At first glance, the 15 inch case looks fairly bulky. With a height of almost four centimeters and a weight of roughly 3.3 kilograms (compare W520: 2.7kg, M4600: 3.16 kg), the workstation is neither slim nor light - quite the opposite. The thick build however also has its advantages: The EliteBook can score with an excellent stability. The base unit particularly stands out since the top and bottom don”t yield noticeably even under stronger pressure. 

The business device even looks good. HP uses an elegant and high quality mix of silver-gray plastic and metal surfaces (lid and keyboard area are made of aluminum). The design is basic and timeless, whereby the angular shape won”t appeal to everyone. The hinges also convince us. After pressing the opening button (unlocks the hooks of the lid), the notebook can be opened easily with one hand. The base unit doesn”t lift; the screen is held in place sufficiently during surface vibrations.

When taking a closer look, there are a few minor flaws in details. For one thing, the workmanship of our test device wasn”t quite perfect (protruding keyboard corner, partly irregular gaps). For another, many users will likely be annoyed by the three rubber protectors that HP has placed below the keyboard. All in all, the keyboard makes a good lasting impression.

Interfaces

Except for (rather unusual in the professional field) HDMI, all important interfaces are available. In addition to two video outputs (VGA & display port), two audio jacks (headphone & microphone) and five USB ports (2 are USB 3.0), the workstation accommodates a card reader, an ExpressCard slot and an eSATA, respectively FireWire port. Beyond that, a docking station and a secondary battery can be connected to the bottom (available as accessories). 

The interface distribution is certainly a matter of taste - in the author”s opinion the lateral ports have been placed too far front. Users who connect many external devices will frequently have to cope with cables when using a mouse. In this case, the use of a docking solution would be recommended.

Communication

Not only a wireless Internet connection via WLAN b/g/n (Intel Advanced N 6205) or Bluetooth 3.0, but a cabled connection via RJ-45 Gigabit LAN is possible. A few users will also be pleased about the RJ-11 port (modem).

Security

Security is a major issue in the EliteBook 8560w. Various software and hardware based solutions are to protect the 15 inch device from third-party access. Among other things, there is a fingerprint scanner, a Kensington Lock, a smart card reader, a TPM chip and a HD webcam with face recognition.

Software

The EliteBook also comes with plenty of software. We limit ourselves to the "HP Power Assistant" and the "HP ProtectTools Security Manager" in this article. While the former program is used for monitoring the power consumption, various security features can be managed with the latter tool (HDD encryption, passwords, biometrics, etc.). 

However HP again overdoes it: The notebook is so stuffed with programs in its state of delivery that the operating system boots rather slowly and can only really pick up speed after a few minutes. A slimmer installation or a faster mass memory (keyword: SSD) might help here.

Scope of Delivery

There”s no reason for complaint in view of the scope of delivery. Apart from the compulsory additions, such as power adapter (120 watts) and battery (8 cells with 75 Wh), the buyer will discover several info brochures, a driver DVD and a recovery DVD for recovering the operating system (Windows 7 Professional 64 bit).

Warranty

Commendable: HP grants a three year warranty on the laptop. In some countries, the device is picked up in cases of damage. Naturally, HP also offers upgrades within the framework of its "eCare Packs", for example an onsite service for the next business day (approx. €130).

Processor: Intel Core i5-2540M

The EliteBook 8560w is equipped with one of the latest Sandy Bridge processors from Intel. While a few models have a future-proof quad core, the reviewed LG660EA has to be content with a dual core. Nevertheless, the notebook doesn”t lack power: The Core i5-2540M belongs to the strongest mobile models. 

Thus, the CPU manufactured in 32 nm lithography can serve with 624 million transistors and a 3 MB L3 cache. In comparison: Intel”s own quad core contains 995 million transistors and an L3 cache of up to eight MB. A default clock of 2.6 GHz and a maximum clock of 3.3 GHz (automatic overclocking via Turbo Boost) are also impressive. 

Additionally, the Hyper Threading technology simulates two virtual cores in the system. Thus, four parallel threads are possible together with the two physical cores. However, not every program benefits from that. The developers still have to optimize their software accordingly. More highlights are support for VT-x, respectively VT-d (hardware visualization) and Intel”s vPro technology. vPro stands for extensive security and management functions.

In view of the given performance and the numerous features, a TDP of 35 watts (Core i7 range: max. 55 watts) is acceptable. Since HP has omitted GPU switching, the integrated graphics chip HD Graphics 3000 remains disabled. Too bad for the battery life.

Graphics Card: AMD FirePro M5950

HP either installs Nvidia”s Quadro 1000M or the 2000M, or AMD”s FirePro M5950. These aren”t the classic consumer models, but alternatives for professional users.

The FirePro M5950 is a DirectX 11 capable graphics accelerator of the upper midrange and its specifications are very similar to the Radeon HD 6770M: 716 million transistors, 480 Unified Shaders and a 1024 MB GDDR5 video memory (128 bit interface) are only a few of its features. The clock rates are 725 MHz (core) and 900 MHz (memory). 

HD videos are accelerated via the UVD 3 decoder and the graphics card can transmit a surround signal via HDMI. The FirePro M5950 is made in a 40 nm process. Since HP didn”t have an updated drive available at the time of the review, we used the installed version 8.821.1.7000 that is a few months old. By the way, the graphics card can feed up to five monitors with video material when the docking station is used (Eyefinity).

Temperature

The case”s temperatures don”t give reason for complaint. The base unit stays fairly cool in idle mode - approx. 30°C are an acceptable rate. As usual, the fan”s region heats up particularly during 3D operation; we could measure a maximum of 37°C on the top and a maximum of 44°C on the bottom. Great: The wrist rest doesn”t get disagreeably warm even during higher load.

We ran the tools Furmark and Prime in order to record the component”s temperature development. While the GPU heated up to 70°C, the CPU almost exceeded the critical 100°C mark according to HWMonitor. However, throttling was not observed. The performance was always perfect (the components are a lot cooler under normal circumstances).

Speakers

Both speakers, hidden on the case”s front, supply a feasible sound - at least with enabled SRS technology. The sound loses volume and gets noticeably dull without the audio enhancement (see picture). The speakers can be turned up surprisingly high, but tend to fray gradually. Although the sound quality isn”t at all bad, headphones or an external system should be used when possible. Notebooks with good speakers are a scarce thing.

As already indicated, the battery runtimes aren”t overwhelming. The notebook turns black after a runtime of only one hour when the laptop is put under heavy load. There”s a bit more time for playing a movie: Our test DVD ran for roughly 1.75 hours (maximum brightness). We could surf on the Internet for nearly 2.75 hours (medium brightness). More than three hours can only be accomplished with the lowest brightness level. Other workstations offer a much higher mobility (see the Dell Precision M4600).

The strengths of the EliteBook 8560w-LG660EA clearly prevail. The combination of Intel”s dual core processor and AMD”s professional graphics card speeds up most applications perfectly. The FirePro M5950 is also impressive even aside from CAD programs. Like our benchmarks prove, the 15 inch laptop is even suitable for the latest games.

Beyond that, we have the robust and connectivity-eager case that can score with great input devices and a high-end screen on the pro side. (Users with image or video editing ambitions should take a model with DreamColor technology). Security is also an important issue. HP has installed a number of software and hardware solutions. Small details such as the long warranty period (three years) and the included recovery DVD add sympathy points.

Nevertheless, the EliteBook 8560w doesn”t accomplish the rating "Very Good". In addition to its high weight (~3.3 kilograms), we have to criticize the poor battery life and the noise development - the notebook isn”t exactly quiet. The battery life could be improved with a graphics switching in the meantime. HP should also work on the cooling: The Core i5-2540M climbed to almost 100°C in the stress test.

Overall we can give the EliteBook 8560w a purchase recommendation anyway. HP has put visible effort into the development. 15 inch alternatives would for example be the Fujitsu Celsius H710, the Lenovo ThinkPad W520 or the Dell Precision M4600.