HP's EliteBook X G2i is be the ultraportable business laptop I've been waiting for

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• HP just announced its new EliteBook X G2 series business laptops, with the latest Intel, AMD, or Qualcomm chipsets. 
• The new EliteBooks are extremely lightweight, with tandem OLED displays and haptic trackpads.
• Early testing reveals fantastic battery life spanning several days. 

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HP just announced its EliteBook X G2 series at CES 2026, and the devices are packed with some impressive (and well-received) design improvements. These laptops could be serious contenders in 2026, boasting a lightweight physical design, better repairability, and phenomenal battery life.

Ahead of CES, I got a first look at the new EliteBook X G2i — the model with the Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 “Panther Lake” processor — and have some great things to say about this business-minded laptop.

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First, the laptop is light, really light. At just 2.2 pounds and 0.6 inches thick, its weight is comparable to that of the lightest laptops we tested in 2025, including the Asus Zenbook A14 at 2.16 pounds and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x at 2.6 pounds. HP understood the assignment here, delivering a laptop with all-day battery and premium design elements, such as OLED screens, haptic trackpads, and the latest processors from all three manufacturers: Intel, AMD, and now, Qualcomm. 

The result is a powerful device that’s versatile enough for most professionals, with upgraded features for an enjoyable user experience. The suite of IT-friendly features, including a broad range of ports and 5G connectivity, is combined with better repairability.

The keyboard can be easily replaced, for example, by removing the bottom half of the clamshell and popping the unit out, which is something the end user or IT team can do relatively easily with a fully replaceable component. 

Build and hardware

There’s no real physical difference between the three different processor configurations, although further testing will be needed to see which configuration has the longest-lasting battery. 

I can say that both performance and battery using the Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 Panther Lake were impressive in the short time I had with the 56Wh Lithium-Ion battery, lasting several days on a charge, even with regular use. I also loved the positively tiny charger, which has retractable prongs for easy portability. 

As a business device, all three versions come with their respective chipsets’ integrated GPUs. However, in my initial testing of the Panther Lake configuration, I enjoyed surprisingly good gaming performance across several Steam titles. Granted, you’ll want to make some graphics adjustments for more demanding games, but this capability is a good sign of the chipset’s ability to run graphics-heavy applications. Especially with these bomb displays. 

The EliteBook X G2 series has a range of display options, up to a gorgeous 3K tandem OLED at 120Hz and 700 nits of brightness. They’re bright and vivid across the board, with the low-end LCD display going up to 800 nits and featuring a matte, anti-glare WUXGA panel. 

Also: The most premium work laptop I tested in 2025 lets you finally ditch Wi-Fi for good

The display looks fantastic, but similar to competing laptops in this product category, there are subtle signs of its price point. The plastic bezels around the screen, for example, resemble those found on HP’s more affordable models. 

It’s standard laptop construction, sure, but when placed next to a laptop without physical bezels, such as a MacBook or the Microsoft Surface Laptop for Business, one of the most premium business laptops I tested in 2025, there’s a notable difference. 

The EliteBook X G2’s physical build is a similar balancing act. To make a laptop this lightweight, trade-offs are necessary. For example, tapping on the palm rest next to the trackpad feels slightly hollow, and there’s a fair amount of flex on both halves of the clamshell. That said, the lightweight build is easy to commute with, slipping into a bag unnoticed and weighing less than your water bottle. 

Features and daily use 

The EliteBook X G2 series devices are made for business, and connectivity options reflect that fact. There’s support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, a security lock slot, and space for an optional nano SIM card. For additional connectivity, these laptops are 5G compatible with HP Go, the manufacturer’s 5G subscription service that works with its built-in eSIMs.

The EliteBook X G2i Flip — the convertible configuration — features an optional stylus that fits right into the side (very tightly, I might add) for those who prefer it, with a wide range of display options, going up to the tandem OLED at 700 nits and 120Hz refresh rate, all the way down to a stock 400-nit LCD panel.

Also: This ultraportable Asus laptop is my favorite MacBook Air alternative (and it’s better in some ways)

Overall, initial impressions of the EliteBook X G2i reveal a device that is enjoyable to use during long office days, with a satisfying haptic keyboard, a wide range of vivid display options, and a comfortable keyboard design that’s new for HP. 

At 2.2 pounds, the device is so portable. Similar to the Asus Zenbook A14, my first impressions upon picking it up feel more like a mockup or prototype than a fully realized product, as the lightweight materials feel slightly plasticky and flexible, which is something that not everyone will love. 

It might be hard to care, however, with the next-gen performance and gorgeous display punctuated by a multi-day battery life and a competitive price point. 

Also: The best lightweight laptops of 2025: Expert tested

The EliteBook X G2 with the Intel chip (and its Flip version) will be released in February. The models with the AMD and Qualcomm chips are expected to be released later in spring 2026.   

HP has not yet shared price points for the EliteBook X G2 series, but I expect costs to cover a broad range based on the hardware, RAM, and display, from the low $1,000s up to and beyond the $2,000 mark.