Editors’ note: Portions of this review were taken from our review of the HP ProBook 4510.
The HP ProBook 4310s, as the most miniscule member of HP’s new small-business line, takes many of the qualities of its bigger brothers (the 4510 and the 4710) and packs them into a chassis that will appeal to road warriors looking for an excellent deal and unencumbered shoulder. At $799, this 13-inch system is less expensive than similarly-sized small-business notebooks, and its performance and looks are sure to have others at the conference table eyeing it with envy.
Design
Although the ProBook is HP’s entry-level brand for business users, its design is far from dull. Unlike the glossy—and fingerprint-prone—black lid of other ProBook models, the merlot-colored 4310s (also available in black Noir) doesn’t pick up fingerprints. While this option costs $20 more, the color adds a dash of style to an otherwise aesthetically boring category.
The chassis has a mix of textures: a glossy keyboard deck, a satin palm rest, and a speaker strip lining the top. Because the bezel is thin, it’s easy to focus instead on the bright 13-inch display. As an added touch, the power and QuickLook 2 buttons and LED lights all glow turquoise blue, which also keeps the design interesting.
At 4.4 pounds, the ProBook 4310s is the same weight as the 13-inch MacBook Pro, but slightly heavier than the Sony VAIO SR (4.2 pounds). Because of its 16:9 display, the ProBook has a relatively wide footprint; at 12.8 x 9.0 x 1.1 inches, and with a thickness ranging from 1.2 to 1.5 inches, it’s less svelte than some other 13-inch notebooks.
Keyboard and Touchpad
One of the freshest parts of the ProBook’s design is its island-style keyboard. This layout makes any budget notebook look more refined. On the one hand, we took quickly to the keys’ slightly textured, scratch-resistant finish, and their comfortable spacing. Unlike the 15- and 17-inch versions of the ProBook, the 4310s lacks a number pad—not that we expect one on a 13-inch system. The keyboard is spill-resistant, to boot. On the other hand, once we started pounding out documents a bit more furiously, the keyboard flexed a little. Then again, this might have something to do with the fact that we tested a preproduction unit. HP says that the final units offer structural changes designed to reduce the keyboard’s flex.
The 2.8 x 1.4-inch touchpad is plenty large, and the rubbery texture provides the right amount of friction. The touch buttons—like those on the other ProBook models—feel like trap doors. Instead of being straightforward push buttons, they’re hinged at the top, so only the part closest to the edge of the notebook depresses. We would have preferred traditional buttons. They’re smaller on the 4310s than on the 4510 and 4710, but are still awkward.
Display and Sound
While the glossy BrightView finish on the LED-backlit 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) display provided increased contrast over a matte panel, it also had poor viewing angles. While watching an episode of Heroes on DVD, images washed out when we tilted the screen forward, and colors reversed themselves when viewed from greater-than-45-degree angle from the sides. Aside from making movies look more cinematic, the 16:9 aspect ratio is a practical choice for business customers because the lower profile helps out on airplane trays. However, you do get less vertical pixels than you would on a 16:10 display with 1280 x 800 or 1440 x 900 resolution.
When playing music, including tracks from Janet Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, and Jay-Z, the speakers on the ProBook 4310s were very loud for a 13-inch system; we could easily hear lyrics from across a room. However, higher treble tones were slightly tinny and distorted. While there was a lack of bass, this wasn’t unexpected given a notebook of this size.
Ports and Webcam
The ProBook 4310s has a thorough selection of ports: Three USB 2.0 ports, VGA and HDMI output, Ethernet and modem jacks, a Kensington lock slot, and headphone and mic ports. It also has a 5-in-1 memory card reader and an ExpressCard/34 slot for low-profile mobile broadband cards. None of the ports are on the back; most are on the sides of the notebook, with the headphone and mic ports and the memory card reader located on the front.
The 2.0-megapixel webcam showed pleasant lighting in both still shots and VGA video. Stills, in particular, included an impressive amount of detail, such as the shine in our hair. Video captures looked smooth, but because it’s fixed focus, the image drifted in and out of focus as we moved around in front of the camera.
