HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 is the ultimate video editing workstation — if you can afford it

Not everyone needs a dedicated workstation to handle their day-to-day work or content creation needs, but power and performance are non-negotiable for those who do.

When we reviewed the HP ZBook Studio 16 G10 in July 2024, we were impressed by its slick display, solid audio, and blazing performance from its powerful Intel Core i9 13900H CPU and Nvidia RTX 4000 Ada Generation GPU. The ZBook Studio 16 G11 doesn’t present dramatic changes from the previous generation, though our review spec opted for the less-powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 185H “Meteor Lake” processor compared to its 14th Gen “Raptor Lake” counterpart and a slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU. However, the Studio G11 is far from underpowered.

This workstation has three standout qualities that create a potent mix for creative editors: First, the RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU is powerful enough to stand against its RTX 4000 counterpart, and the Meteor Lake Core Ultra 9 CPU packs a pretty solid punch in general CPU performance. Second and third, a stellar display and solid audio make the 11th-generation ZBook Studio an incredibly powerful tool for photo and video editing.

Can the ZBook Studio G11 measure up to its predecessor? Is it powerful enough to land a spot on our Best Workstations list? Let’s take a look.

HP ZBook Studio G11 16" Mobile Workstation: $3,514.39 at Amazon

The HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 offers powerful Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation graphics, a respectable amount of general CPU performance, a stunning DreamColor display, plenty of configuration options, and enough ports for a full office setup. It’s also expensive and could stand to have better battery life.

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HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Specs and benchmarks

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Price and configurations

Workstation pricing often follows the same principle as business laptop pricing, where the quoted price isn’t reflective of what a company will pay when outfitting a fleet of designers or architects. So we expected the price of the ZBook Studio G11 to be on the high side, and with a starting price of $3,559 we were not wrong.

The starting configuration of the HP Zbook Studio 16 G11 gets you a Windows 11 Pro machine with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB of memory, a 512GB SSD, and a 16-inch, 1920 x 1200, LCD display.

You can upgrade to an Nvidia RTX 1000 Ada Generation GPU for an additional $657, or an RTX 4070 for an additional $1,137. You can also configure the ZBook Studio with an upgraded Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU with integrated graphics for a total price of $3,779, and then upgrade your GPU to an Nvidia RTX 1000 Ada Generation chip for an additional $657.

HP also offers a few variations of the ZBook Studio with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vPro processor, the CPU in our review unit. The Intel Core Ultra 9 base configuration includes an Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation GPU for $5,230. You can then upgrade to an RTX 4070 for an additional $166, or upgrade to the Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU for an extra $563.

RAM upgrades to 32GB cost an additional $270 while an upgrade to 64GB will set you back an additional $820. Upgrading from the base 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD costs $235 more. There are also 2TB and 4TB configurations, though they come at increased costs.

Our review unit was a fully loaded model with an upgraded Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vPro CPU, RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU, 64GB of memory, 1TB of SSD storage, a 16-inch, 3840 x 2400 DreamColor display, an optional fingerprint reader, and an RGB Quiet Keyboard. The full price tag on that spec is $7,283, though as of this review, it is currently available for 30% off, which drops the initial price to $5,098.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Design

HP’s ZBook Studio is a thin, light workstation that maintains the standard ZBook aesthetics. The keyboard deck is clean, with a fingerprint reader below the arrow keys on the far right-hand side and top-firing speakers to either side of the keys. The touchpad is centered on the deck, with a subtle metallic edge where the deck drops away for the glass touchpad.

The top cover is similarly minimalist, with a chrome HP logo in the center of the lid. The ZBook comes in a single color option: standard silver, which will blend in with any office environment. While somewhat aesthetically dull, this makes perfect sense for a workstation laptop likely to be used in professional settings.

The ZBook Studio tends to be HP’s thinner and lighter workstation line, and the G11 is no different. Measuring 14.02 x 9.54 x 0.76 inches and weighing 4.1 pounds, the ZBook Studio G11 is pretty slim and portable when compared to other thin and light workstations like:

• HP ZBook Studio 16 G10: 14.02 x 9.54 x 0.76 inches, 4.2 pounds
• Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: 13.95 x 9.49 x 0.67 inches, 4.3 pounds
• Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024, M4): 14 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches, 4.7 pounds

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Ports

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As a mobile workstation, the ZBook Studio comes with plenty of ports to connect to all your devices whether in the office or out in the field:

• 2x Thunderbolt 4 (with power delivery, DisplayPort 1.4)
• 1x SuperSpeed USB Type-C (with power delivery, DisplayPort 1.4)
• 1x SuperSPeed USB Type-A (with power delivery)
• 1x Power connector
• 1x Audio combo jack
• 1x MicroSD card reader
• 1x Nano security lock slot

With multiple DisplayPort 1.4 USB-C connections, additional USB Type-C and Type-A ports and a microSD card reader, you’re unlikely to need more ports for the ZBook Studio. But if you need additional SD card slots, you may want to snag one of the best laptop docking stations or USB-C hubs.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Battery life

Discrete Nvidia RTX GPUs often mean lesser battery life, and the ZBook Studio 16 G11 is no exception. Thanks to its RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU, we didn’t expect the ZBook Studio to break any benchmark records for battery life, but the G11 lasted just 4 hours and 43 minutes on the Laptop Mag battery test.

While not the worst battery life we’ve ever seen with a workstation, it is over an hour less than we saw on the ZBook Studio G10, which lasted over six hours on the same battery test. It’s also far below the battery life we saw on our top workstation choice, the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 or the MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024). In fact, the ThinkPad lasted more than 3.8 times as long as the ZBook Studio G11, and the MacBook Pro lasted more than 4.6 times as long.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Security and durability

As part of the Intel vPro ecosystem, the Core Ultra 9 185H version of the ZBook Studio has increased hardware security and software deployment features thanks to Intel’s commercial solutions. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H vPro also features a discrete trusted platform module (TPM) 2.0 security chip.

All variants of the ZBook Studio come with a Nano lock slot and a 720p IR webcam suitable for Windows Hello secure sign-in. The ZBook Studio also offers optional Self-Encrypted SSDs and an optional fingerprint reader.

The ZBook Studio has a sturdy hinge and aluminum chassis. It also meets the MIL-STD-810 durability standards, so it is rated to handle extreme high and low temperatures, exposure to damp and dusty environments, and high altitudes. So, if you need to run data figures or edit video at the summit of Mount Everest, the Studio will keep up.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Display

Our HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 review unit came with an upgraded 120Hz, 3840 x 2400, matte Dream Color display. That panel is rated to 500 nits, which is more than enough to cut through office glare, particularly with the matte panel offering less glare even on lower brightness settings.

I spun up the trailer for Apple TV’s upcoming series The Studio to test the ZBook’s display against the vibrant trailer that flips between dark film screening scenes to brightly lit Hollywood exteriors. I was particularly impressed by how gorgeous the LA sky appeared during the scenes with Seth Rogen’s newly appointed studio head chats with Catherine O’Hara on a grassy terrace overlooking the city. The scene is well framed with a cloudy LA sunset casting both actors in a soft, warm glow. The ZBook Studio’s LCD touchscreen display captured the rich cool tones of the overcast sky as clearly as the warm brown of Rogan’s suit for a sense of that classic Hollywood glamour.

The ZBook Studio G11’s display also performed well in our lab tests, measuring 397 nits of max brightness, about 100 nits below HP’s 500 nit rating, though the center of the display hit 452 nits of max SDR brightness.

The Studio also covered an impressive 160.3% of the sRGB color gamut and 113.6% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, close to the G10’s scores and far more vibrant than the Lenovo or MacBook Pro.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Keyboard and touchpad

There are three keyboard options for the HP ZBook Studio G11: the standard clickpad backlit quiet keyboard, the RGB backlit quiet keyboard, and the RGB backlit Z Command quiet keyboard, which is ideal for macOS users making the switch to Windows.

Our ZBook Studio came with the RGB backlit quiet keyboard, which offers keyboard backlight and sound customization options through Z Light Space. The keys are quiet on activation, with a high actuation point and decent keytravel to keep your fingers from bottoming out. While I personally prefer a more mid-point actuation and a clicky keyboard sound, the ZBook’s quiet keyboard makes sense in a professional or studio environment where you may not want the background typing noise.

On the 10fastfingers.com Advanced typing test, I averaged 85 words per minute (WPM) on the ZBook Studio, which is just below the 88WPM average I maintain on my MacBook Pro 14. The ZBook’s keys are nicely spaced apart to avoid accidental mis-clicks, though the overall size difference between my usual 14-inch laptop and the ZBook’s extra keyboard deck real estate did take some getting used to.

The ZBook’s touchpad is also a solid feature, with nice precision gesture controls and a silky feel. The touchpad does have a physical click to it, though only on the lower half of the touchpad. However, you can tap to click anywhere on the touchpad, but doing so higher up lacks the nice tactile feel as the touchpad doesn’t offer much in the way of haptics, which I personally prefer.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Audio

HP has put top-firing dual stereo speakers on the ZBook Studio, with audio tuning by Poly Studio. Much like the previous generation, the ZBook Studio G11’s audio has a surprising volume and audio fidelity, making it ideal for video editing.

Because I can’t get it out of my head, I queued up Lady Gaga’s single “Abracadabra,” and the ZBook Studio’s volume was more than enough to fill a whole room and compete with local construction sounds to grab my attention. The speakers did lose some audio quality at max volume, but even then I could easily isolate Gaga’s vocals from the pulsing synth beats of the pop anthem.

If you are going to be doing a lot of editing in the field or in the office, however, we’d still recommend a set of the best headphones so you don’t need to worry about background noise getting in the way of your editing session.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Performance and heat

The HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 upgrades the Studio from Intel’s 13th-generation Raptor Lake architecture to the Intel Core Ultra 9 185 Meteor Lake vPro chipset, which does sacrifice some raw CPU power in favor of an onboard NPU, hardware-based vPro security solutions, and theoretically better efficiency. Combined with 64GB of memory, an Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation GPU, and a 1TB SSD, there is plenty of power in the Studio despite a more low-power CPU.

That said, the Studio doesn’t stutter. There was practically nothing I could throw at the Studio that it couldn’t handle, between editing my latest travel photos and blazing through video editing. There wasn’t a number of Chrome tabs or Photoshop tasks that would cause the ZBook to falter, and our review spec does have HP’s Data Science Ready optimizations so it can handle a variety of STEM and engineering workloads as well.

As for general performance, the ZBook Studio 16 G11 is a bit less of a powerhouse than its G10 counterpart, though that configuration did have a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4000 Ada Generation GPU. It does beat the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 in pure silicon power, which makes sense as the P1 Gen 7 has an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor compared to the Ultra 9 in the Studio G11. The MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024) is unmatched in pure CPU power, though it has less application support than the Intel Windows workstations.

While HP's ZBook Studio 16 has a powerful fan system, it can get very hot under pressure, reaching temperatures up to 107.9 degrees Fahrenheit, which is well above the Laptop Mag comfort threshold of 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you’re most likely to use the ZBook Studio on a desk, so its high temperatures are a bit less of an issue than with a thin and light laptop.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Graphics and gaming

Workstations are not gaming laptops and historically perform poorly in gaming compared to high-powered gaming laptops. Even with the more gaming-focused Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs, workstation and content creator laptops have different thermal management systems and run off studio drivers, so they’ll underperform on gaming benchmarks.

While I am a self-professed MMO hermit who will play Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail on any platform capable of running it, even I find gaming on a workstation difficult to defend. That said, I did still boot up the game just to see how gorgeous the Solution Nine endgame hub looks on the ZBook Studio’s DreamColor display, and I was not disappointed by the crisp edges and vibrant pinks and cool sky blue lights of the cyberpunk city. Framerates were not as smooth as a dedicated gaming GPU, but more than enough to get through a few of my daily dungeons.

That said, we do run workstations through some gaming benchmarks to test their GPU capabilities, and the ZBook Studio 16 G11 did far better on gaming benchmarks than we expected. In fact, the ZBook Studio 16 G11 outperformed the more powerful ZBook G10 on the Civilization VI: Gathering Storm graphics benchmark by almost 50 frames per second (fps). Civ VI is not the most graphically demanding benchmark, so the ZBook Studio 16 G10 did have the advantage in synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark Fire Strike and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

The ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 and MacBook Pro both paled in comparison, managing only 78 and 79fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider compared to the ZBook Studio G11’s 97fps.

While I was putting the ZBook Studio through its paces, I did stitch together some video and audio from a recent trip in CapCut and edited some of my travel photos in Adobe Photoshop. The Studio is more powerful than I'd need for either task, and Photoshop has never run faster.

We also tested the ZBook Studio G11 on a few SPECWorkstation 3.1 GPU benchmarks like the maya-05 3D rendering benchmark and the energy-02 STEM benchmark. The ZBook Studio handily outperformed the ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 on both benchmarks at 1060p resolution, which makes sense considering the drastic difference in GPUs between the two workstations.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: AI features

With its Intel Meteor Lake chipset, the HP ZBook 16 G11 does have a small Intel AI Boost NPU onboard. It also has a powerful GPU and CPU, so you can run various AI workloads without any issue.

The ZBook Studio G11 only has a few pre-installed AI features, like the Microsoft Copilot assistant and Windows Studio Effects like automatic camera framing, eye contact correction, and background blur.

However, the ZBook Studio does not have a powerful enough NPU to meet the Copilot+ requirements, so it does miss out on some Copilot+ exclusive features like Live Captions and Co-Create.

That said, as an Intel laptop with an AI PC chipset, the ZBook Studio can run the latest version of Intel AI Playground. This gives you access to Llama, OpenVino, Juggernaut, and DreamShaper 8 models upon installation, but you can also feed AI Playground whatever LLM model you prefer, including DeepSeek and Microsoft Phi-4.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Webcam

The ZBook Studio has a 720p IR webcam set into the top display bezel. The camera feed is a little grainy, particularly when displayed at full-screen on the Studio’s 4K panel. Still, the webcam is color accurate with minimal bleed, which is pretty good for a tiny bezel webcam.

While not the best quality webcam with just a 720p feed, it can handle the occasional video call for work and for Windows Hello secure sign-in. But if you plan to use the ZBook Studio frequently for video calls or virtual presentations, we recommend using one of our best webcams instead.

HP ZBook Studio 16 G11: Software and warranty

The ZBook Studio ships with Windows 11 Pro, which includes standard Microsoft applications like Copilot, Microsoft 365, Windows Media Player, OneNote, and Microsoft Teams. The ZBook also has Intel applications like Intel Graphics Command Center and Intel Management and Security Status.

You also get some HP software pre-installed, such as HP Audio Control, Connection Optimizer, Insights, Sure Recover, Poly Camera Pro, and HP Support Assistant. There are at least 17 different HP and Poly programs pre-installed on the ZBook Studio, which is quite a bit. Luckily none of them take up much space on the hard drive, but the pre-installed software array is edging into bloatware territory.

HP has a one-year limited warranty on the HP ZBook Studio.

Bottom line

The HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 gambled on Intel’s Meteor Lake platform, which was intended to be a more power efficient CPU than the 13th gen Raptor Lake silicon in the Studio G10. However, we actually saw a significant dip in battery life gen over gen, with the 11th Gen Studio underperforming on battery life. Part of that could be due to the enhanced vPro hardware security of the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H chip and 120Hz display on our review model, but the Meteor Lake chip also offers less raw CPU power which makes this feel like a losing bargain.

I wouldn't recommend an upgrade if you have the ZBook Studio 16 G10. Still, if you need to upgrade from an older generation ZBook, the Studio G11 offers powerful Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada Generation graphics, a respectable amount of general CPU performance, a stunning DreamColor display, plenty of configuration options, and more than enough ports. While it is pricey and could have better battery life, it’s cheaper than the fully kitted ZBook Studio G10 we reviewed last year, so it’s also not the priciest workstation you could find.

If battery life is your main concern, the ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 or MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024) offer significantly better power efficiency. If you need the most powerful workstation you can find, the ZBook Studio G11 is a solid successor to the ZBook Studio G10, even with a bit of a performance hit to the CPU because it offers fantastic RTX 3000 Ada Generation optimization. And it’s about $1,000 cheaper.