HP EliteBook 14" 840 G8 2021, Core i7-1185G7, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Silver

The HP EliteBook 840 G8 is a refurbished 14-inch business laptop with an i7-1185G7, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Its standout feature is the port selection, including Thunderbolt 4 and Ethernet, which ranks in the 85th percentile. At CAD 536, it's a budget-friendly workhorse for everyday tasks, but the CPU and GPU are well below average, so skip it if you need real performance.

Let's talk about that Core i7-1185G7. It's a 4-core, 8-thread chip from Intel's 11th gen lineup, running at 3.0GHz base. In our database, it sits at the 26th percentile for CPUs in this category. That's not great, Bob. For everyday tasks like web browsing, Office apps, and video calls, you won't feel the pain. But throw a big spreadsheet or a batch of photo edits at it, and you'll notice the fans spin up while the progress bar takes its sweet time. The 16GB of DDR4 RAM helps smooth things over, but RAM alone can't rescue a chip that's a few generations behind the curve.

The Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics are fine for what they are. They'll handle 1080p video playback, light photo work, and even some very casual gaming at low settings. But our gaming score for this machine is 14.3 out of 100, which is about as close to "don't even think about it" as you can get. The 512GB NVMe SSD is a bright spot, sitting right around the middle of the pack for storage. Boot times and app launches will feel snappy, which goes a long way toward making the whole machine feel more responsive than the CPU benchmark would suggest.

The Apple MacBook Air M4 is the obvious elephant in the room. It's faster, has a better screen, and the battery life is in a different league. But it costs more, and you're locked into macOS and a two-port lifestyle. The EliteBook 840 G8 fights back with Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, HDMI, and Ethernet. If you live in a Windows world and need to plug in a projector, a wired network, and a mouse without a hub, the HP is the more practical choice.

The Lenovo Legion 5i and MSI Prestige are different beasts entirely. The Legion is a gaming machine with a dedicated GPU, so it'll crush the EliteBook in any graphics workload, but it's heavier and pricier. The MSI Prestige is closer in spirit, a thin business laptop, but it tends to cost more for similar specs. The ASUS Zenbook and Surface Laptop 7th Edition both offer better screens and newer chips, but again, you're paying for that privilege. The EliteBook's niche is the budget-conscious buyer who values ports and Windows Pro over raw performance.

Pricing here is a bit of a moving target. The only listing we have is CAD 536 from a Canadian seller, which is a pretty attractive number for a machine with these specs. But refurb pricing is always a gamble. You're trading a lower upfront cost for the unknown of how much life is left in the battery, the hinges, and the keyboard. The Grade B designation means visible wear is expected, so don't expect a pristine machine.

Compared to the competition, this is where the 840 G8 gets interesting. A new MacBook Air M4 or Surface Laptop 7th Edition will cost you significantly more, but you're getting a much faster chip and a better screen. The EliteBook's value proposition is simple: it's a lot of ports and a decent amount of RAM for not a lot of money. If you need a second machine for travel or a cheap fleet laptop for a small office, this makes sense. If you need one laptop to do everything, you'll probably outgrow it faster than you'd like.

The HP EliteBook 840 G8 is one of those laptops that flies under the radar until you actually need a dependable workhorse. It's a 14-inch business machine with an Intel Core i7-1185G7, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. Nothing flashy, but the spec sheet reads like a sensible grocery list for getting actual work done. The catch here is that this particular unit is a Grade B refurb, which means it's been around the block once or twice. For the right buyer, that's not a dealbreaker. It's a discount ticket into HP's premium business line.

Who's this for? Honestly, it's for someone who needs a compact laptop for email, documents, spreadsheets, and the occasional video call. Our database puts its compact score at 58.8 out of 100, which is solid but not spectacular. The student score lands at 51.5 and business at 48.9. Those aren't chart-topping numbers, but they tell a story: this is a competent, no-drama machine that prioritizes portability and ports over raw power.

What makes it interesting is the port selection. You get Thunderbolt 4, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, HDMI, and even Ethernet. In a world where laptops keep shedding ports like a snake sheds skin, the 840 G8 says "bring your dongles, we've got room." That port setup ranks in the 85th percentile for this category, which is genuinely impressive for a 14-inch business laptop. The trade-off is that the CPU and GPU are middle-of-the-road at best, so this isn't a machine for heavy lifting.

If you're a developer running virtual machines or compiling large codebases, this machine will test your patience. The 4-core i7-1185G7 is a few generations old now, and our CPU percentile of 26 means it's slower than most laptops in this category. You'd be better off with a newer Ryzen or Intel Core Ultra machine, even if it costs a bit more upfront.

Gamers should also steer clear. The integrated Iris Xe graphics and 14.3 gaming score mean you'll be stuck with browser games and maybe some retro emulation. If you want to play anything from the last five years, look at a Legion or a laptop with a dedicated GPU. And if you're someone who needs a pristine, out-of-the-box experience, a Grade B refurb with visible wear might not be your cup of tea. Spend a little more on a new Zenbook or Surface Laptop instead.

If you're a student or a remote worker who lives in Google Docs, email, and the occasional spreadsheet, the EliteBook 840 G8 will serve you well. The 16GB of RAM means you can keep a dozen browser tabs open without the machine grinding to a halt, and the port selection means you'll never have to hunt for a dongle. At CAD 536, it's a lot of laptop for the money, assuming the refurb gods smile upon you.

But if you're a developer, a video editor, or anyone who needs to push the CPU hard, look elsewhere. The 26th percentile CPU score is going to frustrate you on a daily basis. And if you're a gamer, well, the 14.3 gaming score should be all the warning you need. This is a work laptop, not a play laptop. For the right kind of work, it's a solid deal. For everything else, it's a compromise.