HP EliteBook 8 G1a is a laptop that positions itself as an AI-powered business-class device designed for the modern professional workspace. It is powered by AMD’s latest Ryzen AI processor and enterprise-grade security features with a starting price of ₹1,30,000. I have been using this laptop for more than two weeks straight, and here are my thoughts about this laptop.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Design and build quality

The design is super clean, simple, and refreshing; the colour and finish on the lid, deck, and the bottom are amazing. It’s not too silver and not completely white, somewhere in between, which looks amazing. At 1.39 kg, it is not competing with premium ultrabooks but still light enough to not feel during daily commutes. The chassis of the laptop is made from recycled materials, and it feels sturdy.

When I said the design is clean, I meant it. There are no brand stickers cluttering the deck of these laptops. That nonsense is gone, and I really appreciate it because let’s just face it, everyone hates them but cannot remove them because they are going to leave a residue. I request all OEMs to please move those stickers to the bottom of the laptop if they are that important.

The port selection is generous; it features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, USB-C, and USB-A. It basically covers everything you need without needing to reach out for dongles. A SIM card slot option is there for always-on connectivity, but I wish it came standard at this price point. Overall, the design and build quality are quite impressive, and I especially loved this amazing colour.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Display

The 14-inch display is a different story; the 1080p panel comes with 16:10 aspect ratio and is perfect for productivity. The narrow viewing angle isn’t a bug, it’s a feature; it is designed to prevent onlookers from peeping into the display. There is an automatic filter that enables when an onlooker is detected; this filter further limits the visibility of the display’s content.

The matte finish on the display does an excellent job of cutting the glare when using the laptop outside or in well-lit rooms. The display features 800 nits peak brightness, which is perfect to handle all bright conditions without breaking a sweat.

But, and this is important, this display is not for entertainment. Not that this laptop is built for movie nights, but the narrow viewing angle will leave you wanting more from this laptop. This is a serious business-class device; there is nothing fancy about this display—no high refresh rate, no HDR support, or anything.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Keyboard and trackpad

HP’s keyboard game is strong; the keys are tactile and offer satisfying feedback with very consistent travel that makes the typing experience comfortable. It is backlit and quite responsive; it feels exactly what you’d expect from a business laptop.

The trackpad deserves special mention; this glass-topped trackpad offers a smooth finish. It is genuinely one of the best trackpads I have used so far in a business laptop. The tracking is very precise, and the gestures work perfectly; the size of the trackpad is also generous. The only gripe I have is that this is not a haptic trackpad, which I think should be a feature at this price point.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Performance

This is where things get interesting, not necessarily in a good way. The EliteBook 8 G1a runs AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor with 8 cores, 16 threads, integrated Radeon 860M graphics, and a 50 TOPS NPU for AI workloads.

While it sounds impressive on paper, the actual performance left me wanting more from this chipset. Cinebench scores are respectable but not an exception for this class of processor. I tried customizing the performance from HP’s customizing app, but it didn’t make the situation any better.

The integrated graphics can handle business tasks completely fine, but when pushed hard into any creative work or even light gaming, limitations become apparent. When compared to similarly priced Intel Core Ultra laptops, there is a noticeable performance gap that is hard to ignore. The 50 TOPS NPU does its job for AI-accelerated tasks like background blur and transcription. I found the performance pretty satisfactory in the AI section.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: AI features and security

HP has loaded this machine with AI capabilities, featuring an NPU in the chipset and HP AI companion and even the Poly Camera Pro. These features actually work, and I am quite impressed with the performance.

HP Wolf Security for Business provides enterprise-grade protection with BIOS-level security, real-time threat containment, and secure browsing. For IT departments, these security features really justify the pricing that it comes for.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Battery life

Battery performance is where EliteBook redeems itself; the backup is genuinely impressive. Through my typical workday, which is mostly browser tabs, spreadsheets, and video calls, it consistently delivered a full day of use from a full charge.

The 62Wh battery paired with intelligent power management means you’re not hunting for outlets by mid-afternoon. In testing, it managed about 8 hours at about 50% brightness, which is good enough for a business laptop. The 100W USB-C charger tops up the battery quickly; it charges the laptop from zero to 100 in about an hour.

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Pros and cons

Pros:

• Premium, clean design with recycled materials
• Strong keyboard and smooth glass trackpad
• Effective AI features with 50 TOPS NPU
• Excellent battery life with fast charging
• Robust enterprise-grade security

Cons:

• Underwhelming AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 performance
• Display limited to productivity, not entertainment
• No haptic feedback on trackpad
• SIM card slot not standard at this price

HP EliteBook 8 G1a: Bottom line

The HP EliteBook 8 G1a is an amazing business laptop that does most of the things right. And what I loved is the build quality, battery life, and the security features. What didn’t impress me enough are the display and the performance. So I will suggest you buy this laptop unless you are absolutely convinced that you want a business laptop that is secure and offers you all the AI features that you will need during your work hours.