The HP EliteBook 8440w is a smaller model compared to other laptops in the EliteBook lineup, but it’s certainly not one of the weakest. Small and powerful isn’t a combination you often see in the laptop world, as the best components generally need more space, thanks in part to their increased heat exchange. That’s why the 8440w is notable, because HP managed to fit an i7 processor into a 14-inch laptop, making it a powerful machine in a small footprint. You can easily call this model a mobile workstation, with a good processor, decent graphics, and a sturdy case. If you’re a mobile professional who enjoys good build quality, style, and performance, HP probably had you in mind when designing this model.
The build quality of the EliteBook 8440w is quite good and since it is quite expensive, that was to be expected. The laptop is built with military MIL-STD 810G standards in mind and you can easily see it when looking at it.
Looking at the laptop, you’ll notice built-in speakers, an SD card reader, a DVD burner, Ethernet, a USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, and a modem. The back of the laptop gives you DisplayPort, VGA, power input, audio ports, mini-FireWire, ExpressCard slot, and USB 2.0 ports. The keyboard has a tracking pointer in the center, something you often see on Lenovo ThinkPad laptops.
In intense tests, the battery life was just over 2 hours, which is not stellar considering that the battery has 9 cells. While it’s lower than we’d expect from it, the number is still decent and the laptop offers a good compromise between performance and battery life.
During tests with SiSoftware SANDRA, the laptop fared well against similar competitors, largely thanks to the powerful processor, which is the Core i7-620. The hard drive runs at 7200 rpm and performed quite well, and both light gaming and 1080p media playback were good. The graphics card is the Quadro FX380M, which isn’t very powerful, so you can’t compare the model to desktop GPUs or mobile workstations with higher price points.
When all things are considered, this HP laptop is a real winner. This thing is a cross between a mobile workstation and a consumer laptop, thanks to its size and powerful processor. It is less than 5 pounds in weight and quite mobile at 14 inches so you can easily carry it around. The design is rugged, offering protection against vibrations, shocks, and even a bit of water, so you don’t risk much when you spill coffee on your keyboard.
The combination of the Core I7 processor and Quadro FX380M graphics allows you to do well with both everyday tasks and professional applications when necessary.
The regular user will be very satisfied with everything offered by the HP EliteBook 8440w, which is one of the best laptops of 2010, from the powerful CPU to the graphics card that is capable of playing light games and multimedia in Full HD quality and the RAM which is more than enough.