HP's ZBook Studio is a small laptop with shocking specs

By Justin Pot November 11, 2015

Good laptops are coming in increasingly small packages, and HP’s upcoming ZBook Studio is a great example of that. Starting at $1,699, this 4.4 pound optionally packs an Intel i7 or Xeon processor, up to 32 GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage.

Those numbers would have sounded like science fiction for a desktop computer not so long ago, but HP is packing all of that into a device that’s only 0.7 inches thick. If you want power without sacrificing portability, it’s something to look forward to.

The 15.6 inch Studio, which ships in December, is HP’s attempt to improve on the previous incarnation of their ZBook – which was deemed by reviewers to be bulky and underpowered for the price. The small form factor helps combat this, but the price is even higher this time around.

And customers might end up spending quite a bit more than that $1,699 starting price, considering all the upgrade options listed. There are a wide range of available processors, for example, starting with a Intel Xeon E3-1545M v5 with Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 and ranging all the way up to the Intel Core i7-6700HQ with Intel HD graphics 530. There’s even optional Nvidia Quadro M1000M discrete graphics. It’s not clear right now how much all these options could add up to.

Still, there’s a lot to like packed into this little laptop. It’s got an aluminum body, a 1,920 x 1,080 display (with an optional upgrade to 3,840 x 2160,), and even an optional touchscreen.

There are 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, an SD card slot and 2 USB 3.0 ports.

As of this writing the device isn’t available for preorder, and it’s not clear what kind of specs the base model will offer — or what the fully outfitted version of this laptop will cost. Stay tuned.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Justin's always had a passion for trying out new software, asking questions, and explaining things – tech journalism is the…

Computing

I tested 3 years of mini-LED gaming laptops, and I was shocked by the results

Three mini-LED laptops playing an HDR demo.

The displays on gaming laptops have come a long way over the past few years. Well, that's the easy thing to say when you look at the specs we have today. A few years ago, most laptops shipped with basic IPS panels, which sometimes stood out with a particularly fast refresh rate. Now, you'll commonly find mini-LED and OLED options, all with speedy refresh rates, low response times, and exceptional HDR.

But how far have laptop displays really come? I've been testing three laptops from the last three years, all outfitted with a mini-LED display, to compare what we have today with what was available just a few years ago. By the numbers, not much has changed, but when it comes down to actually using these displays, it's clear that mini-LED has come a long way in a short time.
Three years of mini-LED laptops

Computing

This one surprising laptop could actually challenge the MacBook Pro

A rendering of the two color options for the Asus Zephyrus G14.

For the last few years, MacBooks have had a serious advantage over its Windows rivals. No one else has been able to combine power and portability in the way Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro does, especially with the arrival of the M3 Max. But that may not be the case for much longer.

Unveiled at CES 2024, the updated Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 seems to have serious ambitions on taking Apple’s crown. It's a gaming laptop, yes, but it's been redesigned from the ground up to cater to a crossover crowd. It’s sleek and svelte, yet doesn’t skimp on the output.

Computing

Dual-screen laptops is the idea that just won’t die

The two screens of the Zenbook Duo on a white table.

Laptops with two screens -- it's an idea that just won't die. Whether it's a screen that folds in two or a pair of screens attached together, there have now been many iterations of the concept. None have taken off like foldable smartphones with two screens have, but this year at CES 2024, we're seeing the trend push forward, namely with the Asus Zenbook Duo.

The device features two connected 14-inch OLED screens, both of which are touchscreens and have a 120Hz refresh rate, and attempts to create a singular, portable multitasking experience with them. They're attached to each other via a "lay-flat" 180-degree hinge that allows the two screens to be positioned in three primary modes.