I tested HP’s new EliteBook X G1i, and it’s a featherweight champ in the office

Again in 2024, HP introduced that it was simplifying its laptop computer portfolio and mixing all the pieces into two new business traces: Omni for normal shoppers and Elite for companies. I’ve had the chance to attempt each side, and I feel HP has carried out a standout job in each differentiating the lineups and hitting the best notes to this point. 

As of July 2025, the second technology of the rebrand is rolling out. I just lately had the chance to check out the HP EliteBook X G1i, a laptop computer that’s remarkably just like the EliteBook X G1a from final 12 months, with some variations in key areas. 

Its design is the primary notable enchancment you may see (and really feel). The EliteBook X G1i is somewhat bit greater, measuring 12.36 x 8.66 x 0.59; nonetheless, it’s a lot lighter at 2.6 kilos. I’ve spent the final couple of months carrying round hefty laptops, so touring with this featherweight machine was a pleasant change of tempo.

Workplace boss

Total, the show is okay. It has a WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200 pixel) decision touchscreen that covers your entire sRGB gamut, so colours are vibrant. I respect the anti-glare coating over the glass, because it made working underneath the solar so much higher. My largest downside with the show is the bezels. The glass is surrounded by these thick black bars, proscribing what might’ve been a big display screen space. It nonetheless has a 14-inch show, however to me, the display screen seems to be small.

What’s fascinating is that Home windows 11 has a special structure right here. Seemingly, in an effort to compensate for the small display screen space, the taskbar is hidden by default, leaving solely a digital contact bar denoting its location.

Above the show is a 5MP IR digicam. It is one of many nicest webcams I’ve seen shortly. Colours have been properly balanced, and nothing was oversaturated, nor was there a bizarre blue tint like with different laptops. Movies are shot at a crisp 2,880 x 1,620 decision. It is not an exaggeration once I say that the webcam is without doubt one of the EliteBook’s finest options. Preserve that in thoughts if you end up hopping on numerous calls all through the day. 

I additionally favored the laptop computer’s audio system. It homes 4 stereo audio system with discrete amplifiers, leading to a loud and noticeably bass-forward output. The audio high quality is not on the identical stage as a soundbar, but it surely’s clear sufficient. Spoken phrase comes by the audio system with no distortion.

The keyboard is pretty respectable, too. Its key caps are giant and evenly spaced out, permitting for snug typing. That stated, I feel I have been spoiled by the HP OmniBook X Flip, which has a improbable lattice-style keyboard — top-of-the-line I’ve used this 12 months. This explicit mannequin cannot maintain a candle to it, but it surely does have a greater trackpad. The trackpad takes up a bigger space of the wrist relaxation, even sporting a small divet on the underside for snug scrolling.

Port choice is sort of strong, too. Throughout its skinny body, you may discover two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1, a 10Gbps USB-C, a headphone jack, and a single USB-A enter. You will have sufficient choices readily available that you simply will not must complement with a docking station.

Humble efficiency

In the case of {hardware} efficiency, it is a blended bag. The numbers reveal that it does not carry out fairly in addition to the EliteBook X G1a, which ran on an AMD Ryzen AI 7 Professional 360 processor, in comparison with the EliteBook G1i Intel Core Extremely 7 268V CPU. Beneath is a desk evaluating the benchmark take a look at outcomes of HP’s EliteBook X Gl1 to final 12 months’s mannequin and the Dell 14 Plus.  

These numbers have been mirrored in my different checks. In a single occasion, I edited certainly one of EliteBook’s high-quality pictures utilizing the net picture editor Pixlr. I additionally had 10 different tabs open, certainly one of which had a 3D rendering device operating. Enhancing pictures is usually a resource-intensive activity, leading to some efficiency quirks. Whereas utilizing the Stamp device, I observed that the on-screen reticle had a delay. Its motion didn’t match my route — it was somewhat off. Nonetheless, as soon as I closed the opposite tabs, the Pixlr delay instantly disappeared.

I ultimately observed the EliteBook has bother multitasking underneath sure circumstances. Once I had 50 distinctive tabs operating YouTube livestreams in 1080p, looping GIFs, ZDNET critiques, and Amazon listings, all the pieces was wonderful. There was no slowdown. However the browser-based photograph enhancing simply did not sit proper with the laptop computer.

I also needs to point out that the mannequin has the identical tendency to heat up because the older laptop computer. The keyboard will get somewhat heat throughout a heavy load, reminiscent of once I was benchmarking, however fortunately, it by no means received tremendous scorching. I might comfortably maintain my palms flat on the keys. A lot of the warmth is expelled by the underside vents, nonetheless, so I do not advocate putting the EliteBook in your lap.

If it isn’t the highest-performing laptop computer of this 12 months, it greater than makes up for with longevity. This laptop has an superior battery life, able to lasting 18 hours on a single cost. Recharge instances have been equally spectacular. Plugging within the EliteBook for about 35 minutes recharges its battery to about 50%. Plus, it is potential to get an excellent longer battery life with the best changes.  

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The HP EliteBook X G1i is on sale for $3,589, which is somewhat costly contemplating the efficiency did not blow me away. If you wish to get monetary savings, HP has different builds on sale for as little as $1,649. Nonetheless, if efficiency is extra essential, I recommend going with the 2024 EliteBook X G1a as an alternative, because it’s promoting for $1,999.