The laptop was announced at CES 2023 to be one of the hottest business laptops of the year. This fourth-generation version has ditched the “Elite” branding but is still the successor to the HP Elite Dragonfly G3, and it’s one of our top picks when it comes to laptops you can buy today. The Dragonfly G4 hasn’t changed much physically, carrying forward the redesigned look that only last year’s G3 model got. HP has instead focused on boosting performance by boosting conferencing with new camera technologies and increasing battery life with smart power-saving additions. Let’s take a look at exactly how the HP Dragonfly G4 and Elite Dragonfly G3 compare to help you decide if it’s worth the upgrade.
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Source: HP
Article contents
HP Dragon Fly G4
The HP Dragonfly G4 introduces 13th Generation Intel Core processors, new collaboration tools, and better power management compared to the Elite Dragonfly G3. A Spring 2023 launch is expected and may be worth upgrading for those who collaborate online often.
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Source: HP
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
HP’s Elite Dragonfly G3 is one of the best laptops you can buy for work or otherwise. If you don’t mind missing out on the performance bump and some of the new collaboration tools available in the Dragonfly G4, it should be a perfect fit for your workflow. Just be prepared to pay a high price.
Price, availability and specifications
The new HP Dragonfly G4 was recently announced at CES 2023 and there’s still no firm starting price. We know that a Spring 2023 launch is expected.
The older HP Elite Dragonfly G3 is still readily available on HP’s official website, as well as some third-party retailers such as Amazon. If you’re shopping directly from HP, prices start at around $1,839 before any discounts. Introductory models have a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U processor (CPU), 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and a 13.5-inch FHD+ touchscreen. . Going by a Core i7-1265U vPro CPU, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, 3K2K OLED display, and 5G connectivity, the whole thing costs about $4,000.
Here’s a look at the specifications that are available on each laptop.
HP Dragon Fly G4
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
Operating System
- Windows 11 Pro operating system
- Windows 10 Pro operating system
- Free Dos
CPU
- Intel 12th Generation Mobile Phones
- Core i5-1235U
- Core i5-1245U vPro
- Core i7-1255U
- Core i7-1265U vPro
graphics
- Intel Iris Xe (Integrated)
an offer
- 13.5 inches, aspect ratio 3:2
- 1920 x 1280 (FHD+), 400 nits, touch (optional), anti-glare (optional)
- 1920 x 1280 (FHD+), 1000 nits (optional), sure display mirroring
- 3000×2000 (3K2K), OLED, 400 nits, touch
- 13.5 inches, aspect ratio 3:2
- 1920 x 1280 (FHD+), 400 nits, touch (optional), anti-glare (optional)
- 1920 x 1280 (FHD+), 1000 nits (optional), sure display mirroring
- 3000×2000 (3K2K), OLED, 400 nits, touch
storage
- Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
- standard or encrypted
- Up to 1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
- standard or encrypted
memory
- up to 32GB LPDDR5
- soldered
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5-6400MHz
- soldered
battery
Al-Moanae
- Two Thunderbolt 4
- USB-A (5Gbps)
- HDMI 2.0 port
- Nano SIM (Optional)
- 3.5mm audio
- Two Thunderbolt 4
- USB-A (5Gbps)
- HDMI 2.0 port
- Nano SIM (Optional)
- 3.5mm audio
My voice
- B&O Quad Speakers
- separate speakers
- Top edge dual microphone
- B&O Quad Speakers
- separate speakers
- Top edge dual microphone
camera
- 5MP, 88° FOV
- Definitely shutter
Windows Hello
- infrared camera
- Fingerprint reader
- infrared camera
- Fingerprint reader
Wireless
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.3
- 4G LTE / 5G (Optional)
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.2
- 4G LTE / 5G (Optional)
the color
- blue slate
- natural silver
- blue slate
- natural silver
Dimensions
- 11.7 x 8.67 x 0.65 in (297.4 mm x 220.4 mm x 16.4 mm)
- 11.7 x 8.67 x 0.65 in (297.4 mm x 220.4 mm x 16.4 mm)
Weight
Starting price
Design and features
HP Dragon Fly G4
The Elite Dragonfly G3 is a huge step away from the first two generations in terms of design. In fact, it’s been largely completely redesigned as a clamshell form factor starting at around 2.2 lbs (.999 kg). This is made possible by a combination of durable and lightweight magnesium and aluminum. The Elite Dragonfly G3 is available in Slate Blue and Natural Silver colors to add a bit of variety, though it appears HP only offers the former color on a regular basis. The Dragonfly G4 uses the same design with the same weight and dimensions, and will be available in Slate Blue and Natural Silver colours. The edges of the case are slightly rounded for a more comfortable grip, and the laptops are generally quite nimble. If you travel a lot, either generation will be a perfect fit.
The ports haven’t changed for the new generation, and you still get a generous mix that will handle most everyday connections. The laptops have two Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm audio, and an optional Nano SIM slot if you opt for 5G (which is available on both laptops). Unfortunately, there are no microSD or SD card readers, but you can always add one to expand your connectivity. That will cover either.
HP hasn’t changed the Dragonfly G4’s keyboard, and that’s a good thing. In our article, senior editor João Carrasqueira noted, “The keyboard is one of the best in a laptop.” It’s backlit, the keys are well spaced, the keycaps are large with large font size, and the actuation force is perfect. If you type a lot every day, one of these two devices would be a great choice. Even the precision touchpad is oversized to facilitate pointing and shortcut gestures.
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
The Elite Dragonfly G3’s 5MP camera offers separate RGB and IR parts for a better picture. It’s one of the best webcams in any laptop today, powered by built-in software that can automatically put you in the center of an image, enhance dark room lighting, background blur, and filter out blemishes for a smoother look. The Dragonfly G4 retains all of these features but also adds HP’s new Natural Tone feature that makes skin look more like it does in real life.
Also new to the Dragonfly G4 is multi-camera support to aid in professional videoconferencing. With an extra camera on hand, you can basically get a second stream from, say, a document, whiteboard, or something sitting on a desk. HP’s automatic camera selection recognizes where you are and keeps you centered, while HP Keystone Correction can automatically adjust other camera feeds to display a cropped, flat image of a document or whiteboard. If you often find yourself applying online, these new camera features may nudge you toward the newer model.
Security is excellent on both mobile devices. Combined with an infrared camera and fingerprint reader for biometric logins through Windows Hello, the camera shutter adds some extra privacy. The HP Wolf Security Pack is available with additional malware and virus protection, and each laptop comes with a suite of HP security solutions such as HP Sure Sense, HP Sure Start, HP Sure Admin, HP Sure Run, HP Sure Recover, and HP Tamper Lock. These laptops are designed for professionals and have the security to keep your data safe.
an offer
HP Dragon Fly G4
Nothing has really changed between generations when it comes to available displays, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Both laptops have a 13.5-inch screen with a 3:2 aspect ratio for more viewing space, and they both have a bunch of different options to better suit your needs. The most affordable ones have a resolution of 1920 x 1280, a brightness of 400 nits, and an optional touch and anti-glare finish.
One step forward is HP Sure View Reflect displays, which add the perfect layer of privacy for those who often work in public places. The brightness of these screens goes up to 1,000 nits to make up for the privacy layer, and touch is an option. Finally, the 3000 x 2000 displays use an OLED panel for the best possible color and contrast. It’s touchscreen and has a brightness of 400 nits.
You should be able to get something that works for you. FHD+ screens will provide better battery life, Sure View privacy screens are great for keeping your data safe, and the 3K2K OLED screen is there if you want the extra pixels, color, and contrast.
performance and battery
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
The Elite Dragonfly G3’s combo of 12th Gen Intel Core U-series CPUs, LPDDR5-6400MHz RAM, and M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is so powerful you shouldn’t have any problems powering through business productivity. Yes, P series CPUs may offer more oomph, but higher TDP means more heat and more draw on the battery. In our testing, the Elite Dragonfly G3 lasted more than eight hours on a charge when doing regular productivity work, including heavy browsing, OneNote, Skype, and Photoshop.
HP moved to Intel’s latest 13th-generation Raptor Lake mobile chips for the Dragonfly G4. We don’t yet have specific SKUs to work with, but you can expect a typical performance bump. We’ll have more information once we’re able to test the Dragonfly G4.
What we do know is that the G4 models come with a new power-saving feature called HP Smart Sense. It intelligently manages power to keep the laptop cool and cool when performing normal tasks, and it allows the laptop to draw more power when demanding tasks are needed. When you’re not using your laptop, HP’s Intelligent Hibernate takes over the job of learning about your work habits and better conserving battery when it’s idle. And finally, if you’re using an OLED model, a new power-saving feature will help extend battery life.
Is the HP Dragonfly G4 worth an upgrade?
HP Dragon Fly G4
Given the hefty asking price of these laptops, most people who already have the Elite Dragonfly G3 won’t need to move up to the Dragonfly G4. Sure, the performance boost from 13th-generation Intel chips is nice, but 12th-generation machines will still handle just about anything you want. The design hasn’t really changed, so it’s not like you’re getting a new form factor or lighter build. New power features will help extend battery life, but it’s still not clear how much.
The choice between the two laptops will likely come down to whether or not you can use the new collaboration tools on a regular basis. Multiple camera support, HP Keystone Correction, and HP Natural Tone will all improve the online work experience, especially for project leaders who need to share documents and whiteboards with the rest of the team.
There is also the matter of price and availability. The Dragonfly G4 isn’t expected to be released until spring 2023, while the Elite Dragonfly G3 is readily available as one of the devices you can buy today. If you need a laptop sooner rather than later, the older G3 model is really your only option. You’ll still get a great laptop, but it will be missing out on some new features.
Source: HP
HP Dragon Fly G4
The new HP Dragonfly G4 is expected to launch in Spring 2023 with improved performance, new collaboration tools, and better power management. It might be worth the upgrade for those who often collaborate online, but otherwise, those who already have the Elite Dragonfly G3 may not see the need to buy new.
Source: HP
HP Elite Dragonfly G3
HP’s Elite Dragonfly G3 is available now and is one of the best business laptops you can buy. It lacks some of the new features that came with the G4, but it’s still a great laptop with a lightweight body, tons of security, and a great keyboard and camera.
