HP has unveiled a crop of new laptops, plus a new webcam, tailored to the needs of students and teachers in a transformed era of instruction.
“The pandemic has changed everything and all of our lives,” says Bill Avey, HP’s global head of education. “Teaching and learning are no different.”
While hybrid learning models in which teachers address students at home and in the classroom simultaneously have proven unpopular with school districts, he continues, “blended learning” that spans both settings is here to stay. As a result, schools that once gave only some of their students PCs or used computers only onsite are now embracing “one to one” policies aimed at equipping every student with a device of their own that they can use wherever they’re studying.
PCs suitable for blended learning must be both durable and light, according to Gretchen Irion, HP’s director of education and commercial desktops product management. “Previously a device in the classroom was opened a few times a day, a few days a week,” she says. Now students are using computers in every class. “They really need to be able to handle the additional stress in this more rigorous environment,” Irion notes.
Nonstop high-speed connectivity is equally critical, she adds. “One thing we’ve learned during this pandemic was that if you did not have access to the internet, you didn’t have access to learning,” Irion says. “Untethered broadband and connectivity is really essential to creating equitable access to learning content, creativity, and collaboration outside the classroom.”
Students in blended learning environments are also often doing two things at once, according to Irion, and therefore need larger displays. “They need to be able to view the lecture on one side of the screen that was assigned by the teacher and at the same time take notes or complete a digital assignment,” she says.
Optimized for second graders through 12th graders, the notebooks introduced today are all based on HP Fortis, a new PC standard designed for portability and ruggedness (“Fortis” is the Latin word for strong). All Fortis devices have mechanically reinforced corners, reinforced power and USB-C ports less vulnerable to the damaging effects of cable tugging, and spill-resistant keyboards with “pick-resistant” key caps that fidgety students can’t easily dislodge.
Fortis PCs weigh in at 3 lbs. and up, and feature expanded accidental damage protection and easily accessed components for faster servicing. Users can clean them 1,000 times with antiseptic wipes, HP says, without fading or discoloration.
Most of the devices showcased today come with 14-inch displays that, according to HP, offer 45% more viewing space than the 11-inch laptops students have typically used in the past. Most also come with either optional or standard LTE broadband. Over 80% of people worldwide have access to LTE at present and 95% will by 2027, according to recent data from Ericsson.
HP plans to create additional Fortis products for field service technicians, factory workers, and other mobile users who need durable hardware.
There are six Fortis devices available now or coming soon:
HP Fortis 14″ G10 Chromebook
According to HP, this device is the world’s first rugged Chromebook for students with a 14-inch display and optional 4G LTE. Powered by Intel Celeron and Pentium processors, it offers up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. It also has a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, an 88-degree wide-viewing angle HD camera, and dual microphones. The device is available now for $349 and up.
HP ProBook Fortis 14″ G9 and G10
Like the new Chromebook, the ProBook Fortis 14″ G9 also comes with Intel Celeron and Pentium processors, and up to 8MB of RAM, but can accommodate up to a 256MB solid-state drive. According to HP, it’s the industry’s first Windows laptop for education with a 14-inch display and optional onboard LTE. Standard security components include HP Sure Start, a firmware intrusion detection and repair solution, and HP Sure Sense, an artificial intelligence-powered antimalware solution. Models preloaded with Windows 11 SE are expected to reach market in April at undisclosed prices.
The HP ProBook Fortis 14″ G10 is powered by Intel Core i3 and i5 CPUs, and offers Wi-Fi 6E. Embedded HP Wolf technology secures firmware at bootup and in runtime, and an “intelligent charging” feature is designed to maximize battery health by learning individual usage patterns, automatically lowering charge levels when the device is typically idle, and then charging back up to 100% when the user is likely to start working again soon. Like the G9, the G10 is expected to ship in April. Pricing has yet to be determined.
HP Pro x360 Fortis 11″ G9 and G10
These are convertible PCs with a 360-degree, 11.6-inch screen that allows students to use them in tablet, clamshell, and tent modes as needed. They both feature optional LTE and an optional 5MP “world-facing” webcam. Their built-in stylus, which sits in a water-resistant pen garage on the front of the device, provides 70 minutes of use after 20 seconds of charging, according to HP.
The G9 comes with up to 8GB of RAM, up to a 256GB solid-state drive, and either Intel Celeron or Pentium processors. The G10 features Intel Core i3 and i5 processors. Both products are set to reach market in April at prices yet to be announced.
HP Fortis 11″ G9 Q Chromebook
At 19.1mm in height and 3 lbs. in weight, the HP Fortis 11″ G9 Q Chromebook is the thinnest and lightest Fortis device to date. It offers up to 8GB of memory and up to a 64GB of eMMC storage. Like the other Chromebook introduced today, the device features a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, an 88-degree wide-viewing angle HD camera, and dual microphones. It is slated to ship in June at prices to be announced later.
Also unveiled today is a new pair of webcams for teachers, who are increasingly becoming digital content creators. “They’re creating videos for students for blended learning lessons. They may be recording science experiments, or maybe steps to complete a project or a lecture with props where they’re demonstrating a new concept,” Irion notes.
The HP 320 and 325 FHD Webcams are 1080P, 5MP devices with a 66-degree viewing angle. Both units auto-adjust settings as soon as the user plugs in their USB-A cable. HP 320 FHD Webcam is scheduled to arrive in February at a list price of $39.99. The HP 325 FHD is expected to ship the following month and sell for $39.
HP’s latest education PCs debuted two weeks after the company announced a slew of new devices for work and gaming at CES.
