In a nutshell: HP announced plenty of new hardware at CES 2020, including monitors, PCs, and backpacks. Among these products are updated versions of its two premium notebooks: the new Elite Dragonfly G2 and the Spectre x360 15.
Potential buyers of high-end ultrabooks have two new options to choose from with HP's refresh of the Elite Dragonfly and the Spectre x360.
Elite Dragonfly G2
Aimed at business users, the G2 is a rather quickly announced successor to the stylish Elite Dragonfly and boasts multiple security and privacy features, updated internals and a similar exterior. The new model comes with the world's first in-built Tile tracking hardware for smart location tracking.
In case the owner misplaces/loses their laptop, Tile's network of connected devices could be tapped into for making a successful recovery. HP tells Tom's Hardware that it created a Windows app with the Tile team for the Bluetooth-based tracker, integrated for the first time in a Windows-powered device and said to be operational even if the G2 is dead and hasn't been plugged in for weeks.
Another feature on the laptop is HP's third-gen display technology called Sure View Reflect, which uses a copper-colored privacy screen to provide a clear view of the display head-on but turns it into a mirror at other angles for dealing with prying eyes.
In terms of wireless connectivity, optional 5G support will be arriving in the summer, powered by Snapdragon's X55 LTE + 5G modem, with Sprint as the launch carrier. Coming in at 0.99kg, the 13.3-inch lightweight can be equipped with up to a six-core Intel Core i7 (with integrated graphics only) and is offered with two new storage options of 1TB and 2TB PCIe Gen3 NVMe SSD.
Other specs include a 65Wh battery, up to 16GB of soldered LPDDR3 RAM, a 1080p or 4K IPS touchscreen, 2 x USB Type-C with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 support, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 with charging support, 1 x HDMI 1.4 port, a 3.5 mm headphone/mic combo jack and an external nano sim slot.
The Elite Dragonfly G2 will reportedly arrive at the end of this month with a starting price tag of $1,599.
Spectre x360 15
HP's refresh of the 15.6-inch Spectre x360 includes the same CPU upgrades underpinning the Elite Dragonfly G2, but with support for Nvidia graphics (reportedly a GTX 1650Ti for the top-spec model), in a chassis that's 13 percent smaller compared to its predecessor.
The new model also boasts thinner bezels for a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, an improved trackpad powered by Windows Precision drivers, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for faster transfer speeds. There's still only a 4K display on offer that's available in IPS, OLED, and OLED anti-glare spec.
The laptop also uses the smaller IR webcam found in the 13-inch Spectre and features a kill switch, a mute microphone button and a fingerprint reader for privacy- and security-conscious users. HP is also claiming 17 hours of use from a single charge, though the battery capacity is yet unknown.
The remaining options carry on from its predecessor, including 2 x USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, 1 x USB Type-A port, 1 x HDMI, a microSD slot and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Availability is expected in March with a starting price of $1,599.