If you're into business notebooks with modern designs and cutting edge specs, then HP is about to make your day. In addition to new semi-rugged Elitebooks, the manufacturer has also announced two notebook lines for the small and medium business set, the HP ProBook b-series and the more affordable ProBook s-series.
Both notebook families are geared toward professionals who need elegant and capable machines with modern Intel Core CPUs, travel-ready chassis, and up-to-date media specs.
First up, the b-series which will start at $799 and goes on sale around March 15.
When it hits shelves in either 13.3, 14, or 15.6-inch varieties (model names are 6360b, 6460b, or 6560b, respectively), the b-series will be wearing a smudge-protected, ding-resistant chassis of tungsten-colored metal. Its HD LED back-lit screen will be held in place by a bead-blasted display enclosure made of aluminum and HP DisplaySafe panel-shielding technology. Inside the system, hardware will be protected by a magnesium-reinforced chassis, a full aluminum deck, and a bottom-case drain for filtering out spills and leaks. And as for the b-series' external hardware, it will be configurable with either the HP 90W Docking Station or the HP 12oW Advanced Docking Station.
And speaking of internals, both the b-series and the s-series will carry either an Intel Celeron processor or a second-generation Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 multi-core chip. Expect to find multimedia perks such as SRS Premium Sound and Skype HD-enabled high-definition webcams as well.
Unlike the b-series, the 12.1, 13.3, 14, 15.6, and 17.3 sizes of the s-series may be equipped with either Intel integrated graphics or AMD-based switchable graphics for better video performance and gaming. Starting at a lower price-point of $579, the HP ProBook s-series is protected with a chassis of brushed aluminum and another spill-resistant keyboard, though it won't include that handy bottom-case drain for incidental spills. The s-series will also offer a multi-touch touchpad, fingerprint reader, USB 3.0, a standard media card reader, and optional dual-ray microphones for better noise-canceling in captured audio.
If you like what you hear, you'll definitely like what you see in our massive gallery below.
