HP ProBook
The HP ProBook 4510s is the latest 15.6" business notebook designed to provide solid performance at a low price for small and medium businesses. If your company wants the HP Elitebook 8530p but doesn't have the budget to spend $1,350 per laptop, the ProBook 4510s might be a good alternative at a starting price of just $529. Is this budget-priced business notebook destined for success? Take a look at our full review to find out.
Our pre-production review unit of the ProBook 4510s is configured as follows:
* Intel Core 2 Duo T6570 Processor (2.1GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
* Microsoft Genuine Windows Vista Business (with option for Windows XP downgrade)
* 15.6-inch LED-backlit anti-glare HD display (1366 x 768)
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
* 2GB DDR2 800MHz RAM
* 250GB 5400RPM HDD
* LightScribe DVD+/-RW Optical Drive
* WiFi (802.11a/b/g/draft-n), Ethernet, Modem, and Bluetooth Connectivity
* 8-Cell 63WHr Battery
* Limited 1-year standard parts and labor warranty
* Dimensions: 1.25" x 14.6" x 9.83"
* Weight: 5.8lbs
* Price as configured: $749
Build and Design
The HP ProBook 4510s is a business notebook designed to meet the needs of small and medium businesses ... in other words, it needs to have a good balance of features and security at a low price. That said, small and medium business notebooks tend to have a very basic build and deign in order to help bring down the cost of production. At first glance, the ProBook 4510s looks very similar to a HP EliteBook 8530p with a new keyboard and all black finish. Unfortunately, the design similarities stop there.
HP received much praise for the strong magnesium alloy chassis used in the EliteBook series of business notebooks. Unfortunately, in order to lower the cost and weight of the notebook the ProBook 4510s is constructed mostly of plastic. The base of the laptop flexes heavily under pressure, the palmrests likewise bow under the weight of your wrists, and the back of the screen lid is similarly prone to flex. The plastics used in the 4510s should hold up fine if the notebook is being used as an office desktop replacement, but the chassis might not survive multiple drops off a desk or the kind of abuse you expect from a mobile workforce. On the bright side, the new keyboard is pretty firm except for a very minor amount of flex around the directly above the optical drive (more on that later). The key point to remember in this section is that the ProBook 4510s looks pretty nice, but isn't as rugged as more expensive business notebooks.
