HP ProBook 6550b review
HP ProBook 6550b — from 2010, 2.5 kg, performance 14.
Technical specifications
| Type | Business |
| Release year | 2010 |
| Screen | 15.6" · 1366x768 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 520M , Intel Core i3 380M , Intel Core i3 370M , Intel Core i5 480M , Intel Core i5 450M , Intel Core i5 540M , Intel Core i5 560M |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540V |
| Max. RAM | 16 GB |
| Weight | 2.5 kg |
| Battery | 55 Wh |
Performance scores
A 2010 ProBook with an aging dGPU and CPU at the floor of the bracket
The HP ProBook 6550b is a 2010-vintage business machine built around an Intel Core i5 520M, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540V dGPU, and 16 GB of RAM, landing at $127 — well below the business-class median of about $297. The graphics score of 16.2 sits above the category median, but that reflects how undemanding the typical business laptop is on graphics, not real dGPU-class power. The CPU score of 9.65 places it near the bottom of the bracket.
Above-median graphics for a business-class machine
The Radeon HD 540V dGPU was entry-level when new in 2010, but its graphics score of 16.2 still sits above the category median because the typical business laptop has integrated graphics only. For everyday media and undemanding older titles this is workable; for anything modern or GPU-heavy, it is obsolete.
The CPU is the honest ceiling
The weak spot by level is CPU performance (9.65 against a median near 53), which reflects a 2010 processor at the end of its useful life. Mobility is also very low (12), partly because machines of this era were heavy. This is a machine for offline document work or as a spare — not for any modern productive workload.
Slow depreciation, near the floor
From a base near $1300, the laptop has settled to $127 at roughly 5.4% per year, with a projected value around $114 in two years. The curve has flattened — most of the value has already been lost.
Vintage peers bracket it
Slightly pricier options include the HP EliteBook 2740p ($140) and HP ProBook 6570b ($145); cheaper alternatives include the HP ProBook 4520s ($115) and HP ProBook 6450b ($120), both of which offer similar 2010-era business hardware for slightly less.
Bottom line
The ProBook 6550b is worth considering only as a cheap, near-disposable machine for genuinely light duties — offline documents, a spare, or a child's first laptop. The CPU is at the floor of the bracket, and the dGPU is obsolete by modern standards, so buyers needing a dependable daily driver should spend slightly more on a newer peer.
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⭐ What stands out
-
graphics performance is higher than typical business class (+200%) (office tier).
above class average -
CPU performance is lower than typical business class (+81.8%) (basic tier).
budget segment of category -
mobility is lower than typical business class (+80%) (low tier).
budget segment of category
🔁 Alternatives
Compromise axis: reliability ↔ price
⚙️ Configuration analysis
Top configuration is built for office apps, web browsing, and basic daily tasks.
🤔 How to choose
Universal advice for any use case.
- Reliability vs price: reliability (median 42.5) ↔ price (median 297.4).
- Weight vs CPU: mobility (median 60) ↔ overall performance (median 41.5).
- Upgradeability vs battery: upgradability (median 62.5) ↔ battery life (median 3.3).
ProBook 6550b: verdict
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