The HP EliteBook series is one of the most popular in the business community. The company has been launching various models in this series that bring strong performance and security features. The new HP EliteBook 8 G1i continues this tradition. The latest laptop from HP comes loaded with interesting features, including the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, up to 2.8K IPS touchscreen, a long battery life, and more. That said, is it enough to make it stand out from the crowd? I have been using the laptop for a while now, and here’s everything you need to know.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Design: Lightweight and Premium
- Dimension – 315.6 x 222 x 11.7mm
- Weight – 1.46kg
- Colours – Glacier Silver Aluminium
The first thing you will notice about the latest laptop is its looks. The Glacier Silver model looks premium from all angles. The entire laptop is made of premium aluminium, and the build looks fantastic, including the HP logo. However, there are some problems as well. First of all, the hinge does not feel sturdy, and the screen wobbles quite prominently. So, if you are using the touchscreen or even typing, the screen wobbles.
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i comes with a variety of ports.
Regarding IO ports, the brand has done a pretty good job of providing almost all the necessary ports. You get a 3.5mm audio jack, two USB Type-C ports, and an HDMI 2.1 port on the left side, while the right side features one USB Type-C port, one USB Type-A port, and a nano lock slot. The good thing here is that you can also customise the ports and add things like an intelligent card reader, a nano SIM card reader, and an RJ-45 port.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Display and Speakers: Smooth and Vibrant
- Display – 14-inch IPS LCD touchscreen
- Resolution – Full HD (1200×1920 pixels)
- Speakers – Dual Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos
HP EliteBook 8 G1i comes loaded with multiple screen options. You can get up to a 14-inch 2.5K IPS touchscreen with a resolution of up to 2.5K. The display also comes with 800nits of peak brightness and up to a 120Hz screen refresh rate. The display sure looks vibrant despite featuring an IPS panel. The colours are well-balanced, and you will not notice much of oversaturation. However, the inky-deep blacks you get on an OLED screen are still missing here. The 120Hz screen refresh rate makes the whole animation feel smooth.
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i comes with an IPS touchpanel that offers decent colours.
Interestingly, the laptop sure comes with an interesting option known as Onlooker Detection and HP Sure View. Both of these features provide much-needed privacy while working in a public place or simply want some privacy while working on a special project. The Onlooker Detection uses the camera to detect if there is a person behind you and then automatically blurs the screen. The feature works decently during my testing time.
Coming to the audio, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i comes with dual stereo speakers, which are pretty loud. The sound reaches a decent volume level, and you get good clarity. That said, the bass could have been better, but it is still passable, considering the compact and lightweight design.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Keyboard, Touchpad, and Webcam
- Keyboard – Backlit keyboard
- Webcam – 1080p IR camera
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i comes with a backlit keyboard. HP is known for providing some great keyboards, and this one is no different. The backlit keyboard offers a comfortable typing experience, and the key travel is decent enough. Interestingly, the keyboard is spill-resistant, so you can type without worrying about accidental spills during those extensive typing experiences.
The backlit keyboard works well and the touchpad feels smooth.
The trackpad is also big and smooth. The haptic feedback feels good, and you will face no trouble navigating through the screen with this touchpad.
In terms of security, you get an IR-based camera for Windows Hello support, which works fine, even when the lights are dim. There is a 5-megapixel camera that comes with Poly Camera Pro, which provides a variety of effects. You get features like using external cameras, magic backgrounds, and more. The webcam offers a high-quality feed which looks sharp and vibrant. Moreover, you also get a physical shutter button to kill the camera feed.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Software: Wolf and HP AI Companion Brings Enhanced Productivity
- Operating System – Windows 11 Pro
- Other Features – HP AI Companion
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i runs on the Windows 11 Pro operating system. Since it is a CoPilot+ PC, you get all the usual AI features offered by a typical CoPilot laptop. However, what makes it different is the company’s own set of AI features coupled with business-centric privacy features.
First of all, you get HP Wolf Security, which is an enterprise security solution. The solution provides enhanced protection from various risks, which is a key metric for business-centric laptops. You get features like self-healing BIOS and more, which make it enterprise-ready.
Moreover, you also get the HP AI Companion application, which is an on-device AI-powered software integrated deeply into the machine. Unlike other cloud-based assistants, this one uses a local version of GPT-4 that uses the laptop’s NPU unit to provide secure output. There are three modes in the AI Companion application: Discover, Analyse, and Perform. The Discover feature allows you to get answers to different queries.
The Analyse features help summarise documents, highlight key points, and compare files directly from the device or connected drives. Lastly, we have Perform, which allows users to enhance the performance of the laptop. Overall, the implementation is quite smooth, and you will not face much trouble using this app for your regular work-related tasks.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Performance: Reliable for Daily Usage
- Chipset – Intel Core Ultra 7 268V Processor
- RAM – 32GB LPDDR5X, 8533MHz
- ROM – 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i has the latest Intel Core Ultra 2 processors. The review unit has an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor with a clock speed of up to 4.8GHz. It also includes a new Intel Arc 140V iGPU, which can easily perform most graphics-related activities. This, along with 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of PCIe M.2 SSD storage, results in a powerful, thin, and light laptop at this pricing point. I’ve put the synthetic benchmark results below.
The laptop comes loaded with an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor.
In terms of performance, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i does all jobs easily. I utilised this laptop for my everyday work schedule and was impressed by its performance. With medium to heavy usage, including opening multiple Chrome tabs and windows, writing articles, and playing music in the background, the laptop performed consistently throughout the review time.
Furthermore, you can play some casual games on this laptop; however, it is not intended for serious gaming. The thermal management was enough for me, and I never observed the laptop being too hot to use. Under prolonged load, the fan speeds were acceptable. Interestingly, if you want to gain the maximum output, switching to Performance mode allows you to make full use of TDP for consistent performance.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Battery: Average
- Battery Capacity: 3-cell, 62Wh Lithium Polymer (Typical).
- Fast Charging: 65W Adapter
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i has a 62Wh battery and includes a 65W USB-C charger. With conservative to average usage, the laptop’s battery life lasts approximately 10 hours. With regular to heavy usage, I easily obtained 6 to 8 hours of battery life. Furthermore, the laptop took nearly two hours to charge fully.
HP EliteBook 8 G1i Verdict
To conclude, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i looks like an interesting option for those who are considering a compact and lightweight business laptop. The device comes equipped with a premium design and offers a decent display, minus the screen wobbling issue. The performance is up to the mark, and the HP AI Companion application is surely a hit, in my opinion.
The backlit keyboard is decent, and the touchpad works fine during the testing time. Moreover, the laptop also delivers strongly on the webcam front, and the Poly Camera Pro is sure to be helpful in making video calls. That said, the battery life could have been better. So, if you are planning for an enterprise-class laptop that provides a good amount of security and comes with smart features, then you can surely consider the HP EliteBook 8 G1i.
