A Principled Technologies report: Hands-on testing. Real-world results.

The HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC: Work a typical business day with no strings (or power cables) attached

A comparison to a Dell Latitude 3440 laptop

Enjoy up to 9 hours and 47 minutes of uninterrupted battery life based on MobileMark 2018 results. With Windows power set to “best power efficiency” mode. Switch to battery without gutting system performance based on PassMark, Procyon, Cinebench, and 3DMark results. Get comfortable with a system that stays quiet without overheating based on hot-spot temp and acoustic readings under load.

For the modern remote and hybrid workforce, any space could become a workspace. In fact, because boredom can tank productivity and new scenery can have positive mental health effects,1 changing environments during the workday can be beneficial—both for employees and for organizations’ bottom lines. The devices that these mobile trailblazers use should empower remote work with extensive battery life, high performance, and as little distracting noise and heat output as possible. Hands-on testing can help paint a picture of which devices could deliver the performance workers need to carry out a productive day on the go.

At PT, we used industry-standard benchmarks to compare multiple types of plugged-in and unplugged system performance in addition to battery life on an HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor and a Dell Latitude 3440 laptop powered by an Intel® Core i5-1335U processor. To determine potential system performance degradation while working unplugged, we ran these benchmarks twice—once while the devices were plugged in and again when they were unplugged. In addition, we examined how hot and loud each became while running a CPU-intensive workload. We found that on most tests the HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor outperformed the Dell Latitude 3440 laptop powered by an Intel Core i5-1335U processor.

What we tested

Before we started testing, we set both 14-inch business laptops to “best performance” power mode. For the MobileMark battery life tests, we conducted both “best performance” and “best power efficiency” power mode comparisons. We also set screen brightness to 205 nits for the MobileMark 2018 battery life tests and 235 nits for the MobileMark 25 battery life tests. Other than making and verifying those changes, we used out-of-box OEM performance settings.

HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC. AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor (GHz 2.0 – 4.5) with Radeon graphics. 6 cores with 12 threads. 16 GB of dual-channel memory. 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. 43 WHr battery. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop. Intel Core i5-1335U processor (GHz 1.3 – 4.6) with integrated Intel UHD graphics. 10 cores with 12 threads. 16 GB of single-channel memory. 256 GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. 42 WHr battery.

We ran the following performance-based benchmark tests twice—once with the laptops plugged in and again with them unplugged in “best performance” power mode:

  • PassMark PerformanceTest 11
  • Procyon® Video Editing Benchmark
  • Cinebench R23
  • 3DMark Fire Strike
  • 3DMark Time Spy

To test battery life and efficiency, we ran MobileMark 2018 and MobileMark 25 benchmarks twice—once in “best performance” power mode and again in “best power efficiency” power mode. For our surface temperature tests, we ran a sustained CPU-intensive Cinebench R23 workload for 50 minutes, taking keyboard and bottom hot spot temperature readings every ten minutes. We then ran the CPU-intensive Cinebench R23 workload again for 20 minutes to record how much noise each device’s fan produced under load.

The benchmark scores and battery life results we report reflect the specific configurations we tested. Any difference in the configurations you test, as well as screen brightness, network traffic, or software additions, can affect these results. For a deeper dive into our testing parameters and procedures, see the science behind the report.

Performance benchmark results: Switch to battery without gutting performance

Being able to work unplugged without experiencing a steep drop in system performance is vital for anyone on the move or without access to a convenient power source. So, we ran the following benchmarks twice, first with plugged-in devices and again unplugged.

Check items off the to-do list faster

PassMark PerformanceTest is a productivity benchmark that gathers CPU, disk, memory, and 2D/3D graphics performance metrics before combining the individual component metrics to create a single, overall score, called the PassMark rating. The bigger the overall rating number, the faster the computer.5

Chart of PassMark PerformanceTest plugged-in vs. unplugged performance benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a 3,953.3 plugged-in score and 3,511.4 unplugged score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a 3,515.0 plugged-in score and 2,735.9 unplugged score. Only a 11.1 percent performance drop with the ProBook 445 G10 vs. a 22.1 percent drop with the Latitude 3440 laptop.
PassMark PerformanceTest benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies

Better handle demanding workloads

The Procyon Video Editing Benchmark uses Adobe® Premiere® Pro to “ensure that the benchmark score reflects the real-world performance of the whole system.”6 Cinebench R23 measures system performance by completing common Cinema 4D tasks that tax multiple CPU cores and modern processor features.7 The 3DMark Fire Strike and 3DMark Time Spy game-based benchmarks stress the CPU and GPU to gauge how well systems handle ambitious real-time graphics.8 Note: The batteries of both laptops ran out of power before the Procyon Video Editing Benchmark finished its unplugged tests.

Chart of Procyon Video Editing Benchmark plugged-in vs. unplugged performance results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a 1,781 plugged-in score and no unplugged score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a 1,313 plugged-in score and no unplugged score. Both batteries died before test completion.
Procyon Video Editing Benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of Cinebench R23 plugged-in vs. unplugged performance multi-core benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a 8,145 plugged-in score and 7,985 unplugged score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a 8,194 plugged-in score and 6,332 unplugged score. Only a 2.0 percent performance drop with the ProBook 445 G10 vs. a 22.7 percent drop with the Latitude 3440 laptop.
Cinebench R23 (multi-core) benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of 3DMark Fire Strike plugged-in vs. unplugged performance benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a 3,471 plugged-in score and 3,390 unplugged score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a 2,692 plugged-in score and 2,623 unplugged score. Only a 2.3 percent performance drop with the ProBook 445 G10 vs. a 2.5 percent drop with the Latitude 3440 laptop.
3DMark Fire Strike benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of 3Dmark Time Spy plugged-in vs. unplugged performance benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a 1,360 plugged-in score and 1,335 unplugged score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a 1,162 plugged-in score and 1,121 unplugged score. Only a 1.8 percent performance drop with the ProBook 445 G10 vs. a 3.5 percent drop with the Latitude 3440 laptop.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.

Battery life and efficiency results: Stretch on-the-go productivity by hours

Many manufacturers provide battery life estimates that are the equivalent of burdenless walk times: The average adult can complete a 10-mile walk in between 2.5 and 3 hours. Our battery life tests are more like 10-mile endurance races. MobileMark 2018 measures battery life and performance at the same time. It uses real applications, workloads, and data sets to quantify how overall system performance affects the user experience.9 MobileMark 25 puts devices through scenarios based on the real-world applications and activities business users encounter every day.10 In these MobileMark battery life tests, we ask each laptop to carry a 25-pound pack and whistle a tune while climbing a mountain. In lesser laptops, this added burden can greatly affect performance.

Chart of MobileMark 2018 “best power efficiency” mode battery life testing (205 nits) benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has 9 hours and 47 minutes of battery life, 13.7 minutes per WHr, and a 675 performance score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has 6 hours and 58 minutes of battery life, 10.0 minutes per WHr, and a 529 performance score.
MobileMark 2018 battery life (“best power efficiency” mode) benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of MobileMark 2018 “best performance” mode battery life testing (205 nits) benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has 7 hours and 55 minutes of battery life, 11.0 minutes per WHr, and a 1,248 performance score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has 6 hours and 8 minutes of battery life, 8.8 minutes per WHr, and a 1,267 performance score.
MobileMark 2018 battery life (“best performance” mode) benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of MobileMark 25 “best power efficiency” mode battery life testing (235 nits) benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has 7 hours and 54 minutes of battery life, 11.0 minutes per WHr, and a 243 performance score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has 6 hours and 7 minutes of battery life, 8.7 minutes per WHr, and a 160 performance score.
MobileMark 25 battery life (“best power efficiency” mode) benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies.
Chart of MobileMark 25 “best performance” mode battery life testing (235 nits) benchmark results. Higher is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has 7 hours and 34 minutes of battery life, 10.6 minutes per WHr, and a 392 performance score. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has 5 hours and 10 minutes of battery life, 7.4 minutes per WHr, and a 316 performance score.
MobileMark 25 battery life (best “performance mode”) benchmark results. Higher is better. Source: Principled Technologies..

For more information on the test devices, our screen brightness (nit) choices, and testing parameters and procedures, see the science behind the report.

Thermal testing results: Work without overheating

High-performance processors put off a lot of heat—but laptop manufacturers understand that and dissipate the heat to keep both users and the hardware safe from harm. So, what’s an acceptable temperature when laptops are running resource-intensive loads such as the Cinebench R23 workload we ran for 50 minutes? According to the Make Use Of newsletter, anything under 140°F/60°C is “perfect” in computer-land.11 To see how each laptop compared, we took temperature readings every 10 minutes. The HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor kept its cool at 108.5°F on the top hot spot and 131.3°F on the bottom hot spot.

The higher Cinebench R23 performance scores and comfortable surface temps make the HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor an appealing choice for anyone who’s not sitting behind a desk while they get things done.

Chart of thermal performance and surface temps during a sustained Cinebench R23 workload results. Higher performance scores are better and lower temps are better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC has a sustained score of 7,977, keyboard deck temp of 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and underside temp of 131.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Dell Latitude 3440 laptop has a sustained score of 6,082, keyboard deck temp of 106.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and underside temp of 122.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thermal testing results. A higher score is better, and lower temperatures are better. Source: Principled Technologies.

Acoustic testing results: Keep the noise down

A noisy laptop can be a distraction for anyone, especially mobile trailblazers trying to complete the items on their to-do lists as quickly as possible. When we measured the noise levels of each device while idle and while running a Cinebench R23 multi-core workload, we saw that their average noise levels were roughly comparable, varying by fewer than three decibels. For scale, normal breathing is 10dBA, and 30dbA to 40dbA are akin to nearby whispering and quiet library sounds.12

Chart of acoustic testing results in A-weighted decibels under load over time. Lower is better. HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC and Dell Latitude 3440 laptop average noise levels were roughly comparable, varying by fewer than three decibels.
Acoustic testing results, in A-weighted decibels. Lower is better. Source: Principled Technologies.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when investing in new business laptops. By looking at real-world system performance and battery life from multiple angles, you can get a better overall view of what will potentially work best for your specific needs. In our hands-on performance, battery life, heat, and sound tests, we found that a HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor achieved mostly higher benchmark scores–both plugged-in and unplugged—compared to a Dell Latitude 3440 laptop powered by an Intel Core i5-1335U processor. The HP ProBook 445 G10 also kept its cool and stayed quiet while running a CPU-intensive Cinebench R23 workload.

  1. Enjio, “8 Why A Change of Scenery Boosts Remote Work Productivity,” accessed July 13, 2023, https://www.enjiohq.com/post/8-why-a-change-of-scenery-boosts-remote-work-productivity.
  2. HP, “HP ProBook 445 G10 Notebook PC – Customizable,” accessed June 19, 2023, https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-probook-445-g10-notebook-pc-customizable-70z72av-mb.
  3. AMD, “AMD Extends its Leadership with the Introduction of its Broadest Portfolio of High-Performance PC Products for Mobile and Desktop,” accessed June 19, 2023, https://www.amd.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-1-4-amd-extends-its-leadership-with-the-introduction-o.html.
  4. AMD, “AMD Ryzen 5 7530U,” accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.amd.com/en/products/apu/amd-ryzen-5-7530u.
  5. PassMark Software, “PerformanceTest FAQ,” accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.passmark.com/support/performancetest_faq/understanding-results.php.
  6. UL Solutions, “UL Procyon® Video Editing Benchmark,” accessed June 20, 2023, https://benchmarks.ul.com/procyon/video-editing-benchmark.
  7. Maxon, “Cinebench R23,” accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.maxon.net/en/cinebench.
  8. UL Solutions, “3DMark benchmarks” accessed June 20, 2023, https://benchmarks.ul.com/3dmark.
  9. BAPCo, “BAPCo® MobileMark® 2018 White Paper,” accessed June 19, 2023, https://bapco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MobileMark_2018_White_Paper_v0.1.pdf.
  10. BAPCo, MobileMark® 25,” accessed June 19, 2023, https://bapco.com/products/mobilemark-25/.
  11. Philip Bates, “PC Operating Temperatures: How Hot Is Too Hot?” accessed June 19, 2023, https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/pc-operating-temperatures-hot-hot.
  12. Elena McPhillips, “Noise levels of everyday sounds,” accessed June 20, 2023, https://www.audicus.com/noise-levels-of-everyday-sounds/.

This project was commissioned by HP and AMD.

August 2023

Principled Technologies is a registered trademark of Principled Technologies, Inc.

All other product names are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Forgot your password?