HP ProBook 850 G5 review

A 2017 ProBook 850 G5 with low reliability and low performance, fairly priced

The HP ProBook 850 G5 (2017) pairs an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 8350U with 32 GB of RAM and lands at $373, slightly above the business-class median of about $297. It is an honest office machine with no standout strength: reliability is low at 19, the overall performance index is 24.88 against a median near 41, and there is no discrete GPU. The pricing is fair for the class, but no single metric leads the peers.

A workmanlike 8th-gen config

The i5 8350U is a capable 8th-gen quad-core processor for everyday office work, and 32 GB of RAM is comfortable headroom for that workload. There is no metric on which this laptop clearly leads its class — it is workmanlike rather than standout, and the fair pricing reflects that.

Reliability and performance are the trade-offs

The weak spot by level is graphics performance (integrated only — no gaming or GPU-accelerated creative work), but reliability (19) and overall performance (24.88) are both low for the class too. This is a competent work machine, not a powerhouse, and buyers should set expectations accordingly.

Depreciation tracking the class

From a base near $1300, the laptop has depreciated to $373 at roughly 7.6% per year, with a projected value around $319 in two years — a typical curve for a 2017 business model.

Pricier and cheaper peers bracket it

Slightly pricier options include the Dell Vostro 15 3515 ($403) and HP ProBook 470 G8 ($409); cheaper alternatives include the Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen 2 ($319) and HP EliteBook 835 G7 ($333), which offer similar business-class hardware for somewhat less.

Bottom line

The ProBook 850 G5 is a fair but unremarkable pick for stationary office work — email, documents, browsing — where the 8th-gen i5 and 32 GB of RAM are the main draws. Buyers who need GPU power, stronger overall performance, or higher reliability can find better peers at similar prices.