If you’re an old-timer in the personal computer world, you probably remember form factors like the Commodore 64, which shoved an entire PC (sans monitor) under the keyboard. This form factor has been attempted a few times, most recently by Raspberry Pi. But HP thinks it’s time for a more full-power revitalization. Enter the “EliteBoard.”
HP
This unassuming keyboard with a number pad is hiding full laptop guts inside. And no slouch of a laptop, either: Up to an AMD Ryzen AI 350, complete with RAM, storage, wireless, external ports, and—on the more interesting model—a battery. (A wired-power version of the EliteBoard G1A replaces one USB-C port with a permanently affixed cable.) That means that not only is this thing using laptop ports, it can effectively work as one, if you can add a USB-powered monitor and perhaps a mouse.
Why carry all that gear instead of, well, a laptop? HP says it’s designed for hybrid workers who constantly travel between their home office and a corporate office, the idea being that you can go from dock to dock without any issue. A laptop would certainly be more capable if you’re constantly working from the road, but this keyboard-only design is lighter and more bag-friendly, at only 1.7 pounds (768 grams).
Michael Crider / Foundry
Handling the device, you can’t immediately tell it’s more than just a keyboard, even if it’s a chunky one given the low-profile keys. The only clues are two USB-C ports (just one on the model with the permanent power cable and no battery) and both intake and exhaust for the fans. HP representatives told me that because this device is intended for corporate employees, both the RAM (DDR5, up to 64GB) and storage (gen4, 2TB maximum) are user-replaceable.
I asked to see inside. They said no.
If there’s one thing that’s disappointing about the design, it’s that the keyboard itself is rather uninspiring. It looks like something right off a laptop, not bad, but its scissor mechanism over a membrane is pretty tame compared to even a basic mechanical board, like the Raspberry Pi 500. You can at least swap out the keyboard part of the design if it needs a repair, something IT managers will probably be happy to hear.
HP
It’s an intriguing design, certainly. I’d be interested to see how many orders HP gets from customers like hotels or schools, that can make use of a device like this with no display. I would guess that HP is hesitant here, testing the waters before jumping into a relatively niche form factor. But even so, I’d love to see it offered as a consumer model, perhaps even bundled with a USB screen for those times you just have to get some untethered work done.
