HP ProBook 4730s review
HP ProBook 4730s — from 2011, 3 kg, performance 5.
Technical specifications
| Type | Business |
| Release year | 2011 |
| Screen | 17.3" · 1600x900 |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 2350M , Intel Core i3 2310M , Intel Pentium B940 , Intel Core i3 2330M , Intel Core i5 2450M , Intel Core i5 2410M , Intel Core i5 2430M |
| Graphics | Radeon HD 6490M , Radeon HD 6470M |
| Max. RAM | 8 GB |
| Weight | 3 kg |
| Battery | 73 Wh |
Performance scores
HP ProBook 4730s — a 2011 17-inch whose only live stat is the battery specification
A 2011 business 17-incher at $182, below the $297 class median. Core i3-2350M with a Radeon HD 6490M and 8GB of RAM. The one above-median number is battery capacity: 73Wh against a 45Wh median (+62%), top quartile. Against that: reliability 2 (−95%), mobility 5 (−92%), performance 5.1 (−88%).
The battery number, with an asterisk
73Wh was a large battery for 2011, and it remains the machine's registered strength — the spec that earned it a "long battery life" positioning. The asterisk is physics: a fourteen-year-old battery pack will not deliver anything near its rated capacity. Read the strength as a statement about the design, not a promise about the cell you will receive.
Everything else has expired
Measured gaming on Far Cry 5 and Metro Exodus sits at the floor of the measurable range. Reliability at 2 is the practical headline: a machine this old has no remaining margin, and the performance index of 5 places it near the catalog floor. The dual-core i3 handles documents and nothing more.
Price trajectory
From a $1,300 base, decay has run 5.69% per year to $182, with a projected $162 (−11%) ahead. The value verdict — worth the asking price — is the honest floor-tier assessment: the price asks almost nothing and the machine delivers almost exactly that.
Against its neighbors
Pricier: the EliteBook 8740w ($194) and ProBook 450 G3 ($195) — the 450 G3 being five years newer for $13 more. Cheaper: the EliteBook 745 G4 ($172) and 250 G7 Grey ($155). At this band, $10-20 reliably buys a newer generation, and that trade is almost always correct.
Bottom line
A single-duty terminal at terminal pricing. The large specified battery is a historical footnote, not a feature; every neighbor offers a newer platform within $15 of this price.
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⭐ What stands out
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reliability is lower than typical business class (+95.3%) (low tier).
budget segment of category -
mobility is lower than typical business class (+91.7%) (low tier).
budget segment of category -
overall performance is lower than typical business class (+87.7%) (low tier).
budget segment of category
🔁 Alternatives
Compromise axis: reliability ↔ price
🎮 What it can run
⚙️ 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 4730s: verdict
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