HP EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC

As office and home work environments become more hybrid, the demand for space-saving PCs has increased. Existing desktops, with their main unit + monitor configuration, take up desk space and involve complex wiring.

Mini PCs and docking stations have emerged, but they still require separate keyboards/mice and main units, making them cumbersome to move and limiting space savings during installation. In particular, public kiosks or cramped counter spaces often lack suitable places to put a tower PC.

Furthermore, with the spread of remote work, employees want to use the same environment whether they are at home or in the office. Laptops, with their integrated screen/keyboard, lack screen expandability, while desktops are not portable.

In short, there is a growing need for a new form factor PC that offers both portability and cleanliness.

The biggest innovation of the HP EliteBoard G1a is that the keyboard itself is the PC main unit. The slim 12mm-thick keyboard houses the latest AMD Ryzen processor (with a built-in 50TOPS AI NPU), SSD storage, RAM, and more, allowing it to function as a complete Windows 11 PC.

As a result, you can carry only the keyboard and instantly run a desktop environment by connecting a single USB-C cable to the monitor. No separate dock or main unit is needed, and since power is also supplied via USB-C, the only cable on the desk is the monitor cable.

Also, as befits enterprise equipment, it has built-in remote management functions and security chips (secure booting, quantum-resistant cryptography), allowing the IT department to easily manage hundreds of devices. A pre-paired wireless mouse is also included as standard to enhance usability.

The keyboard's input feel is scissor-type, making it comfortable for users familiar with laptops, and dual microphones and speakers are also built into the keyboard, enabling video conferencing without separate devices.

In summary, it is in a unique position with almost no competing products as a form factor that combines desktop performance + laptop portability + all-in-one cleanliness.

The main customers are in the enterprise business sector. If large corporations or government offices introduce it in large quantities as a PC for employees, it will be easy to save desk space and organize wiring.

It is also useful in cramped spaces such as call centers, bank counters, and hospital receptions, as only one keyboard PC needs to be placed behind the monitor. Providing it to remote workers and having them carry the keyboard PC with them while leaving the monitor at home and in the company office makes security control easier.

Among general consumers, there may be some minimalists or those who want to replace their existing desktops, but HP emphasizes enterprise management functions and security, so the focus is on B2B. With advantages that IT managers will appreciate, a response is expected in the procurement market of companies, schools, and governments.

This product form factor has the potential to become a new category of PC in the future. Not only HP but also other manufacturers may release similar products, which may expand to the general consumer market.

For example, you can imagine variations such as a gaming keyboard PC or a living room keyboard PC that connects to a TV. The EliteBoard itself also plans to provide a built-in battery option in future generations, so it can evolve to operate temporarily without power like a laptop.

Regulations and certifications are the same as for general PCs, so there are no problems, and HP has a global distribution network, so it will be released simultaneously in dozens of countries. If the market response is good, HP can expand to the education market model such as the Chromebook version or the consumer model (e.g., Pavilion brand).

In a situation where form factor innovation in the PC industry is rare, this portable desktop concept can be a new growth engine.

It won the CES Innovation Award and was praised as a "product that redesigned the future office space." Critics noted that this product is not just a form factor gimmick, but a serious business PC that incorporates AMD's AI acceleration and HP's commercial security technology.

IT media such as Windows Central introduced the actual demonstration of various programs running smoothly, saying, "It's hard to believe that a PC is in the keyboard, it's so clean." From the end-user's point of view, the experience of implementing a work environment immediately upon connecting to a monitor is fresh, and the convenience of using the same environment anywhere with just a monitor has been well received.

Market expectations are also relatively high. Since the price is expected to be set below $1000 (unconfirmed), companies can consider it as an alternative to laptops, and some power users are also showing interest.

The part pointed out as an overestimation factor is "monitor dependence." In other words, users who are familiar with display-integrated laptops may find the need for a separate monitor inconvenient. There is also an opinion that it is uncertain how the final performance will be compared to high-performance laptops.

However, overall, it is welcomed as *"PC form factor innovation in a long time"*, and the view that it will be successful in the corporate market as HP intended is dominant.