I have been a huge fan of the HP ProBook line since it was first announced, and with each refresh it gets better and better, while keeping the same simple yet stylish design.
HP loaned me their ProBook 5310m for about two weeks and I really enjoyed having it. I used it as my main notebook for the entire time and the power it delivered along with the 5 and a half hours of battery life it gave me impressed me. The long battery time has to do with the low volt intel processors.
Before I continue with the review, I have to note that the ProBook line is a line designed for business users. However it definitely will appeal to business and consumer users alike. HP’s Consumer team should also take a look at the way the business team has designed the ProBooks. They are beautiful machines and in my opinion are what the Envy line should have been.
Anywho back to the review. The 5310m is a great machine and is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor or Celeron. I had the system with the Core 2 Duo. DDR3 SDRAM, up to 320 GB of storage with 3D DriveGuard (Protects your drive in the event you drop the machine). The screen is a beautiful LED Backlit 1366x768 BrightView display. 13.3 inches. May sound small but it isn’t and it gives you a lot of onscreen real-estate. Comes with wi-fi and a mobile broadband option. Supports all major carriers.
I used the 5310m to do may day to day work. I used Office 2007 a lot, I used CAD I also browsed the web and even played a few video games. Whatever I threw at the 5310m it could handle.
One of the coolest features on the 5310 is the HP QuickLook 3, which allows you to instantly well in less than 5 seconds boot up your system into a linux environment where you can get a quick look at your calendar, and emails. Comes in handy if you are in a rush. You can even get onto the web and do some quick browsing.
Another cool feature is the gesture features on the touchpad. You can zoom in and out of a picture simply by pinching on the touchpad, or rotate the picture. You can scrool, and flick through different pictures or documents. It’s pretty cool and fun to use.
Gestures are disabled by default if you want to enable them click on the Synaptics icon on your system tray. Its red and white. Click Pointing device properties > Settings. In the settings you enable the gestures.
Overall the 5310m is a fantastic system and in my opinion the best system on the market right now for the mobile professional. For more information on the 5310m visit http://hp.com
Comments: (9)
Curious on Sat, Dec 12th, 2009 at 01:57 AM
Did you have any problems with the space bar? Some reviews I have read complained about poor performance of the space bar and havign to “re learn” to type, using an index finger to “space” while typing. Some suggesting prying off the space bar, installing black electrical tape to increase performance.
Thanks
Michael on Sat, Dec 12th, 2009 at 11:13 PM
No issues with the space bar here. but if you aren’t use to the type of keyboard on the pro book it may take time to get use to it.
Junior on Sun, Dec 13th, 2009 at 07:39 PM
I agree these things do look better than the consumer ones
Ju on Thu, Dec 24th, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I have my new 5310m just for 2 days now but I can say that space bar performance is certainly poor.
on site shredding on Sat, Jan 23rd, 2010 at 05:33 AM
In that hp pro book there are shredding machines also there to use and moreover,it may useful for the organizations and companies for the destructing the documents....on site shredding
nana on Tue, Jan 26th, 2010 at 02:22 PM
I’m considering this machine for basic AutoCad use. Mainly 2d and some 3d drafting. How was your experience with running CAD on it?
Thanks!
Space Bar Hell on Mon, Feb 01st, 2010 at 04:38 PM
Oh boy. I have been using the 5310m for about a month. I love it. And I will never buy one. Because of the space bar.
Documents, emails, etc. I am constantly having to go back and repair the missing spaces. I was hoping it was just this unit but now that I look at more reviews I see it is not.
I learned once upon a time that no matter how cool and snazzy the car I will never buy a vehicle without intermittent windshield wipers. One of the little things you bemoan not having when its not there when you need it. How often do you need to use the space bar. um, all the time.
On a laptop, the space bar is not optional and a poor performing one just makes me curse the unit every time I type on it.
Which pains me to say because I love the unit otherwise and really want to buy one for myself.
Does anyone else make a nice 13” unit like this one under $1000 that’s not all light weight plastic? Please let me know. Maybe I’ll buy that one.
Navz on Sat, Feb 20th, 2010 at 06:08 AM
yupp...spacebar def has an issue… its a pain.. but otherwise the machine is simply awesome… just bought mine 3 days back..
neilkevin on Sat, Mar 06th, 2010 at 05:04 AM
Features are missing. The DisplayPort does not support audio even though the specification does. The “combo stereo headphone/mic jack” device doesn’t exist.
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