HP ZBook Firefly 14" G11 A 2024, Ryzen 9 8945HS, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Radeon 780M

Great CPU, tons of ports, and a lightweight build, but the integrated graphics and reliability issues hold it back. The port selection is literally the best we've seen in this category. At $1,999, it's hard to justify unless you specifically need that port array in a portable chassis.

The Ryzen 9 8945HS is a serious chip. Eight cores at 4.0GHz base clock will chew through spreadsheets, code compiles, and general multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of DDR5 helps a lot too, landing in the 87th percentile for RAM. But the Radeon 780M integrated graphics is the bottleneck. At the 14th percentile, this thing will struggle with anything GPU-heavy. Don't expect to render 3D scenes or run modern games at anything beyond low settings. The 512GB SSD is also just middle of the pack, which feels stingy for a workstation at this price point.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, the ZBook gets destroyed on GPU performance and display quality. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 offers far better graphics in a similar footprint. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition has a nicer screen and better build consistency. Where the ZBook wins is ports and raw CPU muscle for the size. But the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and MSI Raider both offer dramatically more GPU power if you can handle the extra weight.

At $1,999 USD, this is a tough sell. You're paying workstation money for a machine with integrated graphics and a 512GB drive. The CPU and RAM are great, but the GPU situation means you're not getting true workstation performance. If you need the port selection and the lightweight build, maybe. But for most people, there are better ways to spend two grand.

The HP ZBook Firefly G11 A is a weird mix. You get a Ryzen 9 8945HS, 32GB of DDR5, and a port selection that puts most thin laptops to shame. It's light at 1.41kg and feels like a proper workstation in a compact body. But then you hit the reliability reports and the bloatware situation, and the shine wears off fast.

Our database puts the port selection at the absolute top of the charts, with the RAM and CPU both landing in the mid-80s percentile range. That's a strong foundation. The GPU, though, is a Radeon 780M integrated chip sitting at the 14th percentile. For a machine wearing the ZBook workstation badge, that's a letdown.

Skip this if you need any real GPU performance. The integrated Radeon 780M will frustrate anyone doing 3D work, video editing, or gaming. Also skip it if you value reliability and customer service, because the repair horror stories from small business buyers are hard to ignore. And if you hate bloatware, the HP Wolf Security situation will drive you up the wall until you wipe the machine.

This is a machine for a specific buyer: someone who needs a lightweight laptop with tons of ports and strong CPU performance, and who doesn't care about graphics. IT departments that standardize on HP and need a portable fleet machine might find it workable. But the reliability complaints and the bloatware situation make it hard to recommend without reservations. If you're buying for yourself, there are safer bets out there.