CES 2023: HP brings its Dragonfly laptops to the masses

HP’s product range is huge but its sights at CES 2023 are set on freelancers and hybrid workers, with the latest updates to the Dragonfly range leading the way. The Dragonfly Pro and Dragonfly Pro Chromebook laptops are both attempts to lure a more budget-conscious business consumer to a range that has previously mostly focused on executives and corporate customers.

Both new machines come with 14in displays, quad-speakers tuned by Bang & Olufsen and fast charge via the provided 96W USB-C power adapter, apparently delivering 50% charge in 30 minutes. It’s the Dragonfly Pro Chromebook that steals the show, however. It’s powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U CPU, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a 256GB SSD for storage. The display is an LCD IPS panel with a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, and a claimed maximum brightness of 1,200cd/m2. Other design features include an 8MP webcam and customisable RGB backlighting in the keyboard. In terms of connectivity, you get a total of four USB-C Thunderbolt ports, which HP claims is a first for a Chromebook, and Wi-Fi 6E is also supported.

Unlike the Chromebook, the Dragonfly Pro offers a couple of variations, allowing you to choose between 16GB and 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and either a 512GB or 1TB SSD. Both models run Windows 11 Home Edition, with an AMD Ryzen 7735U CPU keeping the lights on. Its LCD IPS display has a slightly lower resolution compared to the Chromebook at 1,920 x 1,200 but this contributes to a long battery life, with HP claiming the total can extend up to 16 hours.

Another standout of the Dragonfly Pro is the selection of four hotkeys designed to provide easy access to commonly used features. The first key gives one-touch access to HP’s 24/7 live concierge service – the first HP device to offer this; the second and third keys launch the control centre and camera settings; and the fourth is user programmable.

Both the Dragonfly Pro and Dragonfly Pro Chromebook are expected to be available in the spring, although no firm price or release date has been announced. HP has confirmed that both laptops will be offered in either Ceramic White or Sparkling Black colour schemes.

While the above Dragonfly models were the standouts of the showcase, they weren’t unveiled alone. Rounding out the Dragonfly family is the HP Dragonfly G4, which HP says is the world’s first business laptop to support the simultaneous use of two cameras. Two other laptops were also announced, in the form of the HP EliteBook 1040 G10 and the HP Elite x360 1040 G10.

Both make use of the latest 13th Gen Intel processors and offer up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. All of these devices are also due this spring, with pricing to be announced closer to release.

More firm release dates were confirmed for the HP E-Series G5 monitors, also featured in the showcase. These range in size from 21.5in Full HD variations all the way up to the ultrawide 45in Dual QHD E45c G5. This behemoth runs at a 75Hz refresh rate and will support HP’s Device Bridge 2.0 tech, which allows users to use two computers with one monitor, keyboard and mouse. The HP E-Series G5 monitors are expected this January, with prices starting from $219 (UK pricing TBC).

We’ll be getting our hands on some of these products in the near future, so be sure to check back soon for full reviews. In the meantime, there’s plenty more to come from CES 2023 and we’ll be bringing you all the biggest news and most exciting announcements.