Available to buy here:
Welcome to “Reviews inside tv,” your go-to channel for the most detailed and honest laptop reviews. Today, we’re taking a look at the HP EliteBook 8 G1i 14″ Touchscreen Notebook, a business-class laptop that promises power, portability, and versatility. With its sleek Glacier Silver aluminum design and a set of specs that could appeal to both office professionals and those in need of a capable workhorse, let’s see if it really delivers on its promises.
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i packs an impressive Intel Core Ultra 7 268V processor, an octa-core chip with vPro technology. This processor is designed for multitasking and can handle office workloads, demanding applications, and even some lighter creative tasks without breaking a sweat. With 32GB of RAM, you’re set for seamless multitasking, even with numerous browser tabs, video calls, and documents open simultaneously. This amount of memory is particularly useful if you’re working with large spreadsheets or running multiple programs at once.
For storage, this laptop comes equipped with a 1TB SSD, offering quick boot times and fast file transfers. The SSD significantly reduces waiting times compared to traditional hard drives, making this laptop feel snappy during everyday use. When it comes to the display, you’re looking at a 14-inch WUXGA touchscreen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, offering a decent level of sharpness and a 16:10 aspect ratio that gives a bit more vertical screen real estate compared to the typical 16:9 displays.
Battery life is another area to highlight. With its 52.5Wh battery, it’s designed to keep you going through long workdays. Under light to moderate use, you can expect around 8 to 10 hours of productivity. Of course, battery life will vary based on how demanding your tasks are, but this is solid for a business laptop. As for charging, HP claims a fast charge feature that gets you back to 50% in just 30 minutes, making it a handy feature for busy professionals always on the go.
Now, let’s talk about performance. For office tasks—web browsing, email, document editing—this laptop will breeze through it without hesitation. It’s also more than capable of handling video calls, thanks to its high RAM capacity and responsive touchscreen. For media consumption, watching videos on this display feels good, though it’s not as vibrant as OLED. The screen’s brightness is decent, but it’s not going to compete with high-end displays in direct sunlight. For casual content creation, like photo editing or light video work, it’ll perform decently, though the graphics aren’t geared for heavy creative workloads.
In terms of gaming, while this laptop has a solid CPU, the integrated GPU isn’t built for gaming. You’ll struggle with graphically demanding titles like “Cyberpunk 2077” or “Call of Duty: Warzone” unless you set the graphics to low or medium. However, for casual gaming or older titles, it’ll get by just fine. If gaming is a priority for you, this laptop may not be the best fit.
The HP EliteBook 8 G1i features a well-sized, responsive trackpad and a comfortable, spill-resistant keyboard. Key travel is solid, making long typing sessions fairly comfortable. The layout is business-friendly, with a full set of keys, including a dedicated number pad, and the power button is conveniently placed above the keyboard. The keyboard itself doesn’t have the kind of tactile feedback you might expect from a high-end gaming laptop, but it’s more than sufficient for day-to-day typing tasks.
Thermal performance is another area worth considering. While it doesn’t reach the temperatures of some high-performance gaming laptops, under extended workloads like heavy document editing or video calls, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i stays relatively cool. The fan noise is mostly quiet, but when under heavier load, you will notice it kicking up, though it’s never overwhelmingly loud. The laptop’s cooling system ensures that it doesn’t throttle during intensive tasks, providing stable performance throughout the workday.
When it comes to portability, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i is lightweight, weighing just around 3.1 pounds, making it easy to carry around in a bag without feeling like you’re lugging around a brick. Its slim profile also makes it a good option for those who need something easy to transport between meetings or from home to the office. The aluminum chassis feels premium, giving it a solid build quality that holds up well to daily use.
In terms of connectivity, this laptop has a decent selection of ports: two USB-A 3.2 ports, one USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 support, a full-size HDMI port, and an SD card reader, making it easy to connect external monitors, docks, and other peripherals. The Wi-Fi 6 support ensures reliable, high-speed internet connectivity, and Bluetooth 5.2 allows for seamless pairing with wireless accessories. It’s a great set of ports for anyone looking to extend their workspace or connect to various devices.
Now, let’s talk about the price. At around $1,500, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i isn’t cheap, but you’re getting a solid business machine with premium features. If you need a laptop that balances performance, portability, and build quality for office work, this is a great option. However, it might not justify the price for those looking for better display quality or gaming performance. In the same price range, you might find other options with better displays or dedicated GPUs, but if your main focus is productivity, this laptop hits the mark.
In comparison to other business laptops in this category, like the Dell Latitude 7430 or the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i holds its ground well in terms of build, keyboard comfort, and performance for office tasks. However, the Dell Latitude offers a brighter display, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a bit more geared for creative professionals, thanks to its superior screen quality and performance.
To wrap things up, the HP EliteBook 8 G1i is a strong contender for anyone needing a reliable, business-focused laptop. Its performance, battery life, and build quality make it a solid choice for students, office workers, and anyone looking for a portable, high-performing work laptop. If you’re a creator or gamer, you might want to look elsewhere, but for professionals who need a solid, efficient machine, this one gets the job done.
Thanks for watching! If you’re interested in picking up the HP EliteBook 8 G1i, check the link in the comments box below. If you have any questions or already own this laptop, feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts. See you next time on “Reviews inside tv”—where we keep you informed, one laptop at a time.
Available to buy here:
