The new model is longer than the outgoing Dragonfly Max by over 20 mm due to its new 13.5-inch form factor, but it is thankfully not any heavier at 1.2 kg despite the larger volume. Perhaps unsurprisingly, dimensions are almost identical to the recent 13.5-inch Spectre x360 13.5.

An Intel AX211 comes standard for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. We experienced excellent receive transfer rates when paired to our 6 GHz network, but transmit rates could have been steadier.

An Intel XMM 7560 R+ or 5G 5000 WWAN module are optional. The WWAN module is removable while the WLAN module is not as shown by the images below.

The bottom panel is secured by just four accessible T5 Torx screws for easy servicing. Users can swap out the battery, M.2 WWAN, or M.2 SSD as needed while the RAM modules are fixed.

The clickpad is larger than the clickpad on the Dragonfly Max for easier cursor control (12 x 8 cm vs. 11 x 6.5 cm). Feedback when pressing on the clickpad is shallow but satisfying in spite of the quieter-than-expected clatter.

The display is decently calibrated out of the box with average grayscale and color deltaE values of 3 and 2.36, respectively. Calibrating the display ourselves would improve average DeltaE values even further to less than one each.

The base 400-nit screen is just barely viewable under most brightly lit outdoor conditions. HP offers its signature 1000-nit panel as an option for improved outdoor visibility, but these are unfortunately tied to Sure View which may be undesirable for some users.

Our unit was set to Performance mode via Windows prior to running any benchmarks below. HP Command Center, which comes pre-installed on Spectre and Envy laptops, is not present on the business-centric Dragonfly. Instead, the model comes with HP Programmable Key, Auto Lock and Awake, Tile, QuickDrop, and Audio Controls. We recommend becoming familiar with Programmable Key and Auto Lock and Awake as they have the most useful features for day-to-day work. The latter utilizes IR to automatically sign in or out if it detects a user in front of the camera similar to higher-end Dell Latitude models. A few screenshots of some of the programs are below.

Interestingly, PCMark results are slightly lower than what we recorded on the Spectre x360 14 equipped with the last generation Core i7 CPU. Don't expect the Dragonfly G3 to be tangibly faster when browsing, video streaming, or running other undemanding workloads.

On the Dragonfly Max, we found fan noise to be quieter-than-average which aligned with its slower-than-average CPU performance. This trend continues on the Dragonfly G3 for better or worse. At its loudest, we're only able to record a fan noise of just 35 dB(A) compared to 40 dB(A) or greater on competing models as shown by the table below. Users who value CPU performance may be disappointed while those who value quieter fans may not mind the slower processor.

Surface temperature gradient is more symmetrical than on the older Dragonfly Max due to the revised cooling solution. This means that the hot spot on the Dragonfly G3 is nearest the keyboard center instead of on the right half of the keyboard. These areas can become as warm as 40 C when under high loads for extended periods, but they are thankfully toward the rear and nowhere near the palm rests or clickpad.

CPU clock rates, temperature, and board power draw would spike to 3.7 GHz, 100 C, and 54 W, respectively, when initiating Prime95 stress. After just 10 to 15 seconds, however, clock rates and board power draw would fall and stabilize at 2.1 GHz and 20 W, respectively, in order to maintain a more manageable core temperature of 70 C. Repeating this same test on the Dell Latitude 7330 with the same Core i7-1265U CPU would see higher stable clock rates, temperatures, and board power draw of 2.4 GHz, >80 C, and 25 W, respectively. HP is running the Core i7-1265U more conservatively when compared to the competition.

When running Witcher 3 to represent demanding loads, GPU clock rate and temperature would stabilize at 1097 MHz and 65 C, respectively, compared to 1247 MHz and 83 C on the aforementioned Dell.

Running on battery power limits performance. A 3DMark test on batteries would return Physics and Graphics scores of 9619 and 5532 points, respectively, compared to 11216 and 6155 points when on mains.

Power consumption is nearly identical to the Dell Latitude 7330 equipped with the same CPU when running undemanding loads like web browsing or video streaming. However, the Dell system is more demanding when running CPU-intensive tasks as it is able to sustain higher clock rates and TDP levels for longer than on the HP. Overall consumption is not all that different from the Spectre x360 14 running on the last generation Core i7-1165G7 despite the 15 to 30 percent increase in multi-thread performance.

We're able to record a temporary maximum draw of 68.4 W from the small (~8.8 x 5.3 x 2.1 cm) 65 W AC adapter when the CPU is at 100 percent utilization. Thermal limitations prevent the CPU from running at its highest Turbo Boost clock rates for extended periods.