HP EliteBook 860 G9 - It's Big Screen Time

I don't know about you but if I'm spending around $3K for a laptop, it had better be able to cover off a lot of uses. Browsing and emailing, creating presentations and documents; these should be the very least of its capabilities.

Effective online meeting tools are a must as is all-day battery life. Just quietly, if it was able to run a few games during your downtime, that wouldn't be the end of the world either.

If there's one company you can probably rely on for a dependable business tool like that, it's HP.

The HP Elitebook 860 G9 is the biggest laptop I've ever reviewed.

Well, it's certainly the laptop with the biggest screen, anyway. If you thought 16-inches is perhaps too big for a laptop display, the 860 G9 might just make you think again.

The device is actually surprisingly slim, given the fact it has an excellent selection of full-sized ports; two Thunderbolt 4 with USB4 Type-C, two SuperSpeed USB Type-A and an HDMI 2.0 for easy connection to an external display. Really the only thing missing is an SD slot of some kind - this is strange as there seems to be a cutout for one on the right-hand side of the chassis, only it's filled in with some kind of spacer. 

Presumably, there's another configuration out there in the world that offers an SD option. Personally, I don't miss it, although film and photography creators might - especially given the two configurations currently available on the New Zealand HP website offer a choice of 256GB or 512GB PCIeNVMe SSD storage, which by modern standards is not massive.

The other thing that keeps the overall size of the 860 G9 in check is the reasonably small bezels around the 16-inch display - especially at the sides although the top and chin are also much smaller than those on many other similar devices. Despite this, the display feels very secure with little flex and is held in place by a very sturdy lid.

There's a 5MP Windows Hello-capable lens built into the top bezel, complete with a physical privacy shutter. This camera does a nice job of auto-focusing and adjusting to variable light conditions. I still don't understand why laptops don't seem to be allowed the same quality of camera as you'd find on a mid-tier smartphone but this one is definitely better than many others. Combined with what are described as "world-facing microphones" you're assured you'll be putting your best face forward at your next video briefing.

The audio setup has been tuned by Bang & Olufsen - not just the mics but the speakers too. These are situated on the lower edge of each side which had me worried; often laptop speakers built into the base of the device are easily muffled when it's... you know... sitting on your lap. However, that didn't seem to be the case here. I think this because a) the speaker grilles actually wrap up and around the bevelled edges and b) the 860 G9 is so wide, its edges protrude out past my lap - and believe me, I don't have that small a lap.

So yes, let's get back to this whopping WUXGA display. Because of its rather tall, 16:10 aspect ratio, I feel like I've used standalone desktop monitors that aren't as big as this. Thanks to Windows 11's new Snap Layout feature, I've frequently found myself setting up two browser windows side by side, just the way I would if I was using a secondary, external display. This just adds to the constant impression this laptop gives of a full desktop experience.

Of course, a massive screen means plenty of space opposite for a massive keyboard (complete with full number pad) and a massive touchpad.

There's a major issue with this wonderful display though; it's a touch screen and that's great - I always find the combination of touch display and touchpad pretty much eliminates the need to connect an external mouse. However, after only a few hours of use, I found the screen absolutely smothered in greasy fingerprints. While the anti-reflective coating on this display is stunningly effective, there doesn't seem to be a similar oleophobic treatment to repel fingerprints. Such treatments are commonplace on phone and tablet screens and I even ordered eyeglasses last week with a "smudge-resistant" coating. If the screen on the 860 G9 has such a layer to keep it clean, it's definitely not working on my review unit.

Don't let that minor annoyance put you off though - the huge display combined with the awesome power of the 12th-gen IntelCore i7 processor means a truly comprehensive and immersive multi-media experience - whether you're editing AV presentations, streaming video or yes, even gaming. Intel's integrated Iris X graphics technology seems to be going from strength to strength and while I'm not suggesting this is any kind of dedicated gaming rig, I've certainly run some fairly full-on First Person Shooters without the slightest glitch.

(Note, the 256GB configuration of the 860 G9 uses the i5 chip)

On the software side of things, I encountered very little bloatware when setting up although I was surprised to find Windows 10 Pro installed as the OS rather than Windows 11. I assume this is due to the fact most businesses still operate on the older version so it saves IT departments a reinstall if these devices are being issued as a work device.

If it's going to be your new work laptop, consider yourself very lucky. This is genuine desktop power with a screen size approaching that of a desktop monitor, basically eliminating the requirement for docks and other external accessories. For those of us maintaining a hybrid in-office/WFH work-life, this is the single device to make it easy.

    

Click here for more information on the HP EliteBook 860 G9.