HP ZBook 15u G6 review

HP ZBook 15u G6 — a thin workstation judged against a class it can't match

A 2018 thin mobile workstation at $309, below the $471 workstation-class median. Core i7-8665U with a Radeon Pro WX 3200 and 32GB of RAM. The registered weaknesses: RAM at 32GB versus a 64GB class median (−50%), reliability 24 (−45%), and graphics 25.15 against a 42.23 median (−40%).

Thin workstation, entry card

The 15u line traded GPU muscle for portability, and the WX 3200 was its entry-level compromise. The capability bars show exactly that: Overwatch and GTA V clear minimum while Far Cry 5 misses minimum by a wide margin. For certified-light professional work — the card's actual purpose — it qualifies; for anything heavier, the class median's larger GPUs are the standard this machine chose not to meet.

The RAM gap is relative, the reliability gap is not

32GB is a generous allocation in absolute terms, but the workstation class median has risen to 64GB — hence the −50% flag. Reliability at 24 against 43.5 is the more practical concern for a seven-year-old thin chassis. Neither number disqualifies light duty; both price the machine below its class.

Price trajectory

From a $2,200 base, decay has run 10.4% per year to $309, with a projected $248 (−20%) ahead. Workstation-badge depreciation without workstation-class GPU retention.

Against its neighbors

Pricier: the ZBook 15v G5 ($345) and Dell Precision 7710 ($333). Cheaper: the ZBook 15 G3 ($265) and Lenovo ThinkPad P50 ($272). The 15v G5 — HP's own thicker sibling with a Quadro P600 — is $36 away and materially more capable; the P50 offers a classic alternative below.

Bottom line

A portability-first workstation for entry certified work. The honest alternative in HP's own lineup is the 15v G5 at $345 — if the desk allows the thickness, it is the better professional buy.