Hands-on with HP's ZBook 15u G2 ultrabook: in pictures
A powerful Windows ultrabook, with a hefty pricetag
HP wants these notebooks in the hands of users of heavier professional apps: graphic design, engineering, and product development.
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Compared to a MacBook Air
The ZBook 15u G2 is thinner, lighter, and cheaper -- three important marked improvements on its sibling rival, the 15 G2. But it's no MacBook Air, nor is it an Acer Aspire S7, or a Lenovo ThinkPad Helix., or an HP Spectre 13.
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The keyboard is easy to type on. It also comes with a pointing stick embedded within the keys.
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Integrated 720p webcam
Embedded in the bezel around the edge of the screen is a 720p-resolution webcam (on select models) for video-calling on select models.
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Biometric security
HP's also included a swipe-over fingerprint reader, along with a trusted platform module (TPM) for secure booting.
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Speaker and ports
A speaker runs across the top of the keyboard. HP wants this ultrabook to be an entry-level media or entertainment device. It can do a lot more than that.
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Some legacy, some new ports
The slimmed-down notebook also comes with three USB 3.0 devices, one DisplayPort slot, an Ethernet connection, and a VGA output for legacy displays and projectors, and a smart card reader.
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Side ports, Windows downgrades
The ZBook 15u G2 comes Windows 8.1, but you can downgrade to Windows 7 Professional for those who need to run legacy apps.
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256GB solid-state drive
The operating system is markedly faster compared to similar ultrabooks, thanks in part to its solid-state drives.
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A solid Windows notebook
For the price you pay, this is a solid entry-level Windows workstation on-the-go.
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