HP Business Ultrabooks Get Slimmer, Lighter Design

By Michelle Maisto

The EliteBook 820 is arguably HP’s most successful attempt at balancing business features with consumer aesthetics. It features a choice of 12.5-inch HD displays, runs up to an Intel Core i7 processor and starts at 2.94 pounds.

The EliteBook 820 also offers multiple connectivity options, is compatible with the UltraSlim Docking Station, supports multiple displays and includes storage options like an additional mini-card solid-state device (SSD). It can behave as a hotspot for up to five devices, includes HP’s new Sure Start security software and is now available at a starting price of $799.

The new EliteBooks are less boxy than their predecessors, now featuring rounded edges, and were also given backlit keyboards and magnesium covers with a four-coat finish for a better appearance over the course of a deployment. Additionally, the bottoms of the notebooks pop off easily to reveal a design that makes parts easily accessible for repairs or updates.

With the ProBooks, users have the option of an optical drive and Advanced Micro Devices processor options up to the AMD Elite Quad-Core. HP calls the ProBook 650 its “thinner, tougher, taskmaster.” It features a 14-inch display, multiple connectivity and docking options, and weighs 4.4 pounds.

The ProBook 655 is 19 percent thinner than its predecessor. It features a 15.6-inch display with a full-HD option and AMD Radeon HD 8000G Series graphics. The 600 series starts at $699. The 640, 645 and 650 are expected to arrive in the United States Nov. 18, and the 655 will follow Nov. 25.

On the ProBooks, little nubs on either side of the trackpad, as well as ever-so-slightly rounded lids, help prevent damage to the displays, should pressure be applied to the notebook when it’s closed—such as might happen, for example, during a flight.

HP’s ProBook 400 series notebooks feature the latest fourth-generation Intel Core processors. The 450 G1, pictured here, can come with a shatter-, smudge- and scratch-resistant touch interface. The display is 15.6 inches and the notebook weighs 5.22 pounds.

The 400 series is also distinct from the other ProBooks in appearance. The chassis is “meteorite gray” with a soft-touch finish and an all-metal keyboard deck. The 400 series starts at $499.

Exclusively for its EliteBook 800 line, HP has introduced Sure Start, a self-healing BIOS technology. HP says that its Sure Start Crisis Recovery mode can “immedately and automatically” detect the effect of an attack or corruption and replace the corrupted BIOS Boot Block with a clean copy in just 30 seconds. In short, it can turn a nightmare scenario into a non-event.

HP has also introduced a Security Jacket for its ElitePad. The jacket, which surrounds the tablet like a frame, includes integrated smartcard and fingerprint readers, making multiple-log-in procedures possible in sensitive environments. The jacket starts at $249, or at $439 with the optional optical fingerprint reader.