This HP EliteBook I tested proves why Windows laptops still rule the workplace

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The HP EliteBook Extremely G1i is on sale for $1,949.
• I extremely suggest it to folks in search of a laptop computer with top-performing {hardware}, a vibrant display, and a high-quality webcam.
• Nonetheless, due to its restricted port choice, some would possibly discover its usability restricted with out supplementary equipment.

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Work laptops do not need to be boring hunks of grey steel. There are many eye-catching fashions offering partaking experiences. Folks in search of these units typically gravitate towards MacBooks, and with good motive. Apple {hardware} is flashy and enjoyable to make use of. If you happen to’re a Home windows person and wish one thing comparable, I recommend HP’s new EliteBook Ultra G1i. This laptop goals to wreck all different laptops by excelling in a number of areas: work, leisure, and all the pieces in between.

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Earlier than I talk about how properly it carried out, permit me to gush over the EliteBook’s design as a result of HP made a number of nice selections. The laptop computer sports activities an Ambiance Blue paint job, a stunning shade of darkish blue. It boasts a featherweight design, measuring 0.46 inches when closed and weighing 2.63 kilos. Slim computer systems like this are inclined to break, so HP developed it to be fairly sturdy. The corporate claims it handed 19 navy sturdiness checks.  

For a show, the EliteBook Extremely homes a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen. Visible output is vibrant, masking the whole DCI-P3 colour gamut. On-screen animations are velvety easy due to the 120Hz refresh charge. The display is made much more spectacular by the 16:10 side ratio, making the show appear larger than it’s. The whole lot works collectively to make HP’s laptop computer an efficient content-creation machine.

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Above the display is a 9MP digital camera able to recording video calls as much as 1440p decision. Picture high quality stays clear and pristine even in rooms with poor lighting. The lens is supported by Home windows Studio Results, which, via synthetic intelligence, ensures that you just keep in the course of the shot, amongst different issues.

There are just a few design points that I wasn’t a fan of. First, I wasn’t too eager on the keyboard. The keys felt somewhat mushy, missing that satisfying tactile suggestions I crave. That is offset by the good trackpad. It is spacious, and thru the myHP app, you’ll be able to activate multitouch gestures, increasing its usability.

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Moreover, the EliteBook has only a few ports, consisting of solely three Thunderbolt 4 inputs, a USB-A port, and a headphone jack. Granted, that is to be anticipated on a laptop computer this skinny. I like to recommend shopping for a laptop docking station to complement the shortage of inputs.

 My ultimate criticism is that the touchscreen is shiny, which may make it exhausting to see underneath sunny circumstances. Below the hood, my assessment unit had an Intel Core Extremely 7 268V processor, an built-in Intel Arc graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. That is a strong {hardware} configuration, so I needed to put it to the check.

For probably the most half, HP’s gadget did very well. I opened about 40 browser tabs working GIFs, movies, audio recordings, and Amazon product listings. There wasn’t even a touch of slowdown. The desk beneath compares varied benchmark checks to Samsung’s Galaxy Book5 Pro, one other MacBook-esque laptop computer I’ve examined, and is priced equally. As you’ll be able to see within the numbers beneath, the EliteBook Extremely G1i boasts quicker processing and looking speeds.

Nonetheless, it is not infallible. Efficiency plummeted once I tried to run a number of YouTube livestreams in 4K. The underside vents started expelling heat air to chill the insides. After turning the decision right down to 1080p and a short cooling interval, I noticed fast enchancment. HP’s EliteBook Extremely outperformed the Galaxy Book5 Professional within the processing and web looking checks however fell behind Samsung’s machine within the picture rendering examination, as famous by the Cinebench outcomes above.

As a result of it homes a Lunar Lake chipset, the Elitebook Extremely G1i has an NPU (neural processing unit). It enhances its general efficiency and makes the laptop computer fairly adept at supporting LLM (giant language fashions). Geekbench AI outcomes present the gadget had a prime quantized rating of 34,274. Cross-referencing Geekbench’s database locations the Elitebook’s NPU output at about the identical degree as an M3 MacBook Pro.

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Battery life is one other space the place the EliteBook Extremely excels. Below Energy Effectivity mode, the laptop computer ran for about 15 hours on a single cost. Numbers stayed spectacular underneath Finest Efficiency, because it lasted simply shy of 9 hours. What’s extra, the gadget recharges shortly, too. The battery went from zero to 50% cost in about 34 minutes.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

HP’s EliteBook Ultra G1li is on sale, with costs beginning at $1,649. My assessment unit prices $2,199. I like to recommend this mannequin to folks in search of an alternative choice to a MacBook Professional. It affords an analogous expertise with out being pressured to study a brand new working system. Different choices can be found on the company’s online store, together with extra inexpensive fashions sporting an Intel Core Extremely 5 226V chipset alongside 16GB of RAM.