HP has launched a completely redesigned line of ZBook notebooks that includes new 15” and 17” laptops, the ZBook Studio ultrabook, and the ZBook Studio x360 2-in-1 ultrabook. The company also launched a 27” entry for its DreamColor lineup of professional monitors.
ZBook Workhorse Workstation Laptops
Starting with the traditional notebooks, the new ZBook 15 and 17 are redesigned versions of HP’s workhorse workstation laptops. They have new aluminum bodies and a choice of processors ranging from the four-core i5-8300H to the six-core i7-8850H. Xeon six-core processors are also on offer. For graphics cards, both ZBooks have the choice of the Nvidia Quadro P1000, P2000, and AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150, but the ZBook 17 can also be optioned with up to a Quadro P5200. Both ZBooks can be had with FHD and 4K touch screens, or wide-gamut 4K DreamColor screens. Those who opt for the latter option will be able to use the laptop’s built in colorimeter to keep the screen calibrated.
Separated from the main ZBook lineup is the ZBook 15v. As a lighter and smaller, but only slightly so, 15” alternative, the ZBook 15v has fewer graphics card and screen options. It can still be equipped with up to a six-core i7-8850H, but its graphics card is limited to a Nvidia Quadro 600. There is also no DreamColor screen option. All ZBooks can fit a NVMe M.2 SSD in addition to a 2.5” drive. Only the ZBook 17 has an optical drive, however. Because they all use Intel’s new mobile Coffee Lake platform, they all have Intel’s new gigabit wireless-capable 9560 wireless solution.
Availability and pricing information was given only for the ZBook 15v, which will be available in May for a price that starts at $949.
ZBook Studio Ultrabooks
None of the ZBook traditional laptops mentioned above are particularly mobile. Here’s where the ZBook Studio and Studio X360 come in. They also have entirely new, all-aluminum bodies. With angular corners and hexagonally cut edges, the ZBook Studios look like a movie prop of a futuristic laptop. We can’t say the sharp corners are particularly ergonomic or practical.
As far as specs go, neither Studio notebooks lose much. They have the same processor options that go up to the six-core Xeon E-2186M, the same screen options that include the 15” 4K DreamColor screen, and the same M.2-plus-2.5” drive options. On the graphics front, the Studios can only be equipped with the Nvidia Quadro P1000. Unfortunately, despite being smaller, neither the Studio nor the Studio x360 are lightweight. The latter is a 2-in-1, so it can be used as a tablet in conjunction with HP’s Wacom AES-based pen; however, the notebook weighs nearly 5lbs.
The ZBook Studio and Studio x360 will be available in May for prices that start at $1,299 and $1,499.
Z27x DreamColor Professional Monitor
The last product HP launched was the Z27x DreamColor professional monitor. Though HP plays it up, it’s not particularly different from what’s already available on the market. The Z27x has a 27” QHD (2560 x 1440) 10bit IPS LCD screen with a claimed 99% and 98% coverage in Adobe RGB and DCI-P3. It doesn’t have an interesting full-array LED backlight like the recently released Asus PA32UC, and HDR doesn’t play much into HP’s marketing for the screen. HP has included a comprehensive amount of ports, however. Beyond video inputs and a USB 3.0 hub, the Z27x also has an RJ-45 jack. We’re guessing this is for notebooks docked via the USB-C port. Like other DreamColor monitors, the Z27x features a built-in colorimeter for hardware calibration.
The Z27x DreamColor will be available in April for $1,999.
