HP claims the company has the largest portfolio of AI PCs on offer. All the new hardware offerings, according to HP, are capable of making our daily work easier.
This is very much needed, as knowledge workers in particular appear to be maintaining an unhealthy relationship with work. AI is intended to support the new offerings and act as a personal and personalized tool. Here HP seems to have listened very carefully to what Intel has already explained, following the lead of competitor Dell. Thus, again, we are told that the specific Copilot button is a very important addition. It at least allows users to get directly to the AI assistant, something that can admittedly also be controlled with a press on the virtual taskbar.
Consequently, the new machines feature Intel processors that incorporate the brand-new NPU. It counts as an important aspect of an “AI PC”. This Neural Processing Unit is designed to complete certain AI tasks as efficiently as possible. We’re not talking about full-fledged chatbots or image generators, but rather some specific Photoshop operations and the ability to get rid of background noise in recordings.
HP Elite Series
The top model in the new offering is the revolving HP Elite x360 1040 G11. A price hasn’t yet been shared, but is expected to be announced closer to the April launch. The same goes for its conventional laptop equivalent EliteBook 1040 G11. Both variants come with 32GB of LPDDR5x-6400 memory, while there are several Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 chips to choose from. HP Wolf Security for Business is included, while the x360 complements this with “contextual intelligent features” such as HP Context Aware and HP System Control. These features mainly serve to improve battery life and reduce boot times.
Below it in the mid-market segment is the HP EliteBook 800 and 805 series (also G11), which can include an AMD Ryzen Pro chip as an alternative to the Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7. Prices are already known here, at least in U.S. currency: the 800 series will cost a minimum of $1599. There is a wide variety of specifications, even with options to choose from that rank above the 1000 series. For example, the maximum memory capacity within the 800 series is 64 GB. These products are distinguished by an emphasis on battery life and reliable (AI) performance.
The EliteBook 600 series starts at $1289 and can also be equipped with different processors. Interestingly, these are not Intel Core Ultra, but the older Core processors without an NPU. To still deliver AI performance in a somewhat credible way, these products include a discrete GPU in the form of an Nvidia RTX 2050. Since this is a now two-generation old chip, it is a somewhat odd choice. An RTX 4050 would have been a considerably more efficient option, with much stronger AI performance to boot.
HP Zbooks: ‘real’ AI PCs
HP is not stopping at revamping the EliteBook series. The Zbook line has also been modified, with impressive specifications. Again, the company is not yet naming prices. Regardless, each variant is equipped with a recent Nvidia RTX card meant for workstations. The ZBook Power G11 is intended for AI development, 3D modeling and “heavy multitasking.” The maximum GPU option is an RTX 3000 Ada chip, which will no doubt claim a hefty price tag. The ZBook Fury G11 is marketed for editing 8K videos, 3D rendering, VFX or running AI models locally. HP promises optimal efficiency for these tasks. Alternatively, the ZBook Studio G11 focuses on a portable form factor, while the ZBook Firefly G11 is meant for project management and offers an extra-long battery life.
Given the more imposing GPU specs, it seems that these are, in fact, the most “AI PC” moniker-worthy products, although these devices are not intended for the ordinary consumer.
AI Creation Center
In terms of AI software, HP offers the Z by HP AI Studio, which it describes as the “world’s most comprehensive workstation solution for AI development.” In partnership with Nvidia, customers can address workflows from any location. It aims to be the first solution from an OEM to integrate Nvidia NGC, a portal for AI and HPC tools. This includes tools such as Nvidia NeMo, which can, for example, ensure that AI models exhibit the least amount of undesirable behaviour in real-world use.
Poly hardware
Poly, acquired by HP in 2022, also has a number of new products. For example, the Poly Studio E360 is a 360-degree camera for hybrid meetings. The camera should intelligently ensure that all meeting participants are visible when speaking. The Poly Studio E60 is intended for larger spaces and can provide 12x optical zoom with 4K sensors. The Poly Studio V52 is a “video bar” that can use AI to eliminate glass reflections and make meetings run as smoothly as possible.
HP monitors
The HP Series 7 Pro is the first monitor series to offer an “integrated AI privacy webcam,” which can disappear into the chassis when not used. There are 27-inch and 34-inch variants to choose from, with a total of 11 models with different resolutions.
Also read: Will AI save the PC market from a third consecutive year of disaster?
16 hours ago
