After testing this HP laptop, I get why its 'boring' design is adored by business users

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HP's ZBook series aims to combine workstation-level performance with business features, and the 14-inch ZBook G1i epitomizes the form factor. It's hefty, pricey, and loaded with high-end hardware designed to blaze through professional workflows in a non-descript, "all-business" profile.

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I used the ZBook 8 G1i as my main driver for a week and came to appreciate its raw horsepower, but with the influx of thin-and-light laptops on the market, one can't help but compare it to laptops that are almost half as light, with marathon batteries to boot (and comparable performance).

Still, the ZBook 8 G1i doubles down on its predictably corporate design by delivering exactly what you'd expect from a laptop like this: power, durability, and reliability, with a handful of configurations, including niche hardware options.

Predictable performance

Available in both 14- and 16-inch models, I tested the 14-inch ZBook 8 Gl1 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor and 64 GB of DDR5-5600 RAM. This model features data transfer speeds of up to 5600 MT/s and scales up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H -- Intel's highest-performance chip family, with more CPU cores, faster clock speeds, and better thermals than the energy-efficient U or P series.

Combined with up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMeTM SSD, you've got a performance powerhouse that's capable of tackling professional workflows, data processing, and multitasking (and prices exceeding $3,000 on the high end). For more approachable configurations, prices hover around and below $2,000 -- prime business workstation territory.

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

In the office, the ZBook 8 Gl1 is fast and efficient, but all that hardware does get warm. Everyday usage of more demanding tasks like file transfers or large installs tended to generate a fair amount of heat, especially on the left side of the device, where the battery connection is. That said, nothing ever exceeded concerning levels, and the thermals put in the work.

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