HP Inc. has unveiled a collection of new and updated PCs, displays, and accessories for mobile and desktop users.
Introduced on the eve of the CES 2020 conference in Las Vegas, the products include what HP calls the world’s first business 2-in-1 with both built-in 5G networking and built-in support for the Tile Bluetooth location tracking system; the world’s first all-in-one PC with NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics; and the world’s first docking displays with embedded network management capabilities and “single power-on” functionality.
Many of the new products are made largely or entirely of recycled materials as well, according to Mike Nash, HP’s chief technologist and vice president of customer experience and portfolio strategy for personal systems.
“Our goal at HP is to create the world’s most sustainable PC portfolio, period,” he says.
Included among the updated products is a refreshed edition of the Elite Dragonfly PC that HP introduced last September. An ultralight convertible that weighs less than a kilogram, the device will acquire 5G connectivity, along with “smart signal” technology designed to boost antenna performance, in mid-2020.
“This is going to allow for significant improvements in performance and connectivity,” observes Cory McElroy, HP’s head of product management and marketing for premium commercial notebooks.
5G connectivity will initially be available for Elite Dragonfly users exclusively through Sprint. “When looking at the carrier landscape, we really felt a strong connection with where Sprint’s focused from a build out across SMB and enterprise and where we’re driving the Dragonfly product,” McElroy says. Additional carrier partnerships will be announced later this year.
In the first quarter of the year, meanwhile, the Elite Dragonfly will gain Bluetooth device tracking via embedded support for the Tile platform, which lets users see the location of lost, stolen, or misplaced objects on smartphone and desktop apps. According to HP, Tile users find some 6 million items daily with the technology.
“We know many people are actually putting Tiles on laptops today, but we thought we could do better,” McElroy says. “We think it’s just a very natural relationship on a product like this for our most mobile customers that have highly sensitive data.”
Updated versions of the Elite Dragonfly will also feature HP’s Sure View Reflect privacy system, which lets users restrict the viewing range of sensitive content in both light and dark environments.
Also new for CES is the HP ENVY 32, an all-in-one PC with a 32-inch display and $1,599.99 starting list price. Equipped with up to 65W 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory, and up to a 1 TB SSD or dual storage drives, the ENVY 32 is, according to HP, the first PC to have an HDR600 display with 6,000:12 contrast ratio and the first all-in-one in NVIDIA’s RTX Studio program.†
“You’re going to get very bright, very realistic images, whether you’re creating content or streaming content,” Nash says.
The new device, which is available immediately, also features a 2.1 channel audio system from Bang & Olufsen designed to spare users from pairing the system with external speakers, as well as what HP calls the world’s widest 4K display in an all-in-one.
Also showcased today is a refreshed version of HP’s Spectre x360 15 premium 2-in-1. Set to ship in March and powered by up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7processors, the device is engineered to provide up to 17 hours of battery life.†
According to HP, furthermore, the laptop’s 4K OLED 15.6-inch display provides 98% coverage under the DCI-P3 color standard, offers a 30% wider color gamut range than its predecessor, and offers a 90% screen-to-body ratio (versus 79.78% in the current edition of the product). Onboard Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity enable nearly three times faster file transfer speeds as well.
Due from HP this month are two new docking monitors, the 23.8-inch E24d G4 and the 27-inch E27d G4. Both offer FHD and QHD resolution and can consume video, data, and up to 100W of power through a single USB-C cable.
“For the end user, it greatly simplifies their desk,” McElroy notes.
The two monitors also come with “single power-on” functionality that lets users start a docked laptop and multiple displays simultaneously. “I can use a single button on the notebook to power up displays and the notebook, or I can use the power button on the display to also power on my notebook,” McElroy says.
Network management features in the two units include support for MAC address pass through, Wake-on-LAN, and PXE booting.
According to HP, 82% of buyers are more likely to choose environmentally friendly products. As a result, many of the products the company introduced today are designed to promote environmental sustainability. For example, more than 82% of the mechanical parts in the new Elite Dragonfly, which HP says is the world’s first notebook made with “ocean-bound plastic,” are based on recycled materials.
Sustainably sourced materials figure prominently in a range of new accessories coming from HP as well. For example, the HP Renew Series of carrying cases for notebooks up to 15.6 inches is made from as many as 10 post-consumer plastic bottles each. The new HP Renew Sleeve for 13-inch laptops, which is also made from recycled plastic bottles, will ship in April at a list price of $59.99 and up.
Other carrying cases announced today include new HP Spectre Folio backpack and topload products made from water-resistant waxed canvas and equipped with a dedicated RFID pocket to protect credit cards and passports. Set to become available next month, both will feature a $199.99 starting price.
According to Nash, all of the products announced today are tailored to the demands of a new generation of users who want the freedom to work and consume content securely from any location, to connect devices simply, and to buy products that reflect their commitments to environmental responsibility.†
“This whole concept of freedom is an underlying theme that transcends a lot of the feedback that we’re getting,” he says.
