HP’s Dragonfly Pro laptops: Colorful, customizable and complication-free | Engadget

Of all the brand new merchandise HP is exhibiting off at CES this yr, arguably probably the most noteworthy is a pair of recent Dragonfly laptops. Adapted from the enterprise-centric Elite Dragonfly collection, the brand new Dragonfly Pro and Dragonfly Pro Chromebook are designed for customers who’re overwhelmed by specs. HP believes that for some folks, having to select from 30 completely different laptop computer configurations of RAM, storage and different choices is a deterrent. For that purpose, the Dragonfly Pro and Pro Chromebook are available preset configurations and you actually solely must resolve whether or not you need the Pro or the Chromebook (although for the Pro you possibly can select one among two preconfigured fashions).

Both notebooks have 14-inch screens, with the Chromebook for some purpose that includes the next decision of two,560 x 1,600. The Windows machine, in the meantime, runs at 1,920 x 1,200. Both programs are additionally pretty comparable in dimension, measuring virtually precisely the identical, although the Chromebook is 0.2 kilos lighter.

Frankly, I used to be a little bit underwhelmed by the design of each new Dragonfly laptops. I’ve grown used to the modern chassis, premium finishes and enticing design of the Elite Dragonfly collection, and the patron fashions are just a bit much less refined. Put it this manner: If the Elite Dragonfly units have been Hermes luggage, then the Dragonfly Pro and Pro Chromebook are Michael Kors purses. Still handsome, however not fairly as high-end.

The two machines are completely different in quirky methods. For instance, the Chromebook has an 8-megapixel webcam and has an LCD that will get as shiny as 1,200 nits, whereas the Windows model packs a 5MP IR digital camera with a shutter and solely goes as much as 400 nits. The Pro additionally has a haptic trackpad and a fingerprint scanner, in addition to Gorilla Glass on its display.

The Chromebook doesn’t have any of these, however it sports activities an RGB keyboard that provides customizable colours. Using HP’s software program, I may decide any shade on a spectrum or use the rainbow template, which is the one strategy to get the keyboard to point out a couple of colour concurrently.

HP additionally collaborated with Google on the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook’s software program to include a component of the Material You UI from Android. Using the laptop computer’s particular software program, you possibly can decide one among a collection of wallpapers and have the system decide what the picture’s dominant colours are. It will then generate some hues so that you can set as the pc’s colour scheme.

While the Pro Chromebook comes with a Twelfth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, the Windows model solely makes use of AMD processors. In truth, HP labored with AMD on a customized Ryzen 7 chip for the Dragonfly Pro, utilizing the chip maker’s adaptive platform administration framework to steadiness energy consumption and velocity boosts when needed.

Possibly probably the most fascinating characteristic of the Dragonfly Pro lies on its keyboard. Specifically, HP added a column of 4 sizzling keys to the correct, providing shortcuts to a brand new management middle, 24/7 devoted tech help, digital camera settings and a programmable button. The management middle is a portal containing varied completely different settings that used to exist in separate HP apps, whereas the corporate is launching a help concierge service only for Dragonfly homeowners to reply questions particular to the collection. These are staffed by precise individuals who HP says can have been skilled on the Dragonfly Pro machines.

The digital camera settings button pulls up HP’s as-yet-unnamed app that provides system-level controls over the feed that apps like Zoom, Meet or Teams obtain. I used to be ready to make use of the app to tweak the depth of the background blur, compensate for low mild or backlighting or hold a topic in body. I used to be significantly impressed by the important thing framing software that principally acts like a inexperienced display to take away elements of the background. Since the software program on the demo wasn’t last, I can’t vouch for its efficiency, and I didn’t apply it to an precise name.

Finally, the programmable key will be set as much as launch an app like Excel or Outlook, or go straight to an internet site on the default browser or open a file or folder. There’s no choice to stack actions in the mean time, so the usefulness of this button feels pretty restricted. Still, it’s good to have an choice for steadily used packages.

Both the Dragonfly Pro and Pro Chromebook’s batteries ought to last as long as 16 hours relying on how you utilize them, and help quick cost to get you to 50 % in half-hour. The Dragonfly Pro and Pro Chromebook might be out there this spring, and do not supplant the corporate’s present flagship Spectre collection. HP hasn’t shared pricing data but, so we’ll doubtless have to attend until nearer to retail availability to seek out that out.