HP is in the outgrowth of redoing its product line , with the OmniBook lineup take over all of its consumer machines including budget , midrange , premium , and gaming laptop . The EliteBook remain as itsbusiness laptopline , and the newEliteBook X G1ais the late machine that leverages AMD ’s Ryzen AI series of chipsets in the “ Next Gen AI PC ” initiative .

The EliteBook X G1a introduces several new lineament aimed at those tasks that businesspeople want the most , and I receive a preproduction unit of measurement to take a look at . I ca n’t provide benchmarks or test some of the more sophisticated features that are n’t available yet . But the EliteBook X G1a is a tantalizing imaginativeness .

Design

HP makes some thoroughly - looking and in high spirits - calibre laptops . The EliteBook X G1a is a premier example . It ’s solid as a rock-and-roll all around , with no bend , flexing , or deform in the chapeau , keyboard deck of cards , or physique . And it all seems crafted from chunks of aluminum in a agency that ’s reminiscent of of Apple ’s MacBooks . The silver people of colour schema is graceful and polished , with a chrome HP logotype that stands out without being mere bling .

The hinge is smooth when enter the eyelid with one bridge player , and it stays securely in place . It might be a pre - production unit , but it does n’t need much adjusting . I like the feeling and feel quite a minute , and I ’m certain HP ’s business concern mart will agree .

I do n’t have full specs for the laptop computer . But , it ’s not the thinnest or lightest 14 - inch laptop computer . In fact , it ’s a little chunky compared to something like the fantastically thinMacBook Air M3that ’s closer to a 14 - in than a 13 - inch laptop computer . I do n’t mind it , but it ’s not going to lead its class . The display bezel are small enough to keep its breadth and profoundness in check , but theDell XPS 14remains the best in that department .

I also like the slenderly rounded boundary on the decoration rest . That made it well-to-do for longer typing sessions , like writing up this first spirit . Overall , I found the same form of fastidious designing that I ’ve always perceived in Apple products .

Keyboard and touchpad

HP also crap good keyboard . Its Spectre keyboard have always been among my favorites on Windows laptop , derive very close to my overall favorite , Apple ’s Magic Keyboard . And they put a great keyboard in the EliteBook X G1a .

First , the keycap size of it and primal spacing is thoroughgoing , and HP put high-pitched - line inscription that stands out against the dark gray keys . That make up the inscription easier to see even without the backlighting turned on , and it ’s an availableness feature for those with poor vision . Then , the switches are deep enough at 1.5 mm , and they ’re exact and natty . They ’re also reproducible across the entire keyboard , include the space bar that can be too wanton on some keyboard .

The touchpad is mechanically skillful , which is a minute of a dashing hopes . Haptic touchpads are becoming more common on premium laptop , and HP has a great one on theSpectre x360 14 . I bid it were available here . The touchpad is enough bombastic and its button have muted , convinced clicks . So it ’s a good mechanical touchpad .

The presentation is touch - enabled , which I like . Overall , stimulation options are excellent even if I wish the touchpad were a tactual version .

Connectivity and webcam

The EliteBook X G1a has pot of connectivity , with a couple of Thunderbolt 4 port wine , USB - C and USB - A , and an HDMI port . Again , I do n’t cognize all the eyeglasses , including wireless connectivity , but I have no dubiousness it ’s up - to - date and that cellular connectivity will be an option . Note that the inclusion body of Thunderbolt 4 is a little surprising given the AMD chipset . That ’s usually not a matter .

The webcam is a 5MP variant , but it ’s not just a gamey - res webcam . It includes on - chip AI processing that enable enhanced substance abuser mien espial that , for model , blurs the screen mechanically when two people are in view . There ’s also the usual AI - enhanced functionality we expect with Microsoft’svarious Copilot+ features , and Poly Camera Pro that further heighten video quality and performance using the neural processing unit ( NPU ) .

Performance

HP uses a customs duty interlingual rendition of AMD ’s Ryzen AI 9 , specifically the R9 - 12c PRO that ’s based on the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 PRO . It enables the variety of security and manageability that enterprise require , along with the sheer power of the Ryzen AI 9 chipset . I do n’t have detail on the chipset and I ca n’t publish any benchmarks .

The custom panorama is that the HP - specific chipset has faster on - machine AI thanks to an NPU that fly the coop at up to 55 tera operations per 2d ( TOPS ) . That ’s faster than any other chipset available today , and that means faster AI processing with the efficiency of the NPU liken to using the GPU .

There ’s also custom RAM that runs at up to 8,000 MT / s , quicker than you ’ll see from other AMD chipsets . That , too , facilitate speed up AI processing . And HP will be introducing its AI Companion software that will enable a variety of AI features above and beyond what Copilot+ provide . AI Companion includes Analyze that lets you dig into file cabinet , along with other features that have yet to be fully explained . All of the features will run on - twist , though , keeping thing theoretically safer and more individual and using the NPU to maintain efficiency .

HP also updated its SmartSense feature of speech to employ AI to best manage carrying out and lover speed . Now , there are just two pick uncommitted — SmartSense and Best Performance — mean that user wo n’t require to expend as much time managing the EliteBook X G1a ’s performance , heating system , and dissonance . We ’ll have to hold back until we can run benchmarks to decide how effective the new software is in managing matter .

Finally , as a member of HP ’s patronage batting order , the EliteBook X G1a has Wolf Security for enhanced security and secrecy .

Battery life

The barrage fire here is passably hefty at 74.5 James Watt - hour . That should be plenty to power the laptop computer for a reasonably long time regardless of the display selection . But , once again , it ’s not something I can test and report on .

AMD ’s Ryzen AI 9 chipset has n’t been as efficient as some others , though , such as Intel ’s Lunar Lake that we find out in theAsus Zenbook S 14 .

Display and audio

There will be two display options with the EliteBook X G1a . There ’s a 14.0 - in WUXGA ( 1920 x 1200 ) IPS panel and a 2.8 potassium ( 2880 x 1800 ) OLED touch display . The latter runs at up to 120Hz , and it ’s the one on my pre - production building block .

I ca n’t try out the display , but it seems to offer the same bright , dynamic colour and inky-black blacks that I expect out of a distinctive OLED display . The IPS panel will offer practiced battery biography but much spoiled range quality .

Audio is provided by a four - loudspeaker system setup — two downward - kindling and two upward - discharge . two-fold microphones utilize AI Noise Reduction to improve caliber .

An intriguing laptop for business users

At this point , the most I can say about the EliteBook X G1a is that it ’s an incredibly intriguing laptop with a host of lineament and functionality that could make for an elite ( no pun intended ) laptop for commercial enterprise users . It ’s drop cloth - dead gorgeous and solidly built , even for a pre - production machine . And it promise great performance and AI desegregation .

Of of course , the devil will be in the point , let in pricing , and those will have to waitress until it ’s officially enter . In the lag , job should be looking into the EliteBook X G1a for its 2025 procurement .