HP ZBook 8 G1i review: A blazing-fast professional workstation

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$5,755

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The HP ZBook 8 G1i is a high-end workstation laptop computer designed for skilled workloads: CAD, 3D modeling, and video editing. It’s priced to match, too. At an eye-watering worth of $5,755, this machine appears priced with sufficient margin to permit massive reductions to companies procuring a fleet for his or her staff. As I wrapped up this evaluate, HP was providing it at 61 p.c off — a worth of $2,199.

With a three-year guarantee, a bundled Windows 11 Professional license, a quick Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU, workstation-class Nvidia graphics, and loads of RAM and storage, that sale worth appears truthful for an expert software like this one. But HP’s guarantees of “pro-level graphics designed for advanced AI workflows” fall a bit flat right here.

While this machine has Nvidia graphics that may run native AI options in skilled apps, this isn’t the perfect AI workstation PC. Both the GPU and NPU maintain it again in AI workloads.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Specs

The HP ZBook 8 G1i is offered in a variety of configurations, each in 14-Inch and 16-inch fashions. The 16-inch evaluate mannequin HP allow us to borrow had an Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a dual-GPU setup with a workstation-class discrete Nvidia RTX 500 Ada GPU and built-in Intel Arc Pro 140T graphics.

The 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU is predicated on Intel’s Arrow Lake structure with a max pace of 5.3 GHz, and it delivered CPU and general system efficiency that wowed in our benchmark suite.

The RTX 500 Ada GPU right here is an entry-level GPU designed for workstation PCs, together with CAD software program and light-weight AI duties. Professionals get licensed drivers to be used with software program like AutoCAD, with a promise of higher stability. This machine will not be meant for gaming, and the RTX 500 Ada GPU right here solely has 4 GB of VRAM. So, whereas HP talks up this machine as an AI workhorse, the shortage of VRAM means it isn’t ideally suited for heavy native AI duties that want a whole lot of VRAM, together with operating bigger native fashions and fine-tuning them.

Quite frankly, the AI story is the weakest a part of this machine. With a gradual Intel NPU that doesn’t meet the minimal necessities for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features and an Nvidia GPU with solely 4 GB of VRAM, folks in search of an “AI workstation” would do effectively to look elsewhere. For operating native LLMs, a shopper GPU with 12GB of VRAM or extra could be ideally suited. If you obtain LM Studio, you’ll uncover that solely the smallest fashions will run on a GPU like this one.

You’re getting an expert GPU meant for CAD functions that may do some light-weight work with AI-accelerated options in skilled apps — so long as they don’t want a lot video RAM.

• Model quantity: HP ZBook 8 G1i C01CTUA#ABA / BQ2Z7AA#ABA
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265H
• Memory: 32GB DDR5-5600 RAM
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 500 Ada and Intel Arc Pro 140T
• NPU: Intel AI Boost (13 TOPS)
• Display: 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS show
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
• Webcam: 5 MP webcam
• Connectivity: 3x USB Type-C (2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 20Gbps), 1x USB Type-A (5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo audio jack, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 1x safety lock slot
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader and IR digital camera for facial recognition
• Battery capability: 77 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.13 x 9.84 x 0.76 inches
• Weight: 3.87 kilos
• MSRP: $5,755 as examined ($2,199 on sale)

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Design and construct high quality

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The 16-inch HP ZBook 8 G1i has a metallic chassis. Weighing slightly below 4 kilos, it’s an affordable weight for a laptop computer of this dimension and functionality. It’s not the thinnest machine, however the cooling works effectively. The CPU right here posted excessive marks in our benchmarks. The thermals are wonderful: In a long-running CPU-heavy process just like the Cinebench benchmark we carry out, the fan whirs away, holding the CPU operating cool. It’s not unusually loud even at excessive efficiency ranges.

For professionals in search of excessive efficiency on CPU-heavy workloads, this machine’s CPU efficiency will outmatch many high-performance “gaming PCs” that spend their efficiency funds on a sooner GPU and go for a slower CPU.

The design is commonplace for a laptop computer: A blue or gray-tinged silver colour that HP calls “Meteor Silver” mixed with a black bezel across the show. The hinge feels strong, and the machine is straightforward to open with one hand. The metallic development feels premium.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Keyboard and trackpad

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The 16-inch HP ZBook 8 G1i has a big keyboard that feels responsive, with a quantity pad and keys which can be moderately snappy. The trackpad is massive, easy, and clicks down with a pleasantly rubbery, bouncy really feel.

Both the keyboard and the trackpad listed below are quiet, which might make them a very good match for an workplace atmosphere or espresso store. (Many shopper laptops have surprisingly loud keyboards and trackpads, and so they wouldn’t be ideally suited to sort on in an workplace or in a gathering room together with your boss.)

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Display and audio system

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a show designed for a enterprise laptop computer. The 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS show right here seems to be good, however the 60Hz refresh price is commonplace and doesn’t go above and past on the pixel density. With as much as 400 nits of brightness and an anti-glare coating, it stays properly readable in difficult lighting environments with direct solar or overhead fluorescent lighting.

The show is designed for lengthy battery life and readability, not high-end gaming and multimedia duties. HP provides different fashions with higher-end shows — for instance, you may get a 3840×2400 IPS show with a 120Hz refresh price and 500 nits of brightness on some fashions. But that can negatively impression battery life. The lower-end show delivers higher battery life.

The HP ZBook 8 G1i’s audio system get surprisingly loud for a laptop computer, if you would like them to be. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot bass. At excessive quantity ranges, the highs in songs like Steely Dan’s Aja can develop into considerably shrill and fatiguing. This machine’s audio system are possible optimized extra for speech and conferences. Set at 50 p.c quantity, this laptop computer was about as loud as many different laptops I’ve used.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The HP ZBook 8 G1i’s 5 MP webcam is unusually good, which is what I’d hope to see in a high-end laptop computer designed for work. Even on a cloudy winter day in New England, the ambient mild coming by means of the window in my workplace resulted in a transparent, crisp picture with out a lot visible noise.

The microphone setup right here can also be spectacular: It picked up my voice with a very good quantity of vocal depth and canceled out background noise. Cheaper laptop computer mics usually sound “tinny.” This machine is a superb alternative should you participate in a whole lot of on-line conferences.

HP included a number of biometrics choices on our evaluate mannequin: Both an IR digital camera for facial recognition and a fingerprint reader on the top-right nook of the keyboard tray.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Connectivity

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a wide selection of ports. On the left facet, it has two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a combo audio jack.

On the suitable facet, it has a 3rd USB Type-C port (20Gbps), a USB Type-A port (5Gbps), a RJ-45 Ethernet port, and a safety lock slot. It’s nice having USB Type-C ports on each side. As the laptop computer prices through USB Type-C, this implies you may plug the charging cable into both facet. That’s all the time nice to see on a laptop computer.

It’s a succesful loadout of ports, particularly with Ethernet — a crucial enterprise port. And our evaluate mannequin supported each Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, though the {hardware} on totally different ZBook fashions varies.

HP additionally provides an non-compulsory exterior nano SIM slot on some fashions, so you may join this laptop computer to cellular data.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Performance

The HP ZBook 8 G1i flew in day-to-day desktop duties. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265H CPU right here is quick, and this machine’s thermals are set as much as let it run onerous with out slowing down beneath load. With 32GB of RAM and a quick 1TB SSD, the machine is about up for prime efficiency in skilled apps.

As all the time, we ran the HP ZBook 8 G1i by means of our standard benchmarks.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

First, we run PCMark 10 to get an concept of general system efficiency. The HP ZBook 8 G1i delivered an general PCMark 10 rating of 9,171. This is a CPU-focused benchmark the place the GPU is much less vital, however the SSD and general system efficiency come into play.

This is larger general system efficiency than many gaming laptops I’ve reviewed, and the ZBook can ship it over prolonged durations of time with a fan that isn’t all that loud. This alone will make this machine an incredible possibility for a lot of professionals.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a closely multithreaded benchmark that focuses on general CPU efficiency. It’s a fast benchmark, so cooling beneath prolonged workloads isn’t an element. But, because it’s closely multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores have an enormous benefit.

With a multithreaded rating of 7,534, the HP ZBook 8 G1i once more notched critical multithreaded CPU efficiency that outmatched many different laptops.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

We additionally run an encode with Handbrake. This is one other closely multithreaded benchmark, however it runs over an prolonged interval. This forces the laptop computer’s cooling to kick in, and plenty of laptops will throttle and decelerate beneath load.

The HP ZBook 8 G1i accomplished the encode course of in a median of 783 seconds — that’s simply over 13 minutes. It’s an unusually good rating and exhibits the machine’s thermals are well-designed. It can ship critical efficiency for prolonged durations of time beneath load.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

Next, we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, and the GPU will usually be used for GPU-based skilled apps and maybe accelerating some native AI duties. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU efficiency.

With a 3DMark Time Spy rating of 6,053, we see the place the uncooked GPU efficiency falls: More similar to an older RTX 3050 Ti GPU than a more moderen 50-series GPU. But you don’t purchase a workstation-class GPU for uncooked gaming efficiency. You purchase it for the soundness and authorized drivers for apps like AutoCAD and SolidWorks.

Overall, the HP ZBook 8 G1i delivered superb efficiency within the type of skilled apps you’d be operating on a machine like this one.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Battery life

The HP ZBook 8 G1i has a large 77 Watt-hour battery. Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs are extra centered on efficiency than battery life, however the power-efficient show and sizable battery ship strong battery life for a workstation.

Foundry / Chris Hoffman

To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled till the laptop computer suspends itself. We set the display screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. This is a best-case situation for any laptop computer since native video playback is so environment friendly, and actual battery life in day-to-day use is all the time going to be lower than this.

The HP ZBook lasted for about 14 and a half hours earlier than suspending itself. It ought to get you thru a full workday away from an outlet, should you like. But you’ll must plug the laptop computer in to get the most effective efficiency from the {hardware}, anyway. What you find yourself with is a laptop computer that may final away from an outlet when it must. The battery life is strong for this {hardware}.

HP ZBook 8 G1i: Conclusion

The HP ZBook 8 G1i is aware of precisely what it’s: A transportable workstation for professionals full with high-end CPU efficiency, a protracted guarantee, workstation-class Nvidia graphics, a beneficiant quantity of RAM, and an enormous SSD.

And HP is aware of precisely tips on how to worth it: While $5,755 appeared excessive, the truth that the machine was already 61 p.c off after I completed reviewing it exhibits how prepared HP can be to chop the value to one thing affordable.

If you’re in search of a quick skilled workstation, the HP ZBook 8 G1i matches the invoice. Just don’t pay $5,755 for it.