HP Announces 10 New EliteBook and ProBooks

Aimed at boosting performance and productivity, the new EliteBooks and ProBooks boast all metal casing and, of course, Intel’s 2011 Sandy Bridge processors.

First up is the ProBook b-series, which features three new machines in 13.3-inch, 14-inch and 15.6-inch flavours. Starting at $799, all three feature a spill-resistant keyboard, along with a bottom-case drain that helps protect against accidental minor keyboard spills. HP has also added a DisplaySafe frame for added panel protection along with display latches. The casing is is made from magnesium reinforced ABS and the cover is bead blasted aluminium. Specswise, the 13.3-inch 6360b, the 14-inch 6460b and 15.6-inch 6560b pack HD LED backlit displays, AMD Radeon 640 graphics and can be configured with either Intel’s Celeron or Core i-Series. There’s also the option for a HD webcam if that tickles your fancy.

The s-series ProBooks are a little more low-end and it’s immediately obvious that HP is going to stylish but affordable here. Available in five sizes (the 12.1-inch 4230s, the 13.3-inch 4330s, the 14-inch 4430s, the 15.6-inch 4530s and the 17.3-inch 4730s), the budget s-series boasts a sleek brushed-aluminum finish and spill-resistant keyboard. Under the hood there’s a choice of Intel’s second-gen Core i-series or Celeron processors, optional Power Express Switchable Graphics or integrated graphics, and a HD webcam. Pricing for the ProBook s-series starts at $579.

Last but definitely not least (they’re actually the most expensive of the bunch), is the new EliteBooks p-series, which features the 14-inch 8460p and 15.6-inch 8560p. With CPU options ranging from dual-core Core i3 to quad-core core i7, there’s also the choice of UMA or AMD Radeon HD 6470M discrete graphics. Both come with support for both USB 2.0 and 3.0 and a choice of either HDD or SSD storage. There’s the option for either a 3-, 6-, or 9-cell battery and if you’re willing to pick up the new HP Ultra-Capacity Notebook Battery, HP is saying you can get up to 32 hours from your notebook. This is a similar claim to Lenovo’s 30 hours of battery promise with the new ThinkPad T420. Pricing for the 8460p and 8560p start at $999 and $1099, respectively.

All of the laptops will be available to customers in the United States starting March 15.