HP Refreshes EliteBook And ProBook Business Notebook Lines

Lenovo put forth the effort to introduce a number of new business-oriented notebooks earlier this week, and tonight HP is following suit. There are plenty of new laptops to consider this week, and if you were hoping to get away from HP without having to digest anything new, we have very, very bad news for you. The company's revamping their corporate and enterprise (C&E) and small and medium business (SMB) notebook PC lineup with new technology aimed at boosting performance and productivity, and just about every line known to man is seeing some sort of update.


The HP EliteBook 8460p (14") and 8560p (15.6") both have a new magnesium-aluminum lid, not to mention sides and palm rests as well. Unlike glossy consumer machines, this coating is designed to resist smudges and to take a real beating; they are designed to withstand bumps up to MID-STD 810G, making them just about as rugged as a notebook gets before being a ToughBook. As with most of the other new notebooks these days, this pair will be available to customize with Intel's newest Core processors (Sandy Bridge), up to 8GB of memory, USB 3.0, AMD's Radeon HD 6470M graphics and a variety of battery options (3/6/9-cell). The extended battery configuration will supposedly allow for up to 32 straight hours of use, but of course that's something we'll have to see to believe. The $999 starting price may sound ideal, but we're sure the machine of your dreams will cost quite a bit more.


Moving onto the next line, the HP ProBook 6360b (13.3"), 6460b (14") and 6560b (15.6") are constructed from aluminum and equipped with a glass trackpad, up to 8GB of memory and AMD's Radeon 6470 GPU. You'll get the CPU options of: Celeron, Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7, and an HD webcam is an available option. These start at $799, but obviously aren't quite as tough as the EliteBooks.


The updates don't stop there. HP's ProBook s-series 4230s (12.1"), 4330s (13.3"), 4430s (14"), 4530s (15.6") and 4730s (17") give you the full size spectrum to choose from. Everything form an ultraportable to a desktop replacement is on the table, so regardless of your exact needs, you'll probably find something that fits the bill in this range. Second-generation Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors are optional, as is a slower (but cheaper) Celeron; these are also designed for the mobile professional, with a spill-resistant keyboard, a full aluminum deck, gesture-supporting trackpad, integrated HD webcam, optional dual-array microphones, a variety of GPU options, USB 3.0, a media card reader and a fingerprint reader.


HP's also taking this opportunity to plug their QuickWeb overlay, which provides easy access to a web browser, offline email, video conferencing via Skype and multiple widgets such as weather, stocks and social media apps. The full release is below, but here are the vital statistics you've been waiting for:

- The HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p start at $999 and $1099, respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook b-series starts at $799 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook s-series starts at $579 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.

HP Unveils Business Notebooks Designed with Precision Engineering

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011 – HP today revamped its corporate and enterprise (C&E) and small and medium business (SMB) notebook PC lineup with new technology aimed at boosting performance and productivity, while offering an enriched and sophisticated industrial design that improves notebook quality and reliability.

The company's new FORGE design framework ensures HP business notebooks embody a timeless construction, with precision-engineered durability features that are designed for maximum reliability and with the environment in mind. Precision aluminum-alloy hinges, cast titanium-alloy display latches and the HP DisplaySafe frame are a few of the design highlights behind the FORGE approach.

New products and services include:
- HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p notebook PCs feature an aerospace- inspired HP DuraCase that meets the MIL-STD 810G military-standard testing specifications, (1) enabling it to withstand wear and tear while still sporting an attractive, professional-looking platinum color tone finish. The EliteBook 8460p also provides industry-leading battery life up to 32 hours.(2)
- HP ProBook 6360b, 6460b and 6560b notebook PCs offer configuration flexibility in areas such as processor, graphics and battery technology. Boasting an all-new 13.3-inch diagonal display option, the ProBook b-series also features a new smudge-resistant and wear-resistant tungsten-colored design.
- HP ProBook s-series 4230s, 4330s, 4430s, 4530s and 4730s notebook PCs are available in an array of sizes – from ultra-light to desktop replacement – making them an excellent, affordable choice for SMBs.

"HP is the market leader in business notebooks and we have raised the bar with a completely revamped line of business-grade notebooks? said Dan Forlenza, vice president, Business Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. "Our all-metal EliteBooks meet military standards and will surpass customer expectations in durability"

Rugged, optimized design for premium business performance
Bold, confident and modern, the HP EliteBook 8460p and HP EliteBook 8560p are the culmination of creative design and precision engineering. Starting at only 4.56 pounds and 6.10 pounds, respectively, the HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p offer 14- and 15.6-inch diagonal high- definition (HD) LED-backlit displays(3) that deliver incredible portability without sacrificing screen legibility.

The EliteBook p-series delivers optimum business performance with second-generation Intel® CoreTM i7 quad-core processors and Core i7, i5 and i3 dual-core processors,(4) while offering flexible choices of UMA or high-performance AMD Radeon HD 6470M discrete graphics with responsive performance and rich media capabilities. The notebooks also feature new USB 3.0 ports and a USB 2.0 charging port, in addition to a range of wireless connectivity options, choice of multiple operating systems, and either hard disk drive or solid-state disk drive options.

The HP EliteBook p-series also offers 3-, 6- and 9-cell options for lightweight and extended battery run time, and an HP Long Life Battery option(5) for the highest-achieving notebook battery lifespan on the market. The notebooks also are compatible with the new HP Extended Life Notebook Battery and HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery. With the new HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook battery, the HP EliteBook 8460p can achieve up to 32 hours of battery life.(2)

The new HP EliteBook p-series easily connects to the HP 90W Docking Station or the HP 120W Advanced Docking Station(5) for use with peripherals like a monitor and keyboard, enabling users to have a desktop experience without needing to plug and unplug accessories. In addition, the HP EliteBook p-series offers SRS Premium Sound, which delivers optimized audio settings for voice and multimedia applications.

Smartly designed, productivity-enhancing notebook series
The new HP ProBook 6360b, HP ProBook 6460b and HP ProBook 6560b are ideal choices when smart design, ultimate configurability and business-critical attributes are top priorities.
The HP ProBook b-series sports bead-blast aluminum display enclosures, a magnesium-reinforced ABS chassis and a bottom-case drain that helps protect against accidental minor spills on the keyboard. Other new features include an HP DisplaySafe frame for added panel protection, precision display latches for a more secure fit and a spill-resistant keyboard set in a full aluminum deck for a better look and feel.

Available with 13.3-inch (6360b), 14-inch (6460b) and 15.6-inch (6560b) diagonal HD LED backlit displays,(3) the HP ProBook b-series offers a range of processing options, including second-generation Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 dual-core processors or an Intel Celeron® processor.(4) For businesses looking for simple multimedia functionality, the ProBook b- series offers an optional HD webcam(3, 5) and features a standard Media Card Reader, SRS Premium Sound, discrete launch buttons and a touchpad on/off button.

Stylish with affordable enhanced security for small businesses
The HP ProBook s-series balances business functionality with style and affordability. Designed with small business needs in mind, the HP ProBook 4230s (12.1-inch diagonal), ProBook 4330s (13.3-inch diagonal), ProBook 4430s (14-inch diagonal), ProBook 4530s (15.6-inch diagonal) and ProBook 4730s (17.3-inch diagonal) are available in a stylish yet durable brushed-aluminum finish in metallic gray color. The HP ProBook s-series offers second-generation Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 processors for high performance and advanced processing speed or an Intel Celeron processor.(4)

Additionally, HP ProBook s-series notebooks are optimized for business and home multimedia usage. The ProBook s-series includes a spill- resistant keyboard set in a full aluminum deck, touchpad with gestures supported, integrated HD webcam(3) with optional dual-array microphones(5) and SRS Premium Sound. The series also includes a choice between Power Express Switchable Graphics (6) and Integrated Graphics, and offers a productivity suite including USB 3.0, standard media card reader and a fingerprint reader.

HP Professional Innovations
HP is focused on innovations that enhance productivity and simplify how people use technology.

The latest version of HP QuickWeb(7) builds on the premise that users have a need to get online fast – without waiting for long boot times – whether they are browsing the web or using applications such as email and conferencing. The newest version of HP QuickWeb now includes web browser, offline email, video conferencing via Skype and multiple widgets such as weather, stocks and social media apps.

The updated is a single software application that manages integrated mobile broadband connections, as well as reports the status of Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections. It now supports 3G/4G,(8 )Wi-Fi(9) and Ethernet for most networks across Windows® 7, Vista® and XP and has been redesigned to integrate with IT managers can now centrally manage and view mobile broadband usage for client machines with HP mobile broadband modules on their networks. Bluetooth® wireless on a user's mobile phone, paired with face recognition authentication, delivers robust user access to Windows and websites.(10)

HP Power Assistant(11) software extends battery run time while reducing energy consumption through a simple, new user interface. It is an integrated solution that measures and logs reported energy usage by the PC and up to four HP connected monitors (for a total of five screens).(12) Users can now create custom power plans and track energy consumption to meet specific computing needs around the clock.

Pricing and availability(13, 14)
- The HP EliteBook 8460p and 8560p start at $999 and $1099, respectively, and are expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook b-series starts at $799 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.
- The HP ProBook s-series starts at $579 and is expected to be available in the United States on March 15.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.