HP updates ProBook 400 series with five new business laptop models

HP's revamp of its ProBook line of business laptops isn't as sexy as some of its recent notebook announcements, but it's certainly trying its best to make us think so. The company's blog post announcing the new models mentions millennials twice in an effort to show it's listening to the youngest workers out there and what they think about business portables.

And what do millennials want? Why a more stylish laptop, of course. (Because Gen Xers and Baby Boomers love heavy, boxy notebooks and wouldn't also prefer not having to schlepp extra heft around.) Luckily, young and old alike can enjoy the slimmer ProBook 400 models (as little as 3.3 pounds for the ProBook 430 G4) -- five new ones in total -- which include a new "Asteroid Silver" chassis color and reflective HP logo to give them a slightly more contemporary look.

More important to the business buyers and IT staff is the durability HP bakes into the new ProBooks. The company says the laptops have passed MIL-STD 810G standard tests for resistance to drops and shocks, dust, and extreme temperature, and that it has tested their reliabilitiy for 120,000 hours. Virtual security is provided by Trusted Platform Module 2.0 hardware and HP's self-healing BIOSphere protection.

The new ProBooks also enjoy the latest processors from both AMD and Intel. The ProBook 455 G4 features AMD's seventh-generation A series processors, while the other models use Intel's seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" Core CPUs. Each version can be configured in a number of ways, with a maximum of 16GB of RAM and choice of various hard drives or SSDs for storage. Select models can come with Nvidia's GeForce 930MX mobile graphics, and all feature USB-C ports and run Windows 10 Pro.

With a 13.3-inch display, the ProBook 430 G4 is the smallest of the new models, with the 14-inch 440 close behind. The 450 joins the 455 as 15.6-inch editions, while the 17.3-inch 470 being the largest new ProBook, though still weighing in under 6 pounds. It's also the only new laptop with a standard screen resolution of 1,600x900, with the others sporting 1,366x768 screens. All models can be upgraded to full HD displays or touchscreens.

Those options and the choice of beefier components will quickly increase the reasonable starting prices for the new ProBooks. Owing no doubt to the AMD processor inside, the 455 is the cheapest at $499, with the 440's starting price $30 more. The 430 and 450 base configurations begin at $599, while the desktop replacement-sized 470 is priciest with a $749 starting cost. HP says the new ProBooks are already on sale, but only the 440 G4 is available to purchase on the HP site at the time of this writing and in a much pricier configuration than the base model's price suggests.