The HP G9 Laptop Review: A Productivity Powerhouse with Surprising Polish

(16GB RAM | 1TB SSD | FHD IPS Display)

Finding a laptop that balances serious productivity with everyday comfort feels like chasing unicorns. After six weeks testing HP’s refreshed G9 model (16GB RAM/1TB SSD), I’m convinced this machine is as close as it gets for under $800. Forget the "budget laptop" stigma—this G9 punches above its weight class.

First Impressions: Sleek Minimalism

Opening the box, the matte silver chassis and clean HP logo struck me immediately. At 3.75 lbs and 0.78 inches thick, it’s no ultrabook, but the tapered edges and rigid magnesium-aluminum shell feel premium. The hinge snaps open smoothly with one hand—a small detail that signals thoughtful engineering.

The Showstopper: That 1080p IPS Display

Let’s address the elephant in the room: screens in this price range often disappoint. Not here. The 15.6" FHD IPS panel delivers vibrant colors and wide viewing angles that rival laptops $300 pricier. Streaming Dune revealed impressive contrast in desert scenes, while editing photos showed accurate sRGB coverage. Anti-glare coating eliminates reflections under office lights—no more staring at your own frustrated face during Zoom calls.

Performance: No More Spinning Wheels

Powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U (benchmarked) and 16GB DDR4 RAM, this G9 laughs at 30+ Chrome tabs while running Slack and Excel. The 1TB NVMe SSD deserves a standing ovation:

Boots in 8 seconds
Installs Adobe Premiere Pro in 90 seconds
File transfers hit 1.5GB/s

Multitasking feels frictionless. I simultaneously edited a 4K drone video while backing up files to an external drive—zero crashes or thermal throttling. The dual-fan cooling stays whisper-quiet until you push it with gaming or rendering.

Keyboard & Ports: Workhorse Essentials

The backlit keyboard has 1.5mm travel—crisp, quiet, and deeply satisfying for marathon typing sessions. The clickpad supports Windows Precision gestures flawlessly (three-finger swipe to switch apps is butter-smooth).

Port selection is generous:

2x USB-C (one with Thunderbolt 4)
2x USB-A 3.2
HDMI 2.1
SD card reader
Finally, no dongle life!

Battery Life: All-Day Endurance

HP claims 10 hours—real-world use clocked 8.5 hours at 70% brightness (Office apps, Slack, Spotify). That’s enough for cross-country flights or back-to-back classes. The 65W charger juices to 50% in 35 minutes.

How It Stacks Up

Curious how this compares to other 16GB RAM contenders? I recently benchmarked the Jumper EZBook S5 Max—another budget hero. While the Jumper wins on price, the HP dominates in display quality, keyboard comfort, and port selection. The G9 feels like a matured product rather than a spec sheet gamble.

Quibbles & Caveats

Webcam: 720p is serviceable but grainy in low light
Gaming: Integrated Iris Xe graphics handle indie titles (Hades, Stardew Valley) but choke on AAA games
Audio: Down-firing speakers lack bass (use headphones)

Verdict: The Goldilocks Laptop

The HP G9 nails the essentials without flashy gimmicks. That 16GB RAM + 1TB SSD combo future-proofs it for years, while the IPS display elevates everyday use from tolerable to enjoyable. Whether you’re a student compiling code, a freelancer editing videos, or just want a responsive daily driver, this is arguably the smartest $700-$800 investment right now.

Ready to experience it?
👉 Check current pricing & configurations on Amazon

Note: This review reflects hands-on testing. Pricing may vary based on retailer promotions. We earn a small commission if you purchase via our links—thanks for supporting our work!

Final Score: 4.5/5 ★
Pros: Brilliant display, exceptional RAM/SSD value, robust build, Thunderbolt 4
Cons: Mediocre speakers, no OLED option, 720p webcam