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Battery Life
The battery in the ProBook 4540s lasted for 7:18 h in idle mode, which is only marginally shorter than the ProBook 4530s (7:24 h). Asus B43E lags far behind the competition with 4:57 h. The ThinkPad Edge E535 lasts the longest of all four contenders with 8:26 h. Idle mode is ascertained via BatteryEater's Reader's test, where the screen is set to minimum brightness, the energy-savings profile is enabled and the wireless modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) are disabled. The laptop ran for 1:24 h in load. The 4530s (1:37 h) and Edge E535 (1:31) exhibit a similar runtime. Asus' laptop clearly stands out with a runtime of 2:31 h. BatteryEater's Classic test runs on the laptop in the load test. For this, we set the screen is set to maximum brightness and enable the high-performance profile as well as the wireless modules.
The hp ProBook 4540s achieved a Wi-Fi runtime of 4:10 h (4530s: 4:16 h; E535: 4:48 h; B43E: 3:19 h). Websites are automatically opened every 40 seconds in this test. The energy-savings profile is enabled and the screen's brightness is set to roughly 150 cd/m². DVD playback stopped after 4:09 h on the 4540s (4530s: 3:30 h; E535: 3:46 h; B43E: 2:51 h). The wireless modules are disabled, the screen is set to maximum brightness and the energy-savings profile or a higher profile, should the DVD not run smoothly, is used for the DVD test. The runtimes of all four laptops can be compared well with each other because the batteries have very similar power capacities (HP HSTNN-OB2T 47Wh Batteries; Lenovo and Asus: 48 Wh).
Case
The HP ProBook 4540s cannot deny its relationship with the ProBook 4530s. Both laptops look very much alike. However, there are differences in the details. The casing of both HP laptops is mostly made of plastic. The lid's back and the base unit's top both feature an aluminum insert. This gives the devices a higher quality look and additional stability. The 4540s has more curves than the 4530s. The edges of the display's back and the base unit are lightly rounded. The plastic frame of the base unit's top is also broader than in the 4540s. The ThinkPad Edge E535 cannot serve with metal parts and is completely made of plastic. The back of Asus' B43E is made of aluminum.(HP HSTNN-LB2R batteries)
The ProBook 4540s features the same stability as it precursor. The device shows good workmanship. The base unit hardly yields. Only the perforated cover above the keyboard should be spared from too high pressure. The base unit warps when picking it up at the front corners. Here, you notice that the device is mainly made of plastic. The lid can also be twisted to an extent. The big aluminum plate on the rear provides stability. More force would be needed to damage the screen. The aluminum back also prevents the lid from denting to a large degree. The hinges keep the lid firmly in position and only rock marginally. Consequently, the lid can easily be opened with one hand.
Connectivity
The connectivity of both the ProBook 4540s and 4530s are mostly identical. The 4540s sports a second USB 3.0 port. Moreover, HP does not color-mark the USB 3.0 ports and the ProBook 4540s no longer sports an ExpressCard slot as found in the 4530s. The connectivity of the ThinkPad Edge E535 and the 4540s is very similar. However, Lenovo's laptop sports 3.0 ports. Asus' B43E offers the most different interfaces. In addition to the same ports as the other three laptops, it also features an eSATA port, an ExpressCard socket and a docking port. The number of interfaces can be increased via the optionally available docking station.
Keyboard
The chiclet keyboard in the 4540s has also been used in other HP laptops, such as the ProBook 4530s. The main keys measure 15 x 15 mm and feature a medium drop as well as a clear pressure point. The keyboard fits tight in the casing and does not yield while typing. A marginal coiling is only noticed above the optical drive. The ProBook's keyboard is spill-resistant, like Lenovo's laptop. Both Asus' B43E and the ThinkPad Edge E535 also sport good keyboards, but cannot quite compete with the one in the ProBook. None of the four laptops feature a backlit keyboard.
Touchpad
Synaptics' touchpad in the ProBook 4540s is inserted slightly deeper in the wrist rest than in the ProBook 4530s. The sleek surface does not impair the finger from gliding over it. The multi-touchpad's size of 93 x 53 mm is the same and bids enough room for multi-touch gestures. All gestures can be en- and disabled in the configuration menu. For example, the scroll function is disabled by default. A small LED is located in the pad's upper left corner and indicates the pad's status. The pad can be turned off and on by double-tapping the LED with a finger. Both mouse buttons feature a short key drop and a clear pressure point.
Display
The ProBook 4540s sports a matte 15.6 inch screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. HP does not offer any other screen models. The average brightness of 211.3 cd/m² is in the midfield. The recently reviewed ProBook 4530s model featured a brighter screen (239.7 cd/m²). The screen in Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge E535 is even brighter than both HP counterparts with 259 cd/m² and the screen in Asus' B43E lags behind the other laptops with 204.3 cd/m².
The 4540s presents acceptable rates with a black value of 0.6 cd/m² and a contrast of 370:1. The HP ProBook 4530s's screen has an almost identical black value of 0.58 cd/m², but a better contrast of 436:1. The screens in the LENOVO ThinkPad Edge E535 (2.24 cd/m²; 123:1) and Asus' B43E (1.03 cd/m², 206:1) are defeated by both HP laptops. The screen in the 4540s cannot reproduce either the sRGB or AdobeRGB color space.
The brightness on battery power is sufficient for outdoor use. However, direct sunlight should be avoided.
The screen's viewing angle stability is unsurprising and is on a par with that of the precursor. The picture distorts quickly when the vertical viewing angle is altered and the horizontal viewing angle is more generous.
Speakers
The laptop's stereo speakers are above the keyboard behind a perforated metal grille. The sound is similar to that of the precursor. They produce a slightly fuller sound that lacks bass. Speech is well-intelligible. The audio experience can be enhanced by using a headphone or external speakers. (HP HSTNN-LB2R batteries)
Verdict
The verdict for the ProBook 4540s is similar to that of it precursor. The laptop features a great casing, a decent keyboard and more than enough power for applications. We also liked the improved maintainability. Moreover, the device including a two year warranty can be acquired for below EUR 500 due to a current cash back promotion. However, the 4540s' permanently audible fan is annoying and makes it difficult to concentrate on work in a quiet surrounding.
More info: laptop-batteries.com.au , laptop-battery.org.uk , battery-store.eu
