HP's updated EliteBooks are ready for summer sunshine
In addition to adding a new 15-inch EliteBook 1050 with a GTX 1050 option, the entire line is getting brighter displays to improve your view outdoors.
Nips, tucks and tweaks might be the best way to characterize HP's round of summer updates to its ultraportable Elite business lineup, which received its annual redesign earlier this year. Notable for this cohort, though, is the addition of a an EliteBook 1050, which brings a 15.6-inch display and GeForce GTX discrete graphics to its flagship line with an Nvidia GTX 1050.
And while all the devices have been updated to 8th-generation Core i processors, the 1050 incorporates the more powerful H series, which goes up to 6 cores, compared to the energy-saving, quad-core (at best) U series. Plus, you can configure it with up to 32GB of memory, compared with the 16GB limit on the rest.
In addition, lower cost and better availability of brighter panels allows HP to integrate out 400-nit or more displays across the entire product line like we've seen in some of the latest Lenovo ThinkPad X1 series models. (A typical notebook display runs 250 to 300 nits, and for viewing in bright light, higher is better.) I expect this to be a trend across premium notebooks this year, trickling down to the next tier of less expensive models during 2019.
HP also brings its updated Sure View 2 privacy screen to the entire line. The Sure View screens require the 1,920x1,080, 650-nit displays or brighter, since they work by turning up the brightness; there's still no 4K Sure View option, as the 4K displays are 400 nits.
Another highlight of the bunch is a refresh of HP's 14-inch portable monitor, the EliteDisplay S14. It's now HD resolution (up from 1,900x600), as well as smaller and lighter, with an updated design and trimmer bezels. It connects via USB-C now, which is far better suited for driving it than USB 3 ever was.
The EliteOne 1000 all-in-one desktop gets a power boost as well, not only with 8th-generation Intel Core i processors, but with an option for an AMD RX580 discrete GPU.
Updates to the EliteBook 1030 G3 include faster Cat 9 LTE wireless support and a proximity alert for the Active Pen, which notifies you when you leave its geofenced range. (It looks the same as the previous model.) The EliteBook 1013 x2 received some design tweaks over its predecessor, including squared edges and thinner display bezels, which really does give it a sleeker look and allows HP to up the screen size from 12.3 to 13 inches. (Hence the "1013" moniker.)
US availability and pricing is:
- HP EliteBook 1050 G1, May starting at $1,899.
- HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3, June starting at $1,449.
- HP Elite x2 1013 G3, June starting at $1,499.
- HP EliteOne 1000 AiO G2, June starting at $1,279.
- HP EliteDisplay S14, July for $219.
We don't yet have the information for other regions.