HP EliteBook X Flip G1i review: This laptop is CEO material

What: HP EliteBook X Flip G1i | Price: Rs 258,985 (as reviewed)

Refined design

The EliteBook X is a 14-inch notebook — small and light enough to be comfortably held with just one hand. Its size falls right in the middle, which makes a big difference if you travel frequently for work, and need to stay productive on the go.

The speakers are full, loud, and seem to be comimg from everywhere. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Like other high-end HP devices, the build quality is excellent. The body is made of metal and has a premium, expensive feel — no surprises here. The design has been slightly refreshed, and although it’s a business notebook, the EliteBook X looks far more modern. It’s the kind of notebook that pairs perfectly with your Rimowa bag for business travel.

Its 2-in-1 design allows it to be used in multiple ways. The 360-degree hinge works smoothly, yet it’s tight enough that the screen never feels unstable. The touchscreen is responsive, and my fingers glided easily across the surface.

Another design feature I care a lot about is the ports, and the new EliteBook X delivers. It includes two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A port, an additional USB-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a headset jack. The inclusion of an HDMI 2.1 port is especially important for business professionals who frequently give presentations or need to share their screen in different meeting rooms. However, it doesn’t have an SD card reader or a LAN slot.

Terrific audio and display, but I wish it had an OLED screen

I have always been a big fan of how Apple’s MacBook Pro sounds. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the EliteBook X now matches the MacBook Pro in terms of sound quality. Since HP acquired Poly, formerly known as Plantronics, I have noticed a significant improvement in their audio performance. The acquisition has clearly helped boost HP’s audio game.

The notebook has a 14-inch IPS screen, although I would have preferred an OLED panel at this price. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The quad speakers and discrete amplifiers on the EliteBook X sound better than my 55-inch TV. The top- and side-firing speakers create a powerful, immersive sound. While watching Minnal Murali, the speakers never sounded muddy or harsh, and made watching a full movie enjoyable. Not only were the vocals clear, but there was also a sense of realism in the sound, which gave the viewing experience a completely different level on a laptop screen.

The 14-inch, 1980 x 1200 IPS touchscreen is solid. It’s bright, the colours look good, and I haven’t noticed any glaring issues. The bezels are now slimmer, yet you still get the full 16:10 aspect ratio. For content creators, a 14-inch screen might feel small for studio-level production work. However, for business executives, it strikes the right balance — offering enough portability while still being large enough to stay productive, whether it’s working on presentations, managing Excel sheets, or checking emails. That said, I do wish HP had gone with an OLED panel on the EliteBook X — it would have made a huge difference. The notebook also supports a stylus and comes bundled with the Active Pen G3.

I did multiple Zoom calls, and as far as I could tell, the quality of the 5-megapixel 1080p webcam was excellent. If you are on a lot of video calls, you will definitely appreciate the improved quality.

The keyboard is a huge upgrade

The keyboard is a jot to tytpe on. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The keyboard feels a bit different from the one on the previous HP notebook I tested. The keys are well-spaced, and the keyboard on the EliteBook X produces a deeper, more satisfying sound. I really like this keyboard. The F11 key can be customised for various functions using the MyHP app, while the power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader for secure logins. And of course, the trackpad has vastly improved too — it’s larger, more responsive, and works brilliantly.

Good performance and battery life

Intel-powered laptops have always been reliable and powerful, and I found the same to be true for the EliteBook X. I’m not necessarily a power user, and the EliteBook X isn’t designed for content creators or gamers. My review unit came with an Intel Core Ultra 7 268 V processor, 32 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 1 TB of SSD storage, and Intel Arc graphics. The bottom panel is secured with just four screws. Inside, you get access to the battery, fans, a replaceable Wi-Fi module, and the SSD. However, the RAM is not expandable.

There are rarely any points in my day-to-day that this machine feels taxed. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

I won’t go too deep into CPU performance or the technical details. It’s fast, has a built-in NPU for handling heavy AI workloads, and the chip can even manage tasks like image editing. But since this is a business notebook, I doubt most business users would use it for content creation, 3D modelling, or colour grading on a device like this. The EliteBook X is more suited for browsing the web, working on Google Docs and Sheets, building presentations, and maybe doing some light creative tasks using tools like Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT.

As a business laptop, the EliteBook X includes several security features — something no business executive or company can afford to overlook, especially in today’s environment where privacy and security are more important than ever. The EliteBook X comes with HP Wolf Security, which provides protection against malware and phishing attacks, monitors critical applications, and can restore the operating system in case of an infection. Meanwhile, HP Sure Click is designed to protect your PC from browser-borne malware.

HP has also introduced its own AI companion in addition to Microsoft Copilot. Currently in beta, this AI companion performs many of the same tasks as Google Gemini and Copilot, such as summarising your documents and emails. It also functions as a chatbot that can help you create to-do lists or assist with other everyday tasks. The laptop doesn’t produce much noise or heat.

The battery usually lasts between 13 and 14 hours for me, and I think it can last even longer. I am a heavy laptop user, often running multiple apps and Chrome tabs in the background. Overall, the EliteBook X offers good power efficiency and battery management.

Closing thoughts

Coming in at Rs 2,58,985, the HP EliteBook X Flip is an expensive business notebook (the range starts at Rs 172,000). I wouldn’t say it’s the best business laptop I have ever used, but it definitely comes close.

A thin and light design becomes critical for users like me. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The EliteBook X Flip is designed for CEOs and CXOs, but it’s also a decidedly professional laptop (with a price to match). There are many positive aspects of this notebook: a lightweight design, a small footprint, long battery life, good performance, a terrific keyboard, fast Wi-Fi 7, and a number of security features. If you are planning on using it professionally (or someone else is buying it for you), the HP EliteBook X Flip is one of the best business laptops I have used in a while.

This is a CEO laptop for me, but of course, opinions vary, and I respect that.