HP ZBook Firefly 16 G9 review – great build quality but disappointing performance

Design and construction

This completely-aluminum device has a pretty strong chassis. It has a 19.3mm profile, while the weight stands at 1.80 kg. Models with the larger 76Wh battery are a bit heavier – 1.94 kg, but it would definitely be worth it.

The design is in line with the other ZBook brand members with the large “Z” logo on the lid, and the sleek rounded edges are really comfortable on your wrists. Well, it might make gripping the device with your fingers a little more difficult.

Nevertheless, you can open the lid with one hand (if you manage to grip it). The bezels around the matte display are very thin – it looks like HP is doing a really good job with space management. In addition, you will find a 5MP Web camera above the display, as well as a privacy shutter, and an IR face recognition scanner.

Now, a look at the base reveals the full-sized NumberPad keyboard. It has a backlight, and it’s spill-resistant. The key travel is long, while the feedback is clicky. We are very happy with this unit. Below to the right, there is the fingerprint reader.

In the middle, you get a large touchpad. Its glass surface makes for very smooth gliding, while the tracking is really accurate and
responsive.

Moving to the bottom panel, we see two speaker cutouts, as well as a ventilation grill. Unfortunately, the hot air is exhausted through a rather small vent in between the lid and the base of the device.

Ports

On the left side, there is an HDMI 2.0 connector, followed by a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, two Thunderbolt 4 connectors, and a Smart Card reader. Then, on the right, there is an audio jack, another USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, a security lock slot, and a push-to-access SIM card tray.

Author: Alex Iliev

Author: eng. Kroum NikolovHead of Engineering at LaptopMedia.com, inventor and innovator with 40+ years of experience in electronics and high technology.

Subscribe

Notify of

new follow-up commentsnew replies to my comments

I allow to use my email address and send notification about new comments and replies (you can unsubscribe at any time).

{} [+]

Name*

Email*

Website

I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

The comment form collects your name, email, and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

{} [+]

Name*

Email*

Website

I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

The comment form collects your name, email, and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments