HP ProBook 6540b review

Next to the aesthetic excesses of its recent Envy range, HP’s ProBook line is an altogether more sober affair. Aimed at the small-to-medium business market, the latest addition to the family, the ProBook 6540b, partners an Intel Core i5 processor with a host of business features.

First things first, don’t expect any visual excitement for your £746 exc VAT. The HP ProBook 6540b treads the fine line between tailored smartness and bland anonymity, all the while proclaiming its business heritage from every black and silver square inch. Bland, corporate, functional, it makes no attempt to appear anything other than what it is: an office laptop.

The keyboard and trackpad are just as practical. Despite the numeric keypad alongside, the layout is spacious and uncluttered, while the keys have deep travel and recover from each stroke with an eager spring.

The 6540b is a good 43mm thick and feels sturdily built; there’s a slight flex in the base of the laptop but it’s nothing to get overly concerned about. The chunky lid also feels capable of taking a knock or two, which bodes well for the TFT surviving a busy life both in and out of the office. Bear in mind, though, that its chunky figure and 2.72kg weight might prove frustrating for regular travellers.

Fret not, since HP’s choice of Intel’s Core i5 processor adds a good measure of portability to the 6540b. Wisely settling for the Intel HD graphics integrated onto the processor die, rather than the power-hungry ATI discrete graphics available on other models in the range, the HP’s six-cell battery managed to power the 6540b to just over six hours of light usage.

That longevity needn’t come at the expense of performance either. While the Core i5-430M’s modest 2.26GHz frequency doesn’t sound like it will set the world on fire, Intel’s Turbo Boost technology strides into play, dynamically overclocking the two processor cores and eking out every ounce of performance. With 4GB of memory on tap, it’s enough to score the 6540b a solid 1.51 in our application benchmarks.

The LED backlit display is equally worthy of praise. Where many manufacturers seem content to saddle larger notebooks with low-resolution panels, the ProBook 6540b wisely combines a 15.6in diagonal with a 1,600 x 900 resolution. The matte finish keeps glare to a minimum under office lights, and the image quality is good. Photos look crisp and lively and, while the viewing angles are a tad narrow, colour reproduction and overall brightness are impressive.

In its pursuit of business laptop greatness, HP has clearly thought long and hard before equipping its ProBooks. The docking connector on the laptop’s underside can interface with HP’s wide range of stations, and there’s a comprehensive array of ports and connectors: four USB 2 ports, mini-FireWire, a 4-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard/54, and D-SUB and DisplayPort outputs. There’s also an elderly RS-232 serial port kept company by a rare 56k modem, presumably intended as an emergency fallback should all other connectivity fail.

Wireless connectivity is good, too, with Intel’s entry-level WiFi Link 1000 adapter providing up to 802.11n speeds, and Bluetooth 2.1 present and correct. Those seeking wireless broadband on their business laptop should opt for one of the 3G-equipped variants elsewhere in the ProBook 6540b line-up.

As is typical with HP’s business models, the range of pre-loaded software is generally useful. The decision to employ a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 Professional is odd given the 4GB of installed RAM but, that aside, ProtectTools works with the TPM 1.2 chip to secure data and passwords, and the Disk Sanitizer function is an excellent inclusion for digitally shredding sensitive documents.

The HP ProBook 6540b is by no means inexpensive, but it’s a capable all-round workhorse. It should have enough power for the majority of office functions, its battery will almost last a working day and the 15.6in display is simply superb. With few faults and many features, the ProBook 6540b’s dour exterior can safely be ignored in the knowledge that there’s plenty of class underneath.

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