This slim, stylish business laptop won me over with its vivid display and unmatched keyboard, but I have two key concerns

Business laptops are often pricey, but you can still get great value for your money if you know what traits you should and shouldn't compromise on.

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is a great example — it has a few impressive strengths going for it, but it falls short in two key areas that make a world of difference for business users: battery life and overall performance.

It's not catastrophically bad in either, it's just ok, but when you're vying for a position amongst the best business laptops, ok isn't enough.

The EliteBook could still be the right fit for some people, there's a lot to love including its impressively thin-and-light design, gorgeous display, and outstanding keyboard, but read on for the complete picture of this stylish corner-office competitor before you decide.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Specs and benchmarks

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Price and configurations

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is available in one configuration priced at $2,429, which includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor, Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, 32GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 14-inch, 2880 x 1800, OLED touch display.

At this price, I would have really liked to see 1TB of storage. Similar business laptops, like the Asus ExpertBook P5, have more storage at a lower price, so HP going with just 512GB here is a bit of a letdown.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Design

Sometimes the best laptop design is a simple, straightforward one, and that's the case with the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI. It features a clean, minimalist aluminum chassis in a deep steel blue color that's different enough from black or gray to be interesting without being too distracting for the office.

Notably, this is not a 2-in-1. You can't fold the display around for tablet mode. It can fold enough for the entire laptop to lie flat on your desk, but that's it. If you have your heart set on a 2-in-1 or a laptop that can double as a tablet, you might be better served with one of the best 2-in-1 laptops.

Inside, the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI features a 14-inch display with a surprisingly large keyboard and touchpad. There's a full row of function keys and a dedicated Copilot key, as well. The power button is integrated into the keyboard, which I'm not a fan of, but at least HP made sure the power button looks and feels distinctly different from the regular keys, so you're less likely to press it by accident.

The EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is ultra-portable, weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring 12.35 x 8.55 x 0.48 inches. That's notably thinner and lighter than a few other comparable 14-inch business laptops:

• Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: 2.72 pounds, 12.35 x 8.64 x 0.67 inches
• Asus ExpertBook P5 (P5405): 2.8 pounds, 12.3 x 8.8 x 0.65 inches
• Apple MacBook Pro M4 (14-inch): 3.4 pounds, 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.61 inches

Laptop: Ports

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The EliteBook includes most of the ports business users need for everyday tasks, including:

• 1x USB Type-A
• 3x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4
• 1x 3.5mm headphone jack

Those ports were fine for my needs, but it would have been nice for HP to include an HDMI port and a microSD card slot. If you find yourself needing more ports, you can always connect the EliteBook to one of the best laptop docking stations or USB Type-C hubs.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Battery life

Battery life is one of the most important factors for any business laptop, which is why I was a bit disappointed by the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI's score. It lasted 10 hours and 43 minutes in our tests, which is enough for a full workday but significantly lower than many similar laptops. At this price point, a minimum of 12 hours is ideal.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Security and durability

As a business laptop, the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI includes some extra security features geared specifically toward professionals, namely HP Wolf Security.

This is a security service that provides more in-depth cybersecurity protection designed for business users. It includes a slew of tools and features like CPU-enforced malware protection, the ability to remotely lock or wipe a stolen device, and monitoring for connected devices like printers.

Like all HP EliteBook laptops, the Ultra G1i AI is tested under MIL-STD-810H, which means its put through a series of durability tests including drops, vibration, heat, and more. Hopefully more than your commute, travels, or office use will ever subject it to.

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI includes a one-year subscription for HP Wolf Security along with the standard one-year warranty for parts and labor.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Display

Display quality is one area where the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI shines. It features a 14-inch, 2880 x 1800, OLED touch display with HDR.

Right from the moment I opened the EliteBook, I could tell HP didn't skimp out on the OLED panel. It looks fantastic with sharp, vibrant colors, great contrast, deep blacks, and bright whites. It gets plenty bright, too — I normally kept it at 50% brightness or less and never had trouble viewing the display.

The only thing I didn't like about this display is how reflective it is. I watched an episode of Supernatural on it and could easily see my reflection in the display during the show's many dark or dimly-lit scenes, which I found highly distracting. It's not a deal-breaker, but some type of anti-reflective coating would have been a nice addition.

Considering how good this display looks in person, I wasn't at all surprised to see it score well in our display tests, far above its competitors across the board:

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Keyboard and touchpad

The EliteBook Ultra G1i AI sports a roomy keyboard and touchpad for a 14-inch laptop. It features large, easily-readable keys with good tactile feedback (while at the same time being quiet enough for the office).

On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored 108 words per minute with 98% accuracy, which is a new personal record for me. I was able to type faster on the EliteBook than my long-time record on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X, which is really saying something since that laptop has one of my favorite keyboards. If you're a speedy typist, you'll be a fan of the keyboard on the EliteBook.

The touchpad is especially large, measuring 5.1 x 3.5 inches. It produces a soft click that gives just enough travel and feedback to not feel mushy. The surface of it is smooth and responsive, and I didn’t notice any lag.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Audio

The bottom-firing speakers on the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI are pretty underwhelming. They're not the worst laptop speakers I've ever heard, but they're not outstanding, either. They would be fine for tasks like attending video meetings or watching videos, but if you want to listen to music, get immersed in a movie, or do some casual gaming, you'll want to plug in some headphones.

I listened to "Tomorrow Is Closed" by Nothing But Thieves on the EliteBook and immediately noticed the lackluster audio quality. The speakers are tinny at the high end and muddy at the low end, so the vocals and slick electric guitar melodies sounded much more watered down than they would with my favorite pair of earbuds or even on my phone's speaker.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Performance and heat

The EliteBook Ultra G1i AI runs on an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor with Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics and 32GB of memory. I would have liked to see slightly higher overall performance scores from this laptop, although it performed on par with the Asus ExpertBook P5, which features nearly identical specs (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc 140V, 32GB of RAM).

While its test scores could have been better for the price, the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI kept up fine with my day-to-day tasks, like web browsing, replying to emails, and word processing. If you mainly use your laptop for lightweight work tasks like those, the EliteBook's performance should be more than enough.

However, if you're looking for something that can keep up with resource-intensive tasks, like video editing, one of the best workstation laptops might be a better option.

Alternatively, the MacBook Pro M4, which has a similar price and design to the EliteBook, performed significantly higher in our tests, so it’s a good in-between option if you want more performance than the EliteBook offers but don't necessarily need a pricey workstation.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Gaming and graphics

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is by no means a gaming laptop. It's a business laptop, first and foremost. So, if gaming is a top priority for you, you'd definitely be better off choosing one of the best gaming laptops instead (many of which can be had at this same price point or less).

The EliteBook is powered by Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, meaning it does not feature a dedicated GPU. For a typical business user, the integrated graphics should be more than enough for everyday tasks like web browsing or word processing.

However, if you need to perform graphics-intensive tasks, like graphic design or some casual gaming, the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is surprisingly capable.

It averaged 54.7 frames per second in Sid Meier's Civilization VI at Medium, 1080p settings, which is a bit more than I usually expect with integrated graphics. The Asus ExpertBook P5 scored similarly with 58 fps, which makes sense considering it also uses Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics.

The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 lagged significantly in this category with just 21 fps. We expected that, since the Qualcomm Adreno iGPU in its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor isn't quite as capable as Intel's.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: AI features

As its name suggests, the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is an AI PC, meaning Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant is built-in. So, you have a basic suite of AI features easily accessible through Windows 11, like the Copilot app, Windows Studio Effects, and Cocreator in the Paint app.

The EliteBook also offers the HP AI Companion, which is still in Beta at the time of writing. This AI app is designed for productivity tasks, unlike Copilot, which is more of a general AI assistant. So, it has tools for tasks like analyzing your files and optimizing system performance, in addition to the usual prompt and summary AI features.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Webcam

The webcam on the EliteBook Ultra G1i AI is pretty average — not the worst camera quality out there, but not the best, either. My test video was a bit grainy, but still plenty clear enough for video meetings. If that's all you plan to use your camera for, it can get the job done. If you want clearer, high-quality video, you'll need to plug in an external webcam instead.

HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI: Software and warranty

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI comes with Windows 11 Pro, complete with the standard suite of Microsoft apps like the Microsoft Store, Microsoft Edge, Copilot, and trial versions of the Microsoft Office apps. A few HP apps are also pre-installed, including HP AI Companion, myHP, and HP Wolf Security.

The EliteBook comes with HP's standard 1-year warranty for parts and labor and one year of Wolf Pro Security Edition service, which offers additional cybersecurity support geared toward business users.

Bottom line

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i AI features a great display, an impressively thin and light design, and a fantastic keyboard and touchpad, but its middling performance and battery life hold it back from being a stand-out business laptop.

I enjoyed using the EliteBook, but the price makes it difficult to recommend when there are other laptops at this price or less that deliver better battery life and performance, like the Asus ExpertBook P5 and the MacBook Pro M4. That's especially true considering the EliteBook includes only 512GB of storage, which is low for a $2,000 laptop.

The EliteBook Ultra G1i AI isn't a bad buy, it's just not the best value for your money. If you can find it on sale, it could be a good pick for some people, especially if display quality is a top priority for you. Otherwise, many business users might get better value from the Asus ExpertBook P5 or one of the best business laptops.