I tested HP's first-gen EliteBook X, and it's a work laptop I confidently recommend

"There are a few configurations of this laptop, the most premium featuring an AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor -- one of the most cutting-edge chips on the market right now -- and an OLED display, but the one I tested had the AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 14-inch matte WUXGA IPS display. Best laptop deals of the week Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article."

"On the surface, it's minimalist and rather corporate-looking, with a matte WUXGA display and an abundant selection of ports. It passes the one-finger test and opens up to a rather standard display with 400 nits of brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, and a compact and efficient keyboard. One of its best features is the keyboard. It's utterly silent, with a snappy tactile feel and a key travel distance that (almost) feels mechanical. The keys are spacious and smooth, and the backlighting is effective and well-designed. Similarly, the trackpad is responsive and premium, even if the clicks feel a little on the "heavy" side."

"Similarly, the trackpad is responsive and premium, even if the clicks feel a little on the "heavy" side. Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET I do wish it had a haptic trackpad, however, as it would go a long way toward making it more premium, especially as a device geared toward a sophisticated demographic: business leaders and tech experts. When you consider the price of this laptop, it seems like a missed opportunity."

HP repositioned its high-performance business laptops under the EliteBook X name, and the 14-inch model targets professionals seeking connectivity and a sleek form factor. Configurations range up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 with OLED, while the reviewed unit used an AMD Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360, 32GB RAM, and a matte WUXGA IPS display. The machine offers abundant ports, a 400-nit 60Hz screen, and a compact, efficient keyboard. The keyboard is notably quiet with snappy, near-mechanical travel. The trackpad is responsive and premium in feel, though the lack of haptic feedback reduces perceived premium value given the price.

Read at ZDNET