HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3 review

A 2015 premium ultrabook whose Folio badge no longer carries it past basic office use

The HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G3 is a 2015 premium ultrabook at $179, below the business median of $297. The Folio line was HP's flagship thin-and-light, but a decade on the metrics are plain: no axis rises above the category median. Graphics register zero (integrated), reliability is "low" at 12, and the CPU is "basic" (best_cpu_score 21.54).

No strength stands out in the business field

This Folio has no top strength. Graphics are absent against a category median of 3.84 (integrated, no discrete GPU), reliability at 12 is "low" (about 72% below median), and the CPU lands at the "basic" level (about 59% below the median). The premium build quality remains, but the capability does not.

A thin-and-light for basic tasks only

With a 6th-gen dual-core CPU and integrated graphics, the realistic workload is web, office, and media — not gaming, GPU work, or anything demanding. The Folio's thin-and-light design still has appeal for casual carry, but performance-wise it is a basic machine in a premium shell.

Steady residual decline

From near $1,300 originally, the Folio 1040 G3 has fallen to $179 at about 6.9% per year, with a projected two-year value near $155 — about a 13% further drop. The steep depreciation is largely over, so residual value should hold.

Where it sits among peers

Priced just below similar business ultrabooks: an HP ProBook 640 G3 ($195) or ProBook 640 G4 ($204) cost a bit more, while an HP 250 G7 ($155) or ProBook 430 G3 ($153) come in cheaper. The Folio build quality is the differentiator at this price, not the specs.

Bottom line

At $179 this is a budget-friendly pick if you value the premium Folio build and thin-and-light form for basic everyday use. The compromises are weak integrated graphics, a "basic" CPU, and "low" reliability. Worth it for the build quality at a budget price; not for performance.