The use of a laptop for work is becoming increasingly common. Therefore, it is not surprising that the popularity of mobile workstations has increased significantly. Devices in this segment are primarily intended to guarantee the ability to smoothly use the most popular programs for graphics processing, video or programming. HP Zbook Studio G8 is one of the proposals aimed at professional users. People who expect from laptops, first of all, excellent performance and coping with any task. Read our evaluation of the device.
Advantages
The first element that deserves a mention is the build quality. The casing was made of aluminum. As a result, it was possible to get the feeling of working on premium segment hardware. In addition, a very high rigidity of the structure has been maintained, which is further improved by the excellent fit of all the components together. It was also possible to keep the weight of the hardware low, which is only 1.8 kg. The laptop has been tested in demanding tests that check the resistance to shock and vibration that occur during travel.
What really deserves a huge mention for the laptop is its screen. For the best visual experience, the manufacturer has opted for an IPS matrix, which supports Full HD resolution. The matte coating of the screen definitely improves the comfort of working in full sunlight and ensures that no reflections appear on the screen.
The keyboard action and comfortable touchpad are also a very big plus. The keyboard has a standard key layout without a number block. It offers a pleasant stroke and backlighting, which makes working at night more comfortable. The touchpad, meanwhile, is large in size and the tile allows for precise cursor control. The keys themselves, built into the tile, operate quietly.
The speakers also look good. They have opted for a solution from Bang&Olufsen. The speakers guarantee very good sound quality and play loud enough. As a result, the laptop can be successfully used without an additional headset.
The Intel Core i9-11900H processor is one of the more powerful units installed in mobile notebooks. The processor offers a clock speed of 2.5-4.9 GHz and is equipped with as many as 8 cores. Thanks to this it can handle all tasks. It was decided to use 32 GB of RAM. A 1TB SSD has been prepared for data storage. Thanks to the connection to the PCIe interface, high data transfer speed is guaranteed. The graphics card is NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, and the card is suitable for demanding tasks. As a result, the HP Zbook Studio G8 will perform well in graphics processing, video content and playing more demanding game titles.
During daily operation, the HP Zbook Studio G8 runs quite quietly and operating temperatures are quite satisfactory. When working under a heavy load (games, demanding programs), the fans make quite a bit of noise and in terms of operating culture resemble fans known from gaming devices.
Disadvantages
A small drawback of the device is battery life. Here, the competition, which easily exceeds 8 hours of work on a charge very much overtakes the proposal from HP. The short operating time of the HP Zbook Studio G8 is particularly noticeable when working under a heavy load. In such a situation, already after less than 2 hours, you may find it necessary to plug in the equipment to the power supply (*with such powerful components, the results are not so bad).
Also striking is the relatively small number of sockets that allow you to connect peripheral devices. The hardware offers a mini-HDMI port, 2 x USB Type C (Thunderbolt and DisplayPort), audio port, USB Type A. The small number of sockets allowed to reduce the size of the hardware, but at the same time may be insufficient in some cases.
Summary of advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Very good screen
- Great keyboard and touchpad for comfortable work
- Good speakers
- Great workmanship
- High mobility and low weight
Disadvantages:
- Average battery life
- A tad too few ports
- A tad too high price
Summary
HP Zbook Studio G8 is a mobile workstation that is aimed at professional users. The device from HP has many undeniable advantages and can be a sensational choice in many situations. However, it also has some disadvantages that competing solutions do not. Therefore, making a final decision to purchase the equipment is worth thinking carefully and considering whether a laptop from HP will actually fully meet your needs.
