I just reviewed and loved the original HP Elite Dragonfly, but at CES 2020, HP just made it even better. The company has revealed the Dragonfly G2, which sports 5G wireless connectivity as the biggest new feature.
That's not the only new HP hardware unveiled at CES, as the HP Spectre x360 15 also got a slimming makeover, plus 10th Gen Intel CPUs (which the Dragonfly G2 is also getting). There's also a new HP Envy 32 All-in-One desktop, which features a beautiful redesign and integrated wireless charging.
HP Elite Dragonfly G2: More mobile than ever with 5G
How do you take one of the best laptops around and make it even better? Well, mere months after HP gave us the long lasting Dragonfly that's utterly beautiful-in-blue, the Elite Dragonfly G2 upgrades its predecessor's optional 4G connectivity by adding 5G as an option.
Oh, and even though the Dragonfly G2 is identical to its predecessor in shape and size and heft, HP's also adding optional built-in Tile tracking. That way, if you misplace your laptop, you can see its general location on the Tile app on your phone. The 5G model is available this summer, while the Tile-enhanced model delivers starting next month (Feb. 2020) — pricing is yet to be announced.
iPhone owners are more than familiar with this sort of trick, thanks to Apple's Find My app. Not only can you ping the Dragonfly G2 remotely, so it starts ringing (something I do when I don't know which part of the house my phone is in), but you can also see its exact location if you're within Bluetooth range (a few hundred feet).
That means the Dragonfly G2 is also a part of the Tile network, so its location gets updated if someone else's Tile-connected device gets within range, important for when you leave your bag at a coffee shop.
HP's continuing to offer its 4-cell and 2-cell battery options, where the latter makes for a lighter machine and the former lasts much longer. HP quotes the notebook as lasting up to 24 hours while the 1st Gen Dragonfly turned in a time of 12:25 on our Wi-Fi-based web surfing battery test.
The new Dragonfly sports 10th Gen Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs (an upgrade from the 8th Gen chips in the previous model), up to 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of PCIe SSD storage. In terms of displays, you get three options: a 400-nit 1080p-touch screen, a 550-nit 4K (3840 x 2160-pixel) panel and a 1,000-nit display with HP's Sure View privacy screen.
In terms of ports, you get dual Thunderbolt USB Type-C ports with Power Delivery 3.0, a USB 3.1 port, the headphone/microphone combo jack and HDMI 1.4.
HP Spectre x360 15 (2020): Slimmed for the new year
Meet the new Spectre x360 15 (coming in March, starting at $1,599), which is 13% smaller than its previous generation. Shredding the bezels of the 2019 model (it's got a 90% screen-to-body ratio) allows HP to a 15-inch screen in a chassis that looks like previous 14-inch laptops.
Oh, and don't worry about battery life for this convertible, as HP's promising the longest battery life for a 4K laptop: up to 17 hours. The company credits the energy efficient display technology that we can't wait to put to the test back in our labs.
The Spectre x360 15 features the latest Nvidia GPU and a 10th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor. You can also choose between optional OLED and anti-glare OLED customizations for its screen.
HP Envy 32 All-in-One: Styling and profiling
Designed for content creators who want a machine as elegant as it is fast, the HP Envy 32 All-in-One (available now, starting at $1,599) provides a refined chassis for its 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processors and optional Nvidia graphics.
Not only is its display nearly all screen — minus a smallish bezel and heathered acoustic cloth speaker — but its woodgrain base provides wireless Qi charging. My other favorite facet of the Envy 32 AIO is a privacy tweak that keeps its webcam from looking at you unless you choose to deploy it. On the top of the chassis, you'll see a trapezoidal bay that you push down on to pop up, like a periscope.
At a private media event, I heard a bit of the Envy 32's powerful speakers, pumping out pop hits in a loud and crowded room. HP brands the speaker at the bottom of the screen as "Advanced Audio Stream," built around Bang & Olufsen-tuned front-firing tweeters and subwoofer speakers.
The all-in-one features up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD. For ports, you get 2x USB-A 3.1, 1x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB-C 3.1, 1x USB-A 3.1, headphone/Microphone combo jack, HDMI out and in, Ethernet and a 3-in-1 media card for SD, SDHC and SDXC.
