I Tested the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i. Its Deluxe Design and Features Are Perfect for On-the-Go Execs

The EliteBook Extremely G1i could also be a brand new mannequin with a brand new identify, however it comes with a well-known design. With its skinny and light-weight, well-built chassis, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is the clear successor to the HP Dragonfly G4, which I actually appreciated as a premium enterprise laptop computer. The show side ratio has modified from a boxy 3:2 ratio to the extra widespread 16:10 structure, and the colour of the laptop computer went from a matte black to a deep blue, however in any other case, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is mainly a rebranded Dragonfly G4. It lives as much as its Extremely billing — from its design to its options and efficiency — and is a good choose for touring executives or anybody who appreciates a small, light-weight premium laptop computer for work. Simply you should definitely watch for it to go on sale if your organization would not qualify for a volume-pricing low cost.

Should you’re attempting to make sense of HP’s new laptop computer nomenclature, you then first have to know that the OmniBook model is the brand new dwelling for the corporate’s shopper fashions, with EliteBooks making up the industrial aspect of issues. After that fork within the street, you may subsequent encounter a wide range of fashions inside every line, from entry-level items as much as the flagship techniques tagged with the Extremely suffix, such because the EliteBook Extremely G1i right here.

Because the “i” signifies, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is an Intel-based laptop computer. It options Core Extremely Sequence 2 processors from Intel’s Lunar Lake series that energy the 14-inch clamshell with a 2.8K OLED show with a variable refresh fee of as much as 120Hz and contact help. HP rotates reductions by all of its laptop computer strains, and the financial savings could be sizable for the EliteBook Extremely G1i. 

The entry-level EliteBook Extremely G1 has a Core Extremely 5 226V, 16GB of RAM, Intel Arc graphics, a 512GB SSD and a 2.8K OLED show. The complete value for this mannequin is $2,419, however I’ve seen it on sale for as little as $1,599. Our check system includes a Core Extremely 7 268V and 32GB of RAM. Whereas it lists for $2,909, you possibly can usually discover it on sale for as little as $1,899.

As a enterprise laptop computer, the EliteBook Extremely G1i comes backed with a one-year guarantee that features a yr of HP’s Wolf Safety suite. With that, you get hardware-enforced risk detection, malware isolation, BIOS and browser safety and the flexibility to remotely lock and wipe the system if it is misplaced or stolen. You’ll be able to prolong the guarantee to a few years and likewise embrace on-site service; the usual one-year plan consists of depot service.

The same EliteBook Extremely G1i to our check system prices £1,752 in the UK and AU$3,870 in Australia.

HP EliteBook Extremely G1i efficiency 

The EliteBook Extremely G1i’s Core Extremely 7 268V processor is sort of similar to the extra well-liked Lunar Lake providing within the Core Extremely 258V. You may discover the 258V chip provided broadly, and I’ve examined quite a lot of laptops with it, together with the Acer Swift 14 AI, Asus Zenbook S 14 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10. The one distinction between the 2 is that the 268V has barely larger max CPU and GPU frequencies, together with a pair extra GPU TOPS. Each processors have eight bodily cores (4 efficiency and 4 low-power environment friendly cores) and do not function Intel’s Hyper-Threading know-how that enables a bodily core to behave as two digital cores.

The EliteBook Extremely G1i’s outcomes on our lab exams have been practically similar to these of the aforementioned trio of laptops with the Core Extremely 258V — sturdy single-core efficiency and fewer spectacular multicore efficiency due to the shortage of Hyper-Threading. Graphics efficiency from the Intel Arc 140V GPU is robust amongst built-in GPUs, however to not the purpose of forgetting that the EliteBook Extremely G1i is constructed for enterprise and never gaming or demanding graphics work. On Procyon’s AI Laptop Imaginative and prescient benchmark that measures integer math proficiency for AI workloads, the EliteBook Extremely G1i’s efficiency was on par with different laptops that function fashionable AI processors.

Battery life was good however not nice. On our YouTube streaming battery drain check, the EliteBook Extremely G1i ran for 13 hours and 39 minutes, which is lengthy sufficient to get by practically any workday however nonetheless hours and hours lower than laptops with an ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X sequence CPU, a few of which might run for greater than 20 hours on a single cost.

Extremely good design

The EliteBook Extremely G1i shares the identical skinny, inflexible body and stylish matte end because the Dragonfly G4, however now is available in a darkish navy blue — a glance I desire over the Dragonfly’s jet black.The EliteBook Extremely positively has a premium feel and look. The all-metal chassis feels MacBook Air-like in being exceptionally skinny and light-weight with out feeling flimsy. The construct high quality is great, with strong rigidity and the matte end is pleasant to each the attention and contact.

At 2.6 kilos, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is only a hair heavier than the two.5-pound Dragonfly G4, which isn’t shocking for the reason that 14-inch, 16:10 show is barely bigger than the Dragonfly G4’s 13.5-inch, 3:2 show. For its measurement, the EliteBook Extremely G1i may be very gentle. Most 14-inch laptops weigh nearer to three kilos, and it is lighter than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, which weighs 2.7 kilos. Should you’re searching for a good lighter 14-inch laptop computer, take a look at the Asus Zenbook A14, which weighs solely 2.16 kilos. And amongst enterprise laptops, Lenovo’s flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 weighs solely 2.4 kilos.

The keyboard is extra MacBook than ThinkPad, which is to say the keys supply shallow journey and snappy suggestions. Should you desire a deeper keypress with a extra plush really feel, then a ThinkPad might be the way in which to go. However when you’ve used a MacBook and appreciated the typing expertise and desire a Home windows laptop computer for work, then the transition to the EliteBook Extremely G1i might be fairly seamless.

The touchpad, too, is MacBook-like. It is large — even bigger than the touchpad on the Dragonfly G4 — and affords a full of life and customizable haptic response.

The EliteBook Extremely G1i’s audio output is surprisingly good. The quad audio system produce a transparent and outlined sound area with sufficient energy to fill a small room. I might hear separation between the highs and mids, together with some bass response. At full quantity, there was some degradation within the readability, however solely a bit. The sound can be spectacular for any leisure laptop computer — and much more so given the EliteBook Extremely’s enterprise focus.

The show is excellent. For starters, it is an OLED panel, so that you get vibrant colours and wonderful distinction with deep black ranges. Subsequent, its 2.8K decision affords the proper steadiness between pixel depend and battery life for a 14-inch show. Pictures and textual content look crisp to the purpose {that a} 4K decision is not wanted for this measurement panel and would solely shorten battery life. (The extra pixels a battery should energy, the faster it will get drained.) Additionally providing an incredible steadiness between show efficiency and battery life is the variable refresh fee that lets the show run at 120Hz for easy motion however at a decrease fee when it is not wanted to increase battery life. 

HP scrapped the boxy 3:2 side ratio of the Dragonfly G4 for the standard 16:10 panel that is discovered on most fashionable laptops. There is a good motive it is so well-liked: It affords the perfect steadiness between an old-school 16:9 widescreen and the boxy 3:2 ratio that by no means actually caught on. At 14 inches, a 16:10 supplies sufficient room for most individuals to work comfortably without having to connect with an exterior show. And mixed with the EliteBook Extremely G1i’s skinny bezels and skinny design, you get this roomy-enough show in a light-weight, very transportable package deal.

It is also a touchscreen, which is a pleasant possibility since most individuals have grown accustomed to tapping on screens. And it has edge-to-edge glass for a gorgeous, seamless look befitting of its premium value.

I examined its shade efficiency and brightness with a Spyder X Elite colorimeter and the show carried out effectively. It coated 100% of the sRGB and P3 areas and 94% of AdobeRGB whereas additionally hitting a peak brightness of 386 nits. That brightness determine may not wow you by itself, however an OLED show would not have to get as vivid as an LCD panel due to its wonderful distinction and successfully zero-nit blacks.

Above the show is a crisp, 9-megapixel webcam with an IR sensor to be used with Home windows Whats up. HP’s Poly Digicam Professional app is effectively designed and affords AI-assisted choices for computerized framing and blurring your background, amongst different results. 

Poly Digicam Professional ought to allow you to join an exterior webcam and use it concurrently with the laptop computer’s inner digital camera, however I used to be unable to get a two-camera shoot going as I might with the Dragonfly G4, which was the primary laptop computer I’ve examined with dual-webcam help. It is a area of interest function — good for individuals who want to provide on-line tutorials or create different content material the place a second digital camera could possibly be helpful — however I’ve requested HP for steering on the right way to use two cameras on the identical time on the EliteBook Extremely G1i. I am going to replace this evaluation with what I discover out.

The port choice is minimal however helpful. You get three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, which ought to suffice for many customers. There’s additionally a USB-A port, so there is no want to fret about an adapter for any of your USB units. You may want an adapter for an HDMI connection, nonetheless, for the reason that USB-C ports are the one show output. Identical goes for Ethernet.

Ought to I purchase the HP EliteBook Extremely G1i?

At its sale value of $1,899, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is a superb worth and an incredible alternative in your subsequent work laptop computer. With a spectacular 14-inch, 2.8K OLED show powered by an Intel Lunar Lake CPU wrapped up in a chic and compact enclosure, the EliteBook Extremely G1i is befitting of its Extremely label. Our check configuration is tougher to suggest at its full value of practically $3,000, so it is best to attend for HP’s revolving and sizable low cost to land on it in case your buy would not qualify for a quantity low cost.