HP EliteBook 14" Ultra G1i

A stunning 120Hz OLED screen and all-day battery in a ridiculously light body, but the stingy storage and questionable reliability mean it's not for everyone. Buy it for the display, not the AI hype.

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i is a weird, wonderful machine. It's a business laptop that secretly wants to be your personal OLED movie theater, and honestly, it pulls that off better than almost anything else in a suit and tie. The one thing to know? That screen is absolutely stunning. We're talking a 14-inch 2880x1800 OLED running at 120Hz, and it sits in the 95th percentile of all laptops we've tested. It's the kind of panel that makes you want to rewatch your entire movie collection just to see what you've been missing. But HP's big pitch here is local AI, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V and its 48 AI cores. That's the future they're selling, and for a very specific type of knowledge worker, it might actually click.

What surprised us most wasn't the AI stuff, it's how well this thing handles everyday life. The 32GB of RAM is a standout, landing in the 93rd percentile, which means you can drown this laptop in browser tabs and Slack channels and it won't even flinch. The CPU and integrated Arc graphics are solidly middle-of-the-pack, so don't expect to render 3D models in record time. But for the 'knowledge creator' HP is targeting, the snappy app launches and smooth multitasking feel great. The real shock is how cool and quiet it stays. That 1.19kg weight is a dream, and the 8-10 hours of real-world battery life owners are reporting is a massive leap forward for Intel laptops.

Pricing is all over the map, with a wild spread from $1,533 to an absurd $363,826 across vendors. Let's ignore the obvious listing errors and focus on the real world. At around $1,500, you're getting a phenomenal screen, top-tier RAM, and a featherlight build. That's a strong value for a premium ultraportable. But the 512GB SSD is a head-scratcher at this price, and those low reliability scores give us pause. It's worth it if you prioritize that display above all else, but you need to shop smart and avoid the overpriced listings.

The natural rival is the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro. It's another ultra-light OLED machine, but the HP fights back with a higher refresh rate and that massive 32GB of RAM standard. If you're deep in the Windows ecosystem and need local AI chops, the EliteBook makes a compelling case. On the other hand, if you need raw power for creative work, the Apple MacBook Pro M5 Pro is in a different league performance-wise, though it's heavier and pricier. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is the curveball. It's a gaming beast with a great screen, and if you have even a passing interest in playing games, skip the HP entirely and go straight for the ASUS.

If you're looking for a machine that can game or handle heavy creative workloads, this isn't it. The integrated graphics are a dead end for that. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or a MacBook Pro instead. Also, if you're paranoid about long-term durability, the low reliability scores here are a red flag you shouldn't ignore.

The HP EliteBook Ultra G1i is a specialist, not an all-rounder. It's for the person who lives in documents, spreadsheets, and video calls all day, but secretly craves a world-class display for their downtime. The AI features are a nice bonus, but the real story is that gorgeous OLED and the all-day battery life. Just be aware of the reliability question marks and the tight storage. If that screen is your priority, this is one of the best ways to get it in a business laptop.