HP EliteBook 830 G5 review

A 13-inch EliteBook with an i7 CPU but no GPU

The HP EliteBook 830 G5 (2017) pairs a quad-core Core i7-8650U with 32 GB of RAM in a 13.3-inch business chassis. At about $212 it sits in the ultra-budget tier, well below the $297 category median. The headline is the i7 CPU — uncommon in this price band — but the platform has no discrete GPU, and both the reliability and performance indices sit below the category median. The single standout is the weight — at 1.33 kg the EliteBook 830 G5 is genuinely portable.

Where it shines: weight

At 1.33 kg the EliteBook 830 G5 sits below the typical weight for a business laptop, which makes it genuinely portable. Combined with the i7-8650U — a quad-core/eight-thread part, more CPU than most ultra-budget business laptops offer — the platform has real appeal for buyers who want a cheap, light laptop with an i7 CPU. For documents, email and browsing on the move, the configuration is more than adequate.

Where it doesn't: graphics, performance and reliability

The graphics score sits at the floor of the category — no discrete GPU. The performance index is also below the category median, partly because the i7-8650U is a 2017 part and the rest of the platform is modest. The reliability index is below median, reflecting the 2017 vintage and the budget-tier original build. There is no capability fit data showing the machine reaching recommended settings on modern titles.

Price trajectory

From an original $1,300 MSRP, the EliteBook 830 G5 has depreciated to about $212 today — an annual rate near 7.6%. Projected forward, another two years bring it to roughly $181, a 14.6% drop. The curve has flattened.

How it compares

Slightly above it, the HP ProBook 645 G4 ($232) and HP EliteBook 830 G6 ($232) are the natural step-up alternatives — broadly comparable hardware for a small premium. Below it, the HP ProBook 645 G3 ($182) and Lenovo ThinkPad L480 ($192) are cheaper alternatives in the same office-tier band.

Bottom line

The EliteBook 830 G5 is worth the asking price for buyers who want a light 13-inch business laptop with an i7 CPU and accept the trade-offs: no discrete GPU, below-median performance, and a modest reliability score. The 1.33 kg weight and the i7 are the selling points. For buyers who don't specifically need the i7, the cheaper ThinkPad L480 at $192 offers similar office-tier capability for less.