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HP wants to make its AI laptop names more informative
(Image credit: HP)
HP has debuted a number of new AI laptops at Amplify 2025
The company has followed Dell’s lead with AI-driven rebranding across its laptop lineup
800 and 600 series become EliteBook 8 and 6, while 400 series is now ProBook 4
HPhas launched a range of new AI laptops at its Amplify 2025 event with a host of new brand names.
The company’s 800 Series is now EliteBook 8, and the 600 Series is now EliteBook 6 (both systems come in 13, 14, and 16-inch sizes).
The 400 Series is now ProBook 4 (in 14 and 16-inch sizes). ZBook Firefly is now the ZBook 8 G1i (Intel) and G1a (AMD), ZBook Power is now the ZBook X G1i, Elite Mini/SFF/Tower is now EliteDesk and Elite AiO is now EliteStudio. Clear?
At the start of the year,Delldecided that the arrival of the AI era meant it was time for a fresh start, and in debuting a new Pro range of laptops, it waved goodbye to the belovedLatitudebrand, which was first introduced back in 1994.
The ax swinging didn’t end there, though. The company also debuted a new Pro Max mobile workstation family, which replaced the 32-year-oldPrecisionbrand. Intel, which finallyhas a new CEO, has also beenplaying the name game recentlyto try to make things clearer for customers.
While HP’s rebranding isn’t anywhere near as major as Dell’s (it’s also worth noting that more people will be familiar with Dell’sLatitudeandPrecisionbrands than any of HP’s brands), it’s still another big change for consumers to get their heads around. At least it’s straightforward enough.
If you want an EliteBook 8 G1 Series laptop, you can differentiate between the models by size (13, 14, 16), processor (G1i for Intel or G1a for AMD), and Next Gen and regular AI models (which offer different TOPS). Once you know what’s what, you can quickly spot the difference between the HP EliteBook 8 G1a 13” Next Gen AI PC and the HP EliteBook 8 G1i 16” AI PC.
Is the rebranding totally necessary? That’s a matter of debate.
“We take a very traditional and pragmatic approach,” Tom Butler, Lenovo’s executive director of commercial portfolio and product management, recently told.
“There is a series name for our ThinkPad products, like T series, L series or E series, with screen sizes in the product name for clarity – T14, T16 and so on. In order to keep it logical and help people keep track, we also put a generational name after. At the moment, we are not making any changes in our direction. Lenovo has solid brand equity, as do our sub-brands like ThinkPad, ThinkBook or Lenovo Yoga for consumers.”
This collection of computers, in part, has colored how we think about computers today.
Though packed away in garages and basements or collecting dust on a bookshelf, the computers of decades past are often things we have trouble discarding. It’s not just that electronics reuse is so challenging because of the components, it’s also hard to part with the laptops of yesteryear because they hold so much sentimental value and act as artifacts of our recent past.
I attended the Vintage Computer Festival in Orange, California, this month to try to figure out why old computers still have such appeal long after they become obsolete. There are now meetups in hotel ballrooms and convention centers across the country where people gather to share stories about old video games, swap repair tips, and yes, buy more old computers.
As a visual pairing with her story, “From the basement to the festival: The enduring allure of vintage computers,” Nelius also captured photos of 15 machines pivotal to how we define a computer — laptop, desktop, tablet, phone, watch, glasses — today.
AES Model 103:AES released the Lanier Model 103 “No Problem” word processor in 1978 with an Intel 8080 CPU (the company’s second 8-bit microprocessor), 32K of RAM, and dual 5.25-inch floppy disk drives. At the time, it cost $12,000, which would be nearly $61,000 in 2025. President Jimmy Carter used one of these PCs to write his memoir Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President and found it “much easier to compose on one than a typewriter,” as he told the New York Times in 1981.
Apple iBook G3: The G3 was Apple’s first iBook. This model includes a PowerPC G3 CPU, an optical drive, standard USB, and Wi-Fi, and it is the first to use Apple’s Unified Logic Board Architecture. Apple released it in 1999 for $1,599, about $3,050 today. Nicknamed “the clamshell,” it was a far departure from laptop designs at the time, not just because it resembled a clam. Its casing was translucent and boldly colored on the outside.
Bondwell 2: Introduced by Bondwell in 1985, the Bondwell-2 was a netbook-sized laptop that used a CP/M (Control Program/Monitor) system with a 3.5-inch disk drive. Bondwell originally designed the CP/M to load and run programs and organize files on 8- and 5.25-inch magnetic storage disks, so it was an unusual design choice to have it work with a more modern-sized floppy disk for the time. By 1985, MS-DOS and other operating systems had become more popular.
Laser PC4: This 1990 laptop shares several core features with today’s smartphones and laptops. It could keep track of your appointments, store telephone numbers, create spreadsheets, spell check documents, and function as an alarm clock. There was an IBM and a Macintosh version, so if you had either one of those desktop computers at the time, you could easily export files from the PC4 — but if not, the laptop came with an optional conversion kit for IBM, Mac, and Apple II systems.
Commodore LCD: The empty space here commemorates a laptop that never was: the Commodore LCD. The company canceled its release plans after announcing it at CES 1985, so only a handful of prototypes were ever made. One of those prototypes is currently in the hands of Bill Herd, an engineer who designed the LCD and other Commodore systems. Had the LCD been released, it would have run the Commodore BASIC 3.6 OS on a Rockwell 65C102 with 32KB of RAM and 96KB of ROM.
HP 110 Portable: The HP Portable was a stand-out laptop in 1984. Its screen was four times the size of the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 (its major competitor), its 5MHz CPU was extremely fast, and its 256K of RAM was enormous for the time. Its battery also lasted 16 hours on a single charge. Creative Computing voted the 110 Portable one of the best computers of 1984 for having “nearly everything you could wish for.”
GTE XT300E Action Station: Before Bell Atlantic acquired GTE Corporation, it released a few unsuccessful business computers. One was the 1985 XT300E ActionStation. No one wanted it, even with a built-in modem, electronic telephone, 9-inch screen, speakerphone, email service, and online public database search capabilities. In addition to its $1,295 price tag (around $3,825 in 2025), it costs $15 per hour to access CompuServe’s online services. That’s like paying $45 per hour today to access the Internet.
The rare Apple Bose: Released in 1997, Apple’s Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM) commemorated the 20 years that had passed since Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne started Apple Computer. (Ironically, this was also the same year Steve Jobs returned to Apple after previously departing in 1985.) The limited-edition desktop PC featured a PowerPC 603ev CPU, ATI 3D RAGE II graphics, and a custom-made Bose sound system. At release, it cost an astonishing $7,500.
Commodore PET 2001: The Commodore PET 2001 was the world’s first personal computer, debuting at CES 1977. Starting at $795 (over $4,000 today), it was powered by a MOS 6502 microprocessor and could be configured with up to 32KB of RAM. The TTL monochrome monitor was built into the same chassis as the chiclet keyboard. The PET 2001 had an integrated dataset that used cassette tapes instead of floppy disk drives like its rivals.
Grid Compass Computer 1101: When the first clamshell laptop, the Grid Compass Computer 1101, was released in 1982, it cost $8,150 — a couple of thousand dollars more than the average price of a car. This price was way out of most people’s budgets. However, its size and internal hardware made it the perfect computer for NASA, which first launched one into space in 1983 aboard the space shuttle Columbia. The custom GriD-OS was powered by an Intel 8086 CPU and used bubble (solid-state) memory.
Osborne 1: The Osborne 1 was released in 1981 and was the first commercially successful, “all-in-one” portable computer—even though it weighed nearly 25 pounds, had a 5-inch display, and looked like “a cross between a World War II field radio and a shrunken instrument panel of a DC-3,” as Time Magazine noted in 1982. Its CP/M operating system was powered by a Zilog Z80 CPU, 64KB of RAM, and dual 5.25-inch floppy disk drives.
ThinkPad 700C: IBM released its iconic ThinkPad 700/700C in 1992. It was the first laptop to feature the TrackPoint, an integrated pointing stick that controls the mouse cursor. The ThinkPad is also known for its Japanese Bento Box design, which makes many of its internal components easily accessible for upgrades or repairs. Due to their popularity, they sold out quickly. Even President George H. W. Bush had a hard time buying one as a Christmas gift for his wife, Barbara.
NEC 8401 A Starlet: Nicknamed “Starlet,” the NEC PC-8401A was a portable laptop released in 1985, the successor to the 8201 model. It was incredibly light for the time, weighing just 4.7 pounds, and came configured with 64K of RAM and 96K of ROM. The Starlet used the CP/M operating system, but its storage drives had to be purchased separately. However, the laptop did come with a few preinstalled programs for word processing, creating spreadsheets, and connecting to your phone line.
Cambridge Z88: The Cambridge Z88 was first announced in the US during the 1987 COMDEX show in Las Vegas. Weighting just 2 pounds, it was one of (if not the) smallest and lightest laptops that existed back then. It ran a proprietary operating system but had built-in programs for keeping track of appointments and important dates, combined software for word processing and making spreadsheets, and good printer driver compatibility — though you’d need to alter the printer driver manually.
Epson HX20: When it debuted at COMDEX in 1981, the Epson HX-20 started a new portable laptop trend: briefcase-sized, powerful, battery-operated devices. The HX-20 could last around 50 hours on a single charge, and if it sat idle for too long, it would turn off to conserve energy. As awesome as this laptop was, it didn’t achieve commercial success outside of Japan when it was released a year later. Radio Shack’s TRS-80 Model 100 overshadowed it.
(Image credit: Future) Foldable display tech has advanced quite a bit over the past few years. We’ve seen the first tri-fold phone debut from Huawei and watched foldable laptops progressively get better, from the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED to the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 and the HP Spectre Fold.
HP has since retired the “Spectre” name and discontinued its Spectre Fold laptop, but that hasn’t stopped the company from dreaming big in the foldable laptop space.
According to a recently published patent (spotted by MSPowerUser), HP may be developing a unique foldable laptop design. Of course, not all filed or published patents end up seeing the light of day, but I sure hope this one does.
A foldable laptop unlike any you’ve ever seen
Most foldable laptops on the market right now fold only in the middle — often hamburger style. But for the hypothetical folding laptop in the patent HP just published, it could fold in two places.c
Right off the bat, I’m thinking these two slightly folded edges of the display would be perfect for housing small productivity apps, like Clock or Calendar, or for music apps, like Spotify.
(Image credit: HP)
Aside from its folding edges, this laptop’s design is also unique in that the display is larger than the trackpad and keyboard. HP doesn’t mention any specific display sizes in its patent, but most foldable laptop displays we’ve seen so far have been around 16 or 17 inches, for what that’s worth.
Despite its potentially large display, this hypothetical laptop could close quite compactly. A patent image shows the laptop display closing on top of the keyboard and trackpad, then the display edges wrapping around the laptop’s chassis.
(Image credit: HP)
In the patent document, HP notes that “Flexible flat panel display technology, through the development of rollable displays, [has] allowed for the development of a lighter, thinner product that is easier to carry and store.” A foldable laptop that’s thin and lightweight? Sign me up.
Companies are achieving wild things right now in the foldable display space, likeLG with its stretchable screen that can twist and bend. That said, this unique foldable laptop patent from HP absolutely seems doable.
A patent doesn’t automatically translate into a product, but I’m hoping it does in this case.
HP has a groundbreaking announcement. No, it’s not making it easier to use cheaper, third-party ink, nor does it have a solution for frequent paper jams and irritating software issues. It’s bringing AI to printers.
The new HP Print AI experience is rolling out today in an “exclusive” beta and comes with a Perfect Output feature that’s supposed to clean up printouts of webpages. HP says it will automatically detect unwanted content like ads or weird formatting, allowing it to print just the “desired text and images.”
It’s also supposed to optimize printouts of spreadsheets by keeping charts and tables on a single page, instead of splitting them up. But that’s not all — HP says you can use “conversational prompts” with Print AI to turn photos into greeting cards by adding custom styles and fonts. According to HP, it can automatically upscale images and remove unwanted objects as well.
HP says it plans to launch new Print AI features throughout 2025. There’s still no word on which printers it’s available for or if you’ll need to install software separate from the HP Smart printing software to get it.
Either way, if there’s some kind of chat interface in this thing, at least I’ll be able to route my anger toward something that might be able to give me an answer.
More than half of print jobs come from web browsers, including online articles, travel documents, recipes, and how-to guides. However, printing from the web has traditionally yielded unnecessary white space, issues with image size, and inclusion of unwanted web ads. Consumers printing from web browsers have understandably felt frustrated, rating the experience with “strong dissatisfaction”. Perfect Output bridges the gaps between what people see on the screen and what they intend to print, reformatting and reorganizing content to fit perfectly on the page the first time. Perfect Output can detect unwanted content like ads and web text, printing only the desired text and images, saving time, paper, and ink.
Spreadsheets are another common print job, and more than half of spreadsheet users report experiencing challenges to make documents print out correctly . Perfect Output proactively creates a printable spreadsheet without splitting tables and charts across pages.
Image: HP
Customizing Support HP Print AI will also simplify and tailor support for individual customers. From the moment a customer turns their printer on, intelligent technology anticipates their needs – walking through each step of setup. HP Print AI leverages natural language and contextual awareness, remembering users’ preferences and past questions, so customers receive immediate and customized support whenever they need it.
Personalizing Experiences With HP Print AI, customers can easily transform photos into creative projects. Using simple conversational prompts, HP Print AI can seamlessly integrate unique layouts, custom styles, and fonts to personalize greeting cards for every occasion. HP Print AI also corrects common print errors by automatically upscaling images and removing unwanted objects. Once the design is ready, customers can choose to print or explore a curated list of partners that offer unique photo printing capabilities, gift certificates to be printed on the card.
Collaborating Seamlessly For the commercial market, HP announced the expanded availability of HP Scan AI Enhanced. This cloud- based, AI-driven solution automatically recognizes the type of documents being scanned and extracts key information based on the customer’s specific business needs. By reducing manual steps and data entry, this solution saves time and money for SMB and enterprise customers. For instance, a major retail group with 300 locations in Italy saw an 80% reduction in labor costs after implementing HP Scan AI Enhanced in its delivery and inventory workflow5. HP is also extending AI capabilities to vertical industries, starting with design and construction, an industry lagging behind in using technology to deliver productivity improvements6. HP’s new Build Workspace enables design and construction professionals to easily create and organize site observations, facilitate collaboration, and automate tasks such as field reports. By automating time-consuming tasks, HP Build Workspace drives efficiency and collaboration among professionals in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) field. Key features such as site capture, AI vectorization, and continuous feedback empower AEC professionals to streamline their workflows and optimize designs. The collaboration hub, HP Build Workspace, allows AEC professionals to access projects on desktop or mobile devices.
Availability
HP Print AI is available today, starting with an exclusive beta delivering the Perfect Output feature to select print customers. HP intends to continue launching HP Print AI capabilities throughout 2025.
HP Build Workspace is available today, with AI capabilities also in beta in the US and Europe, scaling to the UK and NZ soon, with expected worldwide rollout in Spring 2025.
HP Scan AI Enhanced is a software service available today in North America, most of Europe and Latin America, and in parts of Asia.
On April 23rd, HP unveiled a series of AI-enhanced PCs in New Zealand, marking a significant shift towards integrating artificial intelligence into everyday computing.
Recognising the growing reliance on AI in various software and systems, HP has integrated its Core Ultra/Meteor Lake system with its Neural Processing Unit in these devices to optimise AI performance, compatibility, and efficiency.
The new range includes the HP Elite/Pro series laptops tailored for business users, Z by HP workstations for creative professionals, Pavilion PCs for budget-conscious consumers, Spectre 2-in-1 devices, and the OMEN Transcend 14 Gaming Laptop, which is ideal for both gaming and creative endeavors.
This article will cover everything you need to know about HP’s latest AI-enhanced PCs.
Late last year, Intel unveiled its Core Ultra chip, named Meteor Lake, which focuses on enhancing AI capabilities in PCs. Intel describes this development as its “biggest architectural shift in 40 years.”
The chip introduces several new technologies, with the most significant being the inclusion of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in its system-on-a-chip architecture. This is the first time Intel has integrated an NPU, which is specifically designed to handle AI workloads.
As a result, the NPU can carry the bulk of the workload when performing AI tasks, allowing the CPU and GPU to manage other functions. This integration is expected to improve application performance, extend battery life, and increase overall efficiency.
The majority of the device’s HP announced are equipped with Core Ultra chips meaning they have dedicated NPUs for enhanced AI integration. See below:
HP has released new PC solutions within its Elite and Pro series, now featuring AI capabilities powered by Intel vPro technology.
These systems are equipped with Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors, and additionally, HP has integrated its Smart Sense technology, which automatically adjusts the PC’s settings based on user behaviour to optimise performance and power consumption.
At the top of the range are the HP Elite 1040 Series Notebook PCs which offer up to 21 hours of battery life and significant improvements due to AI integration including 80% better graphics performance, 38% less power consumption for AI tasks, and 132% faster AI video editing than previous models.
Below that is the 840 Notebook range which is marketed as a device for enterprise workers in managerial-type positions. And at the bottom of the range is the 640-range designed for corporate and public sector organisations.
HP Pavilion The latest HP Pavilion PCs are targeted towards Gen Z customers. They include built-in AI engines and are developed with performance, mobility and quality in mind.
Z by HP
HP’s ZBook range is designed with creatives in mind. These mobile workstations are equipped with Intel Core Ultra 5,7 and 9 processors and dedicated AI units, they’re designed to ensure reliability, security, and mobility for creative professionals.
The devices released include the ZBook Power G11 designed to support demanding workflows such as 3D modelling and AI-powered content creation. It features a 16-inch premium design and is equipped with an NVIDIA RTX 3000 Ada Laptop GPU. The device can also be configured with NVIDIA RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation Laptop GPUs.
And the ZBook Firefly G11 which aims to combine professional performance with portability. Equipped with the NVIDIA RTX A500 Laptop GPU for AI-accelerated performance and features dynamic power efficiency and long battery life.
HP Spectre
The HP Spectre x360 14-inch and 16-inch 2-in-1 Laptops are powered by Intel Evo with Intel Core Ultra processors.
They include a 9 MP camera with low-light adjustment, built-in security with walk away lock and privacy alerts, adaptive screen adjustments for power efficiency, and automatic performance optimisation.
They also have powerful AI technology for efficient content creation and collaboration, audio tuning by Poly for clear sound, and a 2.8K OLED screen with IMAX Enhanced Certification for vibrant visuals.
OMEN Gaming Laptops
HP released its latest OMEN Transcend 14 Gaming Laptop which is not only designed for gaming but creative tasks like video editing as well.
It features an IMAX Enhanced Certified 2.8K 120Hz VRR OLED display and a lattice-less sky printed RGB keyboard. It weighs 1,637 grams and offers up to 11.5 hours of battery life, equipped with a type-C PD 140W adapter.
The device is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. It also includes an NPU for AI task
The chassis has been redesigned to incorporate a vapor chamber and Intel’s dual channel flow technology for heat management, all within a 12 mm base. And the audio system is tuned by HyperX.
HP also announced that its OMEN Transcend 16.1-inch Gaming Laptop PC has been upgraded with a 2.5K 240Hz OLED display option. Additionally, the OMEN 16.1-inch Gaming Laptop PC and Victus 16.1-inch Gaming Laptop PC have been updated with Intel® Core™ i7 HX processor (14th gen).
Chrome OS’ speediness combined with a funky blue case makes this one fun notebook to use.
Pros +Excellent keyboard and trackpad +Chrome OS is speedy and responsive +Crisp, vivid screen Cons -Not as powerful as some higher-end Chromebooks -Average battery life
In fact, with all the features and steady performance of the Chromebook 14, you might decide to make the leap. If you just need a computer to get you online, check emails, do some basic work, and binge some Netflix, this extremely affordable device is more than up to the job. Add in a great keyboard, excellent trackpad, and a beautiful 14-inch screen, and you end up with a machine that offers a lot more value than just its low price tag.
HP’s Chromebook isn’t exactly a high-end PC, but it’s a slick, streamlined piece of kit nonetheless. The tapered enclosure measures 0.7 inches (about 18mm) thick at its thickest point. At 3.74 pounds (1.7kg), it’s also reasonably light, though not as much as the 13.3-inch, 2.97-pound Toshiba Chromebook 2. That extra weight gives you a slightly larger screen, though, and the Chromebook 14 doesn’t feel at all heavy in hand.
The case itself is entirely plastic, and it does flex and creak some as you adjust the screen or pick it up one-handed. On the bright side, the case doesn’t have any exposed screws, so you don’t need to worry about a loose screen dropping out randomly.
Oh. And it’s blue. Very blue. The shade of blue, which HP calls Sky Blue, looks cool.
As a writer, I’m picky when it comes to keyboards, and I was pleasantly surprised by the typing experience on the Chromebook 14. The keyboard feels responsive with clicky keys and plenty of key travel.
The keyboard flexes ever so slightly when I pound heavily on it, but under normal use, it isn’t mushy at all. My gripe is there’s no dedicated Caps Lock key; a Search key takes its place and must be triggered while holding the alt key. It isn’t a big deal, but it makes it more difficult to impulsively tweet in all caps.
The trackpad is equally excellent. It’s big and spacious, with plenty of room to mouse around. The whole trackpad is a button, so you don’t have to fiddle around to find the left- and right-click buttons.
The button itself depresses with a satisfying click, but it’s much stiffer the closer to the keyboard you go. If you’re accustomed to the trackpad on, say, a MacBook Air, you’ll feel right at home on the Chromebook 14.
HP’s put a security lock slot, an HDMI port, a USB 3.0 port, a headphone jack and a microSD reader on the Chromebook 14’s left side, and a pair of USB 2.0 ports on its right side.
Performance
Armed with a 1.8-GHz Intel Celeron N2940 CPU, 4GB of RAM and a 16GB eMMC drive, the HP Chromebook 14 provides enough power for multitasking. When I split my screen between a dozen tabs and a streaming YouTube video and opened Cut The Rope and Google Keep, the system stayed speedy, with no lag as I typed in a Google Doc and moved from tab to tab.
The HP Chromebook 14 did poorly on Google’s Octane 2.0 performance benchmark, which gave it a score of 7,869. The Celeron 3205U-powered Dell Chromebook 13 (14,453) and Celeron 3215U-powered Toshiba Chromebook 2 (17,044) earned better scores.
Battery Life (5/5)
The Chromebook’s battery life is impressive. I can easily go through a full day of work or classes without needing to recharge. It’s a relief not to be constantly hunting for power outlets.
Performance (5/5)
Powered by an Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM, this Chromebook handles multitasking with ease. Whether I’m working on Google Docs, streaming videos, or browsing multiple tabs, it doesn’t lag or stutter. The 64GB eMMC storage is sufficient for storing documents and essential files, and you can always expand it with cloud storage if needed.
conclusion The HP Chromebook 14 is an economical laptop with good durability and good enough performance for the usual Chrome OS productivity tasks. Thanks to AMD’s Radeon R4 GPU, it has its own edge when it comes to graphics.
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