Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series has reshaped the way Windows laptops perform, and HP is jumping on board with its new EliteBook Ultra G1q, targeted at enterprise buyers. With the Snapdragon X Elite chipset, the company promises long battery life—way beyond the typical Windows machine—and a focus on security features—ideal for professionals who need reliability.
HP EliteBook Ultra G1q
Rs 1,68,999
What Is Good?
- Battery beast
- Touchscreen display works seamlessly
- AI companion is very helpful
- Remarkable performance
- Good security and privacy features
What Is Bad?
- 60Hz refresh rate only
- Trackpad has ghost touch issues
- Expensive
However, with a steep asking price of Rs 1,68,999, the big question is whether it will appeal to professionals looking for a reliable work companion. My review digs deeper into that.
Pricing and Availability in India
The HP EliteBook comes in just one variant on the HP eStore.
| Storage variant | Price in India |
| 16GB RAM and 1TB | Rs 1,68,999 |
Design and Display
The HP Elitebook and the Omnibook X laptops look like twins. If I handed them to you, you’d probably choose based on colour—the resemblance is uncanny. This HP laptop also resembles the MacBook Air M2, although it’s not quite as sleek.
| Design | Specification |
| Dimensions |
31.29 x 22.35 x 0.84 (HxWxD in cm) |
| Weight | 1.34kg |
| Ports (Right side) | USB Type-A, 3.5mm audio jack |
| Ports (Left side) | 2x USB Type-C |
| Connectivity Options | Wi-Fi 6E 2×2, Bluetooth 5.2 |
The weight distribution is solid but feels a tad heavier than expected. When it comes to design, though, it’s got the “Elite” look.
Sadly, it’s missing an HDMI port. A docking station via the two USB-C ports will solve that issue, but you’ll need to shell out a bit more cash for the accessory.
The bezels on this 14-inch laptop are decently slim, making it a nice experience for watching YouTube or a Netflix series. However, the 60Hz refresh rate feels a bit lacklustre, especially for someone used to a higher refresh rate monitor. For me, though, it’s not a dealbreaker since I haven’t been spoiled by refresh rates yet.
| Display | Specifications |
| Type | IPS display |
| Size | 14.01-inch |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 |
| Resolution | 2240 x 1400 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz |
| Screen brightness | Claimed: 300 nits, Tested: 314 nits Minimum: 26 nits |
Here’s the BEST part—whenever I wasn’t looking at the display, it dimmed automatically, which is a welcome touch for conserving battery. On top of that, the 5-megapixel front camera not only adds an extra layer of security with Face ID but also works well for virtual meetings.
HP promises 300 nits of brightness, but our tests showed 312 nits, which is a slight bump. It’s bright enough for everyday use, and sometimes even under sunlight.
The touchscreen is impressively smooth, and I had a lot of fun using it. Switching between the touchscreen, trackpad, and keyboard feels effortless, I did not face any lags or stutters.
In terms of audio, it’s alright at about half volume. At 48 per cent, the sound is clear and sharp, but pushing it up to around 64 per cent brought in noticeable distortion—enough that I could actually feel the vibrations on my lap. The audio performance didn’t wow me; it’s just average at best.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The keyboard on this laptop is just as snappy as my MacBook Air M2. I’m all about that clickity-clackity vibe—it sounds amazing. Plus, the key travel is spot-on, with solid feedback to match. Honestly, the sound alone made me seem super busy at work, even when I was, well, not (let’s hope my editor doesn’t find out, haha).
| Keyboard and Trackpad | Specifications |
| Keyboard | Full-size, backlit, atmosphere blue keyboard with HP Imagepad |
| Trackpad | Image sensor click pad with multi-touch gesture support |
The backlit keys help when typing at night. However, the arrow keys are cramped. I’ve adjusted to it since my MacBook has the same issue, but not everyone’s going to be so forgiving.
The trackpad is huge—so much so that HP had to squeeze the keys a bit to make room. What’s really irritating, though, is that the cursor randomly jumps around when I’m typing, and I’m not even touching it! This becomes a major hassle, especially when working on something important, which most business users will do. Plus, the touch sensitivity is slow, even after tweaking the settings.
Performance and Software
The HP EliteBook Ultra G1q is tailored for business and education needs. If gaming is your priority, this isn’t the one for you. However, when it comes to everyday tasks—opening apps, multitasking—it handles everything effortlessly.
No frustrating lags here, everything flows smoothly. Windows CoPilot+ enhances the experience by bringing AI to the forefront. The AI kicks in smoothly whenever assistance is needed—I’ve covered it in detail in the software section below.
| Hardware | Specification |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 up to 3.4GHz |
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno GPU |
| NPU | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5x-8400 MHz RAM |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD |
Being the first laptop with the Snapdragon X Elite chipset that we have tested, there’s little to directly compare it with. But, to give you a better perspective, I’ve compared it with other laptops in a similar price range—check out the graphs below.
The Snapdragon X Elite processor used in this laptop is the base variant from the Elite family. The Cinebench R23 scores shows us that it performs better than its sibling, the Snapdragon X Plus found in the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441). But, it falls behind the same laptop which uses the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. While these are just synthetic benchmarks, the overall performance was nothing short of great.
When it comes to software, this laptop behaves like any other Windows machine—there’s nothing particularly different about the user interface. However, I was impressed by how well the AI companion works. It’s akin to ChatGPT and Google Gemini but offers a more personalised experience for HP users. Take a look at the table below to see how the features work.
| HP AI Companion Features | How Does it Work? |
| Ask | This enables users to ask a range of questions, from general knowledge to world-related topics. The AI provides answers, much like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. |
| Discover | This will help you with tasks involving HP products and services, and it also addresses questions about AI topics. |
| Analyze | Users can explore and summarise their files stored on Azure Drive. |
| Perform | This will perform tasks such as downloading or installing the latest drivers and will also assist you in diagnosing and resolving common problems. |
The core feature of the software is HP’s Wolf Pro Security. It actively prevents malware, safeguards all credentials, and ensures ongoing security management. This is particularly advantageous for business users who need to protect the company’s sensitive information at all times.
Battery and Charging
The EliteBook comes with a 59Wh battery, and to my surprise, it easily powered through two days, sometimes even longer, especially when I wasn’t using it much.
During the PCMark Battery test, it clocked in at 12 hours and 42 minutes, which is about two hours less than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7441. You can see how this laptop compares in the PCMark Battery Life test amongst other laptops.
As for charging, the laptop includes a 65W USB-C charger in the box, and it took 2 hours and 13 minutes to charge fully from zero. While that’s on the slower side, I’m willing to overlook it since I’m not constantly reaching for the charger anyway.
Verdict
The HP EliteBook Ultra G1q stands out with its remarkable performance and outstanding battery life, along with the integration of Windows CoPilot+ and HP’s AI companion features.
In the realm of laptops, HP has embraced AI technology with impressive finesse—think of it as the Google Pixel of the laptop world in terms of software innovation.
Admittedly, this device isn’t easy on the wallet. Although many are willing to spend over a lakh on MacBooks, but there are still RAM and storage options available below that price. Hence, a more budget-friendly base model with 16GB RAM and modest storage might have broadened this laptop’s appeal.
Ultimately, if you’re a business professional seeking maximum security and privacy, along with a premium software experience that handles your workload with ease, the UltraBook is certainly worth considering. This could be a great alternative to the Macbook.
