HP’s ProBook 6360b Notebook Is a Sleek, Travel-Friendly Powerhouse

For the ultimate in portability, performance and rugged construction, HP offers their fantastic EliteBook line – an excellent line of high-end notebooks that we recently reviewed (and loved) before.

But budget travelers who aren’t prepared to splash out on the “smallest and lightest” may find HP’s redesigned and slightly more cost-conscious ProBook line of notebooks more to their liking. We recently took the new ProBook 6360b Notebook for a spin to see how it held up to the rigors of daily travel.

The Skinny

In HP’s own words, here are the pertinent details behind the new 6360b:

Professional on the go. Get the job done””anywhere, anytime. From writing reports to attending mobile meetings, this HP ProBook with a 13.3-inch diagonal HD display is the perfect professional assistant for everyday business tasks.

• Optimized for Genuine Windows® 7 Professional
• Professional on the go. Get the job done””anywhere, anytime. From writing reports to attending mobile meetings, this HP ProBook with a 13.3-inch diagonal HD display is the perfect professional assistant for everyday business tasks.
• With Genuine Windows 7® Professional you gain strong processor capabilities, wireless functionality and a 13.3-inch diagonal HD display.
• Powerful performance
• Create, edit and share projects without slow load times, freeze-ups or stalls. Streamlined, powerful Intel® processing keeps you working fast and efficiently.
• Highly configurable: Build your PC the way you need it. Choose from various storage options and an optional optical drive. Opt for a point stick for easy navigation along with the touchpad.
• Easy charging and docking
• Get charging equipment that works across all your notebooks. Perfect for shared work environments, all HP Business Notebooks can be charged on the HP 90W or the HP 120W Advanced Docking Station””so your business can do more with less.

In Detail

Here, we detail our impressions of the most important bullet points relevant to travelers …

Design

HP’s design aesthetic has always leaned more towards “sensible business-centric”. The ProBook 6360b is no different. With its hard, angular case, dark, matte tungsten finish and no real design frills to speak of, the look and feel is all business. It ain’t particularly sexy, but it’s not trying to be …

Construction

… because it’s made first and foremost with performance, strength and durability in mind. It features a hard aluminum display enclosure, magnesium reinforced chassis, smudge- and wear-resistant finish, and a drain in the bottom case to help alleviate minor spills. All of this is to say that it can take a beating.

Portability

I’ve always found that the sweetspot for perfectly sized travel laptops is right around 12-13″. Any larger and there’s a noticeable gain in carrying weight; any smaller and productivity suffers because, frankly, who wants to spend two hours in their inbox staring at a 9″ screen. The 6360b is a good balance, featuring a 13.3″ (diagonal) display and a starting weight of little more than 4 pounds.

Battery Life

Laptop battery life has evolved leaps and bounds in just a few short years. But, perhaps more so than any computer user, travelers always demand more. With a standard 6-cell battery, the 6360b runs just north of 7 hours on a single charge. But throw HP’s Ultra Extended Life battery in your bag along with the primary, and it’ll run for roughly 20 hours. That’s more than enough to get you from LA to Sydney.

HP QuickWeb

One feature we’ve long been a fan of in HP’s notebooks is QuickWeb. If you’re unfamiliar with this little gem, it’s a way to access your most important and frequently needed info without fully booting up your computer.

The applications for this are many. But imagine all of those times when you needed a hotel booking number, e-ticket for your flight, tour confirmation code, etc. and realized they were in a saved e-mail on your computer. QuickWeb provides access to your e-mail (and calendar and various other applications) in thirty seconds or less.

To geek out on all of the pertinent tech specs for the 6360b, check out HP’s complete data sheet.

Pricing & Availability

Available now from $899 (USD) from various retailers, including direct from HP.com.

Bottom Line

The no-nonsense, business-centric design may not be for everyone. But the 6360b is a rugged, well-built portable notebook with serious high-performance credentials. With a base price around $900, it may be just out of reach for the average budget traveler. But mobile professionals and flashpackers with a bit more discretionary income will find that it fits all of their needs just fine.