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My colleagues in the USA busy covering CESBut HP I didn't want Australia to miss out on this event, so the company sent me a preview version of the new business-oriented EliteBook X G2i with the newly released Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor.
Unfortunately, one of the conditions is that I can't regale you with benchmarks (yet), but I can take a look at a very impressive laptop.
While HP has announced several variants of the EliteBook X G2i, the one I have is special – it's a lightweight model that weighs less than 1kg. Technically, he was actually measuring xxxxxxxx (edited) grams on my scale, but in my book it's close enough.
The EliteBook X G2i is impressively light in the hand, and despite feeling almost hollow, it's very solid with little flex in its 14-inch chassis.
Full specs are below, but the variant I've seen is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. HP also announced the EliteBook X G2a with the latest processors from AMDas well as the EliteBook X G2q, which will use Qualcomm processors.
HP also announced the EliteBook X Flip 2-in-1, which has many of the same specs but has a flip screen. You can learn more about the EliteBook X G2 series directly from HP..
There are different display options, but I have a 14-inch 3K. OLED (2880 x 1800), 120 Hz refresh rate (VRR), 500 nits brightness and 100% DCI-P3 color reproduction. In the lightweight model (just 100 grams more), you can get the same panel with (or without) a touchscreen, or a range of 1920 x 1200 OLED or IPS screens.
My favorite feature is that the screen flips out 180 degrees, making it easy to securely place the laptop on the stand next to the monitor and minimize desk space. The OLED screen is bright and vibrant in use, and the higher 3K resolution allows you to get the most out of the compact 14-inch screen.
USB-C connectivity is good, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left and a 10Gbps port (which also supports charging and DisplayPort 2.1) on the right. You also get USB-A on the right, a Kensington lock port, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm headset jack on the left.
This is very good for such a compact and light laptop, and my only small complaint is that I wish there was a little more space between the two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports to make it easier to connect both a dock cable and a fast USB drive.
The laptop will work with four monitors, or three if you only want to use USB-C. You also get Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE211 (2×2) and Bluetooth 6, as well as a webcam with facial recognition (with privacy shutter), although a fingerprint sensor is an optional extra.
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HP EliteBook X G2i: price and availability
HP hasn't announced pricing or an exact date for when the EliteBook X G2i and X Flip G2i will be available, but you can expect them in February 2026.
The broader EliteBook X G2 family, which includes the EliteBook X G2a and EliteBook X G2q, won't arrive until the end of the year.
HP EliteBook X G2i: specifications
|
CPU |
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H |
|
GPU |
Intel Arc B930 |
|
Display |
14″ 3K OLED (2880 x 1800), 120Hz (VRR), anti-glare, 500 nits, DCI-P3 100% |
|
RAM |
32 GB LPDDR5x 8533 MT/s |
|
Storage |
1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD (954GB usable) |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
|
Ports |
Right: USB-C 10 Gbps (USB PD, DP 2.1), USB-A 10 Gbps (powered), security lock slot, optional nano-SIM. Left: 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB PD, DP 2.1), HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headset jack. |
|
Dimensions |
312.7 x 219.9 x 9.15 mm (front), 14.41 mm (rear) |
|
Weight |
999g |
|
operating system |
Windows 11 Professional |
HP EliteBook X G2i: design and build
The lightweight EliteBook X G2i feels premium as soon as you pick it up, and while it's impressively light, it doesn't feel flimsy, and the entire 14-inch body is quite rigid. Even the hinge is well-tuned and opens fairly easily with one hand, but still holds its position once you set the angle of the screen.
There's also very little flex in the lid and keyboard panel, and overall it feels like a laptop that can stand up to being used on the go, day in and day out.
The laptop's appearance is understated, which is what I personally like: the branding is subtle, it looks very professional, and the rounded edges make it pleasant to hold. The lightweight model is only available in Atmospheric Blue, but it matches the design.
It easily picks up fingerprints, although its surface is also fairly easy to wipe clean, so you can quickly clean it up before an important meeting.
The trackpad is large, easy to use, and has a nice tactile click. The keyboard feels premium and has very little touch. The keys have a fairly deep travel, which is convenient for long-term typing even with large hands. I didn't notice any annoying low-angle backlight glow seeping under the keys.
It's also nice to see that HP is putting some serious effort into materials: up to 90% recycled magnesium is used in clamshell covers, and recycled material is used in parts like the bezel, speaker housing, keycaps and more.
HP Elitebook
Again, I can't give any specific metrics at this stage, but I ran the EliteBook X G2i through TechRadar's full range of tests. While there were a few inconsistent results and teething problems (which is normal for a review unit and a new processor), overall performance is excellent.
You can learn more about some of the expected numbers directly from Intel.but suffice it to say that the new Core Ultra Series 3 processors are very impressive and, thanks to the very powerful integrated GPU, make Intel-based laptops more competitive with the best models from AMD and Qualcomm.
The Core Ultra X7 358H in the EliteBook X G2i isn't much faster than last-gen processors like the last-gen Core Ultra 7 265H in single-core tasks, but multi-core performance is significantly better. But the most impressive thing is the Intel Arc B930, which is powered by the latest generation iGPUs such as the Intel Arc 140V and even the Radeon 890M.
In fact, it's good enough to directly compete with dedicated GPUs in lower-end creator laptops (with more limited power profiles) and handle everyday gaming with ease.
According to Intel, the Core Ultra X7 358H happily beats the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and is much closer to the more powerful AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro 390, although the Arc B390 iGPU still lags behind the Radeon 8050S.
In normal day-to-day use, the EliteBook X G2i is cool and quiet, but it makes a noticeable noise when pressed. That's to be expected from such a thin and light laptop, and in fact HP has done a great job of delivering impressive, consistent CPU performance, and the audio levels are a perfectly acceptable trade-off.
The lightweight variant of my laptop uses a 56Whr battery, while the regular G2i can also be equipped with a larger 68Whr battery. While I can't give an exact runtime, battery life is very impressive and is on par (or better) with the best results from similarly specced laptops using older Intel processors, or the best results from AMD and Qualcomm. Although battery life suffers under long and heavy workloads, the EliteBook X G2i is more than capable of getting through a full day of work.
AI performance isn't a major selling point for most people just yet, but the Ultra X7 358H features a 50 TOPS NPU that will help handle many workloads and become increasingly useful over time.
The EliteBook X G2i comes with a compact 65W USB-C charger and charges fairly quickly, but we found it to be a bit finicky and it doesn't always charge to full capacity with some 65W (or higher) chargers and power supplies. Given that it uses the USB PD specification for charging, these are likely just early quibbles, as the laptop is more conservative about connecting to a suitable high-performance charger.
HP EliteBook X G2i: Final Thoughts
While we'll reserve final judgment until we get our hands on a production version of the laptop, based on my time with the G2i, it's definitely worth including on the 2026 upgrade list.
