CES 2025: HP Gives its Entire Business PCs Line an AI Upgrade

Across all of its Omni, Elite, and Z laptops and desktops, HP is talking up the AI capabilities baked into not only the Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm chips it’s systems are build on, but also Windows Copilot+ features. HP is also including its own AI Companion software and even dedicated AI-launching keyboard hot keys. Whether you’re looking for an AI-powered workhorse or you’re simply looking for a suitably powerful computer for work, HP has an assortment of new systems that are sure to impress. 

Photo: HP 

Mainstream work computing with HP’s Omni branded PCs

HP’s Omni laptops already received a bunch of updates this past fall, but it saved the desktop refresh for CES. The most eye-catching of the two updates is the OmniStudio X all-in-one, which comes with either a 27- or 32-inch display. The Omnistudio boasts a thin, screen-first design, with HP claiming a nearly 94% screen-to-body ratio that puts your work, and not the bezel, front and center. 

Alongside the all-in-one, HP has a handsome new OmniDesk line of small tower desktops. The OmniDesk AI PC includes a wood-style finish on its plastic front that easily makes it the best-looking desktop of the group. It’s also the best-equipped, with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card; perfect for demanding visual work. The other models have more traditional black and gray designs, as well as an assortment of budget-oriented specs including Intel Core Ultra 200F and AMD Ryzen 78700G desktop chips.

New EliteBooks for the corner office and nailing that presentation

EliteBook is HP’s main corporate workforce laptop and updates for this line include some familiar usability features as well as the requisite “boss model” EliteBook Ultra G1i. The chief appeal of this model is its 14-inch, 120Hz OLED touchscreen display and what HP says is the largest haptic trackpad on a business laptop. A 9MP Poly webcam and dual microphones ensure you’ll be both seen and heard on video calls. 

For those who need to present in person as much as they take Zoom calls, the new EliteBook X Flip G1i might be the better option. With four different usage modes for its rotatable 14-inch IP display, the Flip G1i can present as well as sketch or take notes. The G1i is also available in a non-Flip version. 

Slimmed down Z Series workstation PCs for creatives 

Photo: HP 

The two new entries in HP’s workstation line, the ZBook Ultra G1a and Z2 Mini G1a are AMD-only models that lean heavily into on-system AI performance thanks to their Ryzen AI MAX+ Pro and Radeon 8000-series chip combo that allows for 50 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of local AI processing power. 

Beyond the chip tech, the ZBook Ultra G1a is a 14-inch laptop that’s 0.73-inches thick and weighs 3.3 pounds in its lightest configuration. It comes with either an IPS or OLED display, with up to 4TB of system storage and 128GB max system memory. 

For the Z2 Mini, this tiny rack-mountable desktop can provide up to 8TB of local storage, with a flexible approach to its I/O ports that let you (or your IT team) configure it specifically to the needs of the workplace. Among its various options is support for up to four 4K resolution displays. Impressively, it also has an integrated 300 watt power supply, which means no unsightly power brick hanging off the back. 

Z Captis

Photo: HP 

The final announcement from HP’s Z product line isn’t a computer at all. The Z Captis looks like a light you might find in a photo studio, but it’s actually an 8K image scanner. Designed in partnership with Adobe to work with Adobe’s Substance 3D modeling software, Z Captis is aimed at architects, fashion designers, or anyone who might want to capture high resolution imagery from real world surfaces and materials for use as texture in their own 3D models. This is a niche product for professionals, but it’s not hard to imagine how useful it could be in the right hands.

New Thunderbolt docks to tie it all together

Lastly from HP, with all of these slim new PC designs, the biggest concern for the average user is going to be ports. Connecting external storage, multiple display connections or other accessories can be tricky on small form factor laptops, like those HP showed off during CES. Thankfully, HP has three new Thunderbolt 4 docks to help bridge the gap. Available in 100 Watt, 180W, and 280W versions, the Thunderbolt 4 Ultra docks will work with common corporate operating systems including Windows 10, Windows 11, ChromeOS, macOS, Linux, and ThinPro. 

Port options include USB-C and USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 and Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, and 2.5Gbps Ethernet, all backed by network management and security capabilities. There’s also some sleek RGB lighting as well as Quick Connect proximity activation to ensure everything on your desk is ready to use as soon as you sit down. 

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A twenty year CNET veteran and founding editor of CNET Home, Rich Brown has covered everything from desktop computers to dishwashers. He now works as a consultant for early stage start-ups.