HP Dragonfly Folio G3: Review

HP’s Dragonfly family has existed as a premium business laptop for several generations to compete with Dell’s XPS 13 series and Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 series. The company’s Dragonfly range is in its third generation, and we have already examined the HP Dragonfly Folio G3.

Dragonfly Folio G3 is nearly a pound heavier than the traditional HP Dragonfly Folio G3 at 3.09 pounds. You may believe this is the cost of the more complex hinge mechanism required for a 2-in-1 convertible, yet the original 2019-era Dragonfly convertible weighed only 2.2 pounds. HP incorporates several enticing features, such as an 8-megapixel webcam, a magnetically-attached stylus, an extensive HP-branded software suite, and a solid B&O-tuned audio system. On the other side, the battery is smaller (compared to the Dragonfly G3), and the display is too shiny.

HP Dragonfly Folio G3 Specifications

The HP Dragonfly Folio G3’s design

The magnesium chassis of the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is rigid and flexible only somewhat. It features a high-quality dark grey finish with a hint of glittering flakes incorporated. This shimmering gloss extends to the illuminated keyboard. Due to the device’s compact design, it lacks a number pad while having a full-sized keyboard. Included is a big glass Microsoft Precision Touchpad. The show is dominated by a 13.5-inch, 3:2 display with a WUXGA+ resolution of 1920 x 1280 and an 88.3% screen-to-body ratio. Its compact size (11.67 x 9.22 x 0.7 inches) limits external connectivity.

Flexibility and Touch

A few things feel more strange than mistakenly touching the buttons on a convertible laptop’s keyboard when its screen is in tablet mode. The majority of 2-in-1s, however, rely on a 360-degree hinge that brings the lid’s underside and the deck’s underside together. The Folio G3’s pull-forward design makes using the computer much more pleasurable, despite how laborious it can occasionally be to flip the lid over.

Performance in Productivity

The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 review unit is equipped with an Intel Core i7-1265U processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive. This setup is the same as the Elite Dragonfly G3 notebook we evaluated in September. This is a low-power U-Series processor. Thus HP can be less aggressive with its cooling approach, resulting in reduced noise levels for consumers (which we will discuss later). Beginning with the Geekbench 5 synthetic benchmark, the Dragonfly Folio G3 and its more conventional Dragonfly G3 cousin exchanged blows. The former scored 1,488 on the single-core benchmark, while the latter placed first with a score of 1,648. The Dragonfly Folio G3 outperformed the Dragonfly G3 Folio with a multi-core score of 6,879 versus 6,501 for the Dragonfly G3 Folio.

Feature

Although HP sells the Dragonfly Folio G3 with an OLED display of up to 3000 x 2000 pixels, our review unit came with a 1920 x 1280 touch screen. Although HP claims the panel is rated for 400 nits, it failed our tests. The 3:2 aspect ratio is still uncommon among computers, while the 16:9 configuration remains the standard. Nonetheless, I loved the additional vertical space, mainly while working on Word pages and Excel spreadsheets. The Dragonfly Folio G3 covers 114 percent of the sRGB colour space, edging out its sister, the Dragonfly G3 (113 percent). DCI-P3 coverage was 80.5%, placing it top of all competitors in this category.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is identical to the keyboard on the HP Dragonfly G3. Although the keyboard was small for my hands, the half-height directional keys were the most difficult to adjust. It is a necessary compromise for such a small convertible, but I wouldn’t say I like it. In September, we tested the Elite Dragonfly G3, which had a fingerprint scanner in place of the right control key. However, the Dragonfly Folio G3 dispenses with this biometric security feature. A fingerprint scanner is not even a possibility at this location. You must rely on the high-quality webcam for facial recognition on the Dragonfly Folio G3.

Audio System

The audio system on the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is relatively robust for a business-oriented laptop. It has Bang & Olufsen-tuned quad speakers. Two speakers are positioned above the top row of the keyboard, while the remaining two emit sound from the chassis’ underside. In addition, putting the device into tablet mode mutes the top-mounted speakers, leaving the bottom-mounted speakers to do the heavy work.

Conclusion

The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is lightweight and adaptable, ultraportable with many features, and has excellent overall performance. I enjoyed using the device in tablet mode, and its magnetic docking station made it easy to charge and store the pen. Although the Dragonfly Folio G3 will not win many CPU-intensive benchmarks, the fact that it can perform these activities nearly silently is an advantage. This ultraportable is intriguing for road warriors thanks to its lightweight design (which includes faux-leather coverings). However, there are certain drawbacks to the Dragonfly Folio G3. It has a significantly shorter battery life than the Dragonfly G3 (9:33 compared to 14:20) due to its smaller battery (53 WHr versus 68 WHr). And while 3.09 pounds is not exactly heavy, it is heavier than prior Dragonfly models, which hovered between 2.2-2.49 pounds. At some time, when the Dragonfly’s weight increases, it no longer resembles its iridescent, four-winged insect namesake.

FAQs

What is contained within the HP dragonfly folio G3?

We received the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 review unit equipped with an Intel Core i7-1265U processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB solid-state drive.

How much does a dragonfly folio cost?

Unlike the Elite Folio, which began at $1,699 and reached a maximum of $2,327, the new Dragonfly Folio G3 commences at an eye-popping $2,379 and increases from there. Dragonfly, however, is HP’s premier premium hardware platform, positioned above its “Elite” line. Therefore this is the case.

Is Dragonfly a reputable brand?

The Dragonfly brand from HP has been relatively successful. It has grown from a single clamshell laptop to include a Chromebook, a clamshell, and even a 2-in-1 convertible pull-forward device, the HP Dragonfly Folio G3.