HP EliteBook 8740w review
HP EliteBook 8740w — from 2010, 3.57 kg, performance 5.
Technical specifications
| Type | Business |
| Release year | 2010 |
| Screen | 17" · 1920x1200 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 540M |
| Graphics | Quadro fx 2800M 1GB |
| Max. RAM | 16 GB |
| Weight | 3.57 kg |
Performance scores
HP EliteBook 8740w — a 2010 17-inch mobile workstation, museum-grade
The EliteBook 8740w is a 2010 flagship mobile workstation: a first-generation Core i5 540M, an NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M 1GB professional GPU, and 16GB of RAM in a 3.57 kg 17-inch chassis. At $194 it sits 35% below the business-class median of $297. The measured profile is stark: reliability 0, CPU score 0.04 (a data-floor reading), with the 17-inch screen as the one surviving strength.
What this machine was
In 2010 the 8740w was a DreamColor-era statement: a 17-inch desktop replacement for CAD and color-critical work, priced near the top of HP's business line. The professional GPU and the display were the point — buyers paid for ISV certification and color accuracy that consumer machines lacked. That era is gone: the Quadro FX 2800M predates every modern professional workload, and the CPU reads at the data floor.
The honest reading of the numbers
A CPU score of 0.04 and reliability of 0 are categorical statements — fifteen years of service life consumed, compute capability at the measurement floor. The 17-inch workspace remains real and is the machine's only present-day claim. The weight (3.57 kg, desktop-replacement tier) confines it to the desk. This is a machine to buy for the big screen at minimum cost, with expectations set at terminal-office duty.
Price trajectory
From an original $1,300 to $194 today at 5.44% per year, with a further projection to $174 (a 10.59% drop) over two years. Depreciation has flattened; what remains is residual value tied to the working display.
Where it sits against peers
Pricier neighbors are the ThinkPad T550 ($214) and Latitude E7470 ($211) — both several generations newer; cheaper options are the ProBook 455 G2 ($174) and EliteBook 745 G4 ($172). Nothing in the band matches the 17-inch screen; everything in the band out-computes this machine, which is the trade in plain terms.
Bottom line
A 2010 workstation flagship surviving on its 17-inch display alone. The reliability floor and data-floor CPU scores are the honest picture. Worth it only for buyers who need the big workspace at minimum cost for undemanding duty — every other buyer in this band gets several times the machine for $20-40 more.
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⭐ What stands out
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weight is higher than typical business class (+123.1%) (desktop replacement).
top 25% of its category -
reliability is lower than typical business class (+100%) (low tier).
budget segment of category -
CPU performance is lower than typical business class (+99.9%) (basic 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).
EliteBook 8740w: verdict
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