HP EliteBook 14" 845 G8 Review

Alright, let's talk about the HP EliteBook 845 G8. This is a 14-inch business laptop that's trying to do a bit of everything, but it's built on some older foundations. It's got an AMD 5650U processor, which is a 2-core chip, and that's paired with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. On paper, that's a spec sheet from a few years ago.

So who is this for? Honestly, it's a tough sell. The 'best for' scores tell the story: it's moderately compact and can handle some light gaming thanks to that discrete Ryzen Z1 Extreme GPU, but it's not great for students and it's pretty weak for developers. This feels like a laptop that got caught between generations.

What makes it interesting is that price tag. At $287, it's incredibly cheap. You're getting a full Windows 11 Pro machine with a backlit keyboard and a discrete GPU for less than three hundred bucks. That's the main hook here. It's a budget entry point, but you need to know exactly what you're signing up for.

Performance is a mixed bag, and the benchmark percentiles paint a clear picture. That Ryzen Z1 Extreme GPU is the star, landing in the 64th percentile. For light gaming or some basic photo editing, it's actually decent and way better than integrated graphics you'd find in other cheap laptops. You can play older titles or less demanding games at 1080p without too much trouble.

Everything else is a struggle. The CPU is in the 31st percentile, which means it's slow. Multitasking with just 8GB of RAM (10th percentile) will feel cramped, and that 256GB SSD (16th percentile) fills up fast. The 1080p screen is also down in the 16th percentile, so don't expect great colors or brightness. For basic web browsing and documents, it'll work. Try to do more, and you'll hit limits quickly.

The value proposition here is simple: it's dirt cheap. At $287, you're getting a functional Windows laptop with a surprise component—that discrete GPU. You won't find another new laptop with a dedicated graphics chip anywhere near this price.

But 'value' isn't just the sticker price. You're trading cash for major compromises in core areas like the CPU, RAM, and storage. Compared to other vendors, even budget Chromebooks or used business laptops might offer a more balanced experience for similar money. This is a specialist pick for someone who needs those specific GPU capabilities on a razor-thin budget and can accept the downsides.

Let's look at the competition. The Apple MacBook Pro 14" with M4 is in a different universe performance-wise, but also price-wise, so that's not a fair fight. More relevant are the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s or an ASUS Zenbook. A ThinkPad at a similar price point would likely have a better CPU and more RAM, but integrated graphics. You'd trade GPU power for general system speed and build quality.

The ASUS Zenbook Duo is a different beast with its dual-screen design, but again, you're comparing a $287 laptop to ones that cost much more. The real competition for this EliteBook is the used market. A refurbished business laptop from a couple years ago might get you a better CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a bigger SSD for the same $300, but likely with worse graphics. It's a trade-off between a new machine with a warranty and a weak CPU, or a used one with better specs but no GPU.

If your budget is absolutely locked at $300 and you need a discrete GPU for very light gaming or specific graphics tasks, this EliteBook is your only new option. Just know you'll be dealing with a slow processor and not much memory.

For almost everyone else, I'd say look elsewhere. Students should find something with more RAM. Developers need a much faster CPU. General users would be happier with a used laptop that has a better balance of specs. This HP is a niche product for a very specific, cost-conscious buyer who prioritizes GPU over everything else.