HP ZBook Extremely G1a assessment: a business-class workstation that’s received sport

Enterprise laptops are usually uninteresting computer systems foisted on workers en masse. However higher-end enterprise workstation notebooks typically get an fascinating sufficient mix of energy and options to attraction to fans. HP’s ZBook Extremely G1a is a pleasant instance. It’s straightforward to see it as one other grey boring-book for spendy enterprise sorts, till you discover a couple of key specs: an AMD Strix Halo APU, numerous RAM, an OLED show, and an satisfactory quantity of speedy ports (Thunderbolt 4, even — a rarity on AMD laptops).

I do know from my time with the Asus ROG Flow Z13 and Framework Desktop that something utilizing AMD’s high-end Ryzen AI Max chips ought to make for a compelling laptop. However these two are a gaming pill and a small type issue PC, respectively. Right here, you get Strix Halo and its glorious built-in graphics in a simple, moveable 14-inch laptop computer — up to now, the one one in every of its form. That ought to imply nice efficiency with stable battery life, and the graphics chops to hold with midlevel gaming laptops — all in a pc that wouldn’t draw a second look in a stuffy workplace. It’s an honest Home windows (or Linux) various to a MacBook Professional, albeit for a very excessive value.

The HP ZBook Ultra G1a begins around $2,100 for a modest six-core AMD Ryzen AI Max Professional 380 processor, 16GB of shared reminiscence, and fundamental IPS show. Our assessment unit is a a lot higher-spec configuration with a 16-core Ryzen AI Max Plus Pro 395, 2880 x 1800 decision 120Hz OLED touchscreen, 2TB of storage, and a whopping 128GB of shared reminiscence, costing practically $4,700. I usually see it discounted by $1,000 or extra — nonetheless costly, however extra life like for somebody looking for a MacBook Pro various. Having this a lot shared reminiscence is generally helpful for hefty native AI inference workloads and critical dataset crunching; most individuals don’t want it. However with the ongoing memory shortage I’d additionally perceive eager to futureproof.

Not like cheaper HP laptops I’ve tested that made huge sacrifices on on a regular basis options like speaker high quality, the ZBook Extremely G1a is excellent throughout the board. The OLED is vibrant, with punchy distinction. The keyboard has good tactility and deep key journey. The mechanical trackpad is clean, with a superb click on really feel. The 5-megapixel webcam seems stable in most lighting. And the audio system have a full sound that I’m pleased to take heed to music on all day. I’ve my gripes, however they’re minor: The 400-nit display screen might be a little brighter, the four-speaker audio system doesn’t sound fairly as wealthy as present MacBook Execs, and my unintentional presses of the Web page Up and Web page Down keys above the arrows actually get on my nerves. These quibbles aren’t deal-breakers, although for the ZBook’s value I want HP solved a few of them.

The large factor you’re paying for with the ZBook Extremely is that top-end Strix Halo APU, which is up to now solely present in $2,000+ computer systems and a sicko-level gaming handheld, although there will probably be cut-down versions coming to cheaper gaming laptops this yr.

The flagship 395 chip within the ZBook affords speedy efficiency for mixed-use work and sufficient battery life to eke out an eight-hour workday stuffed with Chrome tabs and internet apps (with power-saving measures). I burned via battery in Adobe Lightroom Basic, however though Strix Halo is much less highly effective when disconnected from wall energy, the ZBook didn’t get slowed down. I blazed via a hefty batch edit of 47-megapixel RAW photographs with none significantly lengthy waits on issues like AI denoise or automated masking changes.

The ZBook stays cool and silent throughout typical use; pushing it underneath heavy masses solely yields a bit heat in its middle and a little bit of tolerable fan noise that’s simply drowned out by music, a video, or a sport at regular quantity.

This isn’t a gaming-focused laptop computer any greater than a MacBook Professional is, as its enormous pool of shared reminiscence and graphics cores are meant for workstation duties. Nonetheless, this factor can sport. I spent a complete night taking part in Battlefield 6 with mates, with Discord and Chrome open within the background, and the entire time it averaged 70 to 80fps in 1920 x 1200 decision with Medium preset settings and FSR set to Balanced mode — with peaks above 100fps. Operating it on the native 2880 x 1800 received a stable 50-ish fps that’s tremendous for single-player.

Intel’s new Panther Lake chips even have nice built-in graphics for gaming, whereas being extra power-efficient. However Strix Halo edges out Panther Lake in multi-core duties and graphics, with the flagship 395 model proving as succesful as a laptop computer RTX 4060 discrete GPU. AMD’s beefy cellular chips have additionally proven great for Linux when you’re seeking to get away from Windows.

Along with Home windows 11’s upsells and nagging notifications, the ZBook additionally has HP’s Wolf Safety, designed for deployment on an IT-managed fleet of firm laptops. For somebody not utilizing this as a work-managed system, its additional layer of protections could also be tolerable, however they’re annoying. They vary from warning you about information from an “untrusted location” (tremendous) to pop-ups when plugging in a non-HP USB-C charger (infuriating). You may flip off and uninstall all of this, identical as you’ll be able to for the bloatware AI Companion and Assist Assistant apps, nevertheless it’s a part of what HP fees for on its Z workstation line.

You don’t have to spend this type of cash on a kitted-out ZBook Extremely G1a until you do the type of specialised computing (native AI fashions, mathematical simulations, 3D rendering, and many others.) it’s designed for. There’s a more attainable configuration, ceaselessly on sale for round $2,500, however its 12-core CPU, lower-specced GPU, and 64GB of shared reminiscence are a dip in efficiency.

In case you’re largely keen on gaming, an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or perhaps a Razer Blade 16 make a hell of much more sense. For concerning the value of our ZBook Extremely assessment unit, the Razer will get you an RTX 5090 GPU, with far more highly effective gaming efficiency, whereas the extra modest ROG Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 5060 will get you comparable gaming efficiency to the ZBook Extremely in an identical type issue for practically $3,000 much less. The largest knock in opposition to these gaming laptops in comparison with the ZBook is that their followers get a lot louder underneath load.

And whereas it’s straightforward to consider a MacBook Professional because the lazy reply to all computing wants, it nonetheless ought to be mentioned: In case you don’t thoughts macOS, you will get a complete lot extra (non-gaming) efficiency from an M4 Pro / M4 Max MacBook Pro. Even sticking with Home windows and built-in graphics, the Asus Zenbook Duo with Panther Lake at $2,300 is a deal by comparability, as soon as it launches.

At $4,700, this can be a particular machine for specialised workloads. It’s a travel-friendly 14-inch that may do a little bit of every part, nevertheless it’s a excessive value for a jack of all trades when you’re spending your personal cash. The ZBook piqued my curiosity as a result of it’s one of many earliest examples of Strix Halo in a standard laptop computer. After utilizing it, I’m much more excited to see upcoming models at extra down-to-earth costs.

Pictures by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge