HP EliteBook 14" Ultra G1q Multi-Touch Review
The HP EliteBook Ultra packs the world's fastest laptop CPU into a slim frame, but its weak graphics and average other specs make it a niche choice for hardcore number crunchers only.
Overview
This HP EliteBook Ultra is the fastest Windows laptop you can buy right now, but only for a very specific type of work. That Qualcomm X1E chip delivers desktop-level CPU performance in a sleek 1.35kg package, which is genuinely wild. But you need to know one thing upfront: this is a productivity and battery life champ, not a gaming or graphics machine. It's built for people who live in spreadsheets and browser tabs, not Blender or Call of Duty.
Performance
The CPU performance is in the 100th percentile. That's not a typo. It's the fastest laptop CPU on the market, and it makes everything from compiling code to juggling massive Excel files feel instant. The surprise, though, is how that raw power doesn't translate to everything. The integrated GPU sits in the 36th percentile, and the gaming score is a dismal 16.7. So you get a Ferrari engine paired with economy car tires for anything graphical. It's a weird, fascinating split.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The CPU is an absolute monster. Nothing else touches it. 100th
- Incredibly portable at 1.35kg with that kind of power. 83th
- Battery life should be excellent thanks to the Qualcomm architecture. 78th
- The 2.2K touchscreen is bright and sharp for work. 74th
Cons
- Integrated graphics are weak. Don't even think about gaming. 29th
- Reliability percentile is low (27th). Long-term durability is a question mark.
- Storage and RAM specs are just average for the price.
- The 60Hz screen feels dated next to faster competitors.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 |
| Cores | 45 |
| Frequency | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | X1 |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM Type | Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Storage Type | NVMe SSD |
Display
| Size | 14" |
| Resolution | 2240 |
| Panel | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 300 nits |
| Color Gamut | 100% sRGB |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
Physical
| Weight | 1.4 kg / 3.0 lbs |
| Battery | 59 Wh |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At $1399, it's a tough sell. You're paying a premium for that groundbreaking CPU, but you're getting middling everything else. If your workflow is 100% CPU-bound, it's worth it. For anyone else, it's not.
Price History
vs Competition
The most direct competitor is the Apple MacBook Pro 14" with M4. It matches the EliteBook's CPU power, but its GPU is vastly superior, its screen is better, and Apple's reliability is top-tier. For a Windows user, the ASUS Zenbook Duo offers similar portability with a killer dual-screen setup for multitasking, though its CPU is slower. The gaming laptops on the list, like the MSI Vector, are in a different league for graphics but are much heavier. This EliteBook is a niche pick.
| Spec | HP EliteBook 14" Ultra G1q Multi-Touch | Apple MacBook Pro Apple 14" MacBook Pro (M5, Silver) | ASUS ROG Zephyrus ASUS - ROG Zephyrus G14 14" 3K OLED 120Hz Gaming | Lenovo Legion Pro Series Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 (16 83F50019US | Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Samsung - Galaxy Book5 Pro - Copilot+ PC - 14" 3K | MSI Prestige MSI - Prestige 13”AI+ - Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 | Apple M5 | AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 32 | 32 | 64 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 4096 | 2000 | 2048 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Screen | 14" 2240x1400 | 14.2" 3024x1964 | 14" 2880x1800 | 16" 2560x1600 | 14" 2880x1800 | 13.3" 2880x1800 |
| GPU | Qualcomm X1 | Apple (10-Core) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 1 |
| Battery (Wh) | 59 | 72 | - | 99 | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Screen | Compact | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP EliteBook 14" Ultra G1q Multi-Touch | 99.9 | 40.6 | 59.5 | 54.9 | 74.1 | 82.9 | 57.3 | 29.4 | 78.1 |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14" Compare | 81.6 | 19.9 | 76.5 | 89.9 | 96.6 | 74.3 | 98.5 | 94.7 | 99.4 |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 14" 3K Compare | 90 | 90.7 | 94 | 96.6 | 93.7 | 76.1 | 91.1 | 53.8 | 97.2 |
| Lenovo Legion Pro Series Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 (16 Compare | 96.5 | 91.6 | 98.7 | 82.7 | 92.7 | 7.3 | 94.8 | 74.7 | 87.8 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" 3K Compare | 67.1 | 65 | 85.8 | 89.9 | 93 | 85.2 | 70.9 | 74.7 | 96.3 |
| MSI Prestige 13”AI+ Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED Compare | 63.9 | 65 | 85.8 | 98.2 | 89.9 | 95.5 | 70.9 | 53.8 | 87.1 |
Verdict
I can only recommend this to a very specific user: a power business analyst, data scientist, or developer who needs maximum CPU grunt on the go, doesn't care about graphics, and values battery life above all. For everyone else, the MacBook Pro 14" is a better all-rounder, or you should look at an Intel/AMD laptop with a dedicated GPU. This EliteBook is a fascinating tech demo, not a balanced daily driver.