At first glance, the HP ProBook 5330m's keyboard looks like a good one, with large backlit keys and a deep palm rest to place your wrists on. However, in practice, we found the keys somewhat slippery and stiff. We also noticed some flex on the layout.”
Display
Key pointsThe HP ProBooks 5330m’s screen is decent. It has the standard 1366 x 768 pixel resolution you’d expect from this size of laptop. The screen has a matte coating, which makes it much easier to use in bright light than glossy screens. It has a good range of brightness settings too, making it usable both inb light and dim conditions. |
From Engadget:
“…colors look pretty accurate […], though this is hardly the most eye-popping display you'll find. Still, its 200-nit brightness helped us work comfortably for long stretches in a variety of different situations, including a fluorescent office and a more dimly lit apartment.”
From ZDNet:
“The matte 13.3in screen has a standard resolution of 1,366 by 768 pixels and sits within a fairly thick bezel. Viewing angles are good on both vertical and horizontal planes, although colours could generally be a little sharper.”
Performance and battery
Key pointsThe HP ProBook 5330m is available in a number of different specifications. You can choose an Intel i3 or more powerful i5 processor. Performance is average for this kind of laptop – even the lower-end models are fine for general business use, though it would be wise to choose a model with 4GB of memory. Battery life is poor for a computer that’s designed to be portable. You’ll probably see it last three to four hours doing general business tasks. Competitors like Dell’s Vostro V131 can manage six hours plus. There’s no high-capacity battery option either. |
From Laptopmag.com:
“It's a good thing that the HP ProBook 5330m comes with a removable battery, because business travellers are going to need a spare.”
From TechRadar:
“If you cut back to basic usage – for instance, working on your accounts or bashing out emails – then you should manage just over three hours. However, considering our average daily commute is perilously close to that, we still found ourselves lugging the charger wherever we went.”
Storage and connections
Key pointsThere are two storage options to choose from: a fairly standard 500GB hard drive (with plenty of space for lots of files) or a faster and more expensive solid state drive (SSD). For most people the standard hard drive will perform fine, but the SSD option is good if you want the computer to turn on and programs to load more quickly. It’s a shame there’s no built-in DVD drive as other laptops this weight manage to include one. However, the HP ProBook 5330m has most other connections you might need, including three USB jacks and an external monitor connection. Some models come with a built-in 3G modem, which is useful if you use mobile internet access a lot. |
From ZDNet:
“It's unfortunate that HP has not been able to fit an optical drive into the ProBook 5330m chassis — as manufacturers of some other similarly sized notebooks do.”
From Engadget:
“The 5330m's port list includes three USB 2.0 ports, including one that doubles as an eSATA connector. It also has a fingerprint reader, HDMI and VGA-out, an Ethernet jack, a Kensington lock slot, an SD / MMC memory card slot, and a combined headphone / mic port.”
HP ProBook 5330m review: conclusions
What you need to knowFirst impressions are that this is a solid, no-nonsense business laptop. It’s really well put together, if not the most stylish in its class. Performance is reasonable and it stands up well to its competitors in terms of price and specification. Unfortunately the poor battery life really affects the usefulness of this laptop. There are also some question marks over the quality of the keyboard. |
Our recommendation
If you’re looking for a business laptop to use mainly at your desk, the model with the i5 processor and 4GB memory should do the job. Expect to pay around £730, including VAT.
However, the battery life issue means that there are better options for anyone looking for a PC to use on the move.
Read full HP ProBook 5330m reviews
This review uses information we’ve drawn from other authoritative review websites. Read their full HP ProBook 5330m reviews:
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