HP EliteBook 820 G3 review

A 12.5-inch EliteBook at the bottom of the price range

The HP EliteBook 820 G3 (2015) pairs a dual-core Core i5-6200U with 32 GB of RAM in a 12.5-inch business ultraportable chassis. At about $155 it sits in the ultra-budget tier, well below the $297 category median — among the cheaper EliteBooks on the market. The hardware reflects the age: the CPU is in the "basic" band, the reliability index is low, and the integrated Intel HD Graphics 520 are modest. The single selling point is the compact 12.5-inch form factor at a bargain price.

What works at this price

The EliteBook 820 G3's appeal is the 12.5-inch ultraportable form factor at the bottom of the price range. For documents, email and browsing, the i5-6200U and 32 GB of RAM are adequate — the RAM is genuinely more than most ultra-budget machines offer. The capability fit shows minimum-setting Grand Theft Auto V, The Sims 4 and Valorant are technically within reach, which is more than can be said for some iGPU-only configurations.

What to be realistic about

The CPU score sits well below the category median, in the "basic" band. The reliability index is also low, reflecting the 2015 vintage and the budget-tier original build. The integrated graphics solution is modest, so this is not a laptop for anything beyond office work and the lightest media.

Price trajectory

From an original $1,300 MSRP, the EliteBook 820 G3 has depreciated to about $155 today — an annual rate near 6.9%, one of the gentler curves in this batch. Projected forward, another two years bring it to roughly $134, a 13.3% drop. Most of the value loss is already behind it.

How it compares

Slightly above it, the Lenovo ThinkPad T460s ($169) and Dell Latitude 7280 ($174) are the natural step-up alternatives — broadly comparable ultraportable hardware with stronger build reputations for a small premium. Below it, the HP ProBook 640 G2 ($145) and Dell Vostro 3555 ($137) are cheaper, though the Vostro is a 15-inch chassis, not an ultraportable.

Bottom line

The EliteBook 820 G3 is worth the asking price for buyers who specifically want a compact 12.5-inch business ultraportable and accept the trade-offs: a weak dual-core CPU and a low reliability score. The 32 GB of RAM and the form factor are the selling points. For buyers who don't need the 12.5-inch form factor, the ThinkPad T460s at $169 offers a stronger build for a small premium.