I grew up utilizing computer systems, fixing them, and tinkering with the {hardware}. Generally I succeeded; different occasions, I ended up breaking them. Computer systems have at all times fascinated me. You will discover a pc in nearly any machine, from a smartphone and a automobile’s dashboard to even a keyboard.
A number of days in the past, HP approached me to assessment their new EliteBoard G1a. I assumed it might be both a pocket book or a desktop. I gave them the go-ahead, and when the machine arrived, I used to be shocked to find that your complete pc was hidden inside a keyboard.
The EliteBoard G1a looks like a crossover between a mini desktop PC and a smartphone, providing a full desktop computing expertise. For me, although, it represents a brand new form of cell pc—one I didn’t know I wanted. It’s an bold design and, in some ways, a extremely experimental one. If this way issue proves profitable, it may develop into a mainstream various to the normal desktop pc, remodeling cell work.
I put aside my MacBook Neo and used the HP EliteBoard G1a as my main pc for the previous few days. Right here is my assessment.
What: HP EliteBoard G1a | Worth: Rs 89,900 onwards
Not your average-looking pc
One take a look at the EliteBoard G1a, and you understand it isn’t a traditional PC. It’s a pc with no display screen or a trackpad. That’s the thought behind the EliteBoard G1a: to create a pc so discreet that it hides inside a keyboard. I might say it’s a intelligent thought—and it really works.
At 670 grams, the EliteBoard G1a weighs about half as a lot as a contemporary ultraportable pocket book. (Picture: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Categorical)
Dimension issues with desktop PCs, and no person needs an enormous, cumbersome pc taking on area on their desk. A minimum of, I don’t—not at residence or on the workplace.
At 670 grams, the EliteBoard G1a weighs about half as a lot as a contemporary ultraportable pocket book. It appears nice on a desk and takes up little or no area. I keep in mind once I purchased an HP Pavilion after passing my Class 10 examination…I additionally had to purchase a pc desk to accommodate the PC.
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With the EliteBoard G1a, nevertheless, you possibly can take your PC nearly wherever, so long as you might have entry to a monitor. It really works with nearly any show, whether or not it’s a 4K monitor, a curved monitor, or perhaps a transportable monitor. I can think about myself engaged on the EliteBoard G1a with a transportable monitor at a café. That’s my form of work setup.
Don’t fear, HP bundles a pleasant journey case with a magnetic clip to securely use the flap. The machine matches snugly into the case, making it simple to journey with. Included within the field is the HP 675 mouse, which you’ll join both through two Bluetooth channels or via a USB-C RF receiver.
The machine is available in a carbon-coloured chassis and matches the aesthetics of an workplace or a minimalist residence. Hidden contained in the keyboard, the PC feels prefer it’s product of high-quality plastic. It’s a powerful feat of engineering to cram internals, together with a processor, into the keyboard.
The one main downside of this way issue is the restricted variety of ports. There are solely USB-C ports, certainly one of which is used to attach the monitor, leaving only a single USB-C port for different equipment.
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The machine is available in a carbon-coloured chassis and matches the aesthetics of an workplace or a minimalist residence. (Picture: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Categorical)
The EliteBoard G1a is designed for versatile workplaces like company workplaces with hot-desking, the place staff don’t have mounted desks and want ultraportable computer systems which might be simple to arrange and use shortly. With the EliteBoard G1a, all you want is a monitor and the machine itself. One other instance of how the EliteBoard G1a shines is that it makes use of a single cable to run the setup. Nevertheless, I’ve seen that if the cable comes free, the reference to the keyboard PC is misplaced.
Wonderful keyboard and a (principally) polished expertise
The EliteBoard G1a is greatest visualised as a keyboard first, then a PC. The keyboard is snug to kind on, and the keys are practically silent. I completely like it—not as a result of it’s essentially the most wonderful keyboard on this planet, however as a result of it feels pure to kind on. There may be much less fatigue, and as a author, I may kind for hours.
It helps backlighting, so you possibly can kind simply at evening. (Picture: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Categorical)
The keyboard features a full numpad on the proper, and the scale feels proper for me. It helps backlighting, so you possibly can kind simply at evening. There may be loads of key journey, despite the fact that it makes use of membrane switches, not mechanical.
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As I used to be watching a YouTube video the opposite day, I assumed the audio system have been within the monitor. However I used to be mistaken. The EliteBoard G1a comes with built-in audio system. They’re satisfactory, to say the least, and also you shouldn’t anticipate a wealthy sound system. Two 1W down-firing audio system beneath the keyboard produce a skinny sound. They don’t sound like good, devoted transportable audio system; nevertheless, they’re completely superb for video calls and informal media consumption.
The EliteBoard G1a is a full-blown desktop PC. It runs Home windows 11 Professional for Enterprise and is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 300-series processor with as much as a 50 TOPS NPU. My assessment unit got here with the Ryzen AI 7 370 Professional, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. It’s not the newest era of AMD chips, however moderately the earlier one. Though it could fall behind in uncooked efficiency on paper, it gives extra energy than most individuals want, together with those that edit images in Photoshop and Lightroom or edit 4K movies in Adobe Premiere and different video-editing software program.
It runs Home windows 11 Professional for Enterprise and is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 300-series processor with as much as a 50 TOPS NPU. (Picture: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Categorical)
I can simply see this pc lasting over half a decade for many customers whereas nonetheless feeling adequate for many duties. Should you don’t think about your self an influence consumer, this machine will serve your wants. The graphics have additionally been improved with Radeon 860M graphics, although it isn’t supposed to be a gaming machine.
What I like in regards to the EliteBoard G1a is how HP has managed to take care of thermal management by directing CPU warmth away from the consumer’s arms. The truth is, its internals are stacked inside a chassis with a warmth pipe and cooling system, and the underside compartment will be accessed with a Phillips-head screwdriver. HP’s fan and cooling design is properly thought out and deserves appreciation. Eradicating the underside cowl offers you entry to the RAM, SSD and a replaceable battery.
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There are solely USB-C ports, certainly one of which is used to attach the monitor, leaving only a single USB-C port for different equipment. (Picture: Anuj Bhatia/The Indian Categorical)
Talking of the battery, it makes use of a built-in 32Wh battery. Which means should you join it to a transportable monitor, the EliteBoard G1a can final between three and 4 hours. Anyway, throughout my time testing the machine, it was at all times plugged into energy. Having a built-in battery is a plus level, but it surely all will depend on the setup.
So, must you purchase the HP EliteBoard G1a?
The idea of turning a keyboard into a totally practical PC is an bold dream that has failed spectacularly up to now. Truthfully, the EliteBoard G1a jogged my memory of the Commodore 64, the keyboard PC that turned well-known within the Eighties. After utilizing the EliteBoard G1a, I can say the keyboard PC is now not only a idea however a tool that works fantastically.
Probably the most shocking side of the EliteBoard G1a is how shortly I may log on and the way surprisingly quick it’s at operating totally different applications. I used to be in a position to simply run greater than a dozen browser tabs whereas enjoying music within the background with no trace of lag. A full Home windows expertise on a keyboard PC was not one thing on my wishlist in 2026.
Whereas HP made the EliteBoard G1a for companies, I wish to see a client model with some modifications, reminiscent of further cooling, perhaps mechanical keys, and a barely superior processor that may run AAA video games. That may be a dream PC for lots of customers.
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Nonetheless, as a first-generation machine, HP will get quite a bit proper with the EliteBoard G1a. It’s a dangerous machine but in addition a mirrored image of how workplaces are altering. For me, the EliteBoard G1a is a pc that’s disguised as a keyboard. HP has reimagined the desktop pc, and I prefer it, however it’s nonetheless an costly purchase.