HP has sheepishly jumped on Qualcomm's AI PC bandwagon with two new products, one of which will likely be the brand's halo product for the nascent platform, focusing on enterprise users.
The EliteBook Ultra G1q is billed as a next-generation AI business laptop and runs Microsoft's Windows 11 Pro 64 NextGen Premium (a home version is also available).
It looks like a new version of Windows and we will have to wait later to see what the new platform looks like.
EliteBook Ultra G1q
Like other models from rival brands, the EliteBook Ultra G1q is a business laptop and a premium product that aims for the top tier of the market.
It is lightweight (about 1.35 kg) and compact (313 x 224 x up to 14.4 mm) with a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite system-on-chip (with a GPU and up to 45 TOPS NPUs). Its compact form factor means it only offers onboard memory (a rather disappointing 16GB LPDDR5x RAM), while its internal storage can be upgraded to a 1TB model.
Other key features include a 14-inch 2.2K display (non-touch) with backlit keyboard (not spill-proof), MIL-STD-810G certification, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and a 59Wh battery that can be charged at 50 %. in 30 minutes using the 65W adapter.
One of the strong selling points of the Qualcomm platform is its long battery life, and HP says it will last up to 26 hours or about three full business days. Documentation provided to TechRadar Pro shows that the Snapdragon-based EliteBook should be able to stream up to 12 hours of Microsoft Teams calls.
Qualcomm ready to shine
There are only two speakers for audio, but you get a 5-megapixel IR camera with Windows Hello support. We were also surprised to not see any 5G WWAN connectivity options or a microSD card slot (the laptop has three USB ports).
HP also highlighted the Ultra G1q's sustainability credentials: it uses 50% recycled aluminum for key parts, 50% recycled plastic for keyboards and recyclable packaging.
The HP EliteBook Ultra AI PC is available for pre-order for just under $1,700 and will ship in June 2024, with a standard three-year warranty and a free one-year subscription to HP's exclusive Wolf Pro next-generation antivirus security suite. HP.
Qualcomm's arrival on the market with Arm-based products that aim to challenge the hegemony of Intel and AMD is good news for the competition. However, the success of this platform will depend on how well legacy (and often niche x86) products used in enterprises and businesses globally perform on Windows-on-Arm (WoA).
